Native American Education
We work with students, parents and guardians, teachers, principals, and SPS departments on a case-by-case basis to address the broad scope of needs our Native students face.
We want every family to understand how to navigate the district’s resources and support all schools in understanding the unique experience Native students face interacting with our system. Our goal is to ensure all Native students have a high-quality educational experience and reach the goal of graduation.
- Native Education Updates
- Family Culture Nights
- Making Natives Visible
- Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Week of Action
- Native American Poets and Pop Culture
- Billy Frank, Jr. Day
- The Boldt Decision
- February is African-American History Month
- Orange Shirt Day
- Social-Emotional Learning Through Plant Teachings
Family Culture Night Holiday Celebration Tuesday, December 17th 5-7pm
Please join us Tuesday, December 17th from 5-7pm for our annual Family Culture Night Holiday Celebration at Meany Middle School, where we will come together in community to celebrate the holiday season!
-Delicious food by Chef Olivia from Liiv For Flavor
-Free books and goodies for the kids from The Seattle Public Library
-A gift give away sponsored by Toys for Tots
-Craft making activities
-Holiday selfie booth with Santa
We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating in the holiday season!
Meany Middle School: 301 21st Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112
Pleases contact: Kym Hogan at kmhogan@seattleschools.org for questions or if you would like to volunteer to help at the event!
Tribal History and Culture Extended Core Instructional Materials Adoption Board Action Report Update
The goal of this report is to summarize the process and progress of the expanded Tribal Sovereignty and History curriculum, including the Since Time Immemorial adoption, in Seattle Public Schools.
View the report here: Tribal History and Culture Adoption Report
Native Education Updates
Native American Heritage Month Resources
Family Culture Nights
Please join us for our first Family Culture Night of the 2024-2025 school year! We will be coming together in community to celebrate the holidays on Tuesday, Dec. 17 from 5-7 p.m. at Meany Middle School. Food and beverages will be provided as well as a Toys for Tots gift distribution. We look forward to seeing you there! Questions? Please contact: Kym Hogan at 252-0858 or email kmhogan@seattleschools.org
Check back for future culture night opportunities!
Making Natives Visible
Whitman Middle School Raises Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People
Thank you to Principal John Houston and art teacher Dever Dunnett for an amazing Multicultural Night that featured Native artists and student art. Students created faceless dolls to bear witness to the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous people within the borders of the United States.
Learn more about the Faceless Dolls Project
Learn more about the Red Dress Project
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Week of Action
Ask your teachers about Schoology classroom resources provided by Native American Education!
Learn about the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center
Native American Poets and Pop Culture
National Poetry Month is April
- Native American Poetry and Culture (Poetry Foundation)
- A Tribe Called Geek (entertainment, art, media, lit, and culture links, reviews, and news)
- MovieWeb – Native American TV Shows
- Native America – PBS series on contemporary Indian Country
- 12 TV and Streaming Shows about the Native American Experience and That Celebrate Indigenous Culture [the title is unfortunate, but the resource is worthwhile] – Rotten Tomatoes article with links
- Native American Music Awards – Explore contemporary and traditional music from Indian Country
- Indigenous Futures – Storytelling Project that highlights resiliency of Native peoples
Billy Frank, Jr. Day
- Learn more about Billy Frank, Jr.
- Teacher Resources (Requires login)
The Boldt Decision
Boldt at 50 Community Events and Resources
February is African-American History Month
Learn about the past, present, and future of Black Indians, also known as Afro-Indigenous, African American Indian, and African and Native American.
What do Tina Turner, Crispus Attucks, Jimi Hendrix, and James Earl Jones have in common? They have Native American Ancestry!
Orange Shirt Day
In 1973, Stwecem’c Xgat’tem First Nations citizen Phyllis (Jack) Webstad’s new orange shirt, given to her by her grandmother, was taken away the day she arrived at Mission School. She was six years old. In 2013, she founded the Orange Shirt Society as part of her healing journey.
Learn more…
- Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
- Residential Schools in Canada Education Guide
- Orange Shirt Society
- Cultural Survival
Social-Emotional Learning Through Plant Teachings
Native American Education collaborated with Social-Emotional Learning to prepare activities for SELtember. These activities promote social-emotional learning using plant teachings. Listen to Victoria Plumage tell the Licorice Fern story…