This week, students and staff across Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) are wearing orange in commemoration of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day, coinciding with Orange Shirt Day, is one of learning, reminding Canadians about the history of residential schools, and honouring the survivors and victims of the residential school system.
Glen Allan Elementary students decorated a tree mural with their handprint cutouts, displaying messages of kindness and reconciliation.
"Education is an important step on the road toward reconciliation, and wearing the orange shirt is an easy way to start the conversation with students," says Colleen Holowaychuk, Board Chair of EIPS. "It creates an opportunity for reflection, learning and dialogue, while reminding us of the role we all play in reconciliation."
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation takes place on September 30, a divisionwide school-closure day. As a result, EIPS schools will observe both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and Orange Shirt Day on September 29. While schools are closed for the day, EIPS encourages everyone to commemorate the day through quiet reflection, participation in community events or in other ways that are most meaningful to them.
"Truth and Reconciliation is a responsibility we carry together," says Taryn Donald, First Nations, Métis and Inuit Curriculum Consultant for EIPS. "Schools and educators have an important role in creating opportunities for students and staff to learn from Indigenous voices, understand the truths of our shared history and build relationships grounded in respect, belonging and reciprocity."
In addition to wearing orange on September 29, schools throughout EIPS are spending the week participating in activities to deepen knowledge and understand the impacts of residential schools and other acts of colonization. Activities include stories of survivors, smudging ceremonies, lessons about residential schools and their ongoing impacts, and engaging in the topic through art, storytelling and dialogue. Some school-specific details include:
Forest Grove School: Each floor of the school will display age-appropriate interactive installations. Kindergarten to Grade 3 will place small paper orange shirts within a large orange shirt display, grades 4 to 6 are creating paper handprints with their own statements of reconciliation and grades 7 to 9 will place the name of a residential school student on their locker. There will also be a video assembly and a moment of silence, followed by a sharing circle.
Glen Allan Elementary: Will have a paper tree on the wall where all students will place cutouts of their hands in orange. The hands will feature kind words on them, while the tree symbolizes continual learning and understanding. On September 29, staff and students will be encouraged to wear orange shirts.
Heritage Hills Elementary: Grades 4 to 6 students will create origami t-shirts. The entire school will tie an orange ribbon on the fence in front of the school with messages of kindness and acceptance. All classrooms will learn about sharing circles so they can create their own sharing circle atmosphere in their classroom.
Vegreville Composite High: Art students are creating "Every Child Matters" designs for orange shirts. Students will learn about the significance of Orange Shirt Day through classroom presentations and reflection activities, including writing messages of Truth and Reconciliation. The school will also offer an Indigenous lunch featuring soup and bannock, followed by an outdoor smudge ceremony on October 1.
For more information on EIPS First Nations, Métis and Inuit education visit eips.ca.
