Interim Program Manager, cctoner@bongobaystudios.com

I am proud to be a part of the Native American Education team at SPS. Not only do I descend primarily from the three tribes above, I am also descended from the Squaxin, Snoqualmie, and Stillaguamish tribes. I was born and raised on the Yakama Nation reservation, and I recently discovered from my Muckleshoot and Puyallup relatives that both my maternal grandparents descend from the House of tciaƚtsa. I am even prouder to be their granddaughter.

I finished my 30th year as a classroom teacher Spring, 2021. Writing curriculum that reflects my tribes, my culture, and my family has always been my passion. I began my journey in early 2005, writing curriculum for the Washington State Historical Society and continued into 2007 as the principal writer for Since Time Immemorial: Tribal Sovereignty in Washington State. I still am one of the principal writers, but with a much larger writing team these days! Some of my projects include curriculum for the State of Oregon, the University of Montana’s Regional Learning Project (Now a part of the STI curriculum), the National Park Service (Honoring Tribal Legacies) and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (Why Do the Foods We Eat Matter? and The Fish Wars). I also contributed a chapter to Narrowing the Achievement Gap for Native American Students.

Hello, my name is Khemarak Pom, known on campus as Mr. Kam. I am the Instructional Assistant in šəqačib at Chief Sealth International High School alongside Boo Balkan Foster.

My job is to help students navigate the rigors of school. The goal is to give academic support for Native youth. I assist in core subjects with emphasis on science and math.

I grew up in the Southwest Seattle neighborhood and it’s been a pleasure to go back to my roots at Sealth.

I’m an avid Seahawks fan and seriously wish the NBA comes back to Seattle.

Hau Mitakuyepi,

My name is Levi Harter and I’m a first year teacher and a citizen of the Oglala Lakota
Oyate. I grew up in small town rural Illinois just north of St. Louis and after high
school began my collegiate journey at Lewis and Clark Community College. After obtaining my Associates degree I traveled around the country until I caught wind of the Water Protection occupation at Standing Rock, commonly known as the #NODAPL protests. I spent just under five months, through the winter, at the encampment which empowered and politicized me with the vigor and fervor of true Indigenous Resistance to colonialism.

I received my Masters in Teaching from The Evergreen College in the Spring of 2022, with an endorsement in the area of secondary social studies. While at TESC I also earned my Bachelors within the Native Pathways Program, an upper level undergraduate program that emphasizes and promotes Indigeneity and critical analysis of the western framework.  Our motto was “we’re not here to study Indians, Indians are here to study.”  

As a new teacher I couldn’t be more excited to be serving our Native youth, this program and opportunity is more than I could’ve expected and am excited to bring my own Indigenized interpretation of a liberatory pedagogy to our bright young next generation. I hope to pass on the empowerment and strength that was imbued in me by many brilliant Native scholars, artists, activists, culture keepers, organizers and caretakers. Alongside a powerhouse of strong Native women already present within the Native Education department, I’m looking forward to utilizing each other’s strengths to protect and uplift our precious urban Indian Youth.

Coming soon

My Name is Kurstyn. I have a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work. I have worked in the social services field all of my career.  I chose social services as a career, to educate people and let them know that with knowledge and behavior change, you can be the product of your efforts in life and not the product of where you have been.  I love sports, especially football and baseball.  In my free time, I enjoy traveling and being with my family.  I love to laugh and read.  I love summer weather and nature walks.  I have a 1-year-old Shitzu named Chachi. 

My name is Nicole, and I am a certified teacher working at Nathan Hale and Jane Addams alongside Mr. Harter in the seqacib classroom. I am Inupiaq and Yupik; my family comes from the little island of Diomede up in the Northern part of Alaska, though we’ve spread out to Nome, Tanana, Fairbanks, and here! I’ve lived in Seattle my entire life, though I’ve enjoyed traveling up to visit.

I received my Master’s from Seattle Pacific University and double majored for a Bachelor’s at the University of Washington, where I studied History and English. I participated in the undergraduate symposium, focusing on a project that traced the politics of the development of Ethnic Studies in college and high schools as well as the development of American Indian Studies in college and high schools. I have volunteered and done student teaching throughout Seattle Public Schools, and have worked teaching History, English, and related subjects at Muckleshoot Tribal School and in multiple private schools throughout the area, with a focus on the development and impacts of settler-colonialism alongside the resistance and celebration of Indigenous voices.

I am excited to work in Native American Education, as it allows a specific focus on building up Native students to connect with their history and culture to feel empowered in the world we live in today.

Hello! I’m Katie Fries, the library assistant with the American Indian Resource Library. I hold a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Washington, where my studies focused on school librarianship and youth resources. I arrived at this profession after a twenty-year career in journalism, where I was a staff and freelance writer for various print and online publications. My interest in this field stems from the same place as my love for writing: the opportunity to tell, share, and preserve stories. To this end, I draw on the whole of my experiences in publishing, journalism, and librarianship to serve children and teens in library spaces. I’m excited to bring these skills to Seattle Public Schools and the American Indian Resource Library.

I enjoy reading, training for marathons, traveling (often to run marathons), and exploring our area’s trails and outdoor spaces with family and friends. I’m also learning to make my own handbound books, a fun indoor hobby to balance out all that time outside.

I live in Seattle with my husband, sons (both graduates of Seattle Public Schools), and two labradoodles.

Aloha!

My name is Kym Hogan, and I come to SPS with a 14-year background in teaching college-level English as a Second Language and Academic Writing. I have been lucky enough to teach English not only in the US but in other parts of the world including Indonesia and El Salvador.

I spent the last 5 years living and working in Hawaii, where I grew to love hiking and spending time in nature. As a result, I created an aina-based (place-based) writing curriculum in my college classes centered around how traditional Hawaiian values can positively impact sustainability and the environmental preservation concerns facing the islands.

I am excited to be back in Seattle to be closer to family and to be working for the Native American Education Department here at SPS to support our Native students and families. For any general questions about Native Ed, specific questions about your student’s eligibility for our Title VI grant program, or assistance in filling out the ED 506 form for eligibility, please contact me at kmhogan@bongobaystudios.com