North Thurston Public Schools supports Native education throughout our district. Whether led and supported by our Native Student Program or individual schools or classrooms, we take pride in our work in this field.
Community
- Bi-annual government-to-government work sessions between our school board and the Nisqually Tribe
- Billy Frank Jr. Day, an annual community celebration
- Each year, our district partners with the Nisqually Tribe to celebrate the life and legacy of Billy Frank Jr. District-wide, classrooms are engaged in lessons about Billy Frank Jr. and tribal sovereignty. In addition to the culture and community participation, our schools have an opportunity to showcase their work implementing the Since Time Immemorial Curriculum.
- An annual land acknowledgement lesson that is shared district wide, followed by the ongoing reading of our land acknowledgement throughout the year
- Nisqually flags are flown at all district buildings
- Policy change for graduation requirements to include regalia
- Annual participation at the City of Lacey Cultural Celebration
Programs
The Native Student Program provides cultural and academic support to our Native students across the district, which includes Title VI and Title III Native American. This support can be direct and indirect. Direct programming can include academic support, guest teaching or student groups. Indirect support can include providing professional development, tribal liaison work, instructional support, Native Studies, policy, and equity work.
- Native Student Program offices are located at Evergreen Forest Elementary and River Ridge High School.
- Wealth of resources for students and teachers on our Native Student Program website
- Native student group at Envision Career Academy
- Native student group at Nisqually Middle School
- Native student group at River Ridge High School
- Title III Native American cultural and academic support with an office at RRHS and providing services district wide
- The Native Student Program offers guest teaching and other support to classrooms throughout the district.
- The Native Student Program offers regular professional development opportunities to district staff
- Native Student Program offers training and support for use of the Since Time Immemorial
- Annual participation in Lacey Cultural Celebration, providing information and outreach on Native Student Programs
- 4th Grade Native drum tying project at Evergreen Forest Elementary and Woodland Elementary
- This annual cultural education event provides students an opportunity for roughly two hundred students at two schools to tie deer drums and learn a Lushootseed song that was gifted to our district as part of the program development.
- Our district currently has two Native Studies courses available at River Ridge High School.
- 11th Grade US History Through the Native Perspective class at RRHS
- 11th Grade Literatures Through Native Perspectives call at RRHS
- Participation in SPSCC’s FIRE Summit for Native high school students
- This is an annual Native student day at college, led by South Puget Sound Community college.
- Coming soon: Native STEAM Program at RRHS
- Native Student Programs has partnered with Mentor Washington to provide an excellent STEAM after-school program beginning with drone technology.
For more information, please contact:
Antonio Sandifer, Director for Equity and Languages asandifer@ntps.org
Jerad Koepp, Native Student Program Specialist jkoepp@ntps.org