Our vision is to nurture confident, resilient, and successful Piikani learners who are proud of who they are, connected to their culture and community, and prepared to succeed in school and in life. We envision an NPES community where every student feels a strong sense of belonging, discovers their strengths, embraces learning, and is supported to become a positive leader and contributor to their family, community, and future.
Oki my name is Charlton Weasel Head (B.Ed. 2003, M.Ed. 2012), my traditional Blackfoot name is Naamiwatsiskasis-Playing around, connected to my days as an athlete and was my grandfather’s childhood name. I am the NPES school Principal, since 2024, I am committed to creating a safe, caring, inclusive, and culturally responsive learning environment where every student is supported to reach their full potential. I firmly believe that strong schools are built through collaboration among students, staff, families, Elders, and the community, and that every child deserves to feel valued, supported, and successful. I look forward in having a successful year and very excited moving into our new school in January
The extracurricular programs take place afterschool and give the students opportunities to build on their academic learning as well as sportsmanship, leadership and healthy habits with the Athletic programs. All programs are supervised and students are supported to reach their educational goals in academics.
Denise Provost May 2024
Zoey Yellow Wings Nov 2025
NPES Resiliency Weeks are an opportunity for our students to build the skills, confidence, relationships, and sense of belonging they need to be successful in school and in life. At Napi’s Playground Elementary School, resiliency means helping our children learn how to manage challenges, develop healthy relationships, express themselves, stay connected to their culture, and recognize their own strengths. Our Resiliency Weeks provide students with meaningful experiences outside of the traditional classroom setting while continuing to support academic learning, mental health, wellness, and personal growth. Each week is designed to engage the whole child.
Our four Resiliency Week themes—Health and Wellness, Arts and Entertainment, Land-Based Learning, and Piikani Days—provide students with different ways to discover their strengths and develop resilience. Health and Wellness focuses on physical activity, mental health, healthy choices, positive relationships, and self-care. Arts and Entertainment gives students opportunities to be creative through music, art, drama, dance, and other forms of expression. Land-Based Learning connects students to the land through hands-on experiences, traditional knowledge, outdoor learning, and opportunities to learn from Piikani Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
Our final theme, Piikani Days, brings together our commitment to culture, identity, language, community, and the Piikani way of life. Students have opportunities to learn through stories, traditions, Blackfoot language, cultural activities, and teachings from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, families, and community members. This is an important part of resiliency because children who know who they are, where they come from, and that they belong to a strong community are better supported to face challenges and move forward with confidence. At NPES, our Resiliency Weeks are about building strong children through culture, connection, wellness, creativity, and learning. Our goal is to create experiences that help every child feel valued, capable, connected, and proud of who they are.
