Creating a place where Tulalip children feel safe, supported, culturally grounded, and excited to learn every day.
Vision & Mission
Our Vision
Honoring our cultural knowledge and building on our ancestors’ dreams.
Tulalip Academy is envisioned as a place where education is interwoven with Tulalip values, cultural identity, and traditional teachings. The school is designed to reconnect our children with their heritage while preparing them to become confident leaders in their academic and personal lives. Here, students will be seen, valued, and empowered — grounded in identity and supported in discovering their strengths.
This is a place where children feel the awe of learning and the peace of being surrounded by culture. A place where every wall tells the story of our ancestors, classrooms echo our languages, and every child leaves knowing who they are as Tulalip (Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Skykomish, and more) people. Tulalip Academy is not simply a school; it is a continuation of our ancestors’ dreams brought to life.
Our Mission
Our mission is to create a culturally grounded, academically rigorous learning environment where children thrive — emotionally, academically, and culturally. Tulalip Academy commits to:
- Honoring Tulalip ways of knowing
- Supporting children through trauma-informed and relational practices
- Nurturing belonging, identity, and resilience
- Preparing students for lives of abundance, service, and leadership
A Tulalip school is a promise to our children and a commitment to our future. We are building not only a school, but a legacy.
Our Purpose
Tulalip Academy of Excellence (TAE) is a tribally designed and tribally governed school that centers Tulalip history, culture, and identity. The school exists to give our children a learning environment built on our values, our strengths, and the aspirations of our people.
TAE addresses long-standing gaps in public education by prioritizing emotional safety, cultural belonging, and holistic learning.
Why TAE Matters
For decades, Tulalip families have dreamed of a school that is truly ours — one that honors our worldview, strengthens identity, and supports lifelong well-being.
At TAE, children will experience:
- Learning that builds confidence and connection
- Teaching rooted in culture, strengths, and relationships
- A safe environment free from bullying and harsh punishment
- Supportive adults who use compassionate, trauma-informed practices
Guiding Values
TAE’s approach blends Tulalip values with evidence-based practices to support the whole child.
We emphasize:
- Trauma-informed and attachment-aware practices
- Compassionate, restorative responses to behavior
- Strong, trusting student–adult relationships
Bullying and punitive approaches do not align with Coast Salish teachings; instead, TAE focuses on healing, regulation, connection, and belonging.
A School Shaped by the Community
Tulalip families, elders, and community members have guided this school from its earliest planning stages. Surveys and focus groups helped define what our children need and what success looks like.
The community will continue to shape:
- School name
- Mascot and school identity
- Cultural programming
- Priorities and student experience
This is not a school created for the community; it is a school created with and by the community.
What Learning Will Look Like
Culturally Grounded Curriculum
Students will learn:
- Tulalip language and cultural arts
- Local history and ancestral knowledge
- Traditional foods, harvesting, and community reciprocity
Academic subjects, such as math, science, and reading, will be taught through the Tulalip worldview, helping children understand their place in the world and strengthening engagement.
Outdoor, Place-Based Learning
TAE plans to integrate 30–50% of the day into outdoor learning, far more than the typical public school day, because outdoor education improves mood, confidence, and learning.
Students will explore Coast Salish-themed learning environments, including:
- A math space
- Science and nature areas
- Reading and storytelling spaces
- Hands-on cultural exploration zones
These spaces encourage movement, curiosity, awe, and deep connection to the land.
Where We Are Now
✔ STEC Application Submitted & Approved
TAE’s formal application has been approved by Tribal Council and submitted to the State Superintendent — a major milestone toward opening.
✔ School Purchase in Progress
Negotiations to purchase Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary from the Marysville School District are nearing completion. State modernization funds are being pursued to support needed repairs.
✔ Funding Strategy Taking Shape
The plan includes:
- Land purchase supported by state funds, tribal investment, grants, and long-term financing
- Startup costs covered by existing K–12 investment funds
- Ongoing operations funded two-thirds by the State and one-third by Tulalip
Philanthropic and foundation conversations are positive and ongoing.
Long-Term Vision
When students graduate from Tulalip Academy of Excellence, they will:
- Be grounded in their cultural identity
- Know their history, family stories, and connection to the community
- Possess tools for emotional, academic, and financial well-being
- Be ready for lives of abundance, service, and leadership
Success will be measured not just by academics, but by whether children are happy, connected, and excited to be at school.