SPOKANE, Wash. — The Salish School of Spokane is preparing to break ground on a new building to expand its Native American language immersion program. Community members toured the school’s current location and future building site today.
The school teaches Salish, an endangered Native American language, to 51 students ages 1 to 14. The school also teaches the language to adults. It is in session year round and, in addition to the language, teaches traditional school subjects.
Maren Noyes, a third-grader who has attended since she was 3 years old, said she’s enjoyed learning the language.
“It’s good that new generations learn it so that it doesn’t go away,” Noyes said.
The new building along the Spokane River will give the school more classroom space, a larger cafeteria and a gymnasium—something the school doesn’t currently have.
The school has been holding tours for several months to raise awareness of its mission.
“I was really impressed with what they have accomplished with the school in its current location and the academics, the support that they give to their kids and the families that attend,” said Kajsa Vanderiet, who attended this morning’s tour.
School founder LaRae Wiley hopes visitors understand the importance of the project.
“When people come on the tours, I hope they get a sense of how beautiful our language is, how beautiful our children are and that they’re worth investing in, and our language is worth saving,” Wiley said.
The school plans to host more tours, with dates and times on its website. The school is still working to raise about $2 million for the new building. Groundbreaking is scheduled to happen by the end of July, with the school hoping to open to students by fall 2027.
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