Spirit Lake Consulting Forum

jessica wrote:

As many of you may know, Spirit Lake Consulting puts out two issues of our newsletter, the Miniwakan News, each month.  One of the issues focuses on people with disabilities and their families, the other is targeted to staff members working with people with disabiltiies.  We are now collecting articles from people in the community to put in the Miniwakan News.  If you have a story you wish to share with the hundreds of tribal and disability care staff on our mailing list, please send it to us!  We would like to hear what you have to say.  In return, we will pay $50 for each article we decide to put in our newsletter. 

Email your attachment (no more than 2 pages) to [email protected], along with your name and contact information.  We will let you know if we decide to use your article, and when.  If you would like to see copies of our newsletters, visit our archive at
http://www.spiritlakeconsulting.com/SLC … tters.html

Sitting Bull once said something like this, "If you lose something, then go back for it and look carefully to find it".  This quote is very similar to the focus on  helping people with disabilities.  Far too long, our native people, who represent 25% of the population with disabilities, have been underserved and overrepresented with special education.  How can I go back and look for something that wasn't there, information on native people with disabilities in ND.  I am a special educator, I have sat on the table both as a parent and professional regarding children with special needs.  It is a very one-sided feeling as a parent and have to face 4 or more other school professionals that may think they know what is best for my child.  One big struggle was coming up with ideas or modifications that would be most helpful for my daughter with ADD/ADHD.  The school personnel would ask what would you like, or this is all that we will do.  I am thinking, what do you have, or better yet, what is it that you can do but choose not to say because it would be too much on your side to accomodate for to really help my daughter. 
Well, at the workshop I did find that there is a wide variety of information and links to view to find more modification ideas.  Not only that, I think the staff seemed concerned about really helping and will listen to your story.  In fact, this website should be a link from all native school websites, familiar to native schoolboards/staff.  For example, a parent may find it useful for transition plan ideas or the native parent looking for information before attending that first IEP meeting.  Parents and educators should both access this website.
As I think about what Sitting Bull advised, and as I look for answers related to disabilities, I can look back carefully at this website for information I need, or those that I work with, or teach.  I will spread that word that if they are looking for information related to disabilities, they can go to your website and find alot of information and even some information missing from what school forgets or decides not to tell you.  We should always stand up for what is right, what is good and advocate for those with disabities, young or old.  (Note to Jessica, feel free to edit if needed, if you decide to print.  ReNae L. Bear King PO Box 1734 Belcourt, ND 58316 701-246-3610, [email protected]