Washington’s 1st Native American…

2022 Teacher of the Year.

Jerad Koepp, Wukchumni, is the Native Student Program Specialist for North Thurston Public Schools, the 2022 Washington State teacher of the year, and the first Native American educator to earn the distinction in the state.  He is a leader in Native education, policy, and government to government relationships. As an educator, trainer, presenter, consultant, and advocate, Jerad also created and supports his district’s dual-credited high school Native Studies program.

Educator, Advocate, Consultant.

Education

  • 2008 Masters in Teaching, The Evergreen State College - Olympia, WA

  • Specialized in Native American education

  • Social Studies and History endorsed

  • 2004 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science The Evergreen State College - Olympia, WA

  • 2000-2002, Columbia Basin College - Pasco, WA

Professional

  • 2013-Present Native Student Program Specialist, North Thurston Public Schools

  • 2019-present Vice-Chair, Western Washington Native American Education Consortium

  • 2022-present  Appointed Member, WA State Native American Education Advisory Council

  • 2022-present Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest governing board member.

  • 2022-present OSPI School Safety and Student Well-Being Advisory Committee member.

  • 2022-present Workforce Secondary Traumatic Stress Advisory Committee member.

  • 2022-Present Native education consultant

  • 2023-Present OSPI Subject Matter Expert in government-to-government collaboration

  • 2023-present Pacific Lutheran University Indigenous Community Action Network.

Awards

  • 2022 Washington State Teacher of the Year

  • 2022 ESD 113 Teacher of the Year

  • 2022 Blanketed by State Representative Debra Lekanoff before Washington State Board of Education.

  • December 2021 Blanketed by Nisqually Tribal Council

  • December 2019 Hawks Prairie Rotary Teacher of the Month

  • 2019 Dick Williams Award. Since Time Immemorial Committee member.

Presentations

  • February 2024 “North Thurston School District K-12 STI Implementation and Tribal Partnership” with Josh Parker. Western Washington Native American Education Consortium conference.

  • October 2023 “We Are the Medicine: The Role of Culture in Treatment and Healing.” Washington State School Safety and Wellness Advisory Committee.

  • March 2023 “Unsettled: Anti-Colonial Practices for Educators,” Washington State Council for the Social Studies.

  • December 2022 “Creating a Native Studies Program in Public School.” National Council for the Social Studies.

  • December 2022 “Whose Social Emotional Learning? Native Approaches to Healing.” OSPI School Safety and Student Wellness Advisory Committee.

  • November 2022 “Teaching About Sovereignty and the Constitution” American Federation of Teachers

  • October 2022 “Unsettled: Anti-Colonial Practices for Educators,” National Indian Education Association Conference

  • August 2022: “We’re Still Here: Seeing the Present to Unlock the Past” Track Talk OC for Social Studies Conference.

  • June 2022 “Government to Government Collaboration” Association of Washington Principals Conference.

  • October 2021 “Creating Native Studies in Public Schools” National Indian Education Association Conference

  • October 2021 “Government to Government Relationships” National Indian Education Association

  • September 2020 “Leaders In Native Education” WA State Board of Education

Publications

  • 2022 “Unsettled” Podcast with Alison McCartan, M.Ed. 

  • Koepp, J. A. (2022). A District-Sized Classroom: A day in the life of a Native educator. In From Seed to Apple: Inspirations stories from Washington's classrooms, featuring the Teachers, Principals, and Classified School Employees of the Year (pp. 41–46). essay, OSPI. 

  • 2022 “Community Based Education” Native Education certificate course designed for University of Phoenix and National Indian Education Association.

  • Koepp, J., & Smith, M. (2022, February 25). Whose standards are we privileging? collaboration and consultation with Indigenous Leaders. Aurora Institute. Retrieved from https://aurora-institute.org/cw_post/whose-standards-are-we-privileging-collaboration-and-consultation-with-indigenous-leaders/ 

  • Koepp, J., Smith, M., (2022, February 28). A Primer to indigenous education: A case for tribal competency crediting. Aurora Institute. Retrieved from https://aurora-institute.org/cw_post/a-primer-to-indigenous-education-a-case-for-tribal-competency-crediting/ 

  • Spring 2020 Washington Principal Magazine, “First Steps Forward: One district’s focused effort to provide Native students with equitable education.”

Speaking

  • September 2024: “Indigenous Education, Since Time Immemorial Curriculum, and the Legacy of Cecilia Svinth Carpenter.” Panelist.

  • September 2024 “Gathering Your Medicine for Journey Ahead.” Educator of the Year Retreat.

  • April 2024 “Environmental Stewardship & Indigenous Peoples in the Salish Sea Region.'“ Panelist.

  • April 2024 “Native Family School System Navigation Workshop.” Share our Voices, Hear our Stories Forum. Panelist.

  • March 2024 “Tribal Data Collection & Governance.” Hosted by WestEd & NIEA. Panelist.

  • February 2024 “Engaging Youth” panel facilitator Boldt 50th Anniversary, Muckleshoot.

  • October 2023 “The Unsettling Brilliance of Native Survivance” WSU Tri-Cities Education Summit Keynote

  • November 2022 “Native Ontology and the Spiritual Harvest” Interfaith Works Keynote

  • November 2022 “Celebrating Social Studies Through Untold Stories of Native Survivance and Brilliance.” Washington State Council for the Social Studies Keynote

  • November 2022 “Unsettling Belonging” Washington State School Directors Association Keynote.

  • August 2022 “Strengthening Community with Culture” Richland School District keynote

  • August 2022 “Bringing Context to World Events” - Live Discussion at the OER Conference for Social Studies with Ed Schupman, Muscogee(Creek).

  • July 2022 “Lessons and the Land: How a Sense of Place Creates Purposeful Learning.” Smithsonian National Education Summit.

  • June 2022 “Teachers of the Year on What Students Need for 2022-2023.” LEVinar

  • May 2022 Washington State Parent Teacher Association conference keynote: “Cultural Strength - Community Strength.”

  • February 2022 Washington Business Educators Association keynote:  “What if Indian Education Was for All?”

  • January 2022 Altrusa keynote

  • February 2022 Jubilee Retirement Community, “Native Education in Public Schools.”

  • December 2021 “Honoring and Supporting Native Students” LEVinar.

Media

Workshops & Classes

  • October 2024: “Transforming Tribal Education in Washington” with Bill Kallappa and Mary Fertakis. National Association of State Boards of Education Conference.

  • October 2024: “Embodied Curriculum: Sovereignty and Identity in Public Education” with Alison McCartan. National Indian Education Association Educator Day.

  • September - December 2024: “Indigenous History and Sovereignty in Washington State.” The Evergreen State College.

  • June 2024: “Meta-narratives and Critical Settler Consciousness” with Alison McCartan. Muckleshoot Effective Teaching Institute.

  • February 2024: “Culture and Collaboration.” Pacific Lutheran University Administrator Program.

  • January 2024: “STI, Government to Government Partnerships, and Indigenous Informed Praxis" with Josh Parker and Laura Bowman. The Evergreen State College Master in Teaching Program. Five classes.

  • January 2024: “Structured Absence: Unsettling the Paradox of Native Representation in Public Education” with Alison McCartan. University of Washington Leading for Justice Symposium.

  • December 2023: “Anti-Colonial Practices in Education.” Pacific Lutheran University undergraduate teaching program. Three classes.

  • December 2023: “Unsettling Education.” Pacific Lutheran University Masters in Ed Program. Three classes.

  • September 2023 “Weaving Generosity” Washington Educator of the Year retreat.

  • July 2023 “The Hard Truths About Equity and Native Education” with Dr. Casie Wise (NIEA). National Network of State Teachers of the Year Conference.

  • May 2023 “Weaving it Together: Indigenous content into practice” with Alison McCartan & Miranda Lopez. University of Washington Bothell Education Program.

  • February 2023 “Unsettling Native Studies” with Alison McCartan & Miranda Lopez. University of Washington Bothell, education program.

  • January 2023 “Native Education and School Leadership” with Dr. Michael Smith. Pacific Lutheran University administrator certification program.

  • December 2022 “Anti-Colonial Practices in Education.” Pacific Lutheran University undergraduate teaching program. 3 classes.

  • December 2022 “Unsettling Education.” Pacific Lutheran University Masters in Ed Program. 3 classes.

    Legislation and Policy

    2022 Co-author and advocated for tribal granting of academic credit HB 2060

  • 2021 Co-author of WA HB 1426 (passed) requiring all administrators and certificated teachers receive 25% of recertification hours in equity and 5 hours of government to government training for administrators.

  • 2019 Wrote and co-created district land acknowledgement and use policy.

  • 2019 Lead policy to fly Nisqually Tribal flag at all NTPS schools.

  • 2019 Advocated for student “Right to Regalia” policy. Passed.

    Memberships

  • 2022-2023  Member, Governor’s STEM Alliance

  • 2013-present Valley of Tacoma Scottish Rite 32°

  • 2013-present Thornton F. McElroy #302 F & AM

“Jerad has helped his Native American students explore their Tribal culture and history.” — Dr. Jill Biden