Dear Partners in Education,

This is the last biweekly highlights for the 2025 year! We will resume on January 9, 2026. This email is best viewed on a desktop computer.

Sincerely,

The Office of Indian Education | indianeducation@azed.gov | www.azed.gov/oie

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This special section highlights the outstanding achievements of Arizona teachers and schools in 2025. These accomplishments reflect not only individual talent but also the collaborative spirit that drives educational success across schools and classrooms serving Native American students. (Note: This is not an exhaustive list and is presented in no particular order. Some achievements may be missing due to reporting timelines or limited availability of information.)

🏆 Superintendent Horne recognized the academic gains by Native American students statewide, specifically in Ganado, Red Mesa, Baboquivari, Kayenta, Sacaton Elementary, and Tuba City Unified School Districts. View press release. | View video (skip to 24:50).

🏆 Six AZ schools recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools, including Chinle Elementary (Chinle USD). View video.

🏆 Window Rock High School was selected as a 2025 National Title I Distinguished School. Only two schools in each state are selected every year. 2025 Arizona Title I Distinguished Schools Finalists included Page High School and Chinle High School.

🏆 In the spring, Tsaile Elementary (Chinle USD) was selected as a 2024 National ESEA Distinguished School. View press release. | View video.

🏆 Social Studies teacher, Mr. Jeron Velasco, from Dishchii’bikoh Community School (Cibecue) was selected as the 2025 AZ History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. He empowers Indigenous students through culturally responsive teaching, historical research, and civic engagement, and founded the Dishchii’bikoh History Club.

🏆 Traci Parker, from Tse’Yaato’ High School (Page) was selected as the Coconino County lifetime Achievement Award. Dawn Quamahongnewa, from Leupp Elementary, was selected as the Coconino County Teacher of the Year. Dawn was also a semifinalist for the 2026 Arizona Teacher of the Year.

🏆 The AZ Indian Education Association honored AZ educators from Casa Blanca Community School, Phoenix Elementary School District, Phoenix Union HS District, Whiteriver USD, Chandler USD, Tucson USD, Ha:san Prepartory, and BIE’s Phoenix Education Resource Center. View press release.

🏆 The following programs and staff were nominated and won awards at the 2025 National Johnson O’Malley Association Conference:

• Exemplary Program of the Year Southwest At-Large: Tempe Union Native American Education Program
• Exemplary Program of the Year Southwest At-Large Runner Up – Chandler Unified School District Indigenous Education Program
• Teacher of the Year Region 1 – Sylvia Jackson (Holbrook High School)
• Teacher of the Year Southwest At-Large – Antonette Shirley (Chandler Unified School District)

🏆In 2025, AZ Department of Education began receiving nominations for schools displaying improvements. Ganado High School and Indian Oasis Intermediate School were selected as ADE Copper Apple Award recipients.

🏆 Our own OIE Professional Learning Specialist, Elaine Mollindo, was awarded the Community Service Award of the Year at the 2025 National Indian Education Association annual conference for her leadership in completing the AZ Tribal Regalia Graduation Toolkit.

Congratulations for your accomplishments! We look forward to celebrating more achievements in 2026!

Every month, OIE hosts an webinar featuring updates and resources for AZ educators and schools. Visit our website to view 2025 recordings. Interested in joining our virtual Policy & Program Updates in 2026? Register now to receive the Zoom link information and we’ll see you on January 26 to kickoff our 2026 series! Visit website to learn more. Educators, Native American program staff, parents, and community members welcome to attend!

Join monthly webinars from the Winslow Indian Health Care Center from 10am-11am (MST). Topics include Social Emotional Learning: Early Childhood, Emotional Behavioral Health, Mental Health, and Social Media Safety. Visit website to register.

Cultural, educational, and nonprofit groups can now apply to bring engaging, humanities based presentations to your communities in 2026! Arizona Humanities presents a curated catalog of speakers to choose from for your next event, featuring discussions that inspire audiences of all ages. Presenters include musicians, a chef, artists, educators, writers, sculptors, and Native jewelers, storytellers, and scholars (View full list here). To learn more about this program and how to apply, visit the Arizona Humanities website.

A free Question Persuade Refer (QPR) training is available on January 8, 2026 from 12pm-1:30pm virtually on Zoom. This is a brief educational program designed to teach “gatekeepers” the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to help. Open to everyone! Click here to register and receive Zoom link information.

The OIE Indigenous STEM Project (ISP) aims to equip PreK-12 educators with relevant, research-based professional learning focused on culturally responsive STEM education. This project will empower educators to integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in ways that honor Indigenous knowledge systems and traditions.

• ISP STEM On-Demand Webinar – Opens February 25, 2026 (asynchronous)
• ISP Professional’s Panel – March 11, 2026
• ISP STEM Symposium – April 2, 2026 at AZ Science Center, Phoenix, AZ

All events are free. Registration is required. Schedules and presenter information will be available in January 2026! Stay tuned and we hope to see you there!

Do you or someone you know want to be a K-12 teacher? Claremont Graduate University presents the Haseya Teacher Preparation program, which provides significant support to help eligible and selected American Indians and Alaska Natives earn their California teaching credential and Master of Arts in Education at CGU. Given the amount of funding provided, Haseya participants can earn a teaching credential and an MA while incurring little to no debt. Deadline for the January 2026 cohort is January 1, 2026. Visit website to learn more information.

Calling high school college counselors/advisors who serve underrepresented populations! The Rocky Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling provides scholarships to help cover registration fees and travel expenses for the following PD opportunities: RMACAC Annual Conference, (April 2026), NACAC Guiding the Way to Impact Conference (Summer 2026), NACAC Professional Certificate, and more. Visit website to learn more. Apply, or nominate someone today!

Applications are now open and space is limited! NAU’s Preparing Indigenous Teachers for AZ Schools (PITAS) program has two cohort options: Early Childhood/Special Education (BSEd)and Elementary Education (BSEd or MEd). Classes are on Zoom two evenings per week and participants receive personalized mentoring and support. Receive 100% tuition and fee coverage, stipend, laptop, and textbooks. Must be a citizen of a tribal nation, working as a paraprofessional or educational staff/substitute in Native-serving schools and not yet a certified teacher. Questions, email Sig at sig.boloz@nau.edu. To learn more, visit website.

SRP offers classroom grants in STEM, History, and Social Science to enable teachers to develop projects and programs geared toward state-mandated competencies. Up to $5,000 is awarded per eligible school. Visit website to learn more about eligibility, applications due February 15, 2026.

Educators, school leaders, afterschool staff, community leaders, behavioral health providers, and others supporting grief aftermath are invited to attend a free, 2 day virtual summit hosted by the Center for Applied Research Solutions. Event dates: January 22-23, 2026. Visit website to learn more and to register.

Do you love History? Want to help your students know how to research and create historical arguments? The AZ Historical Society has upcoming 2026 professional development workshops on January 24th in Tempe, February 7th in Flagstaff, and March 28th in Tucson. If interested in attending, email education@azhs.gov.

We would appreciate your feedback! Answer the poll questions below or email us if you have feedback on our OIE Biweekly Communication! Thank you.

✅ Resumes on January 9, 2026.

Do you have other suggestions of what you would like to see in future Biweekly email communication? Let us know – email bethaney.allison@azed.gov.

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