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Coming together

SNI, Gowanda schools look to join forces

OBSERVER Photo by Andrew David Kuczkowski Pictured are Gowanda Superintendent James Klubek, left, shaking hands with Seneca Nation of Indians Cattaraugus Councilman Rick Jemison at the Early Childhood Learning Center. Gowanda Board of Education decided to have its meeting at the learning center as it also aimed to improve the relations between the district and the Nation.

CATTARAUGUS INDIAN RESERVATION — The Gowanda Board of Education relocated its bimonthly meeting from the middle school library to the Early Childhood Learning Center, or ECLC, at 2016 Henodeyesta Drive, Irving behind the Cattaraugus Community Center off of Route 438. The new scenery comes with an effort to strengthen ties with the Seneca Nation of Indians, which is prominent in the Gowanda Central School District.

The village of Gowanda is 22.6 percent Native American, per Startclass.com. Also, as the OBSERVER previously reported, the district is expanding Native American classes — and others — with Impact Aid funding from untaxable land in the district via the reservation.

The district, with the assistance of this relocated meeting, looks to bolster relations and enhance the education experience at Gowanda. The meeting on the Seneca territory also had a visitor of the Seneca Nation of Indians Council. Rick Jemison, a Cattaraugus councilor, attended the meeting and welcomed the efforts made by the board.

“Welcome, I am glad you’re here,” Jemison said. “I hope this opens new chapters and relations between the Seneca Nation and Gowanda Central School. It’s a long time coming and, I believe, a bit overdue, but better late than never.”

Gowanda Superintendent James Klubek aimed to strengthen the bond between the Nation and the school district, knowing the demographic of the school reflects the need.

“I think it’s fantastic,” Klubek said. “Over the past two-and-a-half years, it’s been one of my goals and I think the people at the Nation have the same goals to rebuild that closer bond. … So for us to be able to come here and for (ECLC’s Education Director) Trudy (Jackson) and (board member) Barbara (Weston) to come to the school to have a conversation on what’s best for our children is phenomenal.”

The topic of a director for Native American programs came up during the meeting with the concern that there may be a need to standardize the courses.

“We have a lot of unbelievable programs for all of our students as well as for specific students like Native Americans. What we really don’t have is anybody overseeing those programs that we have,” Klubek said. “We have a bunch of silos existing for our Native Americans in our school and nobody’s communicating … We don’t have anybody to coordinate the programs.”

Klubek asked the board if this is something that should be looked into. The parameters of the position are not set, but Klubek stated he would like to search in-house before going out-of-district.

“This is a route that Salamanca School District did also,” Jackson said. “They hired a Native American coordinator this past school year. She’s doing exactly that, coordinating the school programs within the school system and then also the network person to coordinate with myself.”

A person of contact to assist students and those interested can be impactful and make it easier for Gowanda, according to Jackson.

Board member Mark Nephew argued that the need may not be there.

“I hear what you’re saying, but I am not sure I agree with the needs of it,” Nephew said. “I think that if the Title VI program is duplicating other services, I think it is up to the Title VI director to work out with the parent committee to say that we already have that service here.”

The board agreed that looking into the possibilities of the hire is OK and will look into it at a later meeting.

Councilman Jemison talked to the board after the meeting and handed them all pins with the word Onondowa’ga’ on them. Onondowa’ga’ is the translation of Seneca in their language, Jemison explained.

Twitter: @Kuczkowski95

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