Indigenous Education Bingo Nights - 2025/2026 UPDATE
Division community,
Oki Niikso’kowaiksi,
Please note, the following Indigenous bingos will be postponed until March. The locations will remain the same, and the dates will be decided once the job action has been sorted out.
Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025-West Elementary Schools
- Coalbanks Elementary School
- Postponed until March
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025-North/South Elementary Schools
- Westminster Elementary School
- Postponed until March
Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025-Middle Schools
- Gilbert Paterson Middle School
- Postponed until March
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025-High Schools
- Chinook High School
- Postponed until March
As an Indigenous Education team, it was a difficult decision, but a decision that needed to be made. This was going to be the 4th and final year that we will host these bingos. We want to thank all the teachers and administrators that have supported our Niitsitapiipookaiksi and who will continue to support our Indigenous students and families once we return from this job action.
Kiitakitamattsinno,
Joel Tailfeathers, Lethbridge School Division Coordinator of Indigenous Education
Division Orange Shirt Day Truth and Reconciliation event
On Sept. 29, Lethbridge School Division hosted an Orange Shirt Day presentation outside on the front lawn of The Education Centre (Blackfoot Name Aakaipookaiski, Meaning: Many Children).
Please see the video below for all of the details.
West Coulee Station Elementary School receives Blackfoot name
On Monday, Sept. 22, West Coulee Station Elementary School received a Blackfoot name.
The name, Piitaakaawahkó, Coulee of the Eagle, was bestowed upon the school at a special ceremony.
In the video below, Joel Tailfeathers, the Division's coordinator of Indigenous Learning, speaks about the naming process, and its significance to the school and the community.
Division powwow 2025
Superintendent Mike Nightingale receives Blackfoot name
Sept. 26, 2024 was an important day at the Lethbridge School Division Education Centre (Blackfoot Name Aakaipookaiski, Meaning: Many Children).
As the Division continues to recognize Reconciliation Week, the Indigenous Education team, with the help of students from Winston Churchill High School, along with central office staff, set up a tipi on the front lawn of the building.
Following that, a Blackfoot Naming Ceremony was held for Superintendent Mike Nightingale, who received the name Piitapootaa (Eagle in Flight).
Aakaipookaiski staff then had an opportunity to gather on the front lawn for a moment of reflection, before a lunch, which included Indian tacos and berry soup.
Please see the video below for more details on the event.
Lethbridge School Division, through the Indigenous Education department, continues to assist Division schools to be responsive to the needs of Indigenous students. The program has taken a leadership role in southern Alberta in the development of "Best Practices" in urban Indigenous Education with its wide variety of programming and community partnerships within Lethbridge School Division schools with an increasingly culturally relevant education and learning atmosphere.
Indigenous Education padlet
All the resources our team has put together are organized by subject on our padlet, which is updated regularly. To view the Indigenous Education padlet, please click on the link below:
Indigenous Education Three-Year Assurance Plan 2024-2027
Three-Year Assurance Plan - 2021/2024
Indigenous Education Assurance Plan 2022/23
Indigenous Education Team
Indigenous Grad Coach - Winston Churchill - Juliet Toledo
Indigenous Grad Coach - Chinook - Marley Heavy Shield
Indigenous Grad Coach - Lethbridge Collegiate Institute - Jean Panther Bone
Elementary Teacher of Indigenous Education - Melanie Morrow
High School Teacher of Indigenous Education - Shawnee BigBull
Coordinator of Indigenous Education- Joel Tailfeathers
Associate Superintendent, Instructional Services - Morag Asquith
Executive Assistant, Instructional Services - Carley Campbell
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
Upcoming events:
Ribbon Shirt/Skirt Day
Lethbridge School Division will celebrate Ribbon Shirt/Skirt day on Jan. 9, 2025
Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirt Day was recognized on Sept. 27
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is Sept. 30
Indigenous Education Newsletter
Blackfoot Monthly Values
The Lethbridge School Division Indigenous Education team has been working with Elder Julius Delaney on a new endeavour - the Blackfoot Monthly Values.
Please see the videos below to learn more about the adventures of Piitaisisak-ksinaam, Jarvis, Sally and Betsy!