State of Montana Newsroom
Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Holds the 15th Annual Indian Education for All Conference
HELENA – Superintendent Elsie Arntzen and the Office of Public Instruction’s Indian Education for All (IEFA) Unit will convene the 15th Annual Indian Education for All Best Practices Conference virtually on May 14-15. This year’s theme is Montana Indian Voices: Providing Perspective for an Indigenized Future. This virtual conference is free and open to the public and will provide educators with professional development units. Teaching Indian Education for All in our Montana classrooms is included in Article X of our state constitution: “The state recognizes the distinct and unique cultural heritage of the American Indians and is committed in its educational goals to the preservation of their cultural integrity.” Indian Education is also codified in law: “every Montanan, whether Indian or non-Indian, be encouraged to learn about the distinct and unique heritage of American Indians in a culturally responsive manner.”
“Our Montana Native youth leaders are our future,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “Cultural heritage is recognized through our constitution in our classrooms. This honors our tribal nations throughout our state.”
This conference provides teachers, administrators, and stakeholders with:
- a stronger understanding of implementing Indian Education for All in the classroom
- strategies for improving American Indian student achievement
- resources for classroom instruction
During the conference, Montana Indigenous leaders will provide three keynote addresses, Julie Cajune, Misty Khul, and Dugan Coburn.
Julie Cajune, a Salish Educator, has been able to serve her community as a teacher and school administrator. She has worked for her tribe as a curriculum specialist and at her tribal college as adjunct faculty. Building on the activism and work of generations of Indian people, she has been able to produce tribal history materials in film, text, multimedia, and theatre. In her personal life, she is a mother and a yaya (grandmother) of three remarkable young men.
Misty Kuhl serves as the Montana Director of Indian Affairs in the Office of the Governor. Misty was born in Havre and is an A'aniiih member of the Fort Belknap Indian Community. A first-generation college student, she graduated cum laude from Montana State University-Billings with a degree in Human Services. Misty has a great passion for serving Montana and serving Tribal communities. She currently resides in Helena with her husband Matt, a woodworker, and their little dog Leela.
Dugan Coburn is a member of the Blackfeet Nation (Amskapi Pikuni) of Northern Montana, with roots also in the Klamath and Pitt River tribes of Oregon. He grew up in Klamath, Oregon, Browning, MT, and Salem, Oregon. His Indian name is Healing Person, Saaam Matapi. Dugan is currently the Director of Indian Education for the Great Falls Public School system in Great Falls, MT which serves 10,161 students of which 1,683 are urban Native Americans from 51 tribes across the United States. His inspiring presentation today will cover how the GFPS Indigenous Education Program has integrated instructional coaching, dedicated PIR's, a strong focus on Indian Education for All, developing and supporting the Urban Indigenous community by providing cultural opportunities, student-created public displays, and changed policy to support the use of eagle feathers and wearing regalia at graduation.
The 2022 Teresa Veltkamp Advocacy Award for Excellence in Indian Education Recipients will be honored. The conference will conclude with a celebration of tribal youth leaders from across our state.
Over 280 participants have already signed up for the IEFA Best Practices conference. The conference will take place from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM on May 14 and from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM on May 15. To register for this conference please click here. To view the agenda and the program of events please follow the links.
For more information, please contact Zach Hawkins, Director of American Indian Education for All, at Zachariah.Hawkins@mt.gov or
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