Superintendent’s Chat

Richard McClements

Profile of Loretta Hoschain, Board Member

Loretta Hoschain will be serving her second term on the Shonto Governing Board of Education. What she hopes to see happen during the next four years is a strong movement toward us becoming a district that provides a world class education – a district whose students can transfer to another or to post secondary education and be prepared to excel. Our board meetings usually start around 6 PM and last until 9:30 or so. I asked her how was she able to focus that long without tuning out and in. She said that she had to concentrate all the way to be able to communicate board decisions to her constituency. She enjoys her board service because she knows she is helping the Dinẻ people better prepare for the challenges they will face in highly literate society and global economy. She wants our children to have a better education than most of her generation received in the BIA schools. Loretta feels that the key to improving education for all Native Americans is for the teachers to have higher expectations, not teach down to them, and finally, to assign them homework and enforce its completion. Prior to her board service, Loretta was a member of the parent advisory committee at our high school and the Kaibeto Boarding School.

Loretta’s clans are Tsin Naajinii, Nakaii, Nakai Dine’e, and Naashashi.

Her peers on the Governing Board had the following reflections about her:

One of the qualities Loretta brings to the Governing Board is her experience as the parent of a child who has attended our District. She is definitely a great supporter of our high school. Loretta takes the time to examine the issues and she typically makes her decisions only after knowing all the details. She tries to be fair in examining the issues, while at the same time excluding any personal bias. Loretta is bright and always enthusiastic; and it certainly has been a pleasure to work with her. – Raymond J. Holgate

She's an advocate for students, first as a parent, then as a parent \advisory board member then as a school board member.   She utilizes her personal experience as a resource which reflects on all of her decisions at the board level.  Loretta is a go-getter, she will get things done no matter what the barriers.  She is a great individual, one who will give up her time to listen to students and parents. The Shonto Governing Board is more competent just by having her on board. She will be returning for another term, so I will not worry on the drastic changes of the new board as I am sure she will enlighten them. – Martha Tate

Loretta joined us in 2006 to complete a vacated term on the school board and is a friendly new addition to the board.  She has an outgoing personality. I find that as a board member she has a sincere interest in providing the services needed to the parents and students.  Also, having a child enrolled at Shonto Preparatory High School, she brings forth and/or issues to the table from a parental view point.  – Arlene Laughter

Loretta is a very pleasant person. She is an in-law. Being a new Board member, she is learning a lot and applying those skills at the Board meetings. Barbara Begay

What can I say! She brought a fresh look to our board and a perspective that was from the view of point of a parent. She was very informed from a parent stand point and advocated as such. She also brings the Kaibeto area viewpoints to our community which make our communities stronger. I know that she will provide good leadership in the years ahead for our school and students. – Robert Black

Loretta has a busy household. There are 10 children and grandchildren in the house. When asked about the noise level and the need for quiet time to just breathe, she said that she likes all of the hustle and bustle and that there never is a dull moment. Her grocery bill is running around $1,200 a month. Her husband, Carl, is a welder and is often on the road for as much as nine months a year. They connect every evening on the phone and spend around 30 minutes filling each other in on the news. Loretta said that when she first went on the Board that she got about 20 calls a week on various issues. Now she rarely does.

Loretta supplements her husband income for that grocery bill by having a busy crafting market. She sets up shop near Kaibeto, goes to various tourist areas, and even treks out to Las Vegas where she admits she can mark up the costs just a bit. She specializes in sterling silver bracelets and gets most of her supplies from Gallup and Cameron. She estimates that after costs, her profit margin is around 50%.

Loretta grew up in the Cameron area and spoke only Navajo when she lost her father at age 8. Her mother remarried a German from Wisconsin and off went Loretta to a new world where she did not understand the language or the culture. By the end of the first year in Lake Geneva (a very beautiful small city in southern WI) Loretta felt she was proficient in English and had made many friends. Her mother divorced five years later and back to the Rez she came. Now she had to relearn the Navajo that had become rusty. She went to various schools: Tuba City Boarding, Page, Tuba Public, and Richfield. She later earned her GED and has taken the equivalent of one year of college in business.

Her favorite hobby is reading. She particularly enjoys mysteries by her author of choice, James Patterson and has read all of his books. She also likes to bowl and has hit 200, which is an excellent score. As for TV, she especially likes all the CSI shows. Her favorite movie is “Practical Magic” with Sandra Bullock.

Loretta and I attended a workshop in Colorado Springs this past summer on “Teaching to the Minds of Boys.” She was a very active participant, and I could see that the audience of several hundred found her insights on Native American learners most interesting and educational.

Mrs. Hoschain is a pleasure to work with. One of the best attributes of a board member is the ability to listen before passing judgment. She excels in this area. A second critical asset is a comprehensive understanding of human nature. Schools are social organizations. We are a reflection of the life enfolding all around us, and those environmental influences are powerful. It takes time and a great deal of patience to move forward while often taking a step backward. Loretta has the wisdom to provide great leadership during her second term.