The Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe Education Department coordinates and implements educational programs to expand educational opportunities for the membership and the community. The Education Department houses the following divisions: Education, Higher Education, Community Recreation, Cultural/Language Preservation, After School Tutoring, Summer Youth Recreation, and the Delinquency Prevention Programs. The program is open Monday through Thursday, 7A – 6P.

Rochanne Downs, Director – has primary responsibility for the entire Department. She fosters the vision, direction and goals for the Department. Currently she is working to implement the Tribal Youth Grant Delinquency Program; the coordination of the ITCN Headstart Program and the Education Department so services are not duplicated. She is currently researching the implementation of Neuropath Learning.

“Early Mind Matters assists parents, teachers, school nurses, pediatricians, and child psychologists find and develop the islands of learning opportunities in children so that necessary knowledge gains can be realized. What lurks in the mind of young children can surprise you. Children are smarter than teachers and parents give them credit for. Now, with Early Mind Matters, the child and adult can grasp an understanding of what is going on in the child’s mind. The key to this is to let the child interact with the program by themselves. Every click of the mouse is recorded automatically and student performance data can be accessed in real time.”

Jill Downs, Community Recreation Coordinator – This position is currently being implemented per the job description.

Ray Stands, Cultural Coordinator – Coordination of repatriation activities for Great Basin Tribes to the return of our ancestors stored in institutional facilities for reburial. Sacred site protection of off reservation sites located on federal lands. This includes cell tower evaluations, review of federal land development projects (i.e. geothermal testing, road expansions, off road vehicle travel byways, and affects of projects such as the Ruby Pipeline to cultural resources) as well as developing plans for the submittal of a traditional cultural property district application for the protection of sacred areas from future development.

Libby Austin, Librarian and Education Specialist – has primary responsibility for the library and books, videos and other materials. The library is open to the tribal public, when the education department is open.

Harriet Allen, Higher Education – has primary responsibility for the higher education of our members in college. There is $130,000 in higher education scholarships to members that are pursuing higher education degrees, vocational training and enrichment courses.

Cathi Tuni, Resources Teacher – The Education Department hired a licensed special education teacher to work directly with enrolled program students to work in concert with the Churchill County School District and parents to assist with improving student academic success with the goal to increase test scores and build student academic success. Implementation of the After School Tutoring and Summer Recreation Youth Programs will provide academic, cultural, health and wellness, nutrition, Paiute and Shoshone language and delinquency prevention activities to program participants.

Chelsee Tuni, Transportation and Tutor

The 2 year $432,999 Community Connect Grant was the catalyst to transform the Education Department through the USDA Community Connect Grant which included the construction of a 1,000 sq. foot multipurpose room, replacement of old doors to increase energy efficiency, completely remodel and upgrade the facility restrooms, expand the tribal library, develop the sewing room and upgrade the computer lab.