Muckleshoot Tribal School

Welcome back, MTS Students!!!

We are excited to begin the 2025-2026 school year. MTS teachers and staff are working diligently to ensure your child is safe, engaged in Muckleshoot cultural experiences, and provided with rigorous learning opportunities.

Parents, please ensure your child attends school regularly. Consistent attendance supports academic progress, social development, and long-term success by enabling students to learn alongside their peers.

Important Dates and Information:

• Thursday, October 9, 2025- Tomanamus Day

• Monday, October 13, 2025- Indigenous Peoples Day- No School

Elementary students got off to a great start through the month of September. Students demonstrated a clear understanding of what it means to exemplify P.E.A.C.E. Elementary students have already made great gains academically, socially and emotionally to start the school year.

We are looking forward to going to the pumpkin patch in the month of October. Kindergarten and first-grade students will be going to the pumpkin patch on October 14th. Fourth and fifth-grade students will be going on October 15th. Second and third-grade students will be going on October 16th.

In elementary, we had an assembly that acknowledged students who exhibited motivation and they were selected for the Month for September. Motivation was exhibited by having the drive to set goals and work hard to achieve them by staying positive and determined. During the month of October we will be focusing on being Tenacious, not giving up when things are difficult. Being Tenacious is showing determination and persistence to reach goals.

We look forward to all the learning and growth that will take place this month. Go KINGS!

Student Leadership & New Activity Committees
We are excited to announce that students now have the opportunity to participate in new activity committees! These groups will empower students to share their ideas, create positive change, and help shape the culture of our school. We can’t wait to see the creativity and leadership that will grow from these efforts.

Supporting Our Cell Phone Policy
Thank you to our families, staff, and students for supporting our cell phone policy. Together, we’re creating a learning environment where students are fully engaged, focused, and present in their classrooms and with each other. Your encouragement at home makes a big difference!

Celebrating Student Success
Our students have already shown tremendous effort and achievement this year. From classroom participation to extracurricular activities, we are proud of the many ways our students shine. Each success is a reminder of the talent and determination within our school community.

Parent Voice: A New Way to Connect
We are launching a new community outreach program called Parent Voice. This will be a space for parents and guardians to share ideas, ask questions, and connect directly with the principal. Our first meeting will be held Thursday, Oct. 16th, at the Health and Wellness Center conference room, from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. These meetings will continue to be held weekly every Thursday. We hope to see many of you there as we work together to support our students and strengthen our school community.

Thank you,

Rick Brownell

Football is currently 0-3. Games Remaining against Quilcene away (10/4), Lummi Nation home (10/10), Concrete home (10/17 - Homecoming and senior night) & Darrington away (10/31).

*Please come and support the Kings last home football game on Oct. 17th.

Volleyball is currently 6-3 and in 3rd place in the Seatac 1B league. We already surpassed the 2024 win total midway through the season.

Cross Country just completed two league meets and an invitational. Junior Riley Markantonatos finished 2nd with a personal best of 19:03 in the last meet. Junior Truth McDaniel finished with a personal best time of 20:40 while freshman James Lester finished 30th with a personal best of 21:17 out of a field of 59 runners.

Girls Soccer is currently 0-7 but improving each time. Playing tough 1A and 2A schools. They scored more goals than the last two seasons combined.

Middle School coed soccer and volleyball are off to nice starts with a recent volleyball win vs Chief Leschi.

Happy Autumn! October’s plant of the month is Hawthorn, a tree with many gifts. Hawthorn strengthens the heart and blood vessels, easing pressure on the heart, and can be protective in times of physical and emotional stress. Hawthorn teaches us about courage; in one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant ‘to speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.’

Student Mental Health Referral

Student Substance Use Referral

Our High School Hawthorn’s Purpose team is attending a field trip on Friday, October 10th. We will be visiting Mt. Si High School and participating in teambuilding activities with Mr. Si’s Forefront Suicide Prevention Team.

We are looking forward to Red Ribbon Week at MTS, which will be celebrated from October 27th to 31st. Each year, we focus on drug and alcohol prevention and education in a variety of fun, interactive, and age-appropriate ways.

To find out if you qualify for MTS Cedar Roots Program, contact our School Social Worker, Ellie OneFeather!

The Curriculum Development team continues to collaborate with community partners while developing units for 7th and 9th Grade Tribal and Washington State History. One of our goals is to ensure students have the opportunity to participate in outdoor learning opportunities as part of every lesson.

Through Outdoor Learning, we also continue to build out plant teaching classroom kits to ensure educators and students have access to materials that bring plant teachings into classrooms from Kindergarten through High School.

Fall is here and with that brings colder weather, seasonal allergies, and cold viruses, which means runny noses and coughs. While It can be difficult to distinguish between what is an allergy,

and what could be COVID-19, flu, or other cold symptoms, below are some suggestions on how to navigate this during the Fall season:

-If your student has known seasonal allergies make sure to give them their allergy medication regularly and daily to prevent symptoms that may appear to look like cold or flu symptoms.

-If your student has a fever equal to or greater than 100.5, vomiting, and/or has diarrhea please keep them at home for at least 24-48 hours after they are fever free without fever reducing medications (Tylenol, Ibuprofen).

-Symptoms of the flu include sudden onset of chills, body aches, fever, and respiratory symptoms.

-If you have any questions, please contact the school nurse.

Parents/guardians of Elementary students: permission forms for dental screenings will be sent home. Please make sure to check off, sign, and return the permission form back to school.

I want to just send out a HUGE Thank you to all the parents for their patience with all the late buses and earlier pick ups with the closure of the bridge in Buckley. We are now fighting the 2 lane closures on HWY 167 that have also added additional times. If there are any ongoing concerns please feel free to reach out to me at 253-261-1329. Again without your support we could not be getting through this as well as we have been. Thank you all.Janet

NYCP News – Exciting Opportunities This Year!

We’re kicking off the year with some new and exciting clubs for students to join. Please note: permission slips are required this year for students to stay after school.

· Mondays – Hiking Club with Janay Joseph & Weaving Club with Jolene Lozier

· Tuesdays – Life Skills with Michael Bush

· Wednesdays – Culinary with Michelle Smith

· Thursdays – Woodshop with Nick Carlisi

Student Council
We would love for your student to join us for Student Council, happening every other Monday starting October 6th in Room 2207. This is a space where student voices are heard and students help plan events for our school and community.

Workshops
We’re also excited to offer hands-on workshops this fall!

· Infant Ribbon Skirt Making with Erika Ramirez (Session 1 of 4)
Date: Friday, October 17th
Open to all secondary students
Only 5 spots available per session – sign up early to secure a spot!

· Drum Making with Chad MaGee (Session 1 of 4)
Date: Tuesday, October 21st
Open to all secondary students
Only 5 spots available per session – sign up early to secure a spot!

Sign-up links are below—don’t miss out on these opportunities.

Hiking: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7IZ8kEJxN1MqbQ4RARquQXDrPOnJytxTDXpg2QgYJAPl4vw/viewform

Weaving: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffSvvBe_KPhKUfG4Bwz3HOWw8V05Zj0xOzvI9MNPI_4_a2yg/viewform

Life Skills: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9n38kT8jmsVjT0H-s_mPlQHdaDsZdz987swmuIBeGihOcUQ/viewform

Culinary: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeh-DD-v2dinGJw0-WgLiU9So7ubJBx4zfTryJLrCH3U_gM2w/viewform

Woodshop: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJyyVNtixBpEMN0Y72HEGeO9qGN8YkLgbfZLu2eV8UmbRASg/viewform

Infant Ribbon Skirt: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTsYzBNvDWYWULlRCd1EPlI2wkJhBSXptkCdajvlL40YCN7Q/viewform

Drum Making: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScN5CjfVfZcgXezgchas-8W54Tp3aWuyZ-dqNfHG80tPcP3hA/viewform

Warrior’s Path officially started on 9/26 where we went out to harvest Hawthorn for this month's SEL plant teachings here on campus. Hawthorn teaches us about how true courage is acting with bravery while listening to the wisdom of your heart. Hawthorn’s medicine strengthens your heart and blood vessels while connecting and nourishing every part of ourselves.

Please come check us out during culture nights as our incredible warrior students will be serving seasonally appropriate teas all year long!!

If your student is interested in being part of this culturally centered drug and alcohol prevention program, Please reach out to Devin Whiteaker @253.263.3661 or Brianna Perez @253.308.6744 -or- please sign and return permission slip devin.whiteaker@muckleshoot.com

Permission Slip:

Warriors Path Permission Slip.docx