Roll Call - August 14, 2026

At Tohaali' Community School in Newcomb, New Mexico, students read and practice grammar as part of a language lesson.

BIE’s next Town Hall will focus on wellness! This session will explore the importance of wellness as a foundation for student success, highlight school-led wellness initiatives that create supportive learning environments, and elevate the student perspective through a dedicated panel featuring voices from BIE classrooms.

As teachers and staff returned to campus, the atmosphere was full of excitement and positive energy for the year ahead at Jemez Day School! Staff enjoyed a cheerful Donut and Boba Bar, which created a welcoming space to reconnect, share conversations, and appreciate one another’s hard work. The gathering reflected the school’s commitment to fostering community and supporting staff as they prepare for their students.

Behind the scenes, teachers and staff immediately jumped into classroom preparation — carefully arranging materials, decorating learning spaces, and ensuring environments where students will feel welcomed, engaged, and ready to learn. Their creativity and dedication set a strong foundation for a successful year!

Mariano Lake Community School kicked off the new school year with its annual Bobcat Growl, bringing together students, staff, families, and community members for an evening of celebration and connection. The school proudly introduced its new principal, Dr. David Lee Propst, who received a warm welcome from all in attendance.

Guests enjoyed hot dogs, burgers, live music, and a lively on‑site broadcast from a local radio station, where families and staff had the fun opportunity to step up to the microphone as guest announcers. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, excitement, and community pride.

This year’s Bobcat Growl was one of the best‑attended open houses in MLCS history, thanks to the enthusiasm of students and staff. Mariano Lake Community School looks forward to a great, safe, and learning‑filled school year ahead!

Takini School started the new school year with a powerful and energizing week of professional development. The Takini Skyhawk team began with BIE SCAN training, setting a strong foundation for instructional alignment and student support.

The following day, staff had the opportunity to dive deeper into assessments, student data, and effective intervention strategies. The training helped teachers strengthen their approach to supporting student growth in areas where learners may need additional guidance.

Throughout the week, staff collaborated, learned new tools, and prepared intentionally for the year ahead. Takini School is proud of its dedicated educators and looks forward to a successful 2026–2027 school year!

Turtle Mountain Elementary School expanded its summer programming this year with a specialized social‑emotional learning overnight experience for certain students. The program was created by School Counselor Brenda Jo Wilkie to support student well‑being, emotional regulation, resilience, and self‑care skills.

Students participated in engaging SEL activities throughout an overnight stay at the school, guided by staff who planned and coordinated the entire experience. The students enjoyed the program, and many even asked to do it again. This new SEL initiative reflects Turtle Mountain Elementary School’s commitment to nurturing the whole child and supporting students’ mental, social, and emotional development.

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!

Beclabito Day School in Shiprock, New Mexico, proudly welcomed approximately 85 academic and ERC staff members from across the Northern Navajo District for a full day of back‑to‑school orientation. Participants included teachers, education technicians, and counselors from Aneth, Beclabito, Cove, Dennehotso, Nenahnezad, Red Rock, T’iis Nazbas, Sanostee, and Tohaali.

The day featured professional development led by Dr. Douglas Clauschee, Educational Research Analyst in BIE’s Chief Academic Office, focused on Curriculum Coherence: Closing the Learning Gap. Staff collaborated to refine learning goals, develop clear success criteria, and conduct an in‑depth analysis of NAVVY assessment results to strengthen instructional alignment across the region.

Dr. Rena Yazzie, Education Program Administrator, opened the orientation with a warm welcome and inspiring remarks, encouraging continued growth, collaboration, and success as the 2026–2027 school year begins. The event reflected the shared commitment of BIE Navajo Schools to supporting educators and preparing for a strong, unified start to the new school year.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) will conduct two Tribal Consultations on the Interagency Implementation of ED’s Fiscal Year 2027 Grantmaking Priorities and Fiscal Year 2028 Budget Priorities in coordination with the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). On Thursday, August 27, 2026, from 2:30-5:30 p.m. ET, the Departments will consult on ED’s FY 2027 grantmaking priorities. On Friday, August 28, 2026, from 2:30-5:30 p.m. ET, the Departments will consult on ED’s FY 2028 Budget Request to the President.

The purpose of these consultations is to receive meaningful input from American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities to ensure that Tribal leader views inform the implementation of both topics within the current interagency framework. Each Department remains committed to upholding the federal trust responsibility as set forth in the Constitution of the United States, Treaties, Executive Orders, and decisions of the U.S. Courts. Both consultations will be conducted by the Office of Indian Education (OIE) and facilitated by the Tribal Consultation Official for ED.

Join the BIE NASIS team for an enriching in‑person Native American Student Information System training designed to strengthen user skills and expand confidence with NASIS tools. Whether you choose the Premium path — covering areas like Online Registration, Campus Learning Suite, Workflow, Voice Messenger 2.0, and the Insights Dashboard — or the General NASIS track with essentials such as User Security, Census, Attendance, Scheduling, Course Setup, and Data Validation Reports, each session empowers participants to better support their schools.

NASIS System Administrators, Registrars, School Counselors, Education Specialists, and School Administrators are encouraged to register for one of the upcoming sessions in Seattle, WA (August 18–20), Blaine, MN (September 15–17), or Albuquerque, NM (November 17–19).

Reach out to Ask-NASIS@bie.edu with any questions.

The BIE Chief Academic Office is sharing three new guidance documents focusing on personal wireless devices and artificial intelligence.

Please note that these documents are being provided strictly as guidance, not as mandatory policy. You have complete flexibility to use these documents in their entirety, adopt specific portions that fit your school, or not use them at all based on the unique needs of your community.

• The first document outlines a vision for personal wireless devices to reduce digital distractions and support student mental health.
• The second document provides a framework for staff to use artificial intelligence safely while protecting student data and Tribal sovereignty.
• The third document guides student artificial intelligence use to ensure it remains a supportive tool rather than a replacement for active learning.

Linked above are the complete texts for each framework along with a short video providing a high-level overview of the contents.

Please reach out via email to biecao@bie.edu if you have any questions or need support discussing how these concepts might look on your campus.

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.