We invite you to learn about the amazing work that’s been done each day to demonstrate our commitment to the r evitalization of our languages and cultures in all that we do. This report also represents the countless hearts and hands who make Indian Community School an incredible place of learning for all.
13 MOONS a Year in Reflection 2023-2024
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Our Mission The Indian Community School cultivates an enduring cultural identity and critical thinking by weaving indigenous teachings with a distinguished learning environment. Our Vision The Indian Community School develops lifelong community leaders who inspire others throughout the Circle of Life. With excellence and commitment, ICS serves urban American Indian students and their families so that each student develops the skills and knowledge to sustain a healthy balance of American Indian culture, academic achievement, and a sense of identity through indigenous teachings and ways of learning. Seven Sacred Gifts Our Values are based on the seven Sacred Gifts from the Creator that express the Indian philosophy of life through fundamental convictions, collective beliefs and exemplary character. Among the many Sacred Gifts given by the Creator, the Indian Community School experience focuses on: Bravery, Humility, Love, Honesty, Respect, Wisdom and Truth. Land and Water Acknowledgment We first acknowledge the land and the water that has become home to Indian Community School. We acknowledge all of the caretakers of this land: · those who were removed or erased from their traditional homelands here; including the Sauk, Fox, Dakota Oyáte, Mesquaki, Ioway, Miami, Kickapoo and Mascouten; and the Nations whose names we will never know; · those who most recently lived here as a nation: the Bodwe’wadmi (keepers of the fire), who reside here as part of the Three Fires Confederacy and are known today as the Potawatomi; · those whose creation stories took place in neighboring lands and who have called this territory “home” since time immemorial: the Ho-Chungra (people of the loud voice), today known as the Ho-Chunk and the Mamaceqtawak (the people), known today as the Menominee; · the most recent caretakers, the students, staff and board of the Indian Community School. We also acknowledge those who represent the Tribal Nations of what is now Wisconsin: Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Forest County Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk Nation, Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, Oneida Nation, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Sokaogon Chippewa Community - Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Saint Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians, Brothertown Indian Nation and all of the Tribal Nations outside of Wisconsin’s borders, whose tribal members and descendants are represented by our students, staff and community. And we acknowledge the faces of the ancestors yet to come.
Hello Haa / Pōsōh / Boozhoo / Shekóli
A message from the Indian Community School Board of Directors
We are pleased to present this report that celebrates the highlights and milestones of the 2023-2024 school year for our students, staff, alumni, families and the community we serve.
We invite you to learn about the amazing work that’s been done each day to demonstrate our commitment to the revitalization of our languages and cultures in all that we do. This report also represents the countless hearts and hands who make our school an incredible place of learning for all.
We remain steadfast in living out our Mission, Vision, and the Seven Sacred Gifts, which guide us and shape our work here at ICS.
Wa’įnįįgįnąpšąną / Wāēwāēnen / Miigwech / Yaw◊÷kó• / Thank You, for taking time to learn about our 2023-2024 school year.
Carmen Flores Chair
Sommer Drake Vice- Chair
Diane Amour Secretary
Justin Thundercloud Treasurer
Carrie McGhee Gleba Director
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ICS at-a-Glance Our Ways / Language and Culture
Course Overviews At ICS, Course Overviews have been created for each course at every grade level that provide clear, measurable learning outcomes based on Board-approved standards. The ICS Course Overviews contain learning outcomes for the specific knowledge, skills, and learning expectations necessary for student success at every grade level. Each Course Overview provides a course description, Enduring Understandings, and Learning Targets based on standards for every grade level subject. The Course Description offers a general overview of the content and links to the standards for the course. The Enduring Understandings summarize important ideas, processes, connections, and the purpose of learning in each content area. The Learning Targets provide clear, measurable learning objectives from the student’s point of view that frame the purpose of a lesson, unit, or assessment. To view the ICS Course
Our Ways provided an array of culture-based programming, as we have many Native Nations represented at ICS. This included high quality and authentic experiences and teachings for our students, staff and community, to ensure that we had our Native cultures and languages involved in everything we did. • Provided direct instruction dedicated to the Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Ojibwe and Oneida languages and cultures. Every student chose one of these classes, and all staff members committed to one learning a language as well. • Delivered numerous hands-on cultural experiences and community connections through various events, many of which were open to families and the larger community. • First Nations Fashion Show: 12 students and 14 staff members modeled the ribbon garments, necklaces, and moccasins they designed and created during the school year. • Teyukhilihwakhwá·sehe > Singers Performances: 32 students performed 12 times for VIP groups, including Oneida Council members, the USDA, ICS Support Organization, Tamarack Waldorf School, the Felt Knowledge Festival, and an event with Matika Wilbur at UW-Milwaukee. They also performed at the half-time show for the N7 game at Fiserv Forum, Northwestern University, the Milwaukee Museum Groundbreaking Ceremony, All City graduation, ICS graduation ceremony, and ICS cultural celebrations. • Eagle Singers: 9 students sat on the drum; they performed at cultural celebrations, music concerts, 8th-grade Graduation and the End-of-the-School-Year Pow Wow. • Our Ways also hosted seasonal events and programs throughout the school year. Please click on the links below to learn more: Our Ways Events • Fall 2023
Overviews for each grade level, please use the link below. ICS Course Overviews can be found by clicking this link.
Advanced Learning While all students have gifts and talents, some have abilities that go beyond the core curriculum. These students often require differentiated Tier 1 instruction, or opportunities for learning extensions in order to reach their full potential. We at ICS expect all children to explore their gifts, grow, and experience success. Advanced learners often need a challenge above and beyond the academic content standards to be able to grow to their full capabilities. Therefore, advanced learning programs needed to be created and upheld in order to provide teachers with the tools and curriculum they need to support advanced learners with abundant opportunities to engage and enrich student learning. • The number of students who participated in our Advanced Learning program in 2023-2024 were: Advanced Math Pathway: 27 Javits Grant: 5* Summer Advanced Learning Experience: 26 * The Javits Grant is the only federal program dedicated specifically to gifted and talented students. The purpose of the Javits Act is to provide a coordinated program of research, projects, innovative strategies, and activities that enhance the ability of elementary and secondary schools to meet the educational needs of gifted and talented students. The Javits Grant focuses on resources to identify and serve students who are traditionally underrepresented in gifted and talented programs. In partnership with CESA 1, each year 10 students are chosen to participate in a focused challenge with other schools in the area. This year’s focus was drones. Intervention Support We strive to ensure that every student receives the support he/she needs to learn and grow. We are committed to providing students with additional instruction when necessary. As a team, we come together each fall, winter, and spring to review assessment information, which includes assessments from MAP* Growth Reading and Math, MAP Reading Fluency, classroom summative assessments, and teacher observations to identify student strengths and areas for growth. Based on ongoing assessment information, students who would benefit from extra support are identified. As a result, every grade level at ICS has a scheduled, daily intervention block. During this time, students participate in small group work and/or 1:1 instruction to address specific areas of need that also align with classroom work. This support occurs in addition to small group or independent practice that is a part of regular classroom instruction. Continuation of intervention support is re-evaluated after several weeks of instruction and a review of student progress. • 32.2% of ICS students received pull-out intervention support during the 2023-2024 school year. * MAP stands for Measures of Academic Progress. MAP is an online, adaptive assessment that is aligned to standards.
Our Ways Events • Winter 2024 Our Ways Events • Spring 2024
Hirakikara ųųne Pemātesonon Mino-ayaan Satate > nikú•lalak
Teaching and Learning Indian Community School is committed to providing engaging learning environments that places students at the center of the learning process. At ICS, we are dedicated to increasing student engagement, providing authentic cultural programming, promoting problem solving and critical thinking skills, connecting concepts to real world experiences, fostering creativity, and preparing students for their futures. The ICS curriculum has been developed from both academic standards and the Our Ways Teaching and Learning Framework™ to ensure a curricular center from which all grade level units, lessons, activities, and assessments are developed. Additional information about student growth and achievement can be found by clicking this link.
Be well
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Communications and Marketing The Communications and Marketing team provided strategic communications and creative services that met strategic goals and deepened connections to our community. • Communicated and promoted 100 ICS events and programs, resulting in high participation rates (see ICS Events graph on page 11). • Mentored the ICS Exclusive News Team (30 students in grades 6th-7th-8th), who produced three seasonal broadcasts and 27 Words of the Week recordings. • Implemented a social media strategy that grew the school’s presence and reach by 26% for a total of 4,800+ viewers. • Streamlined productivity by completing 497 projects, including expansion of the ICS website and presenting at the WIEA Conference in April 2024. • Rebranded the school’s former PBIS program to “Living in a Good Way” to align behavior expectations with the Seven Sacred Gifts and the ICS brand. Provided classroom materials and signage throughout the school to encourage students. • Developed new Safety materials to assist staff with crisis situation responses. • Developed new infographics for the ICS Dress Code to educate and inform students, families and staff. Human Resources Provided a rewarding working environment for our teachers and staff within a supportive and inclusive community. Our exceptional workplace culture attracted and retained top talent, with many staff members dedicating their entire careers to our community—some for over 25 to 30 years. • We offered competitive wages, excellent benefits, and a beautiful work environment to our staff of 120. • We supported quality teachers and staff who are passionate about fostering academic excellence and a strong cultural identity in our students. • We recruited 12 new and talented individuals in various fields, including teachers, finance, marketing, technology, human resources, facilities, security, food services, cleaning, and grounds keeping. ICS at-a-Glance continued
70% of ICS Families participate in FRC Programming
Food Services Food Services planned, prepared, and served an impressive array of breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and seasonal feasts that promoted good eating habits. • Served 25,000 free and nutritious breakfasts, 41,000 lunches, and 30,000 classroom snacks through a USDA-sponsored program. • Offered a robust salad bar that included a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, which encouraged students to try new foods and make healthy choices. • Implemented new aquaponic gardening units and grew leaf lettuce and cucumbers that were used in the salad bar offerings for school lunches. • Offered workshops to classrooms on aquaponic gardening and culinary snacks, which provided hands-on learning and encouraged healthy food. We have had multiple successful harvests. • High participation rates resulted in our families being more connected to our school and to one another. • Leadership opportunities, involvement, and engagement increased for families due to higher levels of ownership and investment in their school community. This is important as families see themselves as part of the school community and not just the parents of children who attend ICS. Parent Cafés continued to be popular, and the Dad’s Café doubled in numbers from the previous year. • Male caretakers developed relationships and provided support and encouragement to families facing similar issues. • Male leadership within the school community grew to support other male caregivers. Family Resource Center Core programming (Parents as Teachers, Play and Learn, and FAST) were at capacity and represented an increase of 46% over the previous year. • Parents increased their social connections within the school and in the community, which provided them with additional resources for support. • Parent efficacy increased for those participating in core programs. Confident parents are much more likely to advocate for their children and be more involved in their child’s educational journey. • Families who were actively involved in FRC core programming, specifically Play and Learn and Parents as Teachers, demonstrated an increase in school readiness, which assured a smoother transition for parent/guardian and child into the school community. More than 70% of ICS families sought opportunities to interact with other Native families and build community through FRC programming.
15 - 20 Years 7 Staff
20-25 Years
10-15 Years 9 Staff
9 Staff
46% Increase in FRC Core Programming
200% Increase in Dad’s Cafe Program
25+ Years 7 Staff
Impact of FRC Programming
ICS Tenured Staff
100 Events & Programs Promoted
504 Social Media Posts
48 Program Flyers
161 Forms & Documents
153 Digital Messages
43 Family Newsletters
25,000 Breakfasts Served to Students
ICS Communications
Show Respect Gišak waha re Menācehaew Ezhi-manaadendam Kalihwakweny < stá·tsla >
41,000 Lunches
Afternoon Snacks 30,000
New Computer Workstations 30 Classrooms
Served to
Served in
Students
Classrooms
New Promeathan® Boards 28 Classrooms
Technology Information Technology (IT) supported teaching and learning, and school operations throughout the school year. In addition, a number of important updates, improvements, and training took place including: • Installed new computer workstations for 30 classrooms. • Installed 28 new Promeathan® Boards in classrooms, offices, and meeting rooms.
New Printers throughout the School 12
Free and Nutritious Meals and Snacks Served to ICS Students
Budget and Finance The Finance and Accounting department maintained the financial health of the organization by providing: • Timely, accurate budget and financial statements as well as audit, tax, payroll and compliance services. • Consistent and outstanding financial audit and operational results.
Cybersecurity Training for 120 Staff
• Installed new 12 new printers through the school. • Implemented cybersecurity training for 120 ICS staff.
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Technology Upgrades
Events, Programs & Groups Seasonal Camps
Student Council, News Team and Forensics ICS Student Council hosted two school dances which were scheduled to improve student attendance after Winter and Spring Breaks. A special visit from MarJon Beauchamp of the Milwaukee Bucks was scheduled as a surprise for our students, to encourage attendance and reinforce that every day counts. The ICS Exclusive News Team recorded three seasonal broadcasts. They also coached younger students on how to pronounce language words, as they recorded Words of the Week. Eagle 7 News Summer Broadcast l Words of the Week Come in The Forensics Team had a stellar season! They were State-qualifying with some students bringing home First Place awards and multiple ribbons of merit, at these Forensics events: • MLFA State Forensics Tournament • ICS Hosted Forensics Meet • The Brown Deer Cup • Oak Creek East Middle School Meet Student Performances Music Performances: Six music performances were held this past school year including: K5-2nd grades, 3rd-5th grades, K4, and three for 7th-8th grade (percussion, flute, and choir). Poetry Slam: 50 ICS Middle School students wrote and presented their own poems, or read/presented the work of published poets, including a juried performance, on May 2nd. Art Shows: Two exhibits featuring student artwork took place including Gallery Night on May 2nd, and the Milwaukee Art Museum Family Sunday event on May 19th (also included ICS Alumni’s artwork). First Nations Fashion Show: 12 students and 14 staff members modeled ribbon skirts, necklaces, and moccasins they designed and created on May 17th. Teyukhilihwakhwá·sehe > Singers: 32 ICS students performed for 12 VIP groups. See Language and Culture on page 4 for more information. We Do This for the Water: Conducted Smudging, Tobacco Ceremony and Water Ceremony for VIP groups visiting ICS, including Native Educators, the USDA, and the ICS Support Organization. They taught ICS 1st- graders how to do a Water Walk, and conducted Tobacco/Water Ceremonies plus led the Sturgeon Water Walk in Milwaukee on April 20th. Eagle Singers: 9 students sat on the drum. Please see Language and Culture on page 4 for more information. Graduation and I Can Soar Scholarship® We graduated 35 8th-graders on May 31st and each gave their introductions in their respective languages. See the back cover of this report for the graduating Class of 2023! In the 2023-2024 school year, there were 26 ICS Alumni who qualified for the I Can Soar Scholarship.® We approved 37 scholarship students, including 11 new scholarship recipients for the 2024-2025 school year. The 37 scholarship students will continue their education at the high school of their choice. See page 10 for more information about the I Can Soar Scholarship® recipients.
Pįįxjį Wēskewat Onizhishin Yoyánehle
Following the ICS Cultural Calendar, our students, staff and community benefited from stories and hands-on experiences that taught and reinforced traditional practices. Manoomin (Wild Rice) Camp and Maple Sugar Camp taught gathering, processing, cooking, tasting and preserving methods. The Deer Camp taught skinning, butchering, cooking and tasting, plus, identifying the different parts of the deer and how they are used for tools, decoration and medicine. These camps were hosted by Our Ways, and Bizhiki Culture and Dance Company provided the teachings.
That’s great
Orange Shirt Day, Indigenous Peoples Day and Rock Your Mocs
ICS students and staff celebrated Orange Shirt Day on September 30th with orange t-shirts and cultural guests from Bizhiki Culture and Dance Company, who shared teachings at the Spirit Pole. We celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day on October 9th with red t-shirts depicting a Potawatomi design, and enjoyed lacrosse with cultural guests from Oneida. Rock Your Mocs was commemorated across the school, culminating in a t-shirt art contest, 7th and 8th grade students learning how to make moccasins as an elective throughout the school year, and a culture celebration to dance our mocs and student-designed t-shirts.
Culture Celebrations, Cultural Guests, Round Dance and Pow Wows
Monthly Culture Celebrations included cultural guests who shared teachings, stories, dances and songs. Students, staff and families enjoyed Mini Pow Wows with the Eagle Drum Singers student drum and Little Priest Drum. Our students who comprised the Teyukhilihwakhwá·sehe > Singers led our social dances. Our Round Dance on November 16th had 250 guests, and attendance for the Bear Moon Pow Wow on January 20th was over 500. These events were hosted by Our Ways. FRC Events: Trunk or Treat, Breakfast with Santa, Holiday Craft Fair, Family Movie Nights and Hoyt Pool Party Over 432 ICS students, staff and families enjoyed a free and safe trick-or-treating experience in the school’s parking lot at our Trunk-or-Treat event on October 27th. In December, over 567 students, families and guests enjoyed Breakfast with Santa and the Holiday Craft Fair. A series of 3 Movie Nights offered 131 ICS families (321 children and adults) free and fun evenings featuring family-friendly movies. FRC also hosted the first Pool Party at Hoyt Park for 109 families (500 children and adults).
PROOF #2
EAGLES GIRLS BASKETBALL 2024
FRC Programs: FAST, Play and Learn, Craft Circles, Family Camp, Parent Cafés and Families in Need
The FAST Program was offered to three different groups of students and families including K4/K5 (48 graduated), 4th/5th (36 graduated), and Early Childhood (28 graduated). Our Play and Learn Program served 15 families with children from birth to age four. FRC hosted 7 Monthly Craft Circles for parents/guardians to teach ribbon skirt making, moccasin making, beadwork, and basket weaving, with a total of 86 adult participants. Parent Cafés continued to be popular; 3 were scheduled for families (including a Dad’s Café), and one was scheduled for ICS Staff, with total participation being 129. Our Families in Need Program provided support to 68 ICS families.
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Top Row (Standing L to R): OLIVIYANA, DAISY, CAMILA, VIVIANA, AAZEALEAH, TAHLYLA Bottom Row (L to R): ZOEY, AALIYAH, KASSIDY, MIRABELLE HEAD COACH: MR. JASON DROPIK ©2024 INDIAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL, INC. • 10405 W. ST. MARTINS RD. • FRANKLIN, WI 53132 • (414) 525-6100 • www.ics-edu.org
I love you Woonįįgixete Ketapānan Gizaagi’in igwa Kunolúnkwa
Infographics Our Students
567 Breakfast with Santa / Holiday Craft Fair
Ho-Chunk
Oneida
School and Community Events Aside from the large events that attract hundreds of guests to our school, we also host dozens of cultural events that are purposefully smaller and take place in more intimate settings in order to facilitate one-on- one workshops and teachings. Some of our events focus on our students and staff during the school day, while others are planned so that families may join in. Each year, we also host events specifically for ICS Alumni along with special events that are open to everyone, including the community. Families Participating in ICS Programming ICS hosted 100 events and programs during the 2023-2024 school year. Attendance is only one of the factors that we use to measure the success of our events, as we strive to serve the needs of our students, families and community by providing quality and enjoyable learning and community-building experiences. Family engagement is extremely important and a primary goal for all of us here at ICS, which is why numerous events and programs are offered. It is also important to our families, who seek out opportunities to connect with other Native families and build a sense of community. After-School Programs After-school programming is offered throughout the school year to provide additional opportunities to our students, outside of the typical school day. New programs this year included a Dungeons and Dragons Club, and a program called, We Do This for the Water. Other extra curriculars offered were Forensics, Art Club, Alumni Art Club, and Theater Club. See Sports Programs for additional after-school programming. Sports Programs New sports offered this year were Club Lacrosse in cooperation with Franklin Public Schools, Aside from a full array of sports and Indigenous Games taught through our Physical Education program, ICS offered 8 different after-school sports including: Volleyball, Soccer, Tackle Football, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Fitness Club, Team Lacrosse with Franklin, and Traditional Lacrosse. Girls Volleyball Season Standings:
200 Fall Feast & Round Dance
38 Students
500 Bear Moon Pow Wow
Menominee
Oneida
Ojibwe
40 Students
Student enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year was 361 for grades K4-8. Our student population is comprised of over 40 tribal Nations with the largest groups being Ojibwe (124), Oneida (101), Ho-chunk (32), and Menominee (27). We offered classes in Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Ojibwe and Oneida languages and cultures to our students, K4-8th grade. Each student chose one of the four and attended dedicated classes four days a week. In addition, students received instruction based on a curriculum that has been developed from academic standards and the Our Ways Teaching and Learning Framework.™
Menominee
124 Students
Largest ICS Events (by Attendance)
Ho-Chunk
500 Hoyt Pool Party
432 Trunk or Treat
140 Students
321 Family Movie Nights
Ojibwe
Tribal Nations of our Students for the 2023-2024 School Year
Ojibwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Oneida................. 101 Ho-Chunk . . . . . . . . . . ...... 32 Menominee............... 27 Ottawa..................15 Lakota/Sioux . . . . . . . . . ...... 11 Stockbridge . . . . . . . . . . ...... 11 Potawatomi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Muscogee Creek . . . . . . . . ..... 7 Navajo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Northern Cherokee Nation . . . . . . . . 3
Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation . . . 3 Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska . . . . . . 2 Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma . . . . . . 2 Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma . . . . .. 2 Upper Mohawk-Six Nations . . . . ... 2 Northern Cheyenne . . . . . . . .... 1 Pima Gila River . . . . . . . . . ..... 1 Brothertown . . . . . . . . . . ..... 1 Chumash Tribe Santa Barbra . . . . .. 1 Salish Kootenai . . . . . . . . . ..... 1 Seminole-Creek. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Number of Students Learning the Languages and Cultures Taught at ICS
60 FRC Events & Programs
$13,500 I Can Soar Scholarship® per Student
12 Other Events (Concerts, Art, Poetry, etc.)
3 Events for ICS Alumni
School and Community Events
82 Scholarships Awarded Over the Past Four Years
29 Scholarships Awarded for the 23-24 School Year
Alumni Who Work at Our School Attracting and retaining the highest quality teachers and staff for our students is always our goal. Nothing makes us more proud and excited than when our ICS Alumni choose to work at our school in these important positions. This past year, we welcomed three new ICS Alumni staff members, bringing the total to seven Alumni who serve in a variety of impactful roles across the school. We encourage ICS Alumni, families, and community members to check our website for open positions throughout the year. You can also join the ICS Talent Community to receive regularly scheduled email updates about career opportunities by filling out our form. To learn more, please contact us at hr@ics-edu.org or visit us online. Scholarships Awarded The I Can Soar Scholarship® was developed to provide ICS graduating 8th-graders and Alumni with financial support to pursue their dreams of attending a private high school. Each year, our graduates and Alumni are eligible to apply for up to $13,500 through our scholarship program. Private High Schools Attended by I Can Soar Scholarship® Recipients: Pius XI High School St. Thomas More High School The Prairie School University School of Milwaukee Wayland Academy Marquette High School Martin Luther High School Edgewood High School Divine Savior Holy Angels High School Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School Wisconsin Lutheran High School
25 Our Ways Events & Programs
I Can Soar Scholarship®
Boys Basketball Fall/Winter/Spring 18 28 32
Lunch & Recess Supervisor
Language & Culture Apprentice
• Girls 5th Grade Volleyball came in 2nd Place in their division with 30 Wins and 6 Losses • Girls 7th Grade Volleyball came in 9th Place in their division with 8 Wins and 28 Losses • Girls 8th Grade Volleyball came in 5th Place in their division with 19 wins and 17 losses Girls Basketball Season Standings: • Girls 5th Grade Basketball came in 3rd Place in their division with 9 Wins and 3 Losses Boys Basketball Season Standings: • Boys 5th Grade Basketball came in 3rd Place in their division with 7 Wins and 5 Losses • Boys 6th Grade Basketball came in 2nd Place in their division with 9 Wins and 3 Losses • Boys 7th Grade Basketball came in 3rd Place in their division with 8 Wins and 4 Losses
Soccer Fall / Spring 15 60
Tackle Football Fall 48
Teacher
Number of Students in After-School Sports
7 ICS Alumni Staff Members n NEW STAFF IN 2023-2024
Language & Culture Teacher
Lacrosse Franklin / ICS 18 10
Fitness Winter / Spring 18 18
Language & Culture Teacher
Girls Basketball Winter 25
Our Ways
Lunch & Recess Supervisor
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New This Year
New This Year Health Classes: ICS welcomed Ms. Lukasavitz, Health Teacher, who provided lessons on health and wellness to our middle school students. The Franklin Health Department hosted an anti- smoking/vaping poster contest resulting in: • Artwork from two ICS students were chosen (Tessa T., 8th-grader & Kimberly R., 7th-grader), who were honored at an ICS Board meeting and their artwork was used in public service announcements to address this serious issue among our youth.
Literacy Night First Literacy Night Held: ICS hosted “A Journey Through the Pages,” Family Literacy Night. Together, they welcomed 30 families for an evening that encouraged reading, writing, and other literacy skills for children, and provided families with tools and resources to support literacy development at home. This event was designed for families to share in the joy of reading and writing. After listening to the story in the Drum, families travelled through the school to different stations set up, which offered opportunities to read books together, play reading games, create poetry and other book-themed crafts, and engage with storytelling through music. This event provided families the opportunity to connect, have fun, and share in the joys that reading and writing have to offer. Alumni College Level Lacrosse Players Visit: ICS Alumnus, Marcus Thundercloud, who plays Division One Lacrosse for Detroit Mercy, visited ICS along with teammates, their coach, and parents to enhance and inspire lacrosse at our school, and to support attendance. Alumni Events: ICS Alumni joined our Cultural Celebrations and volunteered at many of our other events. We hosted three events specifically for Alumni, including a Reconnecting Alumni event in February, a Bowling Event and MIEC All City Graduation which both took place in May. New Alumni Staff: We are proud to have welcomed three ICS Alumni to our staff this past year. See page 10 of this report for more information about our Alumni staff. Extra Curricular We Do This for the Water: A new after-school group learned about plant medicines, smudging, Tobacco Ceremony, Water Ceremony, and how to make cedar and strawberry teas. The boys focused on Fire Teachings and the girls focused on Water Teachings. All made bundles and learned how to conduct a Water Walk, which they later taught to 1st grade students. They also participated in the Sturgeon Water Walk in downtown Milwaukee. These students greeted VIP guests by smudging and conducting Tobacco Ceremony and Water Ceremony. There were 14 students who participated and many of their families joined in and learned along with their children each week. See page 9 of this report for more information. Club Lacrosse: ICS partnered with Franklin Public Schools to offer a competitive Lacrosse team experience . There were 17 ICS students in grades 3-8 who participated.
New Electives Courses for 7th and 8th grade students: Moccasin making was offered resulting in: • 32 students completing moccasins • 5 students completed fully beaded moccasins Other Electives offered in the 2023-2024 school year were: • Makerspace • Choir
• 2D Design • 3D Design • Indigenous Games • Guitar • Chair Yoga/Mindfullness • Flute
• Percussion • Book Club • Fibers (Sewing)
Hicakoro Nēmat Wiijiiwaagan Kyat ^
Language and Culture New Staff, Programming and Teaching Lodge: Our Ways welcomed Shena Munden as our new Ho-Chunk Language and Culture Teacher and Desiree Henry, who is also an ICS Alumnus, as our new Ojibwe Language and Culture Apprentice. Our Ways also planned four community events to support the languages taught at ICS. The Ojibwe and Oneida events were very well received. The Ho-Chunk and Menominee events were postponed due to losses in their communities, but plans to move forward next year are already underway. In June, Our Ways and the MIEC Teaching Lodge Committee worked with the Ho-Chunk community to build a new Teaching Lodge.
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Other Initiatives Attendance Improving student attendance was a primary initiative at ICS because student achievement and whole child wellness have a direct correlation to school attendance. ICS developed multiple programs to educate and support students and families about the effects of chronic absenteeism and the importance of good attendance. Efforts included awareness with families through letters, calls, emails, parent-teacher conferences and lead stories in each week’s family newsletter, classroom attendance contests with the winners being celebrated weekly, (monthly winners received a pizza party and a traveling trophy), attendance certificates were sent home for students who had 96% or better attendance, extra encouragement was provided for students who showed the greatest improvement, a school dance, and special events such as Bucks player Marjon Beauchamp, or Division One Lacrosse players, including Marcus Thundercloud, who made surprise visits to our school to reinforce attendance. We also did monthly check-ins with students and offered Eagle Bucks and shopping for additional incentives. We improved attendance for K4 by 5% and K5 by 4% during the 2023-2024 school year. We have found that students who attend our K4 and K5 programs are more successful as their educational journey progresses, so attendance in those early years is extremely important. The ICS Family Resource Center worked closely with our K4 and K5 teachers and families to help us achieve these gains. Through these efforts, attendance improved by: • 4% in months when attendance was the lowest from the previous year • 2% school-wide over the previous year
Awards / Placements ICS is proud to announce the following honors and awards for the 2023-2024 school year: - Our Dean of Students, Ms. Cheryl Weber, was awarded Girls Division 2 Diving Coach-of-the-Year from the Wisconsin Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (WISCA).
8th Grade Graduate Honors for 2023-2024 were: - Macyne Potack-Rettler was our Valedictorian. - Tessa Tollefson was our Salutatorian.
- Mason Jellan and Natahlia Ross were selected as Our Ways Representatives by their peers for incorporating their cultures and languages into all their classes, for demonstrating the Seven Sacred Gifts, putting others first, tending to their path and working on their gifts, helping others when needed, and using their Native languages. Community Organizations Indian Community School worked with a number of community organizations that benefited our students, school and community. We are grateful for the following community organizations: - Electa Quinney Institute • Participation on our Language Revitalization Committee. - Wehr Nature Center • Provided hands-on environmental lesson plans to our teaching staff and hosted our Maple Sugar Camp on their grounds. - Repairing Together • A program of the Milwaukee Jewish Day School (MJDS), began in 2016 connecting students from different cultural backgrounds in K-8 schools in the Milwaukee area through thematic cultural, social and environmental action programming. The program was developed in response to racism and anti-Semitism being on the rise worldwide, especially here in the U.S. Together, we develop a solid framework for empathetic leadership in today’s world. - Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center • We have had a deeply collaborative relationship for many years and currently have a memorandum of understanding between our organizations that focuses on our work to improve the mental health of our students and families, and we regularly coordinate on the delivery of suicide prevention services. - Franklin School Sports • Competitive team experiences in Football and Lacrosse for ICS students. School Campus Improvements Lighting Retrofit: Over the past year, Indian Community School completed a total lighting system retrofit, enhancing visibility in learning spaces, saving on energy costs, and reducing the school’s carbon footprint. The new LED lighting is more energy-efficient, toxin-free, requires fewer fixtures, and has a longer lifespan. Prairie Burn: ICS conducted it’s first controlled burn in April, to maintain the health of our prairie spaces and to control invasive species. Prairie burns are an indigenous practice that we are committed to carry forward. Painted Playground Surfaces: In October, 2023, we painted our playground surfaces with different games and mindfulness symbols to encourage students to be active and develop more social skills. With these colorful additions, students have been able to enjoy recess time playing four-square, an obstacle course, labyrinth, hopscotch and more. Tot Lot Additions: We added an early childhood Tot Lot to expand developmentally appropriate opportunities for children in our birth to 5 program, and to connect and play outdoors. The Tot Lot is used by our FRC early childhood programming and by our K4 and K5 students.
Dennis Bonneville / Devin Bonneville / Noah Larson / Wyatt Rush / Joah Thompson / Kai Reed / Jared Dashner / Ian Zhuckkahosee / Brayden House Head Coach: Andre Beamon
• 5% for K4 • 4% for K5
Living in a Good Way ICS has adopted and implemented a school-wide initiative called Living in a Good Way, which focuses on positive student behaviors. We also developed behavior expectations based on being good for our minds, good for our bodies, good for our spirits, and good for our hearts. We also emphasize “our” because it is our work to support the entire community. Students are expected and responsible to follow these behavior expectations during school, after school, and at any school related events. This program is meant to align our behavioral supports with cultural ways of being, so that all students can demonstrate their strong responsibility to themselves and their community.
Howa Kāēqten-āēq?
Wow! Howaa ó•tshe•
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learning
ICS Class of 2024 Wa’įnįįgįnąpšąną / Wāēwāēnen / Miigwech / Yaw ◊÷ kó• / Thank You for learning about our school.
The name “13 Moons: A Year in Reflection” was chosen for this report as it reflects an Indigenous perspective on how we experience the passing of one year. While we recognize the 12-month Gregorian calendar widely used today, each of the 13 moons mark key changes and important cycles in the natural world. These cycles coincide with our traditional stories and guide activities such as hunting, gathering, fishing, and other cultural practices. About 13 Moons: a Year in Reflection
10405 W. St. Martins Rd. • Franklin, WI 53132 • Phone: 414-525-6100 www.ics-edu.org © 2024 INDIAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL, INC.
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