Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Equity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Native American Student Services outlines outreach, Title VI funding and cultural activities
Summary
Billie Jo Juno presented the Native American Student Services program, describing Title VI and state funding, specialists who serve multiple schools, student cultural trips including Glacier National Park, RISE statewide engagement, PD for teachers, and requests for more specialist time and consultant compensation.
Billie Jo Juno, leading the Native American Student Services team, described program activities and staffing and outlined funding sources and priorities for Missoula County Public Schools.
Juno said the department receives federal Title VI money and state IFA support; those funds pay specialist salaries who provide one-on-one and group support across schools. She named instructional coaches Charlie Struna and Keila Cross and specialists including Lee Molotaire, Trina Old Person and Ally North, noting each specialist covers multiple buildings and typically visits one school per day.
The presentation highlighted student cultural opportunities: a Hopa Mountain grant supported trips to Glacier National Park that brought roughly 30 students who had not previously camped or hiked; consultants and elders joined storytelling around campfires. The program also takes students to RISE conferences, participates in book studies funded by the Missoula Education Foundation, and maintains a lessons bank on the MCPS website to support teachers integrating Indian Education for All (IEFA).
Juno emphasized staffing constraints and pay for cultural consultants. "I feel like we don't pay them enough," she said, and noted the department would prefer increased specialist time at schools. Trustees thanked the presenters and asked follow-up questions about 506 forms, student counts, and how the team measures reach and impact.
Next steps: trustees expressed support and asked for continued communication; the presentation did not include a standalone action item.
