Techniques Feb 2013 - 29

At-risk Students

By Alan Helfman

photo courtesy of Karla Peaches

I

t had been over 25 years since an
Arizona superintendent of public
instruction (SPI) had visited the
Arizona Department of Education’s Navajo schools, located on Navajo
reservation land. Arizona SPI John Huppenthal changed that pattern with a series
of visits that began in early 2012. I was
fortunate enough to be invited to join the
visiting delegation.
In keeping with the superintendent’s
overall focus on integrating career technical education excellence into all K–12
programs, on our visit our group observed
Navajo programs of academic excellence,
as well as career and technical education
(CTE), but more importantly, the seamless integration of both.
Arizona has begun an organized effort
at career planning designed to create
graduates who know who they are, know
where they are going and know how they
are going to get there. The Navajos are
well on their way to achieving these kinds
of student outcomes.
This article will focus on two Navajo
schools: Ganado High School, a comprehensive high school that integrates
career pathways into the total high school
program, and the nationally and internationally recognized program of veterinary
science at Monument Valley High School
(MVHS). Both schools perfectly and
seamlessly integrate academics with CTE.

Leadership
When programs demonstrate a potential
for replicability and portability, it is often
romantic and convenient to attribute this
kind of success to an individual, but on
closer and more realistic examination, we
know that these kinds of successes come
from smart and leveraged leadership and
resources, as well as great raw material.
These two Navajo programs have the addwww.acteonline.org

Ganado High School integrates
career pathways into the total
high school program.

ed benefit of being served, supported and
sustained by Joint Technical Education
District Superintendent Karen Lesher,
Kayenta Unified Superintendent Harry
Martin, CTE directors Doris Nelson and
Clyde McBride (of Ganado and Monument Valley, respectively). Also involved
are community leaders and parents,
teachers and staff, industry and college
partners, career and technical student
organizations (CTSOs), and most importantly, the students and student leaders.

Overview of Ganado High School
Ganado High School currently serves 520
students. Before the economy went south,
Ganado had approximately 800 students,
but families left in search of work and
have not yet returned to the reservation to
resume their previous lives.
When visiting the high school and
chatting with optimistic and hopeful

Hózhó
The Navajo Nation includes 25,000
miles of land and over 250,000
members from Arizona, Utah and
New Mexico. Spirtitually, Navajos are
guided and inspired by the messages
of four sacred mountains: complex
thinking, respect and reverence,
personal development (responsibility)
and social relationships that include
learning and knowledge (career
orientation). Foremost as a guiding
theme is the stewardship of the land
described in the Navajo language as
“Hózhó”—the harmonious balance
between man and nature.

students and staff, it’s difficult to see their
dire economic conditions. Ganado families have their proportionate share of the
42 percent of the Navajo Nation who live
below the federal poverty level.
In spite of the backdrop of struggle,
the Ganado High School group easily, honestly and comfortably presents a
glass-half-full scenario. When you engage
February 2013  Techniques  
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Techniques Feb 2013

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