The Lushootseed Program was developed in the early 1990s. Our aim is to make every tribal home, every tribal work place, every tribal gathering and every schoolroom for tribal children a Lushootseed-rich environment. Our department’s mission is to preserve the x̌əč́usadad (traditional training, teaching) of the people of Tulalip by protecting its records and by becoming “living records” ourselves by speaking, teaching and involvement in the culture and to pass on to the tribal community.
Since the department was formed, we have increasingly taught Lushootseed in the classrooms of Heritage, Marysville Pilchuck High, and Marysville Getchell High Schools, Totem Middle School, Tulalip Quil Ceda Elementary, Betty Taylor Early Learning Academy, which includes Montessori and ECAP. Since 1996, we have hosted annual summer Language camps. Teachers offer family classes, in the evening every year, making Lushootseed a family experience. We have also produced several apps and worked with other developers to provide high quality Apps to learn phrases and words. We also worked with other partners to develop keyboarding apps, so community members can text or email on every platform.