Muckleshoot Tribal School
February Newsletter 2025
Chief School Administrator
Muckleshoot Tribal School Families,
We are well into the new year, and I would like to thank you for your continued support in sending your child to school.
The second semester is beginning, and we look forward to the student's success as they move through their educational program at Muckleshoot Tribal School.
February is an exciting month for MTS, as our girls and boys high school basketball teams strive to qualify for the Tri-District and WA State Tournament. Go, Kings!!
Important Dates:
February 17, 2025- Holiday, No School.
March 17, 2025- School will be in session. This is a make-up day for the November 20, 2024 closure.
Elementary - Krista Yi
As February begins, we wrap up the first semester, and report cards will soon be sent out. We appreciate our families' partnership in supporting students' academic and social-emotional growth. During the first two weeks of February, students will complete their winter diagnostic assessments in math and reading, and we look forward to seeing their progress since the October testing. Additionally, our 3rd-5th grade students are focusing on test-taking strategies and practice problems to prepare for the SBA in April.
In January, we held our first Student of the Month assembly to recognize students who demonstrate kindness and maintain positive attendance. In February, we will celebrate students who embody integrity—showing honesty and strong moral principles. These assemblies will continue through May, each highlighting a different character trait:
K - Kindness (January)
I - Integrity (February)
N - Noble (March)
G - Grit (April)
S - Selfless (May)
Families are welcome to join us each month as we honor our outstanding students!
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the elementary admin team—Krista Yi (Principal), Andrew Upchurch (Assistant Principal), or Jason Russell (K-12 Dean). We are committed to supporting you and working together to ensure your student's success.
Secondary - Rick Brownell
It has been a wonderful school year so far, and we are excited to move into our second semester! All students started their new schedule on Jan. 31st! Grades for the first semester should come home on the 14th of this month. Please contact your students' teachers with any questions or concerns on their second-semester classes.
We are also continuing with our new cell phone policy, so some of you might receive emails regarding your student’s cell phone usage in class. Discipline will be progressive on this, and we will contact all parents of students who have received multiple emails.
In January, we held our first Student of the Month assembly to recognize students who exemplify a high level of kindness. Please review the flyer in this month's newsletter for future events.
Families are welcome to join us each month as we honor our outstanding students!
Athletics - Steven Gray
February means High School Playoff Basketball for Muckleshoot Tribal School!
To find the upcoming games and schedules follow along at MTS Kings Schedule
The regular season ended on Tuesday, January 28, with two meaningful games for the boys and girls basketball teams.
The MTS Lady Kings clinched a 2nd place finish in the regular season with a 37-34 win on the road vs Summit Classical. The two teams will face off again in the SeaTac League Playoff Semifinals. The semifinal matchup will be on Wednesday, February 5th at the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Community Center at 6 pm. The winner will play in the SeaTac League Championship vs the winner of the #1 Crosspoint vs #4 Sound Christian game.
The SeaTac League Girls Championship will be held on Tuesday, February 11, and the time and location are TBD.
The MTS Kings faced Summit Classical in a battle of unbeaten with the regular season title on the line. MTS fought back from an early deficit but ultimately fell short 74-67. With the loss, the Kings finished 2nd in the regular season standings. Their playoff path will begin on Friday, February 7, when the Kings host the Sound Christian Lions at Muckleshoot Tribal School starting at 7 pm.
The winner will advance to the SeaTac League Boys Championship to be played on Wednesday, February 12, time and location TBD.
Middle School Girls Basketball is also underway and off to a great start. We have enough students to form two teams, and there is an opportunity to catch them in action for the first time at MTS on Thursday, February 6th. The first game starts at 3:30 pm, and the second game begins immediately after the conclusion of the first game.
Highlights
Boys Basketball - Payton Brown eclipsed the 1k point mark for his High School Varsity career at MTS.
Boys Basketball - Rylee Markantonatos was selected as a WIAA State Athlete of the Week for Week 19 for outstanding performances on the court and in the classroom.
Girls Basketball - Sierra Nelson was selected to participate in an Indigenous All-Star Game following the completion of the 2025 basketball season.
Wrestling - 8th grader Tony Benson finished 2nd place during his January 18th tournament at Rogers High School in Puyallup. During the tournament, he picked up his first match win on his way to the second-place finish.
Attendance Team
Next Popcorn Wednesday Feb. 5th 2025
2nd Quarter movie night Feb.13th 2025
January Attendance
School Counseling Center:
Running Start Program - Allows high school juniors and seniors to enroll in college courses tuition-free.
Green River College: https://www.greenriver.edu/students/academics/getting-started/runningstart/
Upcoming Information Sessions scheduled at GRC for students/families to sign up! https://www.greenriver.edu/students/academics/running-start/events.html
Northwest Indian College - Muckleshoot Campus: https://www.nwic.edu/admissions/#Running-Start
Puget Sound Skills Center - Serves juniors and seniors interested in specialized career and technical learning. Students earn high school credits in a hands-on environment.
Students spend half of their day at MTS and half their school day at PSSC.
Classes are 2 ½ hours daily.
Students attend one class program and can earn 1.5 credits for each semester of successful completion.
PSSC offers 19 Programs - https://pssc.highlineschools.org/programs
Application Deadline for 2025/2026 School Year is March 7th!
**Please reach out to Krystal Adolph if you have any questions at (253)569-9598 or krystal.adolph@muckleshoot.com
Security - Rae Jansen
Important Remindesr:
1: Please check in with the gate office when entering the campus.
2: Follow the directions of all traffic signs when driving around campus. It is a one way route around MTS.
3: Parent Food Deliveries - all food must delivered to the students during their appointed lunch times. No food is allowed in the classrooms.
Nurse - Lucinda & Kristen
February is American Heart Month! ❤️
The American Heart Association recommends that all children have yearly blood pressure measurements in order to allow for early detection & intervention of high blood pressure (hypertension). Risk factors for hypertension include family history, obesity and high calorie diet. To promote a healthy heart: maintain a healthy weight, eat nutritious foods, avoid foods high in salt, get regular exercise (play sports, ride bike, jump rope, play outside) and get plenty of sleep.
Transportation- Janet Baker
Please remember to make bus changes before 2:00 PM.
Thank you
Activities
Native Youth Community Project-
Feb 20th - UW Seattle Tour. Open to all Secondary. Click Link to Sign up! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14DOhQKsc30WENcUvo-R9nBe4Edzz3JUT88UdrAJn1Rc/preview
Feb 21st - IGNITE: Create your own Retro- Style Video Game. CLick Link to Sign up Below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScfgH2Iemyuxv5pMAud9d3tSjbfzVoQKvhDgyrFI6-9jD_AEQ/viewform
Tuesdays and Thursdays: Culinary Club in room 3209
Wednesdays and Thursdays: Photography Club in room 3116
New Club! Engineering/Woodshop every Wednesday, starting Feb 12th
Open to all Secondary Students 3:15-4:15 pm
No Place for Hate
Our middle and high school students worked with our amazing elementary counseling and social work team to speak to elementary school students about what No Place for Hate is and how to stop bullying.
Our February focus is to choose a topic for all grade levels to focus on to spread kindness and fight hate throughout the entire school.
(From Ellie) This past January, No Place For Hate extended their reach into the elementary school and delivered a presentation about bullying to all grade levels. Elementary students learned about the definition of bullying and what to do if they see bullying happening at school. Secondary students also shared the story of Cedar and how it represents kindness and generosity.
Amazing job to our secondary students for showing great leadership and sharing an important message to our little ones! It was fantastic to see our elementary students engage with our middle and high school students.
Behavioral Health on Campus
Our plant teacher of the month is Willow, which teaches us about being flexible, not just with our bodies but also in our minds and with our emotions. Willow shows us how to be adaptable, yet strong and stable at the same time.
“ Willow is both flexible and strong. Branches bend but do not break and are made into many things including baskets, woven fences, and sweat lodges. Willow grows along rivers, beaches, and wetlands - landscapes that are constantly moving and changing. It adapts to these changes and also has a stabilizing effect on the land.”
“Willow is good medicine when we are feeling stuck. It is used both internally and topically to move immobile joints and ease sore muscles. Willow reminds us that we can be flexible during difficult times when we are resisting change or are feeling willful. We can open ourselves to new perspectives without getting stuck in our emotions or our rational thoughts. Just as willow branches bend but do not break, we can be open to new perspectives or experiences and also remain true to ourselves.”
- Plant Teachings for Growing Social-Emotional Skills - PNW
Happy Black History Month! As we celebrate Black excellence and the countless contributions of the Black community, we also take this time to honor the ongoing fight against oppression and racism—work that continues year-round, not just in February.
This month, we also recognize Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. It’s an important opportunity to raise awareness about the realities of dating abuse, advocate for prevention, and foster conversations around healthy, respectful relationships. Together, we can support education and create safer spaces for our youth.
MTS Hawthorn’s Purpose team, focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, is preparing for upcoming trainings for students and the community. The month of February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month—please be on the lookout around campus for orange hearts containing helpful information around this very important topic! The national theme this year, created by the Love Is Respect Youth Council is “Respect That.” Check out their website: https://www.loveisrespect.org or text LOVEIS to 22522.
If your child is interested in or seeking individual Mental Health counseling, or you think that they might benefit from individual counseling at school, you can make a referral here:
https://forms.gle/wtRc78QXAvG3YsjC8
Students may also self-refer.
Warriors Path - Devin Whiteaker
Warriors Path aims to provide culturally centered preventative activities to 6th - 12th graders.
We meet on Fridays 12pm - 3pm in MTS Portable C-1. Permission slips are required to travel with Warriors Path off campus.
In the past month we have participated in:
Harvesting white pine to support medicine making for Culture Night and on campus
Exploring relationships between humans and ecosystems by visiting Mud Mountain Dam and learning about the dam’s impact on the Salmon population.
Collaboration and preparation with the Culture Department to support youth in the upcoming Canoe Journey
Contact Devin Whiteaker or Brianna Perez for more information: (253) 263-3661
