Suquamish Dedicate the Marion Forsman-Boushie Early Learning Center

Suquamish Tribe members see their children as the ones who will carry on their culture and take care of their aging elders — and a building unveiled on September 7, 2007 aims to nurture both those aims.

The public got its first official look at the Marion Forsman-Boushie Early Learning Center, a 12,000-square-foot schoolhouse and day care in Suquamish on Totten Road.

The center started in a small house in Indianola in 1996 and moved to the Tribal Center. It then occupied space in Suquamish Village. But the new home will be a permanent space that serves more than 150 children ranging in age from 6 months to 12.

Tribal Chairman Leonard Forsman said the tribe decided several years ago to make education its top priority.

"We realize our children are our future and they are the ones who will be taking care of us," Tribal Councilwoman Linda Holt said.

Along with day care, the center provides families with early childhood education in the form of Head Start and Early Head Start for preschool-age children. Head Start classes begin Monday at the center.

At the Suquamish ELC, the children also learn about Suquamish culture, including drum-making and the native language Lushootseed.

Money for the building came from the tribe, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Washington State Child Care Facility Fund — a cooperative program funded by the state's Department of Early Learning and the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

The new center means good things for the children, who range in age from 6 weeks old to 12 years. Currently, 76 students are enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start classes. An additional 85 children are participating in the preschool program.

The Marion Forsman-Boushie Early Learning Center serves families and children prenatal to 13 years. Priority is given to serving low-income Suquamish Tribe members, especially children with disabilities or in foster care. However, not all children served are low-income and not all are members of the Suquamish Tribe. Currently, about one-third of the children served by the Center are Suquamish Tribal members and another third are members of other federally recognized tribes. The remaining third are Caucasian and Hispanic.