Updated October 4, 2021 – Orange Shirt Day photos from our schools
During this week and on September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, each of the schools in Pembina Hills will honour survivors, their families and communities, and ensure a public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools. This day coincides with Orange Shirt Day, which carries a very important message: that every child matters.
Pembina Hills School Division recognizes that the term “reconciliation” carries a lot of responsibility to create a better future for all Canadians. In this regard, all of our schools have been planning numerous learning opportunities for our students as we continue to develop deeper understandings of our Canadian history and the important contributions of Indigenous Peoples. All schools and regional offices will lower flags to half mast as we continue to recognize the cultural diversity and strength of Indigenous People.
Teachers have been accessing a growing set of resources and content to support learning about the experiences of Indigeneous People in Canada and especially the legacy of the impact of Residential Schools. We also invite parents to explore content on the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation website at https://nctr.ca/education/trw/.
While some PHSD schools have activities planned for the whole school, others are planning age-appropriate learning activities for students in classrooms. We look forward to seeing students and staff wearing their Orange Shirts on Thursday. Check out your school’s website and newsletters for pictures and stories.
A federal holiday
About 60% of school boards in the province decided to change September 30, 2021 to a non-instructional day. Pembina HIlls is one of the boards who has chosen to honor the day while keeping it as an instructional day—at least for this year. We are committed to consulting with school councils, school administrators, students and the Indigenous community as we plan for the 2022-2023 school year. We have been told by the Minister of Education to expect some information from the Deputy Minister to help inform future decision-making on the status of this federal holiday.
Thank you for supporting learning in Pembina Hills schools.