Culturally Responsive School Programs
This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service¿s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition to Hoonah City Schools under Statutory Authority National Historic Preservation Act, as amended PL-89-665, The National Park Service Concessions Management Improvement Act, Title IV of the National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998,Public Law 105-391. Any intended cooperative agreement issued under this funding announcement is subject to the availability of federal funding and congressional and congressional approval of appropriations. The project purpose is to develop a range of culturally responsive programs that will strengthen relationships between Huna Tlingit youth and their traditional homeland in Glacier Bay National Park, ensure that cultural knowledge is passed from one generation to another, and protect unique and threatened ethnographic resources associated with the Huna Tlingit and their traditional use of Glacier Bay National Park. Programs will include field experiences in the park, professionally developed curricula for such trips, summer camps, and other school-based programs. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN NPS and HCS believe that cooperatively developed culturally-responsive curricula and programs focuse on developing a deeper understanding of park resources and what those resources reveal about Tlingit history will strengthen Hoonah youth¿s connection to Glacier Bay homeland. The partners believe that students can become more effective culture bearers if ongoing Journey to Homeland trips are guided by professionally-developed curricula and linked in time with other experiences, and ongoing school-based cultural programs. Such comprehensive programs will assist NPS in achieving its mandate to protect the parks cultural and ethnographic resources while engaging youth through sound educational opportunities. These programs will also assist HCS achieve its mission of empowering students to be critical thinkers. The NPS and HIA wish to work together to preserve and perpetuate Huna Tlingit culture, strengthen the relationship of the Huna Tlingit to their homeland, and engage Hoonah youth in the unique and fascinating story reflected in the park¿s people, places, and resources. A cooperative agreement can facilitate the process by establishing a work plan and administrative link to enable this program. Both entities provide a unique set of skills and knowledge that complement each other. While HCS has the academic qualifications and cultural knowledge necessary to implement programs, HCS staff do not have specific knowledge about Glacier Bay National Park as it is currently managed, or the western scientific knowledge available to NPS staff. The purpose of this program is to combine the traditional knowledge that exists in Hoonah at HCS with the western knowledge retained by NPS to ensure that Hoonah students have access to both. Importantly, both partners want to ensure that students recognize that both systems of knowledge are valued and valuable academically. NPS must not only be substantially involved to provide this western perspective, but - more importantly - must be involved to maintain and strengthen relationships between the Huna Tlingit and the NPS. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT Develop culturally-responsive curricula: Hoonah City Schools, in cooperation with the National Park Service will develop curricula for school-based field experiences in Huna Tlingit homeland for middle and/or high school students at Hoonah City Schools. Curricula will guide pre-learning, trip activities, and post-trip follow-up classroom learning. Curricula will include opportunities for students to engage in both traditional and western ways of knowing about particular topics. School-based field experiences: One or more extended (2-5 day) ¿immersion¿ field experiences will be planned to include opportunities for middle and/or high school students to learn and practice both western and traditional ways of knowing about the natural and cultural world. NPS and other biologists, anthropologists, and interpreters will work with school staff, community culture bearers, community partners, and other tribal members to convey information about resources, resource stewardship, learning systems, cultural history, and traditions to HCS students.NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT Substantial involvement on the part of the National Park Service is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. In particular, the National Park Service will be responsible for the following: - Assign the cultural anthropologist, a Glacier Bay National Park employee, as government representative to consult with HCS on project planning, coordination, approval and reporting of all activities. - Participate in the development of all curricula for field experiences including generating curricula themes, reviewing draft curricula and participating in school staff development training. - Participate in preparing and presenting lesson plans for field experiences and school-based cultural programs. - Participating on all planning committee(s) associated with field experiences to assist with planning, scheduling and organizing. - Provide cultural, scientific, and technical assistance in planning and implementing all programs. SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION:Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award. The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable.The National Park Service did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: - Unsolicited proposal: The impetus for the project arose from discussion between NPS and Huna tribal members who recognized that Hoonah City School students had few, if any, opportunities to visit and learn about their homeland. Because NPS recognized the importance of fostering a connection between youth and homeland in the National Park, staff designed a series of vessel-based and backcountry trips to carry Huna tribal members, particularly youth, into homeland. NPS and HCS recognize that a relationship between students and their homeland depends on linked, cooperative programs rather than individual trips. - Unique Qualifications: HCS is the only entity that can effectively execute this program as it is solely responsible for school-based education for Hoonah community youth, is the only entity employing individuals with the professional expertise (both academic and cultural) to provide such programs, and has the administrative infrastructure to achieve program objectives. End of FOA
Office: National Park Service
Tina_Spengler@nps.gov
