Alecia Raining Bird, Big Sandy Schools' newest teacher, is serving students in the special education classroom with patience, grace, and a heart for teaching. It was her compassion of kids that prompted Alecia to come into the classroom in the first place when she stepped into a staffing gap in the local school.
Alecia started her teaching career at a Middle School in Browning Montana, where she worked as a teachers' assistant. She made the transition into the classroom in response to a class of 5th graders who didn't have a teacher. She explained that, "our entire fifth grade wing at that time at Browning Public School didn't have teachers because of health issues... I told the principal 'it's not fair to them that they don't have the stability of a teacher. I'll step in there until you find somebody.'" The school struggled to find a more permanent teacher to fill the position, which led to Alecia applying for emergency licensure and beginning the process of earning a degree in teaching.
Ultimately, Alecia transferred to Stonechild College to complete her degree. She grew up on the Blackfeet reservation with her mother after her parents divorced. Her father is a member of the Chippewa Cree Reservation. She came to Big Sandy to attend school and live with her aunt.
The choice to do her student teaching with Mrs. Moore at FE Miley School was one that pushed her out of her comfort zone. She explained her thought process: "I'm gonna go somewhere where I know it's not comfortable... I'll start at Big Sandy, and I'll see how the teacher is. And it just so happened to be Mrs. Moore and so I first observed in her classroom last year, and I really liked it."
"I just really liked the atmosphere in the school the other teachers. It was really welcoming. When it came time to student teach, I had the option of the reservation schools, however, and Big Sandy, basically anywhere. I really liked Big Sandy. I want to go somewhere where I'm not comfortable, where people think differently than me, and I'm not the majority. That's why I ended up here in Big Sandy, because I really liked it the first time I was here. When I student taught, the school was really welcoming. I made myself a part of a community because I came to the football games and things like that. I went to my first chili feed here and the community was so really welcoming. My goal was not only to teach at this school district, but to bridge a gap, make connections with people so they don't have misconceptions."
For fun, Alecia enjoys traveling. She has visited 20 states and traveled internationally. She particularly loved visiting California and said she would visit Israel again if given the opportunity. She is also a fan of Harry Potter and rewatches the movies regularly. She also enjoys the Lord of the Rings. Alecia also sews and enjoys reading. She and her boyfriend own a dog and love animals.
Compassion for the kids, love of teaching, and enthusiasm all make Alecia Raining Bird a fantastic addition to our schools.
