Greater Victoria School District recognizes and supports National Day for Truth and Reconciliation & Truth and Reconciliation Week

Students and staff across the District will recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Truth and Reconciliation Week from September 26th to 30th.

All schools and offices will be closed on Friday, September 30th, to mark the statutory holiday, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which has been known as Orange Shirt Day since 2013.

This year, students and staff will wear orange throughout the week of September 26th to 30th to recognize Orange Shirt Day and Truth and Reconciliation Week. During this time, schools are encouraged to reflect on the legacy of residential schools and engage with the Calls to Action identified in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s final report.

Schools are encouraged to participate in Truth and Reconciliation Week, an online event open to Grade 1 to 12 students. It is a five-day event hosted by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. The event, whose theme this year is “Remembering the Children,” will provide pre-recorded videos, live Q&A sessions and activities for students and educators.

“The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation provides opportunities for our students, educators and staff to deepen their understanding and demonstrate their on-going commitment to learning about the legacy of residential schools,” said Board Chair Ryan Painter. “As a Board and a District, we must continually support Indigenous worldviews and perspectives to demonstrate our commitment to the TRC Calls to Action for Education. We understand the importance of delivering culturally relevant education and September 30th creates the space for us reflect and take into consideration the experiences and well-being of Rightsholders and Indigenous Peoples.”

The BC curriculum is responsive to the Calls to Action on Education, outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Report. It includes the history of the residential school system to educate students and builds intercultural understanding amongst students.

“Our pursuit towards reconciliation will not be performative; it must be based in action. There is important work ahead to ensure that our efforts go beyond a day or a week—and that education for reconciliation continues throughout the entire school year,” said Superintendent Deb Whitten. “We must continue to weave Indigenous ways of knowing into our schools to create a better sense of belonging for our Indigenous students, and for all learners to benefit from these perspectives.”

For more information on learning opportunities, resources for children and families and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Final Report: Calls to Action, visit: https://ied.sd61.bc.ca/

The Greater Victoria School District recognizes and acknowledges the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations, on whose traditional territories, we live, we learn, and we do our work.

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