Roll Call - September 25, 2026

A student at San Simon School in Sells, Arizona, watches his teacher write on the whiteboard while writing on a worksheet.

Circle of Nations/Wahpeton Indian School proudly shared its culture at Headwaters Day in Wahpeton, North Dakota. The school’s cultural ambassadors delivered a beautiful performance at Wells Memorial Park, showcasing traditional songs and dancing that honored culture, heritage, and community. They also joined the Headwaters Day parade, bringing energy, pride, and cultural strength to the celebration.

As a BIE Tribally Controlled School, Circle of Nations continues to uplift students through cultural expression and community participation. Their presence at Headwaters Day highlighted the importance of tradition, pride, and youth leadership.

Little Priest Tribal College in Winnebago, Nebraska, welcomed Bureau of Indian Education Director Tony Dearman for a campus visit focused on partnership building, student success, and continued expansion. Director Dearman met with college leadership, the Student Senate, Winnebago Tribal leaders, and partners from across Indian Country to discuss student experiences, campus priorities, and long term goals for Native higher education.

The visit included tours of the college’s new science spaces and an innovative carpentry trades building, where transparent interior walls allow students to see framing, infrastructure, and construction techniques in real time. Director Dearman also joined college and tribal leaders in celebrating the groundbreaking of a new campus facility, which is another major step in the college’s growth.

The visit highlighted the strength of relationships between Tribal Nations, TCUs, AIHEC, and federal partners, underscoring the shared commitment to expanding opportunity and supporting the next generation of Native leaders.

Santa Fe Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico, marked a historic milestone on September 3, 2026, as the SFIS community gathered to celebrate 50 years of strength, leadership, and cultural legacy. Current and former staff, faculty, administrators, and Tribal leaders came together for an evening of reflection honoring generations who shaped SFIS since its beginnings in the 1890s.

Speakers including Gil Peña, Regis Pecos, and Superintendent Christie Abeyta shared heartfelt reflections on influential leaders whose guidance, vision, and perseverance built the foundation that continues to carry SFIS forward. Their stories highlighted the lasting lessons and inspiration that keep the school strong today.

The celebration stood as a powerful testament to the resilience of the SFIS community and the enduring legacy of all who have dedicated themselves to the school’s success over the past five decades.

As we gear up for a new school year, we’re looking for back‑to‑school content to feature in the BIE Weekly. Please share the moments, projects, and events that help kick off your year on a strong note!

We’d love to highlight:

• First‑day photos and welcome‑back activities
• Classroom setups, bulletin boards, and creative learning spaces
• Any 250th‑related projects or commemorations planned for the fall
• Back‑to‑school nights, community events, or cultural celebrations
• Student art, writing, or videos that reflect the excitement of a new year

Your contributions help us showcase the incredible work happening across our schools. Please send in your content so we can celebrate and share your stories!

Please include a brief description with each photo and ensure students pictured have the appropriate media release on file. Your stories help keep our communities connected and inspired!

The Bureau of Indian Education participated in a national panel at the Comprehensive Center Network National Center’s Stronger States, Stronger Outcomes: From Compliance to Capacity convening in Washington, D.C., this month.

The discussion showcased BIE’s system-wide improvement efforts, including its exit from nearly 20 years of corrective action, its partnership with the Region 14 BIE Comprehensive Center, and its continued focus on building organizational capacity and improving student outcomes across its diverse school system.

Panelists included Brooke Ratliff, Chief Performance Office Program Analyst; Juanita Mendoza, Special Assistant to the Director; and Ventura Lovato, Chief Performance Officer. Together, they shared insights on how BIE is strengthening support for schools and advancing long-term, sustainable change across BIE.

Please bookmark this form and share your upcoming events and milestones with us so we can identify opportunities for BIE and Indian Affairs leadership to participate and celebrate with your school community.

We’re especially interested in ribbon cuttings, groundbreaking ceremonies, policy or program announcements, cultural celebrations, student showcases, major academic or athletic achievements, community events, and other significant school milestones.

Sharing these events early helps us coordinate leadership participation, amplify your school’s accomplishments, and ensure the great work happening across BIE schools receives the visibility it deserves.

ConcurGov travel vouchers must be approved at the regional/office/program level no later than September 18, 2026 5 PM MT/7 PM ET.

Please do not sign, review, or approve ConcurGov travel vouchers from the cutoff on September 18, 2026, through October 13, 2026. Any actions taken during this period will cause processing delays once FBMS reopens for the new fiscal year.

Travel voucher processing – including signing, reviewing, and approving – may resume in ConcurGov on October 14, 2026, 10 AM MT/12 PM ET. AS-IA, BIA and BIE budgets must be loaded in FBMS and available at the spending level for travel vouchers to process successfully.

Questions?

• DOI Travel Help Desk: 1-866-367-1272 option 4, 1; travel_helpdesk@ios.doi.gov.

• Echo Keo, Program Analyst - BIE Travel Lead/Operations POC - echo.keo@bie.edu

What Happens When the Interfaces Between ConcurGov and FBMS are Down?

The interfaces between ConcurGov and FBMS can be unavailable for many reasons including: FBMS system maintenance, system downtime, and Fiscal Year end.

What can I do in ConcurGov?

Users can still make travel reservations, create travel authorizations, sign/route/approve travel authorizations.

What can't I do in ConcurGov?

Users will not be able to apply the Voucher Signed or T-Entered stamp to travel vouchers during interface outages. Users will receive a blank EAI External Funds Checking screen when attempting to apply these stamps.

Please review the following memo from the Director's Office that addresses the BIE's policy regarding usage of the Bureau's official letterhead. It addresses modifications, templates for various purposes, and more.

The Division of Performance and Accountability is beginning the 2026–2027 school year with McKinney-Vento professional development opportunities. Each session is designed for different school staff who play an important role in identifying and supporting students experiencing homelessness. Whether staff are new to McKinney-Vento or would benefit from a refresher, these opportunities are intended to strengthen BIE's collective efforts to identify, connect, and support students experiencing homelessness.

Join the BIE School Operations Division Finance Team for a series of virtual lunchtime trainings on best practices for school financial professionals. Topics are wide-ranging, from inventory logs and submitting UDO certifications to year-end memos and researching transactions. These sessions will take place on Thursdays from July 2026 through April 2027.

Supporting schools with their new resource, the Strategic Transformation of Education initiative launched a Monthly School Website Help Desk on the second Thursday of each month at 3 p.m. EST. The one-hour call features a short training topic, such as a new feature, content strategy, or FAQs, followed by an open session for problem-solving and answering questions.