CPS Native American Programs

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YouTube Playlist

Click here to view the CPS Native American Programs YouTube Playlist!

We would like to thank Mike Shambaugh, former council speaker, and the Cherokee Nation for donating $1,000 to our Native American Programs Activity Account in August 2025. These funds will supplement our current funds to provide our students with additional cultural activities, presentations, resources, and materials. The Cherokee Nation is an extremely valuable educational partner! Wado!

We would also like to wish Mr. Shambaugh the best of luck in his new position as the tribe’s Special Envoy to the U.S. Department of Justice and Senior Advisor on Public Safety. Cherokee Phoenix Article (8/16/25)

CPS would like to welcome Clifton Hughes, the new District 9 Councilor. The district looks forward to partnering with the Councilor to serve our students, families, and the Colcord community!

Every district site now has framed cultural posters in its foyer. A big thank you (wado) goes out to the following administrators for partnering with the Native American Programs to serve our Native students!

Bud Simmons (Superintendent)

Terrill Denny (High School Principal)

Casey Amos (Middle School Principal)

Misty Hendren (Elementary Principal)

The CPS Native American Programs and the district libraries have a great working relationship! Each site library has a section dedicated to Native American culture and language. Additionally, cultural materials and resources are purchased and placed in each library to give students access to activities. A big thank you (wado) goes out to Mrs. Beth Spivey, our district librarian, for partnering with the Native American Programs to serve our Native students!

Our Native American Programs is proud that we annually provide our elementary & middle school teachers with Native American culture and language books and reading materials to place in their classroom libraries.

This initiative provides all our students with access to Native American books and reading materials. Our elementary and middle teachers are encouraged to read Native American cultural books to their students and utilize cultural materials in their lessons.

Website

This month, our students took part in a fun and meaningful activity to begin their journey with Cherokee language and culture. Each child traced their hand on paper and decorated it with bright colors, patterns, and personal touches. As they worked, they were introduced to one of the most important Cherokee words: osiyo (oh-see-yo), which means hello.

The hand-tracing activity was more than just an art project—it symbolized reaching out in friendship and connection. As the students proudly displayed their hands, they also practiced saying “osiyo” to their classmates, creating a warm and welcoming circle of voices. And they learned a song to help them remember the word.

This simple greeting helped students understand that language is more than words—it’s a bridge to kindness, respect, and community. By the end of the lesson, the classroom was filled with cheerful hellos, colorful hands, and bright smiles.

We are excited to continue building on these first steps as our students grow in both their Cherokee language skills and their understanding of Cherokee culture.

Long ago, before the Cherokees had a written language, people communicated through pictures and symbols. These images told stories, marked important places, and carried meaning across generations. Symbols became a way to share identity, history, and connection without using words on a page.

This month, our students stepped into that tradition by creating family symbols to represent the people who live in their homes. Each child thought about what makes their family unique and then drew simple pictures to stand for those ideas—maybe a favorite activity, a special animal, or something that brings everyone together.

The activity sparked conversations about how symbols can carry meaning that goes beyond words. Students were excited to explain their chosen pictures and how each symbol represented a member of their family. Just like the Cherokee ancestors, they discovered how powerful pictures can be in telling stories and keeping memories alive.

The classroom was filled with creativity and pride as students shared their family symbols, giving us all a reminder that language comes in many forms, and each one helps us connect to who we are and where we come from.

Website

Native American Studies

Students in Native American Studies have completed their "The Beginning of Time" unit and are now focused on "Early Cherokee Society." As part of this new unit, they have been working on group presentations about the Seven Clans, which they will be presenting this week. The next unit students will be learning about is "European Exploration".

Check out these students as they show their classmates some objects that connect to our recent lessons!

Cherokee

Cherokee Language students have been working hard to learn the Cherokee Syllabary! Students can read, write, and recognize 30 symbols! Students will take their third quiz over Cherokee Syllabary this week, and are currently working in their second SeeSayWrite packet.

Cultural Arts

Cultural Arts classes have worked on different projects throughout the semester. Students have created cultural mood boards, pinch pots, loom bead bracelets, paper quilt turtles, and have recently finished painting feathers!

STUDY, STUDY, STUDY! That’s exactly what our Cherokee Club has been focused on these past few weeks. With the Cherokee Bowl right around the corner, it’s important that students take time to review material on their own in addition to our weekly meetings.

We’re excited to see such a strong interest in competing this year—it’s our biggest turnout yet! With so many dedicated students, we’re hopeful to bring more winning teams than ever before.

Our studies have covered a wide range of topics, including Cherokee culture, history, important people, traditional games, clothing, and much more. The hard work students are putting in now will pay off when it’s time to compete!

JOM Meeting:

(Annual Election)

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Dan Draper Community Center

6:00 p.m.

Title VI Parent Advisory Committee Meeting:

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Dan Draper Community Center

3:30 p.m.

JOM Meeting:

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Dan Draper Community Center

4:30 p.m.

Title VI Parent Advisory Committee Meeting:

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Dan Draper Community Center

3:30 p.m.

JOM Meeting:

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Dan Draper Community Center

4:30 p.m.

Sunday, September 14, 2025

Dan Draper Community Center

2:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 26, 2025

Dan Draper Community Center

2:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 16, 2025

Dan Draper Community Center

2:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Dan Draper Community Center

2:00 p.m.

2025 Meeting Schedule

Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center YouTube Playlist

The Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center has created several videos about Cherokee games, storytelling, and cultural activities.

Cherokee Nation Parent Resource Guide

The Cherokee Nation offers many services to its citizens and other Native American tribes throughout its tribal jurisdiction in Northeastern Oklahoma. This guide is a resource about tribal services. Contact childsupport1@cherokee.org for details.

Cherokee Nation Language Resources

The Cherokee Nation Language Department is committed to preserving and perpetuating the Cherokee language through day-to-day spoken use and by generating more proficient second-language Cherokee speakers.

Cherokee Nation Tribal Registration

The Cherokee Nation Registration Office processes Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB), Dawes and Tribal Citizenship applications and issues CDIB, Citizenship, and Photo ID cards. Contact rrogers@colcordschools.com for details.

Cherokee Classes

Visit Cherokee Nation offers classes led by experts in Cherokee art traditions, history, and genealogy. Please note that classes fill up quickly and availability is not guaranteed. Follow Visit Cherokee Nation on social media for the latest info.