State of Montana Newsroom
Office of Public Instruction Honors American Indian Heritage Day, Creates Classroom Resources
Office of Public Instruction Honors American Indian Heritage Day, Creates Classroom Resources
September 25, 2020
HELENA- The Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) is celebrating American Indian Heritage Day by sharing classroom resources that promote Indian Education for All and our state’s Tribal Nations.
“On American Indian Heritage Day, we honor Montana’s rich and diverse heritage. I am proud that my mother was born and raised in Crow Country and that my family was able to experience that culture,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen said Friday. “The OPI’s Indian Education for All unit has developed videos, lesson plans, activities, and professional development resources for educators, students, and families to use throughout the year in the classroom or at home.”
In 1997, the Montana Legislature passed into law MCA 20-1-306, designating the fourth Friday in September as American Indian Heritage Day. Under this law, schools are to conduct “appropriate exercises during the school day.”
In addition to creating resources for local communities, the OPI has developed a “Lunch and Learn” series for OPI staff to get professional development on each of Montana’s tribal nations. OPI staff have also taken the Indian Education for All 101 Teacher Learning Hub course which is available to teachers for licensure renewal credit. Visit the OPI’s website for the latest information.
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CONTACT: Dylan Klapmeier
Communications Director
Montana Office of Public Instruction
406-444-3559