Chief Tahgee Elementary Academy celebrates new building with open house
CTEA 6th and 7th grade teacher DeMar Galloway in a new classroom at the open house on Monday, January 5.
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Students and staff at the Chief Tahgee Elementary Academy have a new permanent home with the opening of their new school.
An open house for students, parents and guardians was conducted January 5 where they were able to view the new classrooms, office space, cafeteria, etc.
Jessica Williams, CTEA director of school programs, said the building reflects their mission to honor Shoshoni language, culture and identity while supporting for academic growth. “It is a space designed not only for learning, but for gathering, celebrating culture, and strengthening connections between school, families, and community,” she said.
The 20,000 square foot building includes classrooms, a separate Shoshone room, offices, a break room and they’re putting together a library, counseling center and IT area in a small building off the side. Williams said they received a $4.5 million grant from federal Impact Aid funds to construct it. However, they still need to do finishing touches and are seeking grants to pay for it. She said they’ll have a functioning kitchen, but they want to get more equipment.
CTEA students Tryston Tindore, Marianne Buckskin and Amayah Tindore with Ms. Anna in their new classroom.
Principal David Mirhadi said a bit of a change is the classrooms won’t have bathrooms in each, so the students will have to walk through the hallways, get hall passes, “But I think there’s a lot of excitement on the part of the kids because it’s, this is, as I’ve told people before, this is their home now. This is not rented. This is our home.”
After 13 years, he’s thrilled to have the building for the students and teachers. “And our teachers have worked tirelessly really hard over the last two weeks to get their classrooms set up and make things look nice for the kids and make them feel like home.”
DeMar Galloway, Shoshone-Bannock, teaches sixth and seventh grades at CTEA. He’s been working there almost three years but it’s his first year as a full-time teacher. He started as a paraprofessional then transitioned into digital media and content creation for the language at the school. Prior to working at the school, he graduated from the Institute for American Indian Arts with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts.
He likes his job, “It’s great. It’s really awesome to come back and do something for the community and have an immediate impact and work with the kids — you know help spread inspiration especially from a perspective of I’m also a product of the same environment they’re in right now,” he continued. “I understand where they’re coming from and all the challenges — and how I got through that and how to how to share that strength with the youth.”
He grew up in a fluent household, but he’s always learning and the school works closely with the Tribes Language and Culture Preservation Department. They also work with tribal elders and community members to help build resources and share information.
CTEA teacher Alexandria Alvarez in a new classroom with teaching activity materials.
Third grade teacher Angie Eldridge, Shoshone-Bannock, has taught at CTEA for ten years, currently in her eleventh year. Her first class of third graders are graduating this year from high school. She’s taught third grade, a third/fourth combo class and third to seventh grade math. “I’ve always been surrounded by educators growing up. Ne Huutsi’ Vola Eldredge naup taught at Sho-Ban for several years. Ne Genu’ Robert Eldredge Sr. taught at Alameda and Hawthorne Middle School. I used to play teacher with my younger siblings.”
She’s excited they’re getting a permanent school building, “This has been a long time coming and many have put in a lot of work to have this building come to fruition for us. I am extremely appreciative and looking forward to what we can do in our building, this includes having a whole school assembly in an enclosed location. I’m hoping that we can host a spring powwow this year and we no longer have to worry about the weather for our talent show.”
CTEA 3rd grade teacher Angie Eldridge unpacks in her new classroom.
Eldridge said as an educator, “We touch so many lives throughout our teaching journey. We not only provide education, but also a loving, safe and secure environment for our babies to thrive. I love that our school has so many indigenous personnel. I believe that it’s important to see people who resemble you in different facets of work.”
When asked about working with students from her tribe she said it’s meaningful, “I love them, they’re my family – some of them I had their parents over at Sho-Ban. Just wanting to be that role model.” She noted more male teachers are needed.
Alexandria Alvarez, Shoshone-Bannock, was on the original committee that had the vision to create the CTEA. She said the late Sherwin Racehorse invited her to join the committee. Other members include the late Maxine Racehorse Edmo and Merceline Bel Boyer. In addition, Nancy Eschief-Murillo, Velda Racehorse and Belma Truchot. Joel Weaver and Cyd Crue were also involved. Alex believes their knowledge about starting the school made a difference and they were diligent. She served on the CTEA school board from 2011 to 2016 – during the time the school first opened. It was difficult keeping teachers, so she decided to become one since she enjoys the language and being around youth especially when she served as Miss Sho-Ban and Miss Indian Nations. So, she went back to school and got her credentials to teach. She’s in her sixth year of teaching.
“I think what makes CTEA different than other schools is that we (our staff) are very dedicated to the students. When my kids leave for the day, I continue evaluating my own teaching, and how I can improve a lesson if students were struggling. I want students to understand, and have a quality education, not just push them through the curriculum,” she said. The school also collaborates with the Language and Culture Preservation Department, “We are lucky to have people like Bailey Dann, who was also a former teacher, now a school board member, continue to work with us in a different capacity.”
Alex wants to acknowledge former staff Jessica Matsaw, Jennie Whitehorse, Jordan Broncho, Jose Mendez, Kiana Pettit, Eryn Phillips, Carmelita Benetiz, Virginia Townsend, Dr. Cyd Crue, Belma Truchot-Colter, Velda Racehorse, Nancy Eschief-Murillo, Vidella Gould, Judy Hall and many who have gone on, like Maxine Racehorse-Edmo, Merceline “Bel” Boyer, Bryan Hudson, Kristin Dahlquist, Sherwin Racehorse, Emaline George and many more who have prayed with intention to one day see the fruition of this dream realized, including the families who believed in our school also and have entrusted us with their precious children. “Thank you families, we wouldn’t be here without each of you.”
CTEA principal David Mirhadi (left) and CTEA director of school programs Jessica Williams.
She believes it’s important, “that our kids have teachers who look like them and who think like them, who understand culturally about some of their needs. I really have been passionate about you know that we need teachers who are competent, we need teachers who are compassionate and caring to our kids and throughout all my doings.”
She’s happy the school has added a full-time counselor whose instrumental in working with kids – teaching them skills to empower them. “Cliven Saxon is so kind, and caring with our students, and brings such positive energy- I want to acknowledge his efforts””
CTEA Shoshoni teachers.
The addition of Dr. Laticia Herkshan who Alvarez said, “Brings an abundance of knowledge, and networking skills is going to be amazing for our Shoshoni program! She has many ideas that have helped revitalize myself as a teacher and learner of the Shoshoni language.”
She said para-professionals have been instrumental in helping the school, whether its in the classroom, recess duty, lunch duty, or filling in where their needed, they have been amazing.
She said the school’s leadership staff who have worked day in and day out and have done the behind scenes work to keep their day-to-day functions going. “Running a school takes tremendous work, whether in the office, or classroom — it takes heart and prayer.”
Welcome sign at CTEA's open house for students and families.
Alex hopes they continue to build on strong test scores, but they remember why it is that the school truly exists and that is to revitalize the Shoshoni language and help instill culture to our students. “”For so long education was a colonizer tool meant for the destruction of our culture and language, but now it may be one of the things that can help save it. But the school alone cannot save our language, so speak it at school, at home, at work or wherever you go,” she continued. “My mentor and auntie Roanna Stump said that language is more than just saying words — its speaking, laughing, praying and even dreaming in the language. I hold on to those words, and I try my best each day to be the best teacher and language teacher I can be.”
RJ Kutch is a Shoshone teacher/learner. He goes into kindergarten through third grade classes to teach the language. Alex and DeMar teach in their own classes. RJ has taught at the school for seven years, initially being hired to teach singing, then an apprentice learning the language from Merlin Steady and Vidella Gould. “Yeah, I just carry on,” he said. He would like to see the community more involved to help with deniwape (tribal teachings). The students are in the classroom setting but Native kids learn more by doing then build the language through that.
CTEA students and families explore the new facilities including the gymnasium and cafeteria.
RJ loves working with the students, “I feel like that is the biggest thing is to link those in B to C. I always enjoyed seeing the different families when I was younger and you could tell where people come from because they have a different look, you know, and it’s unique to their own families.” He also loves the new school as it has more space having a hallway instead of going outside to get from one classroom to the next. In addition, the new school is safer for the kids in the event something happened there’s a space to hide.
Wilson said there’s 107 students at CTEA. They will be able to have community events in the activity center and they’re excited about it. “Our teachers have worked really hard for this, and our community deserves it.”
