Curriculum for STI (Since Time Immemorial Tribal Sovereignty) is required by the State of WA and is endorsed by all 29 federally recognized tribes. I believe it is very important for School Boards to develop government-to-government relationships with local Tribal Councils, and with Griffin being in close proximity to the Squaxin Island Tribe I met with their Director of Education to learn more about how the Griffin School Board can work collaboratively with the Squaxin Island Tribal Council on the implementation of the STI curriculum.

Though STI is required by the State of WA, the implementation of the curriculum is up to local school districts. There is no STI police, or mechanism of reporting on what STI ready to go lessons are being used in each grade level and subject, so the curriculum is being executed 101 different ways across school districts. I am not an educator, and the role of the School Board is not to micro-manage teachers who already have a packed curriculum, but since STI is required by the State of WA I feel that it does fall into the role of the School Board to adopt policies that ensure we are in compliance with State guidelines and develop relationships with Tribal Councils to work collaboratively on curriculum implementation.

I love the localization of the curriculum with lessons for all grade levels on local territory and treaty making, and how that impacts local tribal sovereign nations. Personally, I love the integration of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into the science curriculum by introducing students to the concept of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), environmental stewardship and sustainability, and Indigenous agricultural practices and their relationship to sustainable food production and farming methods.

Here is a link to ready to go lessons for the STI curriculum if you’re interested in learning more: https://ospi.k12.wa.us/student-success/resources-subject-area/time-immemorial-tribal-sovereignty-washington-state

North Thurston School District is a great example of a school district that values a government-to-government relationship with local tribes. In their partnership with the Nisqually Tribe, the district developed a course in the traditional Lushootseed language that is being offered this year. I’m excited to serve on the Griffin School Board and work with fellow Board members and school administration to strengthen our government-to-government relationship with the Squaxin Island Tribe and make STI implementation at Griffin School something we can all be proud of.