On the road and on the 'net

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For a little company, we are really doing a lot these days. I just uploaded the first 30 pages of our second draft of the Ethical Training for Indian Nations course. This was called Tribal Leaders with Character in its first draft. There are 31 pages of that up.

Now, 61 pages may not seem like a lot, but it also includes an 8-page newsletter, two PowerPoint presentations of about 25 slides each and links to sites for more information. Then there was the review of mountains of information that we did not include for reasons from it was total nonsense written by someone claiming to be the sole non-Indian disciple of the famous medicine man Laughing Buffalo to academic discussions of whether good exists to really good articles we just haven't figured out how to fit in. Keep checking back to the site, because, over the next few days, I will be adding another thirty or forty pages that we have in draft form and merging over what I think we should keep from the first draft. As always, I would be very happy to read your comments and suggestions, just email me at annmaria@spiritlakeconsulting.com .

On our Disability Training projects, Erich has been all over the map. After last week at Standing Rock, he gave a presentation this morning on the Spirit Lake Reservation on rights of students in special education. He has a second presentation scheduled with Spirit Lake Head Start, but all of our training is open to the public. If you have a child from age three through twenty-one that you think is not having his or her needs met by the school and you cannot seem to get your concerns addressed, please call Erich at (701) 351-2175 or email him at ericstev@spiritlakeconsulting.com . At the end of this month, on Halloween, no less, Erich will be at the Trenton Indian Service Area doing staff training. As far as I know, he has no plans to come dressed in costume. To some people, I guess he is scary enough just as is. A few years ago, we were attending a conference in Arizona and  Erich stopped by my hotel room  to pick up some documents. The in-room sitter the hotel had provided for my baby would not let him in. When I returned, she was all shook up and said, "Some big Indian man was here looking for you. He claimed to know you." I told her that I hoped she had been polite to him because that was my boss. Not sure what she made of that!

I will be in San Diego at the National Even Start Association conference on October 29th, presenting on Young Children with Disabilities. Drop by, say "Hello" and pick up a free newsletter and CD.

Data analysis: Personally, I enjoy statistical programming. I know just saying that makes some people want to throw things at me, but I do. It is quiet, thoughtful work, kind of like putting together a jigsaw or doing a crossword puzzle, neither of which I ever have the patience to finish by myself. We have the largest sample of Native Americans with disabilities ever surveyed on information use. All those newsletters that get put in mailboxes for everyone from Head Start through the tribal college - does anyone really read them? How often do people actually stop and look at those thousands and thousands of flyers that get put up in tribal administration buildings, casinos and grocery stores around the country? Are Indians wired? How many people on reservations use the Internet every day? Read my article and you will know. I think the answers will surprise many people.

Last but certainly not least is the final report for the Title III Language and Learning Institute, which I plan to complete today, and the final report for the Disability Access project, on which all data has now been collected, score and entered. Why am I writing this blog ... I better get to work! Oh, wait, I am at work.

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