Early Childhood Programs

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Secretarial Election set to be held on or before Sept. 26

Sault Tribe members, mark your calendars. The Secretarial Election on proposed constitutional amendments establishing a three-branch government is set to be held on or before Sept. 26, 2026.

Once the Secretarial Election Board is formed, it will establish the official election date and election timeline. The Sault Tribe is accepting volunteers to serve on the board through July 3. The Board of Directors will randomly select one tribal citizen from each voting unit and two at-large tribal citizens during its July 7 meeting.
Tribal citizens interested in serving on the Secretarial Election Board are encouraged to submit their interest by emailing legal@saulttribe.net.

In May, the Sault Tribe Board of Directors unanimously voted to submit proposed constitutional amendments to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), beginning the Secretarial Election process. The election is administered by the BIA and is required under federal law and Article X of the Sault Tribe Constitution.

When ballots are mailed later this summer or early fall, eligible tribal citizens will vote "yes" or "no" on whether to adopt the proposed constitutional amendments establishing three separate and equal branches of government.

To ensure ballots and election information are received, tribal citizens are encouraged to verify that their mailing address is up to date with Tribal Enrollment.

Constitutional Amendment Update

Resolution 2026-145 requests a secretarial election on proposed constitutional amendments and places the decision to update the tribe’s Constitution in the hands of Sault Tribe membership. The resolution will be sent to the BIA by June 19 and then the BIA will begin the federal election process. Linked below are the Resolution 2026-145 and the Attached Amended Constitution drafts. Please watch the tribe’s website and Facebook in the coming months for updates on this.

3 Branch Separation Amendments Attachment for Reso 2026-145

2026-145 Authorizing Amended Constitution Submission for a Secretarial Election

Notice: Opportunity to Serve on the Secretarial Election Board for the Constitutional Amendment Election

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is seeking Tribal citizens who are interested in serving on the Secretarial Election Board for the upcoming Constitutional Amendment Election, which is expected to take place later this summer or in early fall.

The Secretarial Election Board will assist with duties related to the Secretarial Election process for the proposed constitutional amendments including setting deadlines for the election. The Tribe is seeking interested citizens from each of the five election units and representatives from the at large membership. The Board of Directors will select:

One tribal citizen from each unit, and two at-large tribal citizens.

Selection will be made by drawing names from the list of interested Tribal citizens. The drawing is anticipated to take place by the July 7 Board of Directors meeting.

Tribal citizens who are interested in being considered should submit their name, enrollment number, contact information, a letter of intent and the election unit in which they reside to legal@saulttribe.net . If selected you will be expected to be able to attend in person meetings in Sault Ste. Marie.

Interested citizens should submit their information no later than July 3, 2026.

For questions, please contact legal@saulttribe.net .

Miigwech to all Tribal citizens willing to participate in this important constitutional process.

Details: Category: Education; Published: 13 July 2011

Early Childhood Programs target children from infancy through pre-school.

2026-2027 Applications are now available

Program Overview

All classrooms are staffed by a Full-Time Instructor, who is supported by full-time and part-time aides. All classrooms follow the Creative Curriculum; expose children to Ojibwe teachings, and Anishinaabemowin (our Ojibwe language). Children also receive nutritious meals.

Children receive these services in a safe, nurturing, educational, culturally-appropriate setting. Our classrooms provide children with activities that help them grow mentally, socially, emotionally and physically. Services are offered to meet the special needs of children with disabilities.

Child Care Center

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Child Care Center is a licensed child care center that offers high quality infant through pre-school age care. It is located at 4 Ice Circle and is open from 6:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Child Care Center is open to all tribal families, tribal employees, and surrounding community members. However, priority for enrollment in the Child Care Center is given to Tribal Members who are need of full time child care. Families can apply for subsidized child care through the Department of Human Services and Anishnabek and Community Family Services to assist in paying for the cost of care.

The center has an agreement with the Tribal Head Start program to provide care for children enrolled in the Head Start and Early Head Start program from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., parents assume the cost of before and after care for the extended care services that are provided to children enrolled in either Head Start or Early Head Start. As a result of this partnership all children receive the same educational services as children attending Head Start or Early Head Start, see program descriptions and eligibility requirements below.

For more information regarding the Child Care Center and cost for services please call 906‑632‑5258.

Early Head Start

Early Head Start is a federal program for infants and toddlers from low-income families. Early Head Start provides high quality child and family development services. The center based program serves 34 children and is located at 4 Ice Circle, Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Children are provided healthy meals and snacks.

The program is open to infants, toddler's ages 0-3 years. Eligibility requirements: Applicants must meet federal income guidelines and preference given to members of a federally recognized tribe.

For more information, please call 906‑635‑7722

Head Start

Head Start is a federal program for preschool children from low-income families. Head Start provides high quality child and family development services. Head Start serves 80 children with locations at 4 Ice Circle, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and 225 WaSeh, St. Ignace, Mich. Head Start provides breakfast, lunch and limited bus transportation.

The Sault Ste. Marie program provides part-day, part-year classrooms that operate September through May and the Sault Tribe Child Care Center offers a full-day, full-year classroom. St. Ignace is an extended day program offering 7-hour sessions September through June, Monday through Thursday.

Head Start strives to ensure that its children are prepared to enter elementary school ready to learn and succeed. At Head Start, children socialize, solve problems and learn other experiences that help them become self-confident and successful in life.

Head Start Eligibility: Children must be 3 years old by Dec. 1 of each school year. Applicants must meet federal income guidelines and preference is given to members of a federally recognized tribe.

For more information, please call 906‑635‑7722.

Parents are key participants in Head Start/Early Head Start.

We encourage parents, family members and community members to become a part of our volunteer team.

They can participate in the classroom setting, help teachers prepare classroom activities and set up field trips. Parents are involved in committees that help staff form policies and procedures that impact their children and the program. Head Start/Early Head Start promotes parents as the child's "First Teacher."