Marysville Joint Unified School District

This program serves 83 children in preschool through fourth grade in two elementary schools, Dobbins Elementary and Yuba Feather Elementary. The American Indian Early Childhood Education staff provides scholastic support and tutorial assistance for students and teachers in reading, language arts, and math. Culturally, the program has built a long and cherished tradition in honoring our American Indian community. In this way, the program fosters a sense of respect, appreciation, and pride. Along with a goal of academic success for students, this program also focuses on the goals of enhancing self-esteem and positive leadership from children and adults in our communities.

In the afternoons at both sites, the AIECE resource teacher conducts classes through an enrichment program for third and fourth grade students. Implementing the Child-to-Child educational model, American Indian students are provided a supportive and creative forum that focuses on many aspects of traditional and modern native culture. Within this model, the program utilizes language, visual arts, legends, puppetry, food, music, technology, science, nature, cooperative learning, and leadership to create fun, educational projects that foster deep conceptual understanding. The Child-to-Child philosophy of older students modeling for younger students permeates every feature of the program.