Issoitapi Elementary School

OVERVIEW

Issoitapi Elementary School (formerly Aahsaopi School) is a new, 6,141m² K-5 school on the Blackfoot Reserve, designed to accommodate 517 students - including a high proportion of learners with special needs - within an open, culturally grounded, net-zero and energy-efficient community hub. It replaces an undersized, 30-year-old 2,570 m2 building that no longer met capacity or functional needs, and responds to the absence of other community facilities such as an emergency shelter or gymnasium. The program includes 5,541m² of instructional and support spaces, as well as 600m² of dedicated community space, including a community kitchen, ceremony room, and gathering areas.

The vision for Issoitapi, articulated by Elders, educators, and community members, was “A Blackfoot place that is the heart of the community; a place to gather, learn, share stories that are sustainable, and meaningfully connect past, present, and future healthy generations.”  From the beginning, the design process was led by listening. From the earliest feasibility studies through an innovative engagement process shaped by COVID-19 restrictions, a climate risk and Zero Carbon Feasibility Study and a series of inclusive design and planning workshops, design decisions were informed by Elders, Knowledge Keepers, educators, families, and student voices. Students were explicitly named as “the centre of the circle.” These myriad voices identified what spaces were needed, how they should feel and most importantly, how they would support Indigenous ways of knowing and being.

ENGAGEMENT

Consultation did not happen in one fell swoop; rather, it unfolded with patience, and across time. The design team listened repeatedly through workshops, design reviews, and ongoing conversations, continually adjusting the architecture to reflect community needs. In parallel with design development, the project team and Kainai Board of Education adopted a cyclical planning model in which the Building Committee and stakeholders remained active at every stage—from feasibility through schematic design, design development, construction documents, and into construction. Each cycle of work concluded with sign-off and then deliberately “spun” into a new round of engagement, ensuring that emerging details continued to reflect community expectations.

ART

The Issoitapi Art Program was created to celebrate Blackfoot culture, weaving it throughout the interior and exterior of the school. 6 works commissioned by Blackfoot artists are prominently featured in the school. Additionally, various murals by unknown artists from the former Aahsaopi Elementary School were photographed prior to its demolition and reprinted for Issoitapi. 

This art encompasses themes of Blackfoot land and environment, language and values, history and resilience, ceremony and storytelling. It is a celebration of Kainai learning and culture, and serves to inspire future generations of schoolchildren, their families, faculty and the broader Kainai community.

The newly commissioned works include:

• Ahkoiinnimaki, Star Crop Eared Wolf
• Apoiskumapi, Adrian Stimson
• Koo Kii, Ryan Jason Allen Willert
• Mano’taanikaapi, Bryce Manyfingers/Singer
• Naatoíyiki, Cheyenne McGinnis
• Nato’yi’kina’soyi, Hali Heavy Shield

OUTCOMES

Issoitapi Elementary School stands at the intersection of educational excellence, cultural resilience, and climate leadership. It is rooted in place, translating Niitsitapi values and Blackfoot worldview into architecture, landscape, and learning environments that honour Elders, uplift children, and reconnect education with land and story. It demonstrates a rigorous community-led planning process; a flexible, inclusive, and future-ready learning environment; a physical form that inspires and protects; and measurable educational, community, and environmental outcomes. 

Issoitapi isn’t just a school. It is a generational investment in children, culture, and climate resilience. It is a Blackfoot place that will stand as the heart of its community for decades to come.