Dear Parents/Guardians,
We are excited to invite your 5th, 6th, 7th, and/or 8th grade student, ______________________, to join the BPS Native American Resource Program trip to Allegany State Park on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 through Friday, May 16, 2025. We are requesting that parents/guardians and students, who will be attending the trip, attend an informational meeting on April 23, 2025, at School #19 from 6pm to 7pm.
Students will depart for the trip from Native American Magnet School #19 at 10am on Wednesday, May 14th and will return to Native American Magnet School #19 by 4:00pm on Friday, May 16th. This trip supports the mission of the Native American Resource Program to provide supports and services for Native American students across the district while increasing knowledge of cultural identity and awareness.
Students will stay in a campsite that includes sleeping cabins, bathhouse with showers and toilets, and a mess hall. All meals will be cooked by NARP staff and will be served in a mess hall. Your child will be chaperoned by a combination of an administrator, Native American Resource Staff, and parents/guardians of students attending the trip.
This trip is focused on providing Native American students a cultural experience specific to the background and history of Indigenous peoples. It is a wonderful opportunity for your child to gain experiences that will encourage them to explore the world around them, and include scheduled events with culturally centered speakers and activities throughout the day and evening. These activities include traditional storytelling, hikes/walks, traditional field games, traditional singing and dancing, traditional foods, and Seneca language activities.
Due to the time of the trip and the combination of various students attending from multiple BPS buildings, your child will need to be dropped off at School #19 by 9:00am on Wednesday, May 14th and picked up at School #19 at 4:00pm on Friday, May 16th .
If your child will be attending the Allegany State Park trip, please complete the permission slip, medical form, student behavior agreement, and photo release form. These will be distributed at the mandatory meeting and should be returned to your child’s school by Friday, May 3, 2025. Please return completed documents as soon as possible as space is limited.
Should you have any questions, please contact Colette Carse, Native American Resource Program Coordinator at ccarse@buffaloschools.org or 716-816-3183/207-701-7972
We hope your child will join us this year.
