Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation

The Thunder Valley mission is to empower Lakota Youth and families to improve the health, culture, and environment of our communities, through the healing and strengthening of cultural identity. Thunder Valley CDC Vision. We envision a liberated Lakota nation through our language, culture, and spirituality.

We are looking for a Montessori Guide and Lakota Language Learner to join our team as a key member to help drive our work forward for the organization and the community. 

The Lakota Language & Education Initiative’s Owáyawa Cík'ala | Lakota Immersion Montessori, which is in both the Pine Ridge School and Porcupine District in South Dakota, is currently accepting applications for the position of Lakota Immersion Montessori Guide.   This “language nest” style and Montessori immersion program enrolls 35 children between both locations, primarily between the ages of 18 months–5 years old. The program is open five days a week during the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Position Overview

Montessori Guides and Lakota Language Learner will spend their day at the childcare center overseeing classroom environment, activities, and development with the children ensuring all communication is in Lakota and adhering to Montessori Principles. This will include such activities as reading to the kids, leading activities, daily learning/lessons, playing games, supervising recess, and mealtimes, and putting kids down for naps. These tasks will be shared between all staff within the Childcare. Montessori Guide will also help to keep the learning and play areas tidy, clean, and organized, and will assist in day-to-day operations as needed. The Montessori Guide will assist co-workers in implementing the Montessori model in the day-to-day of the Childcare center. As a Lakota Language Learner, employees will be working to increase language fluency following online and face-to-face training, as well as participating in day-to-day language classes and interactions.