08/18/2026
The Office of Indian Education and School Improvement held a working session with the RCAS Lakota Language Teachers to develop Student Learning Objective (SLO) plans for the upcoming school year.
An SLO is a measurable, long-term academic goal for a specific group of students. It identifies what students are expected to learn or demonstrate over a defined period of instruction and establishes how teachers will measure their growth. For Lakota Language, these SLOs can focus on areas such as speaking, listening, vocabulary development, reading, writing, cultural understanding, and students’ ability to use Lakota in meaningful contexts.
The SLO process provides teachers with a common structure for identifying students’ starting points, setting appropriate growth targets, monitoring progress throughout the year, and using evidence of student learning to adjust instruction. In this way, the plans serve as both a measure of student growth and an instructional planning tool, helping teachers intentionally strengthen Lakota language learning across classrooms.
Having dedicated Lakota Language teachers across multiple RCAS schools makes this work especially meaningful. Morgan Flores and Maverick Grey Horse at General Beadle Elementary, Kolette Medicine at Knollwood Elementary, Richard Black Elk at North Middle School, and Jeremiah Moreno at Central High School provide students with opportunities to learn and use the Lakota language at different stages of their educational journey. These educators bring language, culture, and identity into their classrooms while helping ensure that Lakota language learning remains a valued and visible part of the student experience in RCAS.
Their collective work goes beyond language instruction. By developing shared SLOs, examining student growth, and working together across schools and grade levels, our Lakota Language teachers are building greater continuity and strengthening a pathway for Lakota language learning throughout the district. Their presence and leadership represent an important investment in language preservation, cultural knowledge, student belonging, and the next generation of Lakota language speakers.
