New Indian education coordinator appointed

The Carlton school board officially and unanimously appointed Graciana Studier as Indian Education coordinator Monday, replacing Kevin Kot, who was dismissed in June.

Superintendent Donita Stepan was excited about Studier’s performance so far.

“She’s doing a great job,” Stepan said.

In her report to the board, Studier made it plain she did not wait for her official appointment to get started, describing how she took 12 students to a wild rice camp demonstration held at Chambers Grove Park on Sept. 15.

The students had the hands-on experience of using canoes and sticks to harvest wild rice. At the end, the students participated in a “giving thanks” ceremony.

“So it was a really great learning experience for me because I’ve never experienced anything like that,” said Studier, who is not Native American. “I asked, ‘Is it okay if I participate in giving thanks?’ Because I don’t want to overstep and I want to be respectful of the culture, and the kids were more than willing to teach me how to give thanks.”

Studier is planning a day trip for Oct. 11 when students will visit the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis for its American Indian Visit Day event.

“The students are going to a program that [the University has] put on for us,” she said, explaining that the trip includes a tour of campus facilities and also provides lunch, “which the kids are very excited about,” she said.

Beginning this fall, the University system is waiving tuition for qualifying students with a family income of less than $125,000 in its Native American Promise Tuition Program for those enrolled in one of Minnesota’s 11 federally recognized tribal nations.

A key focus for Studier is closing the academic gap.

“One thing that I have noticed that has been a big problem has been the [lack of] attendance in the general ed classrooms,” she said.

Already more than one approach has been used in “pushing to have the students in their general ed classrooms, and it’s been working,” she said.

Studier grew up in Albert Lea and graduated from Winona State University.

“Even though I am a non-native, I am going to do my best and I’m going to try my hardest to be respectful of the culture … and I’m going to give the students the proper education they need,” she said before Monday’s meeting.

In other news:

• Like other districts in the region, the Carlton school board considered the preliminary property tax levy for next year and set it at the maximum allowed under state law on Monday. Unlike counties, school districts are restricted by the state to a certain maximum which is set every year by the state of Minnesota. And although the board authorized the highest allowable, the actual figure is unknown because of incomplete numbers from the state so far. The final levy is decided in December, and it can be lower than the one set in September, but not higher. The Truth-in-Taxation meeting, which must precede the final levy decision, is set for 6 p.m. Dec. 18 in the high school library.

• The sport of lacrosse will be available to Carlton secondary students starting in the spring. The district joins Cloquet and Esko in boys lacrosse, and Hermantown, Proctor, Cloquet and Esko in girls lacrosse. Under the cooperative agreements, the amateur organizations fund the sport for the first five years with no cost to Carlton. The majority of games and practices will be in Cloquet, although some practices in the amateur leagues have already been held in the gym and football field at Carlton.

“We’re thrilled to be able to add another activity and thankful for our community partners Cloquet, Hermantown Proctor and Esko,” Stepan said.

• The most recent letter regarding consolidation discussions from the Wrenshall school board was not mentioned during Monday’s meeting. In response to the Pine Knot, board chair Julianne Emerson said the board would discuss the letter at its October committee of the whole meeting, set

for 7 p.m. Oct. 9.