F.A.C.EF.A.C.EThe F.A.C.E. (Family and Child Education) is an especially unique program at Chief Leschi School. Of the 22 sites in the United States, our F.A.C.E. program is the only one located in the Pacific Northwest. It is a Bureau of Indian Affairs program based on concepts of the National Center of Family Literacy, Parents as Teachers and the Hi/Scope Foundation.
There are specific components of the F.A.C.E. program, determined by the age of the child.
There is the HOMEBASED Program for parent/caregiver with children from
Birth to Three Years. After an assessment process of the child's developmental
needs, home visits are scheduled and lessons are designed to meet each
individual family's growth and needs. During these visits the caregiver
is taught about child development, behavior modification, learning styles
and parenting skills. 
The
CENTERBASED Program is for parent/caregivers with children Three to Five
Years. The child attends the early childhood or pre-school component while
the caregiver works on an individualized program in the adjoining adult
classroom. The primary goal of the F.A.C.E. program is to prepare the adult
for future employment, help with financial management, and provide educational
opportunities. They are eligible to pursue their GED, take college preparation
courses, develop computer skills or take other available courses. They
gain greater life skills, learn about child development and increase parenting
skills.
Workshops are offered on such issues as interviewing techniques, resume writing and new state, county or federal laws that might affect them. Individuals in this program are required to participate in "real life" situations, such as a mock interview. After successful completion of these workshops they have the opportunity to pick out several outfits for future job interviews.
Both HOMEBASED and CENTERBASED components come together monthly to share an evening meal and discuss their successes and common concerns about their child's behavior and development. They may also work on craft projects or have guest speakers on issues parents have chosen.
An
important factor of the F.A.C.E. program is the integration of Native American
cultural values and teachings of the past as they relate to parenting.
This is most relevant to Native American parents, as many of the historical
teachings still apply today.
A recent tribe highlighted was the Lakota Nation. Caregivers learned about the four stages of the life of Lakota women. In all of the stages, the importance of the buffalo to the Lakota people was discussed as it related to nutrition, spirituality and home life. After this lesson series, everyone enjoyed a "Buffalo burger" lunch. Other tribal nations will be highlighted as lessons are developed.
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