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Online Study Circles Spring 2026 Conversations: American Indian Studies - Sisters in the Wind A Good Morning America Book Club Pick (2025)

Event Date

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 -
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
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Event Description

Online Study Circles Spring 2026 Conversations:
American Indian Studies
Sisters in the Wind A Good Morning America Book Club Pick (2025) by Angeline Boulley

 

Sisters in the Wind A Good Morning America Book Club Pick

About the Online Study Circles Conversations
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) - American Indian Studies Program in partnership with CESA 12 is offering online book studies for early childhood staff, K-12 staff, institutions of higher learning and partners to continue our personal and professional work, with a focus on American Indian Studies and education. Join us in an Online Study Circles Conversations: American Indian Studies and the exploration of specially selected texts as a foundation for the group conversation and discussion on various Indigenous topics and issues.

Date(s) and Time(s):

  • Orientation: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 | 4:30pm - 5:30pm

  • 1st Session: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 | 4:30pm - 6:00pm

  • 2nd Session: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | 4:30pm - 6:00pm

  • 3rd Session: Tuesday, June 2, 2026 | 4:30pm - 6:00pm

     

Book(s) and Author(s): Sisters in the Wind A Good Morning America Book Club Pick (2025) by Angeline Boulley
 
Description(s):  “Ever since Lucy Smith’s father died five years ago; “home” has been more of an idea than a place. She knows being on the run is better than anything waiting for her as a “ward of the state”. But when the sharp-eyed and kind Mr. Jameson with an interest in her case comes looking for her; Lucy wonders if hiding from her past will ever truly keep her safe. Five years in the foster system has taught her to be cautious and smart. But she wants to believe Mr. Jameson and his “friend-not-friend”; a tall and fierce-looking woman who say they want to look after her. They also tell Lucy the truth her father hid from her: She is Ojibwe; she has – had – a sister; and more siblings; a grandmother who’d look after her and a home where she would be loved. But Lucy is being followed. The past has destroyed any chance at safety she had. Will the secrets she's hiding swallow her whole and take away any hope for the future she always dreamed of? When the past comes for revenge; it’s fight or flight.” [Henry Holt and Co.].
 
 
Participant Outcomes

As a result of participating in the Online Study Circles Online Conversations, participants will:

  • have an opportunity to read and discuss selected American Indian/Indigenous themed books with participants from across Wisconsin;
  • learn about diverse aspects of Native American histories and cultural concepts;
  • address misconceptions, misunderstandings, and myths regarding Tribal Nations, peoples, communities;
  • engage in discussion with other participants and explore multiple perspectives about First Nations Studies and the education of Indigenous students.

Online Study Circles Conversations: American Indian Studies
Consistent attendance is crucial to allow for learning and to result in a successful book study. Individuals who miss any of the Online Study Circles Conversations sessions will be required to return the book at your own cost. Please be sure your schedule allows for full participation on all dates and times listed before registering. No exceptions will be made.

Target Audience
  • District Administrators and Principals
  • Classroom Teachers
  • Curriculum Specialists, Directors of Instruction, and Library Media Specialists
  • School Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists
  • Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESAs) Administrators and Staff
  • Tribal, Community, and School Liaison's (Home-School/Title VI/Johnson O’Malley Coordinators and Staff)
  • Tribal Education Directors and Staff
  • Head Start, Early Childhood, and Preschool Staff
  • College and University (especially Schools of Education) Students, Faculty, and Staff
  • Library and Museum Staff
  • Any others with an interest in American Indian Studies and education

Training Format

  • Each Online Study Circles Conversations will consist of one mandatory 60-minute orientation session followed by three 1.5 hour discussion sessions.
  • If you miss any of the discussion sessions, you will be required to return the book at your own cost. Since we only meet a limited number of times, this will be a firm requirement. Each session will have two facilitators who will support interaction and discussion, but will not be in lecture style form.
  • These sessions will be facilitated online using the Zoom cloud video conferencing platform.
Book Information
  • Participants are initially provided with a copy of the book at no charge.
  • Participation in the orientation session is a prerequisite to receiving the complimentary book. Regardless if you have participated in a past orientation for previous online study circles conversations, orientation attendance is mandatory for the book study you are registered for. If you are unable to attend orientation you will not be eligible to be a part of the book study.
  • Books will be sent after the orientation meeting has been held.
Facilitators
  • David J. O'Connor, Education Consultant - American Indian Studies Program, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction; Phone: (608) 267-2283 or Email: david.oconnor@dpi.wi.gov
  • Kristine Nadolski, Wisconsin Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction; Phone: 608-267-7338 or Email: kristine.nadolski@dpi.wi.gov
     
Registration, Costs, and Disclaimers
  • There are no registration fees to participate in the Online Study Circles Conversation offered. A scholarship, funded through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), has been applied to the administrative and instructional fees.
  • Pre-registration is required and limited to 60 individuals* for each session (see above registration links/buttons by each of the books). Once spots are filled a waiting list will be generated but we cannot guarantee those on the waiting list will be able to participate.
  • Individuals may only register for one of the two Online Study Circles Conversations offered for 2025-2026. One will be offered in Fall 2025 and one during Spring 2026.
  • Funding for this training limits individual acceptance to Wisconsin residents.
  • Orientation is a requirement of participation. If you miss one of the sessions, you will be required to return the book at your own cost.
  • Registered participants must be present during all the advertised time(s) to participate and be a part of the study circles. The sessions will not be recorded for viewing at an alternate time. Additionally, participants do not have permission or authorization to record either via video or audio the contents of the session they are attending.
  • This training webinar does not meet statutory license stipulations for "Wisconsin American Indian Tribes and Bands", which is often referenced as Wisconsin Act 31. For those seeking to address statutory license stipulations, please visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Educator Preparation and Licensing - Statutory License Stipulations webpage for a list of approved courses and workshops. You can also visit the DPI American Indian Studies Program for further information.
 

* The DPI American Indian Studies Program reserves the right to prioritize enrollment to LEAs with federally-identified IDEA status.

For more great training opportunities offered by DPI American Indian Studies Program, please visit our website at Calendar of Events. 

Location

The Online Study Circles Conversations: American Indian Studies for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 will be facilitated online using the Zoom cloud video conferencing platform.

 

Contact

Savanna Richter Romero
Administrative Assistant
400 Lake Shore Drive East, Ashland, WI 54806
Direct Line: 715-685-1837 | FAX: 715-682-7244
savannar@cesa12.org | Visit us on Facebook
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