Center for Indigenous Research, Curriculum, Language and Evaluation
CIRCLE works to build capacity in Native education through research, curriculum, and evaluation that is guided by, and serves, Native peoples and communities.
Our Projects
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The Repatriation Gathering is a research workshop that brings together educators from Native American tribal communities in the Montana/Dakotas regions. The overarching goal is to emphasize and explore methods for developing research projects that support education sovereignty in tribal communities. The aims of these gatherings are to:
Explore the most pressing matters that are faced by tribal youth today;
Engage in an approach that works to ensure that educational needs, questions, design, and practice are determined by, and for, tribal communities; and
Consider best practices for building trust in developing collaborations between educational entities and tribal communities to uphold tribal educational sovereignty
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In partnership with the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), CIRCLE is overseeing lesson development for the project, Illuminating the Contributions of Native American Veteran’s in Montana Warriors in Uniform. This collection of 3rd – 12th grade classroom lessons honor Native American veterans through stories focused on why they chose to serve and what it means to be a modern-day warrior. You can find completed lessons on the NIEA and Montana Office of Public Instruction Indian Education websites at the link below.
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CIRCLE conducts external evaluation for the STARS Program (Supporting Talent with Aligned Resources for STEM Students) to ensure the academic success of students across four institutes of higher education including Salish Kootenai College, Blackfeet Community College, University of Montana and Montana Technological University. Through mentorship, training, peer and professional networking, and financial supports, STARS ensures that students are getting the supports they need to remain in their programs and continue on to post-graduate programs and/or STEM careers in their fields.
Our People
Joseph Jessepe
Joseph Jessepe, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe, has spent his life on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana. He was a member of the first cohort of Native Americans in Natural Resources at Humboldt State and has served on the Board for The Glacier Natural History Association, Opportunities Incorporated, the Cook Scholarship for St. Paul’s School, and is a founding member of the Badger Two-Medicine Alliance.
Dr. Carmelita Lamb
Dr. Lamb is both Hispanic and an enrolled member of the Lipan Apache Band of South Texas. She is professor emeritus of the Liffrig Family School of Education and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Mary, Bismarck, ND. She continues to oversee grant programs that are focused on Native American education leadership scholars. Her research interests include higher education opportunities for Indigenous marginalized populations.
April Charlo
April Charlo is an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in Montana. She co-founded Flathead Rez Community Action and was the Executive Director at Nkwusm Salish Language School. She is a fluent Salish language speaker and has a B.A. and M.Ed. in education. She is deeply involved in Salish language revitalization and co-founded Snqʷeyłmistn, Salish language immersion community for foster children on the Flathead Reservation in Montana.
Dr. Rose E. Honey
Dr. Rose Honey is an education researcher, program evaluator and curriculum designer and has worked with Indigenous communities in education at the Tribal, local, state, and federal levels for the past 24 years. She has experience in science education research, culturally responsive education, and educational media. She holds an Ed.D. and an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.Sc. degree in Physics from the Univ. of Oregon.
Let’s work together
If you have a question or comment for us, please reach out using the messaging box below. Thank you for your interest in Native Education.
