At Salt River Elementary School, we place the highest priority ensuring students receive a well-rounded education, which means not only providing core curriculum, but also teaching important lessons that no standard can ever hope to capture in an assessment.
O'odham and Piipaash language and culture are taught to students every day at SRES, but for a few days every mid-November, students and staff are treated to a special celebration of Indigeneity through Native American Recognition Days. The school (including the old Day School) has celebrated NARD consistently since 1996.
This year, NARD was celebrated across Salt River Schools Nov. 13-16.
At SRES, the opening celebration was led with song and dance and even SRPMIC President Delbert Ray came by to wish the school happy NARD. Throughout the week, visitors, including teachers and staff, gave special presentations to students about their specific Indigenous backgrounds, including O'odham, Piipaash, Apache, Diné, Pueblo, Hawaiian, Lakota, Comanche, and more. There were stories, activities, and students and staff were encouraged to wear their traditional clothing with pride. The closing ceremonies included tons of Indigenous performances, including a traditional Ho-Chunk dance, men's fancy dance, and hoop dancing, among many others.
NARD isn't over yet. SRES students invite their families to participate in the
NARD Fun Run Nov. 21 from 8:30-10 a.m. Then, head over to the Early Childhood Education Center for its annual
Social Gathering (also on Nov. 21) from 10-11:30 a.m., which is open to ECEC families and SRPMIC/SRS staff; all students and visitors are encouraged to wear their traditional clothing and join in social songs and dance.
