Pueblo of Isleta website: www.isletapueblo.com (2021)

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Volume 16 Issue 9

Isleta Pueblo News

Pueblo of Isleta website: www.isletapueblo.com

Governor’s Report

Maguwam,

Hello to everyone and hope this newsletter

finds everyone in good health. By the time

this newsletter is published we will have

honored our Patron Saint, St. Augustine

with a mass and a procession around the

plaza. On September 3rd and 4th there will

be a mass celebrating Little St. Augustine.

We hope our Patron Saints hear our prayers

for our continued protection of our families

and community.

Again we are faced with a bit of uncertainty

in regards to COVID-19. Cases of COVID

are on the rise with the lifting of restrictions

by the State of New Mexico. The Pueblo

took a conservative and safe approach to

the state’s move to open. We continued

the mask mandate within the Pueblo. As

time went on the cases of COVID increased

within the state. With the increase of

COVID cases in the state, the state of New

Mexico issued another Public Health Order

of a mask and vaccine mandate. We did

see an increase within the pueblo; however,

we did not exceed the limit of positive

cases to discontinue any events within

the pueblo. We still encourage everyone

to consider receiving the Vaccination. As

reported from our Health Officer with the

COVID Mitigation Team, those individuals

who are not vaccinated are the majority

of cases we have seen in the past couple

weeks. The average number of individuals

isolated due to COVID has risen to 9. Let

us protect our families and community. We

urge everyone to continue to social distance

and use all safety measures that have been

recommended, i.e. wearing of masks, use

of hand sanitizer and or frequent washing

of hands. Getting vaccinated prevents you

from being hospitalized and reduces the

symptoms of COVID. The COVID Incident

Command Team has been working hard to

provide the best recommendations for the

Pueblo of Isleta. If you feel sick or experience

symptoms, please stay home and get tested.

Call the COVID Hotline for any questions

or scheduling an appointment to receive the

vaccination, 505-869-9720.

Recently we have been made aware of

vandalism at the Post Office. An unknown

individual has been using a sharp object

to scratch the boxes. They have also

attempted to peel or scrape off the adhesive

numbers on the boxes. As everyone knows,

the Post Master does not lock the door to

allow access to boxes after hours. If this

trend continues the Post Master has stated

that they will be forced to lock all doors at

close of business. They want to continue

to provide that access to those who cannot

make it during normal business hours. We

ask that if you see any unusual activity

in or around the Post Office to please call

Isleta PD.

Also with the recent incident of the

individual who fled from Albuquerque

Police and made it onto the Pueblo. We

encourage Pueblo residents to sign up for the

community alert system. The system will

notify those who willingly sign up for any

alerts or community information sent out

September 2021

by the Pueblo of Isleta. If you should have

any questions, please call the Governor’s

office for more information. Please see the

attached information and QR code (pg 3).

Please be on the lookout as Tribal

Administration and Isleta probation will

be planning a volunteer cleanup of the

Isleta Cemetery. We will be coordinating

efforts to prepare for upcoming events

such as All Souls Day and Veterans Day.

We encourage all to come out and assist in

the effort to beautify the cemetery. Once

dates have been planned we will post that

information throughout the community. If

you may be interested in assisting, please

call the Governor’s Office and speak to Lt.

Governor Lucero.

We want to congratulate Charles Jojola

for being selected as an umpire for the

2021 Little League Softball World Series

in Greenville, South Carolina. We all

know Charles as Tata Gene Jojola. Gene

has been an umpire with the Isleta Little

League since the establishment in 2005.

He received his training in Williamsport,

Pennsylvania through the Little League

Organization and gained his experience

umpiring a multitude of baseball and

softball games throughout District 9, the

state level, regional level, and the world

series. His career as an umpire expands

over 15 years. Below are the highlights of

his umpire career.

2005-2021: District & State Tournaments

2005: Isleta Little League chartered;

Umpire in Chief & District Umpire

2014 & 2015: Southwest Regional Little

League Softball Tournament; Waco, Texas

2016: Little League Softball World Series;

Portland, Oregon

2017: Southwest Regional Junior Softball

Tournament; Isleta, New Mexico

2021: Little League Softball World Series;

Greenville, South Carolina

The most recent selection as an umpire has

given Gene some TV air time on ESPN+ and

ESPN2 in all different positions of being an

umpire. He was selected as the home plate

umpire for the 1st game of the series.

Being a Little League umpire is a volunteer

position and a big commitment to the

community and all the children involved

in the Little League Organization. Gene,

we are all very proud of you and thank you

for representing District 9, Isleta Little

League, and your community of Isleta

Pueblo. (photo credits to D. Lucero and

LLWS)

With the recent rainfall and the fall season

approaching, and speaking with traditional

leaders, a decision was made to open the

mountain range area. As we plan for the

fall and winter to gather wood and enjoy

the mountains please be careful and stay

safe. Wood permits are available at the

Governor’s office, Police Substation, and

the Open Space office. Please keep our

mountains clean and trash free.

As we enter into September, many tribal

members are excited and preparing for

hunting doves here in the reservation or big

game in the State of New Mexico. We ask that

everyone stay safe and utilize safe practices

of hunting. Here on the reservation, Open

Space will be out patrolling the rangeland

and mountain areas to ensure the safety of

the community. Please use good judgement

and safe gun and archery handling while

out hunting. Please keep in mind hunting

on the reservation is for tribal members

only.

May the creator bless you with a good

and healthy life and we pray to keep our

community safe.

Governor Vernon B. Abeita

Page 2

Isleta Pueblo News

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

DEADLINE for October Newsletter articles is set

for Tuesday, September 21, 2021, at 4:30 pm. Articles

may be dropped off at the Library or emailed to Nathaniel.

Lujan@isletapueblo.com. Should you email your article,

expect a confirmation email. If you do not receive a

confirmation email, odds are it never made it to me and

then it’s time to panic, so call Nate at 505.869.9808.

People who wish to submit an article or flyer are responsible

for generating their own article or flyer. Should you need

help, please call the Library at 505.869.9808 and set up a

date and time to sit down with a Library staff member who

will help you throughout the process. The Library will NOT

accept notes dropped off at the Library or information over

the phone to generate your article.

PROBATES need to be published in the Newsletter for

two consecutive months. Probates are considered court

documents, therefore, all submitters must provide: 1)

Name of Deceased, 2) Date of Deceased 3) Court Case #

and 4) Date of Court Date. A Probate form can be found on

the Newsletter Archive page at http://www.isletapueblo.

com/newsletters.html .

CLASSIFIED ADS: The new administration has requested

that the Newsletter start a Classified Ad section for Tribal

members selling land, houses, mobile homes, vehicles, and

farm equipment. Leasing of houses and mobile homes will

be accepted. Smaller items which can be sold at the local

flea markets or weekly yard sales will NOT be accepted.

Currently, this service is FREE to Tribal members. Land,

houses, and mobile homes must be within the reservation

boundaries. Ads must meet the 160 character limit. Ads

that exceed the 160 characters will NOT be submitted into

the Newsletter. A single picture may be submitted with

the ad. Submitters of classified ads are responsible for

generating their own ads as this is a FREE service.

As a reminder, Tribal business owners may submit a small

flyer at no charge. Like the classified ads, business owners

are responsible for generating their own flyers as this is a

FREE service.

Classified ads and business flyers will be posted no

more than two consecutive months. In the event where

the Newsletter may exceed the 24-page limit, classified

ads and business flyers will be “bumped” for newsletter

articles. Again, this is a FREE service for Tribal members.

The Isleta Newsletter is owned and operated by the Pueblo

of Isleta. Therefore, the Governor of the Pueblo of Isleta

has the final say of all articles and contents within the

Isleta Newsletter.

For additional questions, you may call the Library and

speak with Nate or Diane at 505.869.9808.

Thank you,

Nathaniel Lujan

Newsletters may be found at the fifteen distribution

locations listed below. Remember, Digital copies of the

Newsletter may be obtained from the Newsletter archive

at http://www.isletapueblo.com/newsletters.html

The fifteen Newsletter distribution locations are:

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

TR 2 & TR 22 - Chical SE of Community Hall

TR 10 - Behind the old 47 Sales

TR 1 & TR 5 – Ranchitos / Bosque Farms

Reservations Line

Ranchitos Park

Post Office - Big Tree

TR 82 & TR 84 - Teller Road

TR 78 & TR 82 - Carlos Trujillo Sr.

TR 90 @ Y - CF Padilla

Mouse Town Park –

Health Center – South end of Health

Center Parking lot

Library Sunlight & Moonlight Intersection

TR 6 - 47 Intersection

TR 12 - 47 & 147 intersection (Old Smoke & Save)

TR 71 & TR 54 @ Y - Holiday Robot / Paved Road /

Railroad Tracks

TR 45 & TR 40 @ Y - Tata Mel (POI Signage)

September 2021

PROBATES

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF:

Rafina Montoya (DOD: 08/29/1995)

Case No. CV-PR-0118-2021

First Notice

TAKE NOTICE that in accordance with notice requirements, a Petition to Probate

the Estate of Rafina Montoya, deceased 08/29/1995, has been filed in the Pueblo

of Isleta Tribal Court. Any person claiming an interest in the Estate is hereby advised

to notify the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court Clerk in writing within thirty (30) days of this

notice being posted. Claims must be filed in writing. A hearing in this matter has been

scheduled for Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 9:00 am at the Isleta Tribal Court,

located at the Tribal Services Complex, 3950 Hwy. 47 SE, Building A, Albuquerque,

NM. If you have any questions, please contact the Isleta Tribal Court at (505) 8699699.

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF:

Joseph L. Juancho (DOD: 04/25/2021)

Case No. CV-PR-0084-2021

First Notice

TAKE NOTICE that in accordance with notice requirements, a Petition to Probate

the Estate of Joseph L. Juancho, deceased 04/25/2021, has been filed in the

Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court. Any person claiming an interest in the Estate is hereby

advised to notify the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court Clerk in writing within thirty (30)

days of this notice being posted. Claims must be filed in writing. A hearing in this

matter has been scheduled for Thursday, August 19, 2021 at 10:45 am at the Isleta

Tribal Court, located at the Tribal Services Complex, 3950 Hwy. 47 SE, Building A,

Albuquerque, NM. If you have any questions, please contact the Isleta Tribal Court

at (505) 869-9699.

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF:

Anthony Velardez (DOD: 12/26/2020)

Case No. CV-PR-0052-2021

Second Notice

TAKE NOTICE that in accordance with notice requirements, a Petition to Probate the

Estate of Anthony Velardez, deceased 12/26/2020, has been filed in the Pueblo of

Isleta Tribal Court. Any person claiming an interest in the Estate is hereby advised

to notify the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court Clerk in writing within thirty (30) days of

this notice being posted. Claims must be filed in writing. A hearing in this matter

has been scheduled for Thursday, September 19, 2021 at 9:15 am at the Isleta

Tribal Court, located at the Tribal Services Complex, 3950 Hwy. 47 SE, Building A,

Albuquerque, NM. If you have any questions, please contact the Isleta Tribal Court

at (505) 869-9699.

September 2021

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 3

ISLETA HEALTH CENTER

CHR Program

Hello everyone!

My name is Brandi

Lucero and I am the

new coordinator for the

CHR Program at Isleta

Health Center. I am

an enrolled member

and have served as

a community health

worker (CHW) for over

5 years. I received my

Bachelors in Public

Health with a minor in Chemistry from Fort Lewis

College. My start as a CHW began by working with

a nationally known non-profit in 2015 serving the

Four Corner region with access to comprehensive

sexual health education, HIV testing and counseling,

professional training, and linkage to essential

resources. Before leaving the non-profit world, I helped

establish the Native Community Health Network

(NCHN), which is a community health workers

program that serves Indigenous communities within

the Southwest Region. Transportation is a new realm

for me but I am very appreciative of the current CHR

drivers, Renee and David, for teaching me and helping

get up to speed with our services. I am happy I was

given this opportunity to work with my community

and provide a much-needed service for our people. I

hope to have your support and welcome all feedback

from our community members.

Brandi Lucero

CHR Coordinator

Pueblo of Isleta Health Center

Brandi.lucero@islclinic.net

Below is a reminder of the CHR services available to

enrolled tribal members residing with the reservation

boundaries:

The Isleta CHR Program provides tribal community

members’ transportation services to and from their

scheduled non-emergency medical appointments and

can provide medication delivery services from Isleta

Health Center.

•

Medication delivery services are for those whom

are on COVID quarantine, home-bound, or elderly.

A completed Medication delivery form is required

BEFORE anyone can receive delivery services. Our

medication delivery services only pick-up medication

from Isleta Health Center and requires a 24-hour

notice. A signature is required upon delivery.

Medication Form can be accessed from CHR office at

the Health Center or our CHR team member can start

one for you over the phone.

•

Our transportation services can help transport

you or a loved one to their scheduled, non-emergency

medical appointments within Isleta, Los Lunas, and

Albuquerque areas. We transport throughout the week.

A completed transportation form is required BEFORE

anyone can receive transportation services. Please

keep in mind that our transport services strongly

recommends a 48-hour notice and services are on a

space available basis. If we are unable to transport

you or your loved one, our team can provide linkage to

another transit provider that services our community.

We are implementing COVID safety precautions while

transporting approved by our COVID Mitigation Team.

Transportation Form can be accessed from CHR office

at the Health Center or our CHR team member can

start one for you over the phone.

If you are interested in our services or need a

ride to your next appointment please, call our

office at 869-4485. *POI departments can make

referrals to our program and are encouraged.

Page 4

Isleta Pueblo News

Job Postings

Visit us online at

http://www.isleta.com/career-opportunities.aspx

Fax: 505-244-8232

OUR LOCATION

Isleta Resort and Casino is located 7 minutes south of downtown Albuquerque at Interstate 25 and Hwy 47, exit 215.

The Human Resources office can be found on the east side of the building through the Employee Entrance doors.

September 2021

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 5

Pueblo of Isleta Career Opportunities

Position Posting

Office Location

Closing Date

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT II

AUTO & DIESEL MECHANIC

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MANAGER -REPOSTED

BOSQUE RESTORATION TECHNICIAN

BUS DRIVER- (PART TIME)

BUSINESS MANAGER

CAREGIVER ( 2 positions)

CARPENTER I,II, or III - REPOSTED

CEO HEALTH SERVICES

COMPUTER IT SPECIALIST - REPOSTED

DIRECTOR - IPHA

DISPATCHER

EDUCATION ASSISTANT

EMT INTERMEDIATE - REPOSTED

EMT INTERMEDIATE (PRN)

FACILITIES WORKER -REPOSTED

FEDERAL PROJECT MANAGER

GENERAL COUNSEL

HEAD START TEACHER

HOME CARE ATTENDANT

HOME OWNERSHIP COORDINATOR

HOME OWNERSHIP COUNSELOR

HVAC TECHNICIAN - REPOSTED

INSTRUCTIONAL COORDINATOR - REPOSTED

LAND SURVEY TECHNICIAN AIDE - REPOSTED

LANGUAGE TEACHER

MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN

MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS COUNSELOR

OFFICE CLERK

PAINTER

PARKS & MAINTENANCE WORKER

PERSONAL CARE SERVICE AIDE (2 Positions)

PHYSICIAN- AMENDED

PLUMBER

POLICE OFFICER I CERTIFIED - REPOSTED

PURCHASED REFERRED CARE ACCOUNTING CLERK

REGISTERED NURSE (Part-Time)

ROADWAY MAINTENANCE WORKER I

SALES ASSOCIATE - REPOSTED

SCHOOL COUNSELOR - REPOSTED

SHIFT LEAD

UTILITY WORKER

VAN DRIVER

VICTIM ADVOCATE

Elder Center

Within Only

Construction Operations

Health Services

Water Resources

Within Only

Head Start

Isleta Elementary School

Assisted Living Facility

Housing Authority

Health Services

Department of Education

Housing Authority

Police Department

Isleta Elementary School

Health Services

Head Start

Housing Authority

Legal Department

Head Start

Elder Center

Housing Authority

Public Works

Department of Education Within Only

Survey & Mapping

Department of Education Within Only

Public Works

Health Services

Isleta Elementary School

Housing Authority

Parks & Recreation

Elder Center

Within Only

Health Center

Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority

Police Department

Health Services

Assisted Living Facility

Transportation Services

C-Stores

Isleta Elementary School

C-Stores

Public Works

Elder Center

Prosecutor

08/22/2021

Open Until Filled

08/20/2021

Open Until Filled

08/24/2021

Open Until Filled

08/31/2021

Open Until Filled

08/25/2021

Open Until Filled

08/29/2021

Open Until Filled

08/31/2021

Open Until Filled

08/27/2021

Open Until Filled

08/30/2021

Page 6

Isleta Pueblo News

September 2021

Pueblo of Isleta

Veterans Association (POIVA)

POIVA has now continued having regular meetings,

on the first and second Thursday of each month at 6:00

PM. POIVA is located in Los Charcos, approximately

three miles south of the “Little Casino”.

Beginning on September 7, 2021, POIVA Veterans

Service Officers (VSO’s) will be providing outreach

services at the Isleta Health Clinic Lobby on the first

Tuesday of each month from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

If you should have any questions on Veterans benefits,

please come by and visit with the VSO’s, or call us for

more information. VSO’s will schedule to meet with

you if you are unable to meet at the above times.

•

Tony Munoz 505-948-8630

Marcus Lujan 505-514-7332

Ulysses Abeita 505-264-4110

If you plan to visit with us, bring with you a copy of

the Veteran’s DD-214. A DD-214 is a Certificate of

Release or Discharge from Active Duty. (DD simply

stands for Department of Defense). If you are a

Veteran and you have misplaced your DD-214…

we can help you to order one. A DD-214 is a very

important document, it is required if you, the Veteran,

your spouse, and or your children plan to claim VA

benefits, i.e. education, medical, VA Home Loans,

military headstones, funeral flags, burial at national

cemetery, etc. (Spouses, widows, and, or children may

be eligible for VA benefits.)

If a DD-214 has been lost, contact one of the VSO’s,

and we will help you prepare the proper forms to

replace your DD-214. If you have your DD-214…keep

it in a safe place. POIVA has contacted POI Census

and they will file your DD-214 along with your tribal

records.

For any more questions you may also call Commander

Fred R. Lujan at 505-573-3733.

2021 FIRE SEASON

Isleta Fire Department

Fire season is here! The Isleta Fire Dept.

will be available to assist and stand-by for

community members with agricultural burns.

Burn permits

will be required, instructions on burn

permits must be followed.

For more information contact the

numbers listed below.

505-869-9725

505-869-9724

Isleta Dispatch 505-869-3030

September 2021

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 7

Head Start, Early Head Start,

and Child Care

P.O. Box 579 Isleta, NM 87022

Office: (505) 869-9796

Welcome families to the beginning of

the new school year 2021-2022. We are

excited to announce our reopening of

the Isleta Head Start, Early Head Start,

and Child Care Center for full capacity

in person services. Our reopening plan

has been approved by the Isleta Pueblo COVID-19

mitigation team and we will be practicing all safety

measures to keep all children and families safe and

healthy. The following procedures are being followed

to ensure the health and safety of all children,

families and staff:

Daily COVID-19 screening and temperature

checks

Daily sanitation schedules and rotation of

sanitized toys.

Masks are required for all individuals 2

years and older. There is an area available

in each classroom for mask breaks when

needed.

Frequent hand-washing in the classrooms.

3 ft. Social distancing will be encouraged.

We look forward to an awesome year with you

and your family to ensure your child’s learning

experience is fun, successful, and safe!

Upcoming Dates:

September 1, 2021- Family Night/Open House

September 6, 2021- Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)

September 7, 2021- Professional Development

Day (NO SCHOOL)

September 16, 2021- Policy Council Meeting @ 5pm

Important Parent Reminders:

•

Daily COVID-19 screening must be

completed:

“Bus Riders” (Head Start only): Parents

must submit online screening by 6:30am.

“Child Drop-Off” (All Programs):

Parents must submit online

screening by 7:15am.

•

Child Drop-Off: Pay attention to traffic control

staff, drive slow, watch for pedestrians crossing,

and be mindful we are only allowing 15-25 families

to enter the building at a time.

Isleta Health Center Program

Postponements

The Isleta Health Center (IHC) is doing our part

to encourage social distancing, by continuing

to postpone the following programs until further

notice:

The IHC Programs below are postponed:



ICAP Moccasin Making Class on Tuesday

evenings

Isleta Diabetes Prevention Exercise

Classes (Eagle HIIT) held Mondays

and Wednesdays

Isleta Diabetes Weight Training held

Tuesdays and Thursdays

(Wellness Center available by

appointments only)

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 8

September 2021

ISLETA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

KINDERGARTEN

Dear Parents,

I am very glad to be working with your

child this year in kindergarten at the Isleta

Elementary school. I would like to tell you

a little about myself.

I have lived in New Mexico all my life. My

parents were both teachers in Albuquerque

and their love of teaching rubbed off on me.

I became an educator in 1983 and have

had experiences in many different areas of

teaching over the last 38 years.

In regular education, I have level 3-A

Instructional Leader Teacher Certifications

in early childhood education, K-8

Elementary Education, and Pre-K through

12th Physical Education. I have earned a

master’s degree from the University of New

Mexico and have taken over 47 hours of

continuing education in a variety of fields.

I have taken trainings each year at Isleta

Elementary to help with current topics.

In addition to my training in regular

education, I have earned a level 3-A

Instructional Leader Teacher Certification

in Pre-K through 12th Special Education.

I have experience working with profoundly

physically disabled students.

This is my fifth year of teaching at Isleta

Elementary. I am proud to say that I have

helped many children who struggled with

reading to advance in their reading skills

using the Orton Gillingham and Spaulding

methods.

It’s been a joy working with the children,

parents and staff of Isleta Elementary. I

am looking forward to getting to know your

child and helping them to grow this year.

So far, we have been learning how to hold

a pencil, how to cut properly, how to write

numbers 1-4, recognizing letters of the

alphabet, and sounds of the alphabet. In

science, we are learning what animals need

and in social studies we are learning how to

work with others.

August Birthday Celebrations go to Amais

Abeita on August 11th and Liliana Perea

on August 18th.

Happy Birthday!

Thank you,

Ms. Melendrez

FIRST GRADE

I just wanted to touch base and let you guys

know that we have started off this year

with a great effort in class. These students

have been through a lot with last year

mainly being online, so we are excited to

see each other and work together this year.

I have had the pleasure of meeting all the

students, and we discuss everything from

the importance of sharing, to the importance

of giving our best work. We have discussed

the importance of communities, and how we

are tied together in many communities. We

have also talked about the school rules and

how we can be successful this year as we

come back to learn and start working. We

are starting off with some review lessons

and beginning steps, but I see students that

are ready to learn and have had a wonderful

time getting to know them.

The students have been pretty good in

following the social distancing and keeping

up with the mask as well. I know that is

a challenge for us, so it is more impressive

seeing these younger students push through

and follow the rules in order to maintain a

safe environment. I am really excited to see

the progress this year and look forward to

hearing any feedback from you so we can

help give these students the best education

possible. Thanks in advance for all of your

time and efforts,

Go EAGLES!!!

Sincerely,

Mr. Bellamy

SECOND GRADE

Ms. Rosana

In addition to making new friends, being

reminded of important new COVID

classroom procedures, and getting used

to some school/bus physical changes, our

students spent the first week thinking about

good citizenship by reading Clark the Shark

and Spoon. By sharing about themselves,

they engaged in questioning and discourse.

It was a great first week and 2nd grade has

great attendance and participation!

THIRD GRADE

Mrs. Barbara’s

Fabulous Third Grade

Third grade class is adjusting to the

changes of our school. They are getting into

the routine of coming in the morning and

switching out their home mask for a school

mask. Then they switch it back at the end

of the day.

Isleta Pueblo News

September 2021

Page 9

In Math we have nearly mastered our first

standard in numbers and base ten. We

are now using properties of multiplication

to solve problems. In Social Studies we

are discovering the four Native American

regions prior to the birth of the United

States.

I am pleased to have happy, sweet, and

eager to learn students who have been

working very hard. I look forward to an

exciting school year!

SIXTH GRADE

In 6th Grade we are working on getting

back to learning in the classroom. After

nearly a year and a half of online classes

we are super excited to be back together!

Review has been the key focus for these last

couple of weeks. Each day I see that the

students are becoming more confident and

ready to tackle new skills! Our theme for

this month has been “The Path to Success.”

We are learning about various people and

how they have accomplished their goals in

life. This has opened the door to allow each

of us to start looking down the road to our

own future. You are never too young or too

old to set new goals for yourself!

Third Grade (Continued)

They are also getting used to eating

breakfast and lunch in the classroom to

avoid contact with too many students in the

cafeteria.

Students seem to be excited to be back

in school. They are back in the swing of

learning great things.

In math they are reviewing addition and

subtraction with regrouping.

In reading they are reading three

different stories per week and answering

comprehension questions and working on

different skills. This week they are working

on Point Of View.

In Social Studies they are reading and

learning about America’s Heritage and

Culture.

They also enjoy going to their specials.

(Music, Art, P.E, Library and soon TIWA

classes)

I am truly enjoying having the students

back at school.

FOURTH GRADE

Students are extremely happy to be back

at school. They wrote about their summer

break and shared about themselves.

Social Studies they are learning about

maps, longitude, latitude, and time zones.

Science they are investigating an object

of their choice and how to make it better

(engineering).

Math has been reviewing place value,

rounding, subtraction, and addition of

multi-digit numbers.

In reading we read The Story of You and

tied it into the student’s experiences,

cultural, and their own identity.

Ms. Ortiz

FIFTH GRADE

Greetings!

I am very pleased

with how students

have adjusted to

in-person learning

by following all our

safety

guidelines.

The new norm is

wearing masks in

the classroom and

sanitizing

work

areas.

This month we

started our Reading/

Language Arts with

a humorous fictional story by Louis Sacher

and are now reading a chapter book Wayside

School Gets A Little Stranger, by the same

author. Students are identifying story

elements within each wacky chapter that

has students laughing out loud. They’ve

been working hard creating a comic strip

illustrating and captioning conflicts and

resolutions within each chapter.

Page 10

Isleta Pueblo News

September 2021

TRUANCY

Hello from the Truancy Department,

After a year of not attending school in person,

we hope that you are enjoying returning back

to school with peers and classmates. At times

it seems that it can be challenging to modify

schedules to get back into the swing of things,

but we’ll learn to adapt to all the changes that

are occurring around us.

As the school year starts, we wonder what the

future of the school year will bring, but we are

here to support our students and their families

to ensure that your children continue their

education and will continue moving forward.

The slightest change in schedules and learning

can affect most children and the outcome of

their learning; patience and understanding will

allow us all to get through the bumps in the

road as they are presented to us.

In early August, the Truancy Department

was present at the Department of Education/

Johnson O’Malley School Supply Distribution.

While there, we had the opportunity to meet

our Isleta students and their families and

shared who we are and a bit of our policies

and procedures as well as the Tribal Law and

Order Code 30-05-06 FAILURE TO SEND

A CHILD TO SCHOOL. As we’ve reassured

many of our families, we are here to help assist

and help advocate for our students so that they

do not fall behind in their studies and become

disengaged by not attending school regularly.

The Truancy Department is here to assist with

referring students and their families to the

many resources that are available within the

Pueblo of Isleta.

We also had the opportunity to request that our

parents read and sign the Truancy Department

Student Release of Information, which

allows us to request attendance for our

students. Once this release of information is

shared, we can request information and follow

up on any attendance concerns, upon referral

from your child’s school. Before we request

information, the Truancy Department will

contact the parents/guardians to notify them of

any concerns. Not only does this release give us

permission to request attendance information,

but it also allows for the Truancy Coordinators,

Administrative Assistant or the Manager to

help advocate for the student in the event the

parent/guardian is unavailable.

With this being said, the Truancy Department’s

goal is to have all Pueblo of Isleta students have

a signed Student Release of Information on

file with our office by November 2021. Please

do not hesitate to contact our office so that we

can schedule a day and time to come fill out the

release or to schedule a home visit; we can also

email the release of information at your request.

At the end of September 2021, the Truancy

Department will compile all the student names

from the Release of Information forms that we

have received, and will have a drawing for each

of the following grade levels: K – 6th,, 7th –

9th, and 10th – 12th grade. Those students who

are picked will receive either a Gen 2 Tablet or

a gift card from a local eatery.

As always, the Truancy Department Staff look

forward to making this a successful school year.

Truancy Department Staff

Yolanda, Jared, Melissa & Kaylee

September 2021

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 11

Page 12

Isleta Pueblo News

Parks & Recreation Department

Things are going well for us here; our numbers are

continuing to pick up daily in all areas. All our

staff, participants and users continue to follow all

the covid safe practices for everyone’s safety. Please

make sure that each and every one of you follow any

and all required mandates centered around covid

safety. Keep in mind that these mandates are put

in place to protect you and everyone else around

you as well, let’s all continue to work together to

beat this virus.

I’m sure many of you have noticed that there have

been a few outdoor events/activities that were held

in or at the Parking lot north of the recreation

center in August. The ones that stand out are

the National Night Out and the Environmental

Drive by Event, both of these events/activities

were fairly well attended and it was good to see

people out and enjoying each other again, it was

also awesome to see everyone following all the

covid safety guidelines. It almost felt like normal

again! If we all continue to follow those guidelines,

there is a distinct possibility that you will see

more of those types of events/activities happening

in the near future. With that being said, keep an

eye open for the possibility of a Halloween event/

activity taking place. We are currently putting

together a safety plan and working on the logistics

for a Halloween event/activity. If we can get our

safety plan approved and if the covid numbers stay

low or trend downwards we should be able to have

something for Halloween. Keep in mind that if we

do get approval to have something for Halloween,

it will definitely be much smaller and very different

than anything we’ve had in the past, so keep your

eyes open for information.

PARKS MAINTENANCE SECTION

The parks crew keeps plugging along! The staff/

crew in this division quietly bust their butts on a

daily basis to keep the parks, fields and grounds

weed free and looking awesome. If you’re like me,

you probably pass by our parks and grounds every

day without giving them a second look. Do me a

favor and the next time you pass by one of our parks,

fields or grounds, take a few minutes to really look

at them and see how beautiful they look. By doing

this you can truly get a feel for the workmanship

that this group of parks maintenance workers and

staff puts in to their craft. These individuals that

work in our Parks Maintenance Division and other

staff members that work in that division honestly

take pride in their work and it shows. If you

happen upon any of our staff working out there,

please don’t hesitate to stop in and tell them thank

you for the work that they do, I know they would

appreciate it.

SPORTS SECTION

Giving you an update on the events/activities

happening at the Recreation center. We just

finished up on the first Triathlon that we sponsored.

This wasn’t a normal Triathlon, we wanted to

make it a fun type of Triathlon Challenge that

was challenging but doable for individuals that

aren’t quite triathletes. Because of the social

distancing mandate, we scheduled the times for

each participant to compete and it seemed to work

out well. We hope to have more of these types of

events in the future. We will try to post the results

from our Triathlon in next month’s newsletter. If

you are ready to play some Volleyball, we will start

taking registrations for Co-Ed Teams interested.

So call the Recreation Center and sign your team

up for the upcoming season. It will be for Tribal

Members and POI employees only. Right now

the Volleyball League starting date has not been

determined, much like all other events/activities

we will need to get a safety plan put together

and approved before we are able to determine a

starting date and get a schedule put together,

September 2021

Isleta Pueblo News

so it might be a little while before we get

the approval. Don’t let this stop you from

signing up your team. We will be limiting

the number of teams in the league, so call

and signup your team as soon as possible.

We are also working on an upcoming 3-point

shooting contest so lace–up your shoes and

come have some fun testing your shooting

skills against other tribal members.

Registration for this event/activity begins

on August 23rd and will continue through

September 27th. Due to covid restrictions

we will have to schedule your shooting

times if you sign up for the event/activity.

Contact our Sports Coordinator George

Waquie at 869-9777 for more information

about these events, or any other upcoming

events and don’t hesitate to call Mr. Waquie

to offer your suggestions as well.

will begin in mid-September. Registration

forms are available at the front desk at the

Rec Center. Swim lesson registration is on a

first come first served basis so get your forms

in as soon as possible to reserve your child’s

spot. Lanes are available by appointment

for lap swim in 1hr increments from 6:30am

to 6:30pm, Monday through Thursday and

6:30am-5:30pm on Fridays. We would like

to encourage anyone interested to call the

Rec Center at 505-869-9777 to reserve your

lane! We are also taking applications for

lifeguards and are looking for staff for the

fall. For anyone interested in applying

or for any questions about the Lifeguard

certification or for information about swim

lessons and other aquatic programming

please call 505-869-9783.

RECREATION PROGRAM

FITNESS SECTION

After School Program – Welcome back

students! We are happy to see new faces in

the After School Program. At this time, we

have 9 active students participating in the

program and still accepting students. The

program begins from 3:00pm to 5:30pm,

Monday through Friday. When students

arrive to program they are required to do

at least 20 minutes of homework or reading

then go into an activity for the afternoon

of gym play or craft time. Now that the

pool is open, the program is scheduled to

have swim days for the students! With

COVID-19 still here, we are still practicing

the COVID-19 guidelines in the program

with social distancing, wearing masks and

proper hand washing. If you are interested

in the After School Program for your child,

call the Recreation Center and we can share

more information about the program.

Distance Learning program – At this time

we are set up again for school closures due

to the rise of Covid-19 cases in the schools.

The program offers a classroom setting

for students who are in need of Internet

services for school purposes. The hours are

from 7:30am to 3:00pm, Monday through

Friday. Students are required to do a temp

check every day, wear masks at all times

and bring the necessary school materials

needed for the day.

Page 13

The recreation center has started boot camp on Wednesday evenings starting at 5:30pm.

Everyone is welcome of all ranges of athleticism, Novice to Advanced. Boot Camp is held

outside at the North track. This is a quick and fun way to stay in shape. We look forward

to seeing new faces. With the word new faces being said, masks are not required during

outdoor exercises at this time, but that may change. If you are interested, all you have to

do is show up. No sign-ups are required but if you need more information, please call the

Recreation Center at 505-869-9777.

All other functions in the fitness areas at both Fitness West and the Recreation Center

continue as normal, masks must be worn indoors at all times, the cleaning and sanitizing

continues daily two or more times a day, staff is available for one on one training

throughout the day.

The recreation Center fitness staff is working with the assisted living facility to once

again offer basic fitness opportunities to the residents there. At this time they are going

there twice a week to work with the residents and they seem to be responding great to the

class and our fitness instructors.

Summer Recreation Program – Summer

Recreation program went well, as planned.

This summer was different for the children

and summer staff. All activities were done

with an hourly rotation schedule to various

locations of the recreation center with the

five age groups. One of the major things

we all missed was going on field trips

this summer but we had to be safe due to

COVID-19. Children and staff learned a

lot from each other from socializing more

one on one and learning new things to do

together in a group and trying to make it

more fun each day.

AQUATIC CENTER

We hope everyone is doing well and we

hope everyone is having a great start to

the school year! The summer swim lesson

sessions were a big hit! Our participants

and instructors both enjoyed themselves

and we are proud of the progress in the

participants’ skills and comfortability

in the water! Our first fall swim lesson

session filled quickly and started August

16th and will run through September 15th.

We are currently taking registration forms

for the second fall swim lesson session that

Thank you Summer staff for all your dedication working for the summer program. You

all accomplished something with the children and with yourself, a Summer memory.

Looking back from day one to the end of summer program, you learned 50 new names

with a face and a parent and a car. You listened to stories from a child that may be funny

or sad. You comforted a child when he or she has fallen and scraped their knee and put

on 10 thousand Band-Aids each day. You purchased pizza for lunch time because your

group was tired of CHICKEN! You made slime until it came out right or cleaned paint

off your arms many times. You shared your own personal things like Pokémon card

collections, basketball moves, showing how far you can throw a Frisbee, and much more.

And even helped a little one fix their shoes when they were on backwards or finding their

backpack or water bottle. And one more thing, is being there for that one child who just

wanted attention from someone and it was from you. Thank you summer staff for a being

you and making this summer great!

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 14

September 2021

Pueblo of Isleta Public Library

With summer coming to an end, the warm weather is slowly disappearing and fall is soon approaching.

It’s hard to believe how fast this year has gone with only a few months left. School is in full swing

and as you are all aware school schedules can change very quickly. The library is here to assist

students with any help they may need with student hours, computers, Wi-Fi connection or a spot to

study. The library has resources available for students of all ages to have a successful year.

News

The library will be closed on Monday,

September 6th in observance of Labor Day.

All library media checked out on September

2nd and 3rd will be due on September 7th.

We apologize for any inconvenience this

may cause. Enjoy your Labor Day weekend

and the official mark of the end of summer.

The library will be having their monthly

staff meeting on Friday, September 10th

to discuss upcoming programs and address

any questions or concerns. The holiday

months are coming up so keep a look out for

family programs, arts and crafts and much

more.

The Library is now open to all Tribal

Members, Tribal Employees and Pueblo

of Isleta Residents starting on Monday,

August 16th. All Tribal Members are free

to come in and browse our collection! We

are no longer requiring appointments for

computer usage. Masks must be worn at

all times in the library. A screening will

take place before you enter the library.

We are asking that patrons disinfect

their hands before browsing through our

collection. Disinfectant stations will be

set up throughout the library. Curbside

and library material online will still be

available to those who are not comfortable

with coming into the library just yet. To

enter the library please call 505-869-9808,

our phone number will also be posted at the

front entrance of the library. The library

will continue to adhere to all Tribal Policies

and procedures. If you have any questions

or concerns please give the library a call

and speak with a library staff member we

will be happy to answer any questions you

may have.

Join the library team, we are currently

hiring for a Library Aide I part time position.

Applications can be found at isletapueblo.

com or you can pick up an application at

the library. Applications must be submitted

to Isleta Human Resources located at the

Tribal complex. If you have any questions

regarding this position please give us a call

at 505-869-9808 and talk to a staff member.

We know it’s only September but Halloween

is around the corner! The library is already

planning for Halloween festivities. Come

check out our variety of Halloween books

ranging from costume making, scary

Halloween treats or Halloween crafts.

We also have Cake Pan bags, featuring a

pumpkin shaped pan and skull shaped pan

great for making a tasty treat like a cake or

pizza skulls for a Halloween party or just

for fun. We hope this year we can bring back

our Creepy Snacks Program. If you have an

idea or suggestion about a Halloween/Fall

program we can do at the library, please feel

free to share. Please continue to check our

social media accounts for announcements

and updates. Check out our flyer to see

what other creative examples you can do

with our cake pans.

With school back in session please be

cautious when driving around or near the

library. With students getting on and off

the bus and students walking to the library

please be aware of your surroundings. We

also have Head Start classes attending

daily story time and will be using the

sidewalk to come to the library. It is very

important that drivers watch their speed

and be cautious when driving.

Come join us for weekly Family Story Time

here at the library. Family Story Time is a

fun opportunity for parents, grandparents,

and caregivers to introduce their children

to reading and language. Open for ages 16

months to 5 years old, but please keep in

mind that it is open for the whole family to

come. Story time will be every Wednesday

at 10:30am. If you have any questions about

our story times, give the library a call and

speak with Cheyenne at 505-869-9808 or

email at Cheyenne.Castillo@isletapueblo.

com.

Get a Library card with the Pueblo of Isleta

Public Library and take advantage of our

FREE services. We are a PUBLIC library

and everyone is welcome to use our services.

The Library is offering a contactless

curbside service as well as computer use

by appointment only for

essential

use.

Curbside

services will be MondayThursday from 10am to 5pm

and Friday 10am to 4pm. To

check out material please

download our mobile app

Librista.

To drop off any library materials please

use our drop off box, which is located in the

front of the library. Drop off material will

be quarantined for one day, disinfected and

then checked in.

With things changing daily library staff

is closely monitoring the COVID-19

situation and as a result library programs

and services are being impacted. We will

continue to keep you updated and informed

about upcoming programs and services as

more information comes along. Below is a

list of our new hours of operation.

Library Temporary COVID-19

Hours of Operation

Monday –Thursday: 8am to 6:30pm

Friday: 8am to 4:30pm

Saturday: CLOSED

Library staff members are on site to answer

any questions or address any concerns you

may have and we are always open to any

suggestions you might have to helps us

better serve the community. Please don’t

hesitate to give us a call at 505-869-9808.

Isleta Pueblo News

September 2021

Page 15

Library Access from Home

If you ever have questions or need help

accessing our online services, please call us

at the library at 869-9808 during regular

business hours or message us on social

media (FB, Snapchat, & Instagram).

The Library’s digital services give

cardholders 24/7 free access to eBooks,

audiobooks,

music,

magazines

and

periodicals (NY Times), so you can maximize

your reading, and listening experience at

home. We’ve got you covered.

The library online services will ask you to

enter your library barcode number which is

located on the back of your library card and

a 4 digit pin or password. If you do not have

a 4 digit pin or password set up with us, you

can call the library during business hours

and a staff member can help you set that up

over the phone.

Mixed Media Adult Painting Program on

its way!

Participants learning the mixed media

painting process.

Below is a list of the digital services the

library has to offer.

To search our library collection and view

your account you can download the Librista

app on your iPhone, Android and Kindle

devices. This feature will let you see what

library material is available, let you search

our library collection and view your account.

New York Times online is now available to

our library patrons for FREE. Find breaking

news, multimedia, reviews & opinions

on Washington, business, sports, movies,

travel and so much more. New York Times

will be available on library computers,

library Wi-Fi or if you are at home on your

devices you can access through the library

website and click on the icon located on the

general library section.

The library now has LinkedIn Learning

formally known as Lynda.com, which is

FREE online training on various computer

software and programs. The LinkedIn

Learning Online Training Library is a

massive online training resource. Using

their thousands of videos, members are able

to learn – self-paced and on-demand – topics

ranging from Google, Zoom and so much

more. Members must have a Library card in

order to utilize the LinkedInLearning.com

site. The link to LinkedinLearning.com may

be found on our Library website at http://

isletapueblo.com/library.html. Just click on

the “Start Learning Click Here” button to

start your digital continuing education.

Download the mobile app Libby to start

borrowing and reading eBooks and

audiobooks for FREE. Put your library in

your pocket with Libby. To access this app

you will need your library barcode and

password.

Free Music! Take advantage of our Freegal

Music service. Log on with your library

card number and pin to start downloading

and streaming music. Library patrons

receive 3 free downloads each week and

UNLIMITED streaming of music with NO

AD interruptions. Log on to freegalmusic.

com or download the Freegal Music app. If

you have any questions about this service

or would like to set up a password please

give the library a call at 505-869-9808.

For additional help and information library

staff members have made YouTube videos

featuring the library’s digital services and

how to utilize them. Check them out by

visiting the library’s YouTube page at www.

youtube.com/user/poilibrary.

Participants with their finished product.

After School students preparing to make

something yummy!

Upcoming

With the Summer Reading Program and

Summer Meal Program concluding here

at the library our focus and attention can

now go to planning family, adult, teen,

and children programs. August was a

busy month as we were preparing for the

After School Program, updating policies

for re-opening and the library’s annual

report. Library staff will now be working

on programs to serve the community. We

are excited to share all our ideas and look

forward to seeing everyone once again

coming to the library to participate in our

programs. For upcoming programs please

follow our social media accounts (Facebook,

Instagram & Snapchat) or look for flyers

posted around the community. We also

would like to hear from you if you have any

ideas, suggestions or would like us to revisit

a certain program please give us a call and

share.

Recap

On Tuesday, August 3rd library staff set up

a booth at National Night Out at the Isleta

Recreation center. Library staff promoted

library services and got the word out on the

libraries re-opening. It was so wonderful

to see community members once again. As

a bonus visitors that stopped by received

a library bag filled with goodies such as

books and media. We also had an activity

for the kids set up, where they got to a build

a Bristle Bot by Brown Dog Gadgets. We

would like to thank everyone who stopped

National Night Out Library Booth!

After School Program students working

together to make a delicious treat!

by and we hope to see every one soon at the

library.

On Thursday, August 5th the library hosted

a Mixed Media Adult Paint program.

Participants painted a butterfly using

acrylic paint on canvas, with mixed media

such as stencils, pastels and ink. Library

intern Renee Chavez led the program in

guiding the participants step by step in

painting and using mixed media. It was

a great night to say the least and we look

forward to having more programs here

at the library. We would like to thank

everyone who signed up and participated.

For upcoming programs please keep a

look out for flyers posted throughout the

community and up to the minute post on

our social media accounts.

Our After School Program is in full swing

with students attending after school from

Isleta Elementary, Sundance Elementary

and Bosque Farms Elementary. We

currently have 15 students enrolled in

our program with transportation to the

library after school provided for Bosque

Farms Elementary students. Although

our program is currently full, we are

continuously accepting students and their

names will be put on our waiting list. For

the month of August students adjusted

to their new routine with homework and

reading. After homework and reading were

completed students participated in crafts,

activities and computer days. We are so

excited about the upcoming school year and

happy to welcome back all the students.

Page 16

Isleta Pueblo News

September 2021

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 17

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 18

September 2021

Isleta Historical Society

Protect the Land • Preserve the Culture • Honor the Ancestors

This continues a monthly series of articles about historic Isletans and significant happenings at Isleta.

The Isleta Historical Society is an independent, inclusive group looking to broaden understanding through

vigorous research, interviews, visits to museums and other historical sites etc. We are interested in your

reaction to these stories and encourage you to contact us with ideas for future publications. Visit us on

Facebook and Instagram @isletahistoricalsociety or email us at isletahistoricalsociety@gmail.com. We

will not use any information without your permission. Thank you!

Members: Randy Jiron, Kateri Jojola, Malcolm Ebright, Valentino Jaramillo, Rick Hendricks, and Ted Jojola

Musical Bands in Isleta – Part One

Native Americans have been performing

popular music on stages for as long as pop

music has existed. Many of the first Native

performers picked up their interest in

music at Indian boarding schools. Boarding

schools offered musical instruction in

order to assimilate Indian children, but

it also gave students a means to express

themselves and often to reinforce their

tribal identities. Music allowed “Native

peoples to wield Indianness, not simply in

order to make a living, but as a weapon of

political critique.”

first “real American band” to cross the

bridge, according to Luther Standing Bear,

a Carlisle alumnus.

all Native dances and songs. The Pueblos

responded immediately by appointing a

committee composed of Tony Abeita (Isleta),

Sotero Ortiz (San Juan/Okay Owinge), and

Alcario Montoya (Cochiti), which drafted

a memorial opposing the ban on freedom

of religion grounds. The memorial was

published in newspapers across the country

and helped lead — along with opposition

to the ban from the tourist industry — to

a standoff where the ban on Pueblo dances

and songs was not enforced. The dances

continued and the songs continued, even

stronger because of the overwhelming

public support.

Luther Standing Bear, 1883,

Cumberland County Historical

Society, Carlisle, PA

Music Class at Carlisle Indian School,

1901, Frances Benjamin Johnston

Collection, Prints and Photographs

Division, Library of Congress,

LC-USZ62-71318

One of the ways this happened was through

the marching bands formed in most

boarding schools and the all-Indian bands

formed by Indian school alumni that began

playing locally, touring, developing their

own repertoire, and sometimes recording

CDs. Examples of such bands at Isleta

are the Thunderbirds, the Poor Boys, the

Westwinds, the Hamilton Streetcar Band,

and the Beltones, which morphed into the

Soultones and then back into the Beltones.

One of the first boarding school marching

bands was established at Carlisle in 1880.

They played pieces by classical composers

such as, Grieg, Schubert, and Mozart.

The Carlisle marching band played in

the inaugural parades for Presidents

William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt,

and Woodrow Wilson. It is clear that many

students thoroughly enjoyed their musical

experience. At the opening of the Brooklyn

Bridge in 1883, the Carlisle band was the

Almost all the boarding schools had

bands, music clubs, and choirs. At the

Rainy Mountain Indian School for Kiowas,

“band was one of the school’s most popular

diversions,” according to the director

who noted that the students were “more

enthusiastic and responsive in this [music]

than in any other branch of study.” In

short, they were having fun, on their own

terms, a pleasure that would carry over

into their own musical pursuits after

graduation. Some student musicians took

advantage of the extensive travel their

bands permitted, providing them a bit

of vacation from the school routine and a

chance to see other parts of the country.

For example, in 1904, the Phoenix Indian

School Band made an eleven-week tour of

California and reservations in the western

states. As historian John Troutman put it,

“these opportunities fed the passion that

many of the boys expressed for the school

bands”. Many students took their passion

for music and started their own bands back

in their home communities.

Albuquerque Indian School Band,

Leonard Abeita Collection

In the early 1900s, ethnologists worked

to preserve Native music and songs

by recording them. Then in 1923,

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Charles

Burke issued a circular attempting to ban

Tsianina Redfeather Blackstone

at her piano, George Grantham

Bain Collection,

Prints and photographs Division,

Library of Congress, negative

LC-DIG – gg bain – 30380

Promoters of New Mexico’s tourist industry,

which included ethnologist Edgar Hewett,

founder of Santa Fe’s Indian Market and the

Santa Fe Fiesta, relied heavily on Pueblo

singers and dancers to perform at both

events. Hewett also brought other Native

musical performers to New Mexico, such as

his friend Tsianina Redfeather Blackstone,

a singer from the Cherokee and Creek

Nations. Blackstone performed songs with

Native elements, written by non-Indian

composers such as Charles Wakefield

Cadman, who appropriated elements of

Native music and incorporated them into

his ballads. Blackstone met Hewett in 1915

and the two became friends. Hewett often

called upon her to perform at the Santa Fe

Fiesta, and she obliged.

Tsianina was an activist who incorporated

her political beliefs into her performances.

Some might say that Tsianina was a willing

partner in Cadman’s appropriation of Native

music which compromised her activism,

and there is some truth to this position. But

it is also true that Blackstone’s political

activism helped lead to the Indian reform

movement. She was also the forerunner

of Native activist singer-songwriters like

Buffy Sainte-Marie.

September 2021

Musical Bands in Isleta – Part Two

There has always been music at Isleta. Most

importantly are the songs accompanying

ceremonial dances, some of which have

been recorded. At the photo exhibit, Time

Exposures, at the Isleta casino, some of

these songs can be heard. Other traditional

songs include lullabies such as the one

Maria Chiwiwi sang for archeologist Janet

Montgomery-McGovern prior to 1932.

Maria Chiwiwi, Janet MontgomeryMcGovern, photographer

However, the subject of this article are the

bands that grew up in the 1960s and 1970s

as a result of the explosion of rock and roll,

country-western, and soul music at that

time. Among the bands we will discuss are

the Thunderbirds, the Isleta Poor Boys,

and the Beltones, which morphed into the

Soultones around 1967 when soul music

came to Isleta.

These Isleta bands were a response to

the changes in the national music scene

when artists such as the Beatles, Hank

Williams, and the Rolling Stones could be

heard on records, TV, in live performances,

and on the radio. Isletan Norman Jojola,

a member of the Isleta Poor Boys band,

recalled how teenagers and younger kids

would gather around a radio and listen to

the latest music. Some got together and

formed garage bands, using the musical

training they received in school. Often the

band leaders would learn all the parts of a

song by ear, just by listening to it on the

radio. These bands would start practicing

and then began to play at bars, weddings,

graduations, and feast day evenings. As

Norman tells it, “It went from a hobby to

a job.”

The Isleta Poor Boys had a fabled history,

going from a small garage band to

recording a record in Nashville, Tennessee

in the famous Sun Studios where Elvis

Presley recorded. The first Poor Boys band

consisted of Clarence Jojola, lead guitar

and singer; Charles Lente, vocals; Melvin

Anzara, lead guitar; Tony Jaramillo, bass

guitar; and Raymond Abeita, drums. When

Charles Lente and Ray Abeita left the

band, Clarence called Norman Jojola and

asked him to join the band on the drums.

Norman was hesitant because he played

rock and roll, and the Poor Boys played

country western. Clarence, as band leader,

encouraged Norman and helped him make

the transition, which was relatively easy.

Norman Jojola played with the Poor Boys

from around 1980 to 1985. Initially they

started out playing for local weddings,

graduations, New Year’s Eve parties, and

in local bars, also for dances in the evenings

of the annual feast day. In 1980, the Isleta

Isleta Pueblo News

Poor Boys entered the local Battle of the

Bands competition, sponsored by Seagram’s

7 Whisky.

The Isleta Poor Boys

left to right (top): Phillip Riley (bass),

unknown musician, Norman Jojola

(drums); left to right (bottom): Bob

Emmeret (banjo), Clarence Jojola

(lead vocal, rhythm guitar), Tony

Jaramillo (steel guitar)

After winning the regional competition, the

Poor Boys entered the statewide competition.

The finals were held in Albuquerque at the

Caravan East Bar with a panel of judges.

Unlike some of the bands, the Poor Boys did

not have any special outfits. Norman Jojola

remembers that the band members joked,

“what are we going to do if we win?” In fact,

they did win, and they were off to Nashville

for the international competition. Norman

said that Nashville reminded him of Santa

Fe, and he felt right at home. The band

members met a lot of studio musicians in

Nashville and learned a lot about technique

just by watching them. The Poor Boys did

not win the competition but were able to

record a 45-rpm record of two of their songs

at Sun Studios during the finals of the

International Battle of the Bands, October

12 to 17, 1981.

The sponsors required that the bands time

their sets to last as close to twelve minutes

as possible, and that each band include an

original song featuring Seagram’s 7 in the

lyrics. The whisky-makers were apparently

hoping one of those songs would be a hit so

they would get even more exposure for their

sponsorship. The Isleta Poor Boys complied

when Clarence wrote the song, “Seagram’s

7.” The band recorded a 45-rpm single with

the Seagram’s song, and another called

“She’s Mine” by Tony Jaramillo. The Poor

The Isleta Poor Boys Seagram’s Battle

of the Bands 45 rpm Record

Page 19

Boys learned a lot from other musicians

in Nashville. They met country stars such

as Loretta Lynn and, according to longtime band member Tony Jaramillo, the

Poor Boys began to take themselves more

seriously. They practiced more, polished

their act, and even returned to Nashville to

play some gigs the next year. All in all, the

Nashville trip was a great success for the

Poor Boys from Isleta.

In 2015, Clarence’s wife Grace asked the

remaining Poor Boys to get together once

again to play at a memorial for Clarence who

had died the previous year. They agreed.

Charles Lente was recruited as lead singer

because none of the other band members

could sing. Grace gave the reformed band a

list of twelve songs to play, but they needed

to come up with forty songs for a threehour set. The band members remembered

many of their songs and it was easy to pick

them up again according to band member

Norman Jojola. The memorial was held at

the Isleta Community Center. They enjoyed

playing together again so they started

performing as the Dirt Road Band. They

practiced about twice a week as they had

earlier and played at the same venues as

in the past (weddings, bars, etc.). When the

Dirt Road Band made a CD, their music

became popular again can sometimes be

heard on Gallup radio stations. Who knows,

after COVID is over, the Dirt Road Band,

aka the Isleta Poor Boys, may play at a

venue near you.

Dirt Road Band CD Cover

• • •

Again, we want to thank everyone who

has been reading these articles. We invest

a great deal of time and energy into these

articles, and we do so because we are

interested and passionate about the topics

we cover. We believe that by sharing

these stories with the community it may

instill a sense of confidence in who we are

as Isletans. We are grateful for all of our

readers and have been receiving feedback

from the community. Some of you have

even reached out with ideas about what

topics to cover next or areas of interest for

the Historical Society to dig deeper into. We

thank you for your interest in the stories we

are telling about the Pueblo and the people

and encourage you to reach out to us with

any information, ideas, or comments that

you feel would be helpful to us. We will soon

be publishing on our social media platforms

so be on the lookout for that content. Again,

any information is greatly appreciated and

will not be used without your permission.

Thank you!

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 20

September 2021

NEWSLETTER

ISLETA POLICE DEPARTMENT

SEPTEMBER – 2021

Another month gone! Children back in

school, Labor Day around the corner and

Fall (September 22, 2021) will be upon us

in no time.

2021

The Isleta Police Department hosted the

Second Annual National Night Out August

3, 2021 at the Isleta Recreation Center. As

taken from the natw.org:

“National Night Out culminates annually

on the first Tuesday in August. National

Night Out enhances the relationship between

neighbors and law enforcement while

bringing back a true sense of community.

Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity

Potato Sack Races: Who is the masked badge

wearing person? Did he win?

to bring police and neighbors together under

positive circumstances.

The best way to build a safer community is to

know your neighbors and your surroundings.

National Night Out triumphs over a culture

that isolates us from each other and allows

us to rediscover our own communities.”

We thank Governor Abeita for opening

the event with prayer at our event and

interacting with the departments and

attendees throughout the evening.

The turnout was encouraging particularly

after being through the COVID-19 pandemic

restrictions and not having the event in

2020. Safety guidelines were established

and maintained by everyone. Thank you

all for your cooperation and help in keeping

our community safe during this event!

Games and activities such as basketball,

potato sack races, horseshoes and corn hole

were available and it appeared everyone,

to include some IPD officers, had a great

time. Departments turned out as well to

set up information booths and interacted

with the community to include our Animal

Control Officers, IPD Dispatch personnel,

Health Center, Human Resources, Head

Start, Department of Education, Natural

Resources, Isleta Police Department, IPD

Prosecutor’s Office, Recreation Center Fire

Department, Isleta EMS to name a few.

Prizes were given away during the raffle

ticket drawing with many donations from

community businesses and individuals as

well as outside businesses.

Many thanks to all for your help in making

this event such a success. The NNO 2021

Planning Committee cannot thank all of

you enough.

Isleta Truancy Staff worked diligently to

prepare the meal bags which were handed

out to those who attended and we thank

you!

September 2021

STAY INFORMED!

During the National Night Out 2021 Event

information was disseminated regarding

the new text messaging system to keep

everyone informed of important events

or incidents in the Pueblo. Though not

everyone has signed up it seems those who

have were notified of the Tribal Services

Complex being closed on the day of the water

main break as well as an individual who

was running from police last month. This

is proving to be an effective tool for getting

important information out to the community

and employees.

When the community

is informed about these incidents it aids

the Police Department in their ability to

focus attention on the matter at hand and

saves time if the community knows of a

dangerous situation and implements safety

precautions. An example was the incident

mid August when a wanted person was on

foot running through the Bosque eluding

police. A text message alert was sent out to

those who have the application and many

took necessary precautions.

Isleta Pueblo News

Open Space are not a separate entity but

a division of the Police Department and

perhaps there have been a few misnomers

about their duties. They are fully certified

and possess law enforcement powers to

stop, arrest and prosecute for crimes or

traffic offenses committed. They have the

authority to conduct traffic stops, issue

citations, handle criminal matters and

process these incidents appropriately

(arrest or summons and prosecute). These

officers no longer merely handle offenses

that occur in open space areas, and with

that said some community members may

see Open Space Units patrolling within the

Pueblo as well. All of these officers have

attended basic police academy training, are

certified and have been cross-commissioned

with other agencies.

They must also

maintain their certifications with required

biennium training annually. We thank

them for their service and dedication!

“Hello everyone!

This is Christopher

Padilla, Supervisor of the Isleta Police

Communications Division I. I would first

like to thank all my dispatchers for their hard

work and dedication they have provided to

the community and Departments as well as

their patience.

SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION

The Open Space Division, formerly known

as Wildland, works in conjunction with

the Isleta Police Department and will

assist IPD not only during special events

but whenever called upon. The Officers of

are observing the bus stop areas and will

be watching for person(s) who violate

traffic laws and present safety issues to the

children boarding and deboarding school

buses.

ISLETA POLICE

COMMUNICATIONS

We recently had our 911 system upgraded

to a system titled Motorola Callworks.

This system makes our job much easier

when receiving landline and 911 calls. Our

mapping system which was installed in the

program was also updated and now can

be used much like the application Google

Earth. This program provides us with the

Tribal roads and house numbers. I am

working closely with Anthony Skelton (GIS)

to help keep the mapping and addressing

updated”.

OPEN SPACE OFFICERS

Page 21

The children have been back in school for

almost a month and after being in virtual

classrooms for the last year, were excited

to see their friends and teachers. So keep

in mind children are walking, bicycling and

boarding school buses to get to their schools.

Isleta Police Department has officers who

As the cartoon above suggests when a school

bus stops to pick up or drop off children

their emergency lights will be illuminated

and the stop sign will be extended. Please

STOP! We have seen individuals who try to

drive around the bus as they see no children

crossing. This will definitely earn you

a citation. The purpose of the lights and

sign are to provide safety for the children

and you. There are multiple blinds spots

when you attempt to pass the bus and you

could hit an oncoming vehicle or strike an

innocent child.

(Continued Next Page)

Page 22

Isleta Pueblo News

ISLETA POLICE DEPT. (Con’t)

Children are sometimes unpredictable and

could be speaking with friends and suddenly

decide to dart across the street to get home

but that is the purpose of the warning

signals/sign – OBEY THEM PLEASE! Too

many tragedies have occurred nationwide

because drivers assume they can just drive

around.

Get On and Off Safely

Following below are some safe practices

guides for parents and drivers as published

by the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA)

Your child should never walk behind a

school bus. If your child must cross the

street in front of the bus, tell him/her to

walk on a sidewalk or along the side of the

street to a place at least five giant steps (10

feet) in front of the bus before crossing. Your

child should also make eye contact with the

bus driver before crossing to make sure the

driver can see him/her. If your child drops

something near the school bus, like a ball

or book, the safest thing is for your child to

tell the bus driver right away. Your child

should not try to pick up the item, because

the driver might not be able to see him/her.

Bus Stop Safety

BEST PRACTICES GUIDE

REDUCING THE ILLEGAL PASSING

OF SCHOOL BUSES

The greatest risk to your child is not riding a

bus, but approaching or leaving one. Before

your child goes back to school or starts school

for the first time, it’s important for you and

your child to know traffic safety rules. Teach

your child to follow these practices to make

school bus transportation safer.

FOR PARENTS