Tribal Government Departments
Department of Education
Page last updated:
June 1, 2023
9:25 am
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37502 152nd Ave SE

Auburn, WA 98092

Hours

Department Overview

The mission of the Muckleshoot Department of Education is to provide a seamless educational pathway from birth through higher education in which the culture, history and language of the Muckleshoot people is integrated into every aspect and level of the education system.

Services Provided

Education Committee Chair Virginia Cross, and Tribal Education Officer Joseph Martin

The Muckleshoot Department of Education is home to the following divisions and programs:

Tribal Education Office (TEO)

  • Assistant Tribal Education Officer – Cathy Calvert, Ph.D.
  • Tribal Education Business Operations Officer - Shianna Moses
  • Muckleshoot Department of Education Director of Curriculum and Instruction – Lisa Wilson
  • State Tribal Education Compact Compliance - Kay Turner
  • Student Support Services Director - Dolly Fernandes
  • Tribal Education Office Executive Support – Jennifer Snyder and Tonya Montgomery

Muckleshoot Education Support Services Birth through 21 Years Old

  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Social/Emotional Therapy
  • 504 Learning Plans
  • Individualized Education Programs (IEP)

Muckleshoot Early Childhood Education Division

  • Muckleshoot Child Development Center (MCDC)
  • Muckleshoot Early Learning Academy (MELA/Head Start)
  • Birth-to-Three Program
  • Child Care Development Fund (CCDF)

Muckleshoot Tribal School (MTS)

  • Elementary School
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • Attendance Mentors

Adult and Higher Education

  • Muckleshoot Tribal College (MTC)
  • Muckleshoot Occupational Skills Training Program (MOST)
  • College and Career Education Opportunities Program (CCEOP)
  • Continuing Education Department
  • Financial Aid
  • Private School Assistance Program
  • Scholarship
  • Workshop and Training
  • GED Assistance Program

Outlook for 2023

Highlights of 2022

2022 Graduation Events

Graduation Summary for 2022

Our 2022 Muckleshoot Tribal Graduation Season resulted in another successful graduation season with a total number of 376 graduates.

High School Senior Presentations to the Tribal Council

On May 19, 2022, the Tribal Education Office worked in collaboration with the Tribal Council Staff for the presentation of our Class of 2022 High School Graduates at the beautiful, MIT Casino Events Center. What has been a long held tradition with our local school districts and the Muckleshoot Tribal School has grown into an exciting opportunity for not only Muckleshoot Tribal Members and other Native students from Muckleshoot Tribal School, Auburn School District and Enumclaw School District, but also included Muckleshoot Tribal Member Class of 2022 graduates from anywhere in the world. Muckleshoot and other Native Class of 2022 graduates from schools across the region and their families came to introduce themselves to the MIT Tribal Council, share their school successes, and future plans. We were extremely excited to have 44 high school graduates from our Class of 2022 make their presentations to the Tribal Council and a total of 198 people attend this wonderful event. It was an exciting day to recognize the incredible academic, athletic, leadership and community service accomplishments of our Class of 2022 high school graduates and hear about their future plans.

2022 Muckleshoot Department of Education Graduation Events

In June 2022, we continued the new tradition of celebrating all of the Muckleshoot Department of Education graduation events from Head Start through Adult and Higher Education in the beautiful MIT Casino Events Center. Our Muckleshoot Department of Education worked collaboratively with the MIT Casino Staff to provide a wonderful in-person graduation experience for all of our graduates and their families.

Positive Work for Children and Families from the Muckleshoot Truancy Board

The Muckleshoot Truancy Board is making a positive impact in student engagement and student attendance. During the 2021/2022 school year, the Muckleshoot Tribal School Attendance Mentors, Muckleshoot Tribal School staff members, Muckleshoot Tribal School Commission members, the MIT Truancy Board and the MIT Tribal Court have all been working with our students and their families to remove any barriers towards students’ daily attendance at school.

We have witnessed positive student outcomes this past year as students and their families have reengaged with the Muckleshoot Tribal School and students are improving their attendance at school. For some students, the motivation to improve their daily school attendance was based on their personal interests and being eligible to participate and compete in Muckleshoot Tribal School sports programs. As a participant in the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, all student athletes are required to maintain a required level of attendance in order to participate in sports and WIAA sanctioned activities. For other students, it was trying a new local school to meet their immediate educational needs.

Students and families involved in the MIT truancy process have seen a collective and collaborative group working with the Muckleshoot Tribal School, Tribal School Commission, the MIT Tribal Education Office, MIT Behavioral Health Program and the MIT Tribal Court to support students and families in their student’s successful engagement with school. We look forward to this continued collaborative support to remove barriers to school and support our students to be successful in their educational journey.


Monthly Breakdown of 2022

January 2022

  • January 10th through 21st: our MIT Department of Education successfully pivoted to all online education to support the MIT Stage 5 COVID-19 Closure.
  • MIT Department of Education coordinated and supported the Muckleshoot Tribal School Crystal Mountain 5th and 8th grade Outdoor Education Program.

February 2022

  • The Muckleshoot Department of Education successfully developed and implemented a ‘COVID-19 Test to Stay Program’ for our K-12 Muckleshoot Tribal School.
  • Our Muckleshoot Department of Education prepared facts and data and met with Tony Dearman, the Director of the Bureau of Indian Education, to successfully request and receive a waiver for standardized testing for our K-12 Muckleshoot Tribal School.

March 2022

  • Our MIT Department of Education Coordinated with MIT Incentives for the 2022 Graduation Meals Program for all milestone grade/age levels.

April 2022

  • 4/6/2022: Hosted the Tribal Consultation with Evergreen State College.
  • Our Muckleshoot Department of Education hosted President Allan Belton from Pacific Lutheran University and several members of his PLU Leadership Team to discuss potential partnerships between Pacific Lutheran University and the Muckleshoot Department of Education.
  • Our Muckleshoot Tribal School hosted our annual Earth Day on April 21, 2022.

May 2022

  • 5/1/2022: Head Start Grant completed.
  • 5/6/2022: The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe hosted the 6th Annual Tribal Consultation with the 12 Public School Districts that are located within Muckleshoot National boundaries.
  • 5/6/2022: MIT Early Childhood Teacher Appreciation Day was held at the MIT Casino Events Center.
  • 5/19/2022: Class of 2022 High School Senior Presentation to the Muckleshoot Tribal Council was held at the MIT Casino Events Center.
  • 5/21/2022: Seattle Seahawks Girls and Boys Youth Football Camp at was held at our Muckleshoot Tribal School campus.
  • 5/23/2022: Our Muckleshoot Support Services Program held a parent focus group meeting at our Muckleshoot Tribal School.

June 2022

  • 6/1/2022: Fall 2022 Return to School Plans were distributed to all MIT Department of Education families.
  • Head Start, Kindergarten, 5th Grade, 8th Grade, 12th Grade and MIT Adult and Higher Education Graduation Ceremonies were hosted throughout June of 2022 at the MIT Casino Events Center.
  • 6/22/2022: Our MIT State Tribal Education Compact Agreement received approval by the Muckleshoot Tribal Council and Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for a five-year renewal.

July 2022

  • 7/1/2022: Dolly Fernandes, MIT Department of Education Director of Student Support Services, begins work.

August 2022

  • 8/1/2022 Puget Sound Educational Service District Assessment of Early Childhood and Special Education Programs presented.
  • 8/23/2022: The Muckleshoot Department of Education hosted the annual New Teacher Orientation for 187 staff members of the Auburn and Enumclaw School Districts at the MIT Casino Events Center.
  • 8/25/2022: Our K-12 Muckleshoot Tribal School hosted a Return to School Parent Meeting that focused on campus safety and security protocols in the MTS Cafeteria.

September 2022

  • Fall 2022 Reopening of all MIT Department of Education Programs: Head Start, K-12 Muckleshoot Tribal School, Learning Together Launch, Honorable Teachings, College and Career Education Opportunities Program, MIT Higher Education Programs, and on-going, important MIT Scholarship Program work.
  • 9/6/2022: Shianna Moses, MIT Department of Education Budget and Purchasing Officer, begins work.
  • 9/12/2022: K-12 Muckleshoot Tribal School Construction presentation to the Muckleshoot Tribal Council.
  • 9/20/2022: FOX Q-13 Television interviewed Muckleshoot Tribal School Football players and our Muckleshoot Tribal Council members as the first step in making a mini-documentary to be aired in October 2022.
  • 9/27/2022: Coordinated and hosted the Seattle Seahawks to run a practice with our Muckleshoot Tribal School Football Team.
  • 9/29/2022: Meeting with Northwest Indian College President Justin Guillory regarding the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding between NWIC and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.
  • 9/30/2022: Finalized Agreement with the Puget Sound Educational Services District to conduct extensive campus safety and security assessments of all MIT Department of Education campuses.

October 2022

  • 10/3/2022: MIT Department of Education completed the mass mailing to Muckleshoot Tribal Members ages 5-21 years old and their families to fulfill MIT Truancy Ordinance requirements.
  • 10/7/2022: Our MIT Scholarship Program continued to support our Muckleshoot Tribal Members in the process of paying back student loans.
  • 10/9/2022: FOX Q-13 Television aired the mini-documentary about Muckleshoot Tribal School Football players that was filmed at the MTS versus Lummi Nation football game.
  • 10/12/2022: The Muckleshoot Department of Education hosted Dr. Ruth Friedman, Director of the Federal Office of the Administration for Children and Families (Federal Office of Head Start Program).
  • 10/26/2022: Muckleshoot Tribal College hosted money management classes for all Muckleshoot Tribal Members.
  • The MIT Department of Education was assigned to be the focal point of coordination of the White House Summit on Indigenous Education that was held on October 26, 27 and 28, 2022 at the MIT Casino Events Center.
  • 10/31/2022: Muckleshoot Tribal School high school students participated in the National Congress of American Indians Annual National Convention.

November 2022

  • November 16th and 17, 2022: Our MIT Department of Education supported the coordination of the Haskell Indian Nations University Women’s Basketball Team visit to Muckleshoot.
  • Puget Sound Educational Service District Safety and Security Assessment of the MIT Head Start, MIT Child Care Development Fund, Muckleshoot Child Development Center, K-12 Muckleshoot Tribal School and MIT Adult and Higher Education campuses were completed.

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