American Indian Early Childhood Education

September 29, 2023

AIECE 2023

Trinity County Office of Education

Serving Trinity County Native American India Students and Families

Supported by the American Indian Early Childhood Education Advisory Council

Tribes of Trinity County

About Us

AIECE

The program serves K-4th grade students in four school districts. Trinity County's AIECE program increases the visibility of the local American Indian community, enhances the presence of native culture, and builds pride and respect. Goals include enhancing self-esteem in students and adults by providing cultural support and activities, and improving student academic achievement through strategic intervention.

Each site provides tutorial assistance in reading, language arts and math. Cultural activities for students and their families are held during and after school. An annual countywide Tribal Villages Celebration honors local elders and tribal members, while increasing cultural awareness within the community. This event targets all Trinity County 3rd and 4th grade students and their teachers, and provides authentic activities aligned to California Core standards in the Visual and Performing Arts, Social Science-History, Science, and Reading/Language Arts. Ongoing professional development for participating staff members and parental involvement activities supplement and enhance the site programs. Trinity County Office of Education has created a curriculum resource guide for teachers that focuses on local American Indian topics, including standards-based activities. Trinity County students regularly have their work published in the Thoughts from Native Youth chapbook and we encourage and support participation in the annual California Conference on American Indian Education.

Local Trinity County Tribes

Nor-Rel-Muk

The Nor Rel Muk Wintu Nation’s traditional homeland lies in the headwaters of the South Fork of the Trinity River, in Trinity County, California. Approximately half of the tribe’s 1,000 members still live near their ancestral lands in Trinity and Shasta Counties.

The Wintu were a hunter/gatherer language family. There were three distinct dialects. The northern group were known as Wintu proper in the north, the Nomlaki in their central territories, and the southern were known as Patwin. They occupied the west side of the Sacramento Valley. The west border extended roughly along the crest of the Coast Range to about Cottonwood Creek in the north and the Sacramento on the south. The exceptions to this were Wappo, Miwok and Pomo territories that extended into the Sacramento watershed; and in the northwest portion of Wintu territory where it extended west of crest of the Coast Range. On the east side of the valley, their territory extended to an average of five miles east of the Sacramento from the Pit River south to just above present Knights Landing. The river was the eastern border south of that point. The Wintu suffered huge population losses from the genocide of the Mexicans and the gold rush settlers and miners as well as from disease.

The Nor Rel Muk Wintu Nation's Tribal Office is located on Main St in Weaverville, CA.

Tsnungwe

The Tsnungwe are located in western Trinity County and eastern Humboldt County in northwest California. They are located on the Trinity River, South Fork of the Trinity River, and New River. This land is their native tribal territory, where they resided prior to first contact with non-Indians. They continue to reside in their aboriginal territory to this day, although now their lands fall within the Six Rivers National Forest as well as the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. On the Trinity River, they resided between the Willow Creek area and the Cedar Flat area. On the South Fork of the Trinity, they resided from the mouth up to Grouse Creek. Additionally the tribe resided also within the entire New River drainage.

Chimariko

Chimariko (from Djimaliko, the name they apply to themselves; derived from (djimar ‘man’) is a small tribe, comprising the Chimarikan family, formerly on Trinity River, near the mouth of New River, Northern California, extending from Hawkins Bar to about Big Bar, and probably along lower New River; they adjoined the Hupa downstream and the Wintun upstream. The Chimariko first became known to the non-natives on the influx of miners in about 1850. They were then a small tribe, friendly with the Hupa and the neighboring Shastan tribes, but at war with the Wintun of Hayfork of Trinity River. In 1903 they numbered only 9 individuals, who lived scattered from Hupa up Trinity River, and on New River, among Indians of other tribes. Like the other tribes of north west California, they had no political organization or divisions other than villages, one of which was at or near Hawkins Bar, others at Burnt Ranch, Taylor’s Flat, and Big Bar, and probably at other places, though their names for these settlements are not known with certainty.

Wailaki

Wailaki is pronounced "why-lah-kee." That means "northerners" in the language of their allies the Wintu. The Wailakis are original people of Northern California. Most Wailaki people still live there today. Most Wailaki people live in Round Valley.

Coordinator Resources

Federally Recognized Tribes

Click here to view the State Recognized Tribes

CA State Recognized Tribes

Dancing Salmon Home Page

Calendar of Meetings

Land Acknowledgment Toolkit

Additional Coordinator Resources

Dancing Salmon Home Page

Dancing Salmon Home-Promo Video

Dancing Salmon Home is a 60-minute documentary covering the Winnemem tribe’s historic journey to reunite with their Chinook salmon relatives, and call them home. Includes teacher resources and online video rental free.

Trinity County Office of Education Lending Library

TCOE Lending Library

Provides a variety of collected resources for teacher use. Including our Indian Education resource materials.

Indian Student Eligibility Certification Form

AIECE Tutoring Log

Schools

There are currently 4 schools that receive AIECE state Funding

Burnt Ranch Elementary School

Site Coordinator: Betsy Wilde
P.O. BOX 39
Burnt Ranch, CA 95527

Phone: 530-629-2543

Junction City Elementary School

Site Coordinator: Sarah Sharp
430 Red Hill Road
Junction City, CA 96048

Phone: 530-623-6381
Fax: 530-623-5652

Douglas City Elementary School

Site Coordinator: Sara Clark
100 School Road
P.O. Box 280
Douglas City, CA 96024

Phone: (530) 623-6350
Fax: (530) 623-3412

Coffee Creek Elementary School

Site Coordinator: Brian Burns
4742 HC 2
Trinity Center, CA 96091

Phone: (530) 266-3344
Fax: (530) 266-3344

Ed Services

TCOE Quick Links