?A'q'amnik Primary School

School community

Besides being a great place to come to school, we also offer some practical benefits for students and caregivers. We provide a breakfast and snack program that is open to all students, most school supplies, a standard five-day school week and an After-School Club.

Our education centre includes a sensory room, a library/computer lab, a meeting room, a Food-Safe Kitchen and a brand-new gymnasium. Our outdoor play space includes an outdoor classroom and a new playground. ʔaq̓amnik̓ is open to students of any culture and ancestry, and our facility is designed to meet the evolving needs of our students and families, so that we can provide an enhanced educational experience in a modern and functional learning environment that can accommodate up to 100 students.

Our programs

Our extracurricular activities include a running club, a swimming program, traditional Ktunaxa games, outdoor education/skill building and participation in School District 5’s volleyball, basketball and track meet events.

Every week, our students participate in an outdoor education day where they spend the day outside to learn about our environment, outdoor survival skills and Ktunaxa culture and history. Through our cultural program, students learn the Ktunaxa language and participate in traditional cultural activities, such as beading, drumming and dancing.

Our community

The ʔaq̓am administration operates a diverse range of programs and services, including the ʔaq̓amnik̓ elementary school, ʔaq̓amnik̓ daycare, ʔaq̓amnik̓ after school and summer programs, community education services, community health, economic development, lands/natural resources and housing and administrative services. These functions are operated centrally at the Band’s administration building. The ʔaq̓am community has the largest population of all Ktunaxa Nation Bands and the largest land base, occupying 18,420 acres or 7,461 hectares in total. ʔaq̓am members work together to foster a vibrant, healthy community in which everyone has a role to play.

?aq̓am is six kilometres north of Cranbrook and 25 kilometres east of Kimberley.

Why You’ll Love It Here

We focus on work-life balance and offer many opportunities for professional development. You can expect small class sizes, outdoor education, Ktunaxa culture and a whole lot of fun!

Ktunaxa Nation

?aq̓am is a member community of the Ktunaxa Nation. As a community, we share many values – recognizing the importance of family, unity and co-operation, effective communication, love and kindness, respect, safety and security, inclusion, education and learning, healthy and balanced living – and take pride in our heritage, language and culture. We value natural law and practice stewardship of the land, water, animals and plants. The vision of our Ktunaxa ancestors continues to guide us through traditions, customs, language and beliefs. We strive to govern effectively and maximize our lands and resources for the benefit of all living things and future generations, in accordance with our values and principles. We recognize Ktunaxa rights and title.