American Indian Education Program Description (MN Statute 124D.74 Sub.1 American Indian Education Programs.): American Indian education programs are programs in public elementary and secondary schools, nonsectarian nonpublic, community, tribal, charter, or alternative schools enrolling American Indian children designed to:
(1) support postsecondary preparation for pupils;
(2) support the academic achievement of American Indian students;
(3) make the curriculum relevant to the needs, interests, and cultural heritage of American Indian pupils;
(4) provide positive reinforcement of the self-image of American Indian pupils;
(5) develop intercultural awareness among pupils, parents, and staff; and
(6) supplement, not supplant, state and federal educational and co curricular programs.
Program services designed to increase completion and graduation rates of American Indian students must emphasize academic achievement, retention, and attendance; development of support services for staff, including in-service training and technical assistance in methods of teaching American Indian pupils; research projects, including innovative teaching approaches and evaluation of methods of relating to American Indian pupils; provision of career counseling to American Indian pupils; modification of curriculum, instructional methods, and administrative procedures to meet the needs of American Indian pupils; and supplemental instruction in American Indian language, literature, history, and culture.
 
Primary Objective: American Indian Cultural Liaisons serve as a bridge; student-to-student; student-to-school; school-to-family and family-to-community. The focus is on engaging, supporting and empowering American Indian students in order to increase and improve communication and cultural understanding, resolve concerns student-student, student to school, and school to family, and increase protective factors for students. Build long-term, meaningful relationships with American Indian families resulting in more parent involvement and student success.
Required Qualifications:

1. In-depth knowledge of American Indian culture, history, and sovereignty.
2. Ability to work in collaboration with schools, American Indian parent advisory committee, and community resources.
3. Proven ability to work respectfully and responsively with diverse populations of youth and families, community members, health and human service providers, city and county government and educators.
4. Possess a strength-based, child/youth-family centered philosophy.
5. Strong analysis and critical-thinking skills.
6. Expertise in cultural diversity and differing perspectives.
7. Listening, clarifying, questioning and responding skills.
8. Strong child/youth advocacy and mediation skills.
9. Understanding of the concept of equity in education.
10. Understanding of school policy and best practices in American Indian Youth Development, Cultural Proficiency, and Special Education.
11. Excellent interpersonal skills, including strong verbal, written communication and digital literacy.
12. Strong problem solving skills with the ability to successfully manage multiple assignments independently and with high and consistent follow through.
13. Knowledge of and/or willingness to learn about Suburban Ramsey community needs, initiatives and resources.
14. Ability to work independently and in a self-directed manner.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Member or descendant of a Federally Recognized Tribe.
2. Bachelor’s Degree in American Indian Studies (or a related field) OR Associates Degree or higher (or equivalent), with some coursework in American Indian or Native American Studies, psychology or sociology, education, and written and oral communication.

 
Job Responsibilities/Principal Duties:

1. Works with American Indian students, families, teachers, and staff to support the American Indian Education Program.
2. Works with American Indian students to facilitate, advocate, and communicate their needs.
3. Utilize culturally and linguistically competent/relevant and respectful approaches at all levels of service and in all interventions.
4. Bridge communication and cultural understanding to resolve concerns in the following situations: student to student, student to school, and school to family.
5. Works with building principals, counselors and teachers to provide assistance to American Indian students to increase academic achievement, resolve conflicts, and prepare for post-secondary education.
6. Help families access school resources and identify and utilize community resources.
7. Make phone calls to families regarding recurring academic concerns, attendance, health, lunch accounts, field trips or behavior issues or other requests by principals. 
8. Serves as liaison between the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee and the School district. Serves on the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee and attends committee meetings.
9. Stays current on issues pertaining to the educational needs of American Indian youth.
10. Act as a resource to school and community agency staff regarding working with students and families from other cultures.
11. Provides the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee with relevant information concerning legislature, school procedures/policies, and other pertinent items of interest.
12. Work to create increased school connectedness by supporting character building activities, community building activities, service learning projects, cross cultural events, and student leadership activities.
13. Per Minnesota Statute 124D.76 COMMUNITY COORDINATORS, INDIAN HOME/SCHOOL LIAISONS, PARAPROFESSIONALS. Community coordinators (American Indian Cultural Liaison) shall promote communication, understanding, and cooperation between the schools and the community and shall visit the homes of children who are to be enrolled in an American Indian education program in order to convey information about the program.
14. Assisting with compiling quarterly updates, annual reports, program evaluations, grant applications, and other reports.
15. Assist with organizing American Indian Education Program events. Participate in overnight/multi-day trips for the Indian Education Program as a representative of the school district and cultural liaison.
16. Other duties as assigned.

Work Environment: – Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.

1. Normal school environment has moderate noise levels.
2. Cultural events such as Powwows and Drum and Dance instruction can have louder noise levels.

 
Physical Requirements: The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

1. Regularly required to walk throughout a building and may occasionally be required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds with assistance, and must be able to restrain students when needed, and may be required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
2. Regularly required to talk and listen.
3. Must be able to have repetitive wrist/hand/finger movement to work on computer and/or other office equipment.

* American Indian Preference is required by Minnesota Statute 124D.75 Subd. 9. LICENSES FOR AMERICAN INDIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE EDUCATION TEACHERS; EXEMPTIONS. Subd. 9.Affirmative efforts in hiring. In hiring for all positions in these programs, school districts and participating schools shall give preference to and make affirmative efforts to seek, recruit, and employ persons who share the culture of the American Indian children who are enrolled in the program.