Tooke named to NATIVE Governing Board

TUBA CITY -- On Nov. 2, Superintendent of Coconino County Board of Education Cecelia Owens appointed Shannon Tooke, a member of the Navajo-Irish nations and a Tuba City native, to serve a remaining term of two months to the Governing Board of the 2005-06 Northeast Arizona Technological Institute of Vocational Education (NATIVE) School District.

The NATIVE Governing Board is authorized under the laws of Arizona to adopt all needed policies and regulations for the organization, evaluation and governance in the district in addition to providing fiscal management and support of the district educational aims and objectives.

NATIVE is able to offer through its eight reservation member school district, more vocational community college level courses for its student population than any other individual school district.

Other branch site board members include Ernest Tsosie, President/Chinle; Ambrose Shepherd, Vice President, Ganado; Marie Allen, Window Rock; Lavina Smith, Kayenta; Mary Tom, Pinon; Wallace Todacheeny, Red Mesa; and Margaret Yazzie, Sanders.

NATIVE is a state funded Joint Vocational District offering ADE approved high school level vocational classes.

With the addition of Tooke's representation for the Tuba City School District, eight reservation high schools are now part of the NATIVE District.

Tuba City Unified School District CTE (Career and Technical) Programs, under the direction of Robert Windmiller, teacher at Tuba City High School, will receive funding from NATIVE District to expand and enhance current vocational class offerings.

Tuba City High School will be able to broadcast and/or receive additional vocational courses via the NATIVE District's DS3 Interactive Video Conferencing Distance Learning Network.

Each reservation school branch site will be able to connect virtually with private DS3 network to offer their students community college level courses, professional development, team-taught high school CTE classes and CTE classes from any other branch reservation school site.

In 1990, the state legislature approved by statute that public school districts could join together through public vote to combine efforts to offer Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that provide workforce development while integrating academic standards.

In Nov. 2002, seven communities voted to form NATIVE District and Tuba City voted in Nov. 2004 to become a branch site. There are currently 10 joint vocational districts in the state.

By combining efforts, teachers, resources and curriculum, NATIVE Joint Vocational Educational District offers students at each reservation school branch site more vocational opportunities than any other individual district alone could offer.

Individuals interested in running for the Tuba City representative's post on the Governing Board of NATIVE after the December end date, should contact either the Tuba City District Office of Public Relations at 928-283-1072 or call the Coconino County Education Superintendent's Office in Flagstaff at 928-779-6591.

(Rosanda Suetopka Thayer is Public Relations Director for Tuba City Unified School District.)

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