Marysville Joint Unified School District

This program serves 83 children in preschool through fourth grade at two elementary schools — Dobbins Elementary and Yuba Feather Elementary. The American Indian Early Childhood Education (AIECE) staff provides academic and tutorial support for students and teachers in reading, language arts, and math. Culturally, the program continues a long and valued tradition of honoring our American Indian community, fostering respect, appreciation, and pride. Alongside its goal of academic achievement, the program also emphasizes building self-esteem and encouraging positive leadership among children and adults within our communities.

 

Each afternoon, at both sites, the AIECE resource teacher leads enrichment classes for third- and fourth-grade students. Using the Child-to-Child educational model, American Indian students engage in a supportive and creative environment that celebrates both traditional and contemporary Native culture. Through this model, the program incorporates language, visual arts, storytelling, puppetry, food, music, technology, science, nature, cooperative learning, and leadership development to create meaningful, hands-on projects that promote deep conceptual understanding. The Child-to-Child philosophy—where older students serve as role models for younger ones—shapes and enriches every aspect of the program.