Everyday is Iñupiaq Day at JNES!
Goal: We want all students to see their culture represented in our school and its activities.
This year, our PreK is operating as an Iñupiaq Immersion/English program. Students spend half of their day learning in Iñupiaq and half learning in English. We are one of two schools that are piloting this program this year. Next year, we are hoping to expand to kindergarten. The rest of our elementary students have Iñupiaq language class Tuesday through Friday for 30 minutes each day.
In addition to our Iñupiaq classes, our classroom teachers will:
- Study things of local importance (plants, animals, weather, the ocean, tundra, family trees)
- Take field trips (checking net, picking berries, tundra walks, beach walks, Park Service)
- Invite guest speakers (artists, hunters, trappers, fishermen, storytellers, local leaders)
- Lead learning on subsistence practices (drying fish, cutting meat, preserving food, cooking)
- Do calendar activities in English and Iñupiaq
- Put Iñupiaq names on students' name tags