Roll Call - October 9, 2026

A student at Pine Ridge School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, practices embroidering in a classroom.

Sequoyah High School is celebrating an incredible achievement. The Lady Indians are headed to the State Tournament! The team earned their spot with a dominant Super Regional sweep over the Dickson Comets, winning Game 1 with a score of 8–0 and Game 2 with a strong 6–1 finish.

This outstanding performance reflects the hard work, talent, and determination of both players and coaches. Congratulations to the Lady Indians on an amazing day and a well‑deserved trip to State. The job isn’t finished yet — Sequoyah is ready for the next challenge!

Chitimacha Tribal School brought science to life as third‑grade students explored forces and motion through a creative engineering project. Using cardboard rolls, students designed and built their own marble chutes, testing how pushes, pulls, gravity, and motion affect the path of a moving object.

Throughout the activity, students learned that engineering involves experimenting, adjusting, and trying again. The classroom was filled with creativity, teamwork, problem‑solving, and excitement as students worked together to improve their designs. This hands‑on lesson showcased how STEM concepts can spark curiosity and confidence in young learners.

Sherman Indian High School celebrated National AVID Day last month, with its first AVID group gathering of the school year. Students in grades 10–12 came together to share their personal reflections through the prompt, “Because of AVID I…”

The event created a welcoming space for 10 new AVID students and strengthened the program's sense of community. By sharing their experiences, students highlighted the growth, confidence, and academic skills they’ve developed through AVID, setting a positive tone for the rest of the academic year.

As we move deeper into the school year, we’re excited to showcase the events, learning moments, and celebrations happening across BIE schools. We’re now collecting content for October and November, and we invite you to share the stories that reflect the heart of your school community.

We’re looking for:

• Fall festivals, family nights, and cultural celebrations
• Halloween
• Red Ribbon Week activities
• Native American Heritage Month lessons, displays, and events
• Veteran’s Day programs
• Classroom projects, artwork, and hands‑on learning
• Any school milestones or reflections as we close out the first quarter

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 is initiating a Tribal Consultation to seek tribal input and guidance on two proposed policies: the Personal Wireless Devices & Digital Wellness Policy and the K-12 Student Artificial Intelligence Acceptable Use Policy. BIE is committed to providing a safe, culturally enriching, and academically rigorous environment for all Native students, while recognizing the profound impact new tools and technologies have on education.

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.

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.

Please read the updated BIE Travel Guidance for fiscal year 2027 attached below.

Training and TA Opportunities:

• Open Office Hours: BIE FY27 Travel Guidance Update - Thursday, October 15, 2026 (12 PM - 1 PM ET)
• Open Office Hours: BIE FY27 Travel Guidance Update - Tuesday, October 20, 2026 (1 PM - 2 PM ET)

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.