CPS Native American Programs

On April 28, JOM staff attended the 2026 JOM Spring Training in Tahlequah. At this annual training, participants learned about the JOM application process. CPS JOM Contact, Remington Rogers, was invited to be one of the presenters for the "Roundtable Discussion- Strategies for Spending JOM Funds" session.

Also, the Cherokee Nation Educational Services Department informed participants about the various services available to districts. CPS would like to thank the Cherokee Nation for being an incredible educational partner to public schools! We appreciate you greatly! Wado!

The Colcord JOM Program staff attended the 2026 OKJOM Conference in Oklahoma City on May 5-6, 2026. The conference provided staff with excellent professional development. We would like to thank the Cherokee Nation JOM Program for providing us with this annual learning opportunity! Wado!

On Monday, May 4, and Thursday May, 7, 2026, 8th-grade students from Moseley, Kenwood, and Leach toured our high school campus and programs. The Native American Programs department and the high school language courses participated in the program fair portion of the tour. These potential students were informed about all the awesome things at Colcord Public Schools! Go Hornets!

All JOM-eligible seniors were given a graduation medallion at the annual senior awards program. The CPS JOM Program is proud of our seniors and their accomplishments! We wish them the best of luck as they move on to the next chapter of their lives!

Donadagohvi!

🐇 Learning Through Story: Meet the Cherokee Trickster Rabbit (Jees-doo)

This month in Cherokee Language & Culture, our students are exploring one of the most loved (and mischievous!) characters in traditional storytelling—the rabbit, known in Cherokee as Jees-doo.

Jees-doo is a trickster, which means he often uses his cleverness to solve problems, get out of trouble, or sometimes… cause a little mischief along the way! While his actions can be funny and surprising, his stories always carry deeper meaning.

🌿 Why These Stories Matter

Cherokee stories are more than just entertainment—they are a way of passing down:

• Life lessons
• Cultural values
• Ways of thinking and problem-solving

Through Jees-doo’s adventures, students are learning that:

• Cleverness can be helpful—but it must be used wisely
• Actions have consequences
• Respect, honesty, and kindness matter

Even when Jees-doo “wins,” there is always something to reflect on.

🧠 What Students Are Learning

In class, we are:

• Listening to and discussing traditional Cherokee stories
• Talking about the choices Jees-doo makes
• Predicting what might happen next
• Connecting the story lessons to our own lives

We are also building language skills by learning key Cherokee words connected to the stories.

🏡 How You Can Support at Home

You don’t have to be an expert in Cherokee culture to join in! Try these simple ideas:

💬 Ask your child:

• “What did Jees-doo do in the story?”
• “Was that a good choice or a tricky one?”
• “What would you have done?”

🎭 Act it out:

• Let your child retell the story using voices or movement
• Take turns being Jees-doo!

❤️ Talk about the lesson:

• “What can we learn from Jees-doo?”
• “Have you ever made a choice like that?”

🌟 A Note About Storytelling

In Cherokee tradition, storytelling is a special way of learning and connecting. These stories help children understand the world around them while also building respect for Cherokee heritage and wisdom.

We love seeing students laugh, think, and grow through these stories—and we hope they share a little bit of Jees-doo’s adventures with you at home!

Wado (thank you) for supporting your child’s learning journey!

Students recently completed presentations over Native American art pieces of their choice. Students researched their selected art pieces, created presentations, and shared their findings with classmates. Students have had a great year of learning about Native American art, culture, and traditions through various classroom projects and activities.

On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, the Cherokee Club had its Spring Semester Awards & Recognition Party. JOM students who participated in bowls and competitions were recognized and celebrated for their accomplishments during the Spring Semester!

JOM Meeting:

May 19, 2026

Dan Draper Community Center

4:30 p.m.

JOM Meeting:

July 28, 2026

Dan Draper Community Center

4:30 p.m.

Title I Site Committee Meeting:

August 5, 2026

Colcord Elementary

3:15 p.m.

Annual Parent & Stakeholder Meeting:

August 10, 2026

Dan Draper Community Center

3:15 p.m.

All 2026 monthly meetings will be held at the Dan Draper Community Center at 2:00 p.m.

• Sunday, January 25th
• Sunday, February 22nd
• Sunday, March 29th
• Sunday, April 26th
• Sunday, May 17th
• Sunday, June 14th
• Sunday, July 19th
• Sunday, August 23rd
• Sunday, September 27th
• Sunday, October 25th
• Sunday, November 15th
• Sunday, December 6th

Remington Rogers

Federal Programs Director

JOM Contact

Title VI Project Director

Brook Nichols

Federal Programs Secretary

Chloe Thomas

Title VI Cultural Educator/Resource Specialist

JOM Special Projects Coordinator (MS & HS: 6-12)

Tanya Patterson

Title VI Cultural Educator/Resource Specialist

JOM Special Projects Coordinator (Lower ES: PK-2)

Katy England

JOM Special Projects Coordinator (Upper ES: 3-5)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

School Website: https://www.colcordschools.com

Federal Programs Website: https://sites.google.com/view/cpsfederalprograms/home
Location: 433 South Larmon Street, Colcord, OK, USA
Phone: 918-326-4117
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colcordpublicschools/
X: @colcordschool