‘An Ambitious Update to BSSD’s Bilingual/Bicultural Curriculum’ By Attasiaq Otton

Recognizing the urgent need for culturally relevant and modern teaching resources, the Bering Strait School District (BSSD) has launched an ambitious project to develop a curriculum that meets the needs of today’s students while preserving Native languages. The BSSD Bilingual/Bicultural Department includes 24 cultural teachers across 15 schools and three Native languages: Akuzipik, Yupik, and Inupiaq. Akuzipik teachers currently rely on an outdated curriculum designed for students who spoke Akuzipik exclusively at home—a situation that no longer reflects reality. Other cultural teachers lack adequate training to use the outdated curriculum, often creating materials by hand each week with limited resources. The last updated bilingual/bicultural curriculum dates back to 1992.

Supported by the Circle of Learning grant, the Bering Strait School District Cultural Curriculum Committee convened in Unalakleet from November 1–3, 2024, to begin updating this critical curriculum. Collaborating with Kawerak’s Language and Culture Immersion Curriculum Specialist, Saġrumin Nanouk, and Eskimo Heritage Program Director, Yaayuk Alvanna-Stimpfle, the committee reviewed past materials and explored best practices in language teaching. Saġrumin shared a Head Start Inupiaq immersion curriculum currently under review for collaborative use, while Yaayuk led a virtual session on effective immersion methods.

The committee also analyzed educational responses from the Cook Inlet Tribal Council’s project to identify thematic units for cultural instruction. , a framework for language teaching and learning, is being updated from North Slope Inupiaq to reflect Bering Strait dialects with input from regional elders Georgianne Merrill and Annie Conger. Each committee member has been tasked with updating three lesson units from the outdated curriculum, which will be presented and refined at a gathering in Shishmaref in January 2025.

The group acknowledged the deep trauma associated with language work in school systems historically designed to suppress Native languages and culture. In a powerful discussion, members honored the resilience of elders who preserved their language and celebrated the courage of teachers striving to overcome barriers and revitalize these languages for future generations.

Led by Attasiaq Otton, Coordinator of Cultural Integration, the committee comprises experienced educators, including:

Stacey Paniptchuk

• , educator since 2008, led BSSD’s SILKAT project, and earned a Master’s in Elementary Education with a legacy rooted in bilingual education.

Joel Mugadza

• , an international educator with over 30 years of experience in culturally responsive curriculum design.

Deb Anungazuk

• , a Local Recognized Expert since 2006.

Emily “Funny” Murray

• , an educator whose master’s program focused on cultural units rooted in Elim’s history.

Lisa Stenek

• , a Bilingual/Bicultural instructor since 2012.

Shem Rose Koonooka

• , an educator with 24 years of experience and expertise in Akuzipik.

Toby Anungazuk Jr.

• , a practitioner of traditional skills such as walrus skin preparation and boat building.

The committee meets virtually monthly and will hold in-person sessions in Shishmaref, Gambell, and Saint Michael. Upon completion, BSSD bilingual teachers will gain access to a comprehensive curriculum in all three district languages: Yupigestun, Yugtun, and Inupiatun.

This initiative, funded by the Circle of Learning grant through the US Department of Education’s Alaska Native Education Program, represents a vital step toward revitalizing Native languages and empowering students and educators with culturally responsive tools for success.