School District No. 83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap) |
We continue our journey towards truth and reconciliation in School District No. 83 in a multitude of ways, including teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Indigenous history. Orange Shirt Day was designed to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. Social distancing measures changed how we acknowledged this important day this year, but not the statement. |
|
District Principal of Indigenous Education - Anne Tenning |
Orange Shirt Day happens at the beginning of every school year and is a reminder of the incredible strength and resilience of Indigenous people. Residential Schools were a painful part of Canada's history, and the repercussions are still felt in many Indigenous families and communities today. But, the healing powers of love, honesty, connection, and understanding are helping Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people to move beyond this dark legacy and strengthen our relationships to each other in the spirit of reconciliation. Every Sept. 30th, I think about my mother, Elizabeth Tenning, who attended Kuper Island Residential School. She is the most amazing person I know, and I admire her kind, loving personality despite everything that she has been through. I thank every student, staff member, classroom, and school who acknowledged Orange Shirt Day this year. |
|
Due to COVID-19, Len Wood Middle School could not gather as a whole school community on Orange Shirt Day. As such, we honoured our shared residential school history through a classroom lesson plan created by the Indigenous team and delivered to all students by their classroom teacher. Students began the lesson by revisiting the history of residential schools in Canada and the importance of Orange Shirt Day through discussion and videos. The lesson then developed the idea of truth and reconciliation with a focus on how strength and courage play a significant role in moving residential school survivors forward into a hopeful future. The lesson ended with the students listening to the original song "Worthy" created by members of the Adam's Lake Indian Band. Students were then asked to reflect on a time that they demonstrated strength and courage to overcome a difficult situation in their own lives and create a message on their orange shirt. Although it was disappointing to not be able to gather as a whole group to commemorate the residential school experience and honour the journey or residential school survivors, Len Wood Middle School staff and students were able to recognize this important day in a meaningful way and commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation.
|
|
Salmon Arm West Elementary |
On September 30, to recognize Orange Shirt Day at Salmon Arm West, students first watched and talked about the video by Phyllis Webstad. Students and staff then joined at the Shannon Sharp Learning Circle to recognize the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwepemc people and to honour Inuit, Metis, and First Nations residential school survivors. A moment of silence was observed for those who did not survive the residential school system. As part of our commitment to truth and reconciliation, students wrote messages of hope and kindness on hearts and placed them around the Learning Circle. Our message to all: the Indigenous peoples of Canada matter and every child matters. Kukwstsetsemc. Thank you. |
|
Ranchero & Silver Creek Elementary |
This year at both Ranchero and Silver Creek elementary school, Indigenous Education Worker, Chelsey Beckman, read You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith to the primary classes and The Orange Shirt Story by Phyllis Webstad to the intermediate classes. You Hold Me Up encourages children to show love and support for each other and to consider each other’s well-being in their everyday actions. You Hold Me Up also promotes dialogue amongst our littlest citizen’s, their classmates, and families about reconciliation and the utmost importance of healthy relationships, empathy, love, compassion, and respect for all. While Phyllis Webstad’s The Orange Shirt Story has inspired thousands and thousands of people to honour residential school survivors and their families as we affirm “EVERY CHILD MATTERS” on September 30th every year. Reading and celebrating both of these Indigenous authors stories allowed room for many rich discussions around Residential Schools, resistance, perseverance, the children who did not make it home, speaking our truths, honouring Indigenous culture, safe school settings, and interconnectedness. Each Student participated in expressive art projects, which reflected on their own thoughts, connections, and emotions towards how every child matter, our fallen feathers, those individuals that hold us up in our lives, and how we can hold others up in their lives.
|
|
At Bastion, the students designed paper t-shirts with messages that "Every Child Matters" on each one. Artwork was displayed in our hallways. |
|
South Canoe School
South Canoe School honoured Orange Shirt Day by wearing orange, watching a series of educational videos, and listening to stories shared by teachers. IEW Alex Johnson shared resources for books, videos, and activities with all teachers before Orange Shirt Day.
|
|
At Shuswap Middle School, Theresa Johnson and Kaeli Hawrys visited every class to read "The Orange Shirt Story" by Phyllis Webstad in preparation for Orange Shirt Day. Students then created artwork on a feather to be part of a school collage. As a collective, each class in our school watched a 5-minute excerpt of Chanie Wenjack's story The Secret Path on Orange Shirt day.
|
|
Here are some of the wonderful things that were shared at Jackson for Orange Shirt Day. During these interesting times, we were very fortunate to have our Ali Thabo Caves encourage teachers to sign up for the virtual webinar by Phyllis Webstad. Tekki Brown, our Indigenous Success teacher, added extra resources for a virtual share. Many students talked about some of the video clips they watched during the morning and one of our teachers mentioned that it was very thought provoking. From early in the morning, Nicole Sutherland, Tekki Brown, and Amanda Bailey were outside scraping a deer hide to build a drum. We set up a display with the Territory map of Residential Schools and what the lands looked like pre-contact. On one table, we had some of our own personal work and gifts just to share some of the beautiful work of our community members and how great it is to share culture and stories. We have some avid student hunters in our school, and during each lunch time break, many of them came outside to connect with us. Students shared stories and spoke about the importance of respecting the land. Some people were walking through and even stopped to inquire what Orange Shirt Day was about, which was very interesting to educate people from our community who were just walking by. Much gratitude to the staff and students for their support of Orange Shirt Day 2020 here at Jackson Campus. |
|
On September 30th, 2020 North Canoe recognized residential school survivors and those who did not survive. We read Phyllis Webstad’s story to each class and participated in discussions regarding Indigenous content. We focused on Phyllis’s story to educate students on the importance of recognizing every child’s individual identity. We talked about how “Every Child Matters” and how no child should ever feel how Phyllis felt when she attended residential school - like she did not matter. We made large orange shirts out of paper: each student was given a piece of the shirt and when it was pieced together, it made up a whole shirt. Each piece made up a different part of the shirt every piece was unique just like every child is unique - one piece was not more important than the other. The children at North Canoe drew things that mattered to them on their piece and glued the shirt together to make it whole. |
|
M.V. Beattie students and staff honoured Orange Shirt Day on Wednesday, September 30th. We started our day with a morning announcement to recognize the significance of this special day and to acknowledge the traditional territory of the Secwepemc People. As well as wearing orange shirts to show support, each class talked about residential schools and the effects of residential schools (age appropriate for each grade). Classes had individual activities and learning experiences going on throughout the day, and each student and staff participated in a large school wide art project. Amy handed out paper butterflies to each student and staff member, who then wrote what they are most thankful for at school on their butterfly. The butterflies were gathered to create a large butterfly to honour all of the students and families affected by Residential School, and to represent that M.V. Beattie’s school community will continue to ensure Every Child Matters.
|
|
Pleasant Valley Secondary |
PVSS acknowledged Orange Shirt Day with a 32 foot information installation that was up for a week. We also served chili and bannock for the entire school. Diane Jewell come out to work with a few students to make bannock. Ms Woolnough, Ms Threatful, and some foods and leadership students looked after the chili and serving for the other students and staff. Three other leadership students assisted with the installation with Tori Jewell and Ms. Thomas. |
|
Carlin Elementary Middle School |
On September 30th, 2020, Carlin Elementary/Middle school honoured Orange Shirt Day by participating in learning activities, watching educational videos, and wearing orange. Barb LeBeau and Alex Johnson facilitated their own lessons educating students about residential schools and their survivors. Alex Johnson led lessons starting with a video of survivor Chief Robert Joseph sharing his story, followed by student questions, finished with trivia. Throughout our lessons, we had meaningful discussion. For younger cohorts, we read, “The Orange Shirt Day Story” and asked students what they appreciate about school, in contrast to questions that challenged the older students to understand the effects of residential schools and how they worked. |
|
At Parkview Elementary each class found its own way to remember and observe Orange Shirt Day. Classes read books, watched videos and read-aloud stories, and wrote letters as well as created their own orange shirts to display in their class or take home. Classes discussed and read many stories throughout the end of September and into October about residential schools. Ms. Hannis' Grade 5 class has been working through "Gladys We Never Knew" resources and have also participated in a class blanket exercise. Mrs. Mathews' Grade 6 class have been working through the Secret Path by watching and discussing each song and will be starting an art project making their version of the Parliament's Stained-Glass Window Commemorating the Legacy of Indian Residential Schools.
|
|
At Hillcrest, each class read a story about Orange Shirt Day or watched Phyllis Webstad's video and created an orange shirt that is displayed in the hall. Grade 3 - 5 classes had each student write a message to the children of Residential Schools. The K to Grade 2 classes either decorated a shirt or wrote a message that celebrated how all students matter at Hillcrest School. Most classes discussed Residential Schools throughout the end of September by watching many read-aloud stories as a class. Mrs. Menzies Grade 5 class is working through the Secret Path by watching and discussing each song and will be starting an art project making their version of the Parliament's Stained-Glass Window Commemorating the Legacy of Indian Residential Schools. |
|
The students of Eagle River Secondary acknowledged Orange Shirt Day in a number of ways. In the days leading up to Orange Shirt Day, we had student announcements with facts and statistics about residential schools. This set the tone for September 30th, where we saw many staff and students in orange. In the afternoon, leadership students went to each class to deliver a presentation on residential schools and reconciliation. This was a great way to see student involvement and understanding of what reconciliation looks like. Students were then asked to trace their hands on orange paper, and write their name and a message. The leadership students then used these to create an “Every Child Matters” display. |
|
At Highland Park Elementary, Orange Shirt Day was recognized by all. We honoured and remembered the Indigenous children of the Residential Schools, their families and their cultures in a variety of ways, through song, respectful discussion, reading stories aloud, sharing videos and art projects. We emphasized the importance of acknowledging, accepting and treasuring the differences among us all. Every child matters.
|
|
AL Fortune recognized Orange Shirt Day with 3 Assemblies in remembrance of our Ancestors and our Elders who experienced the Residential School System in BC and in Canada. AL Fortune invited guest speaker Meredith Rusk, SD83 Indigenous Helping Teacher to speak about the history and repercussions of the Residential School system in Canada and BC. Meredith spoke about recognition of the Residential Experience and how all people today can take "Reconciliation" to move forward in the "Healing" for Indigenous people, their families and communities.
AL Fortune Traditional Drum Team sang the Secwepemc Kuctstamac Song to our special guests: Doug Thomas, Splatsin Coucillor; Anne Tenning, SD83 Dist. Principal of Indigenous Ed.; Darrell Jones, Splatsin Ed. Director; Nerissa Joseph, Splatsin Ed. Assistant for attending. Three Assemblies were completed to recognize and respect the Cohorts due to COVID 19 for the safety of all who attended. The AL Fortune Traditional Drum Group also sang a Secwepemc Honor Song for the Indigenous Ancestors and Elders who experienced the residential School system in Canada and BC. A Shout Out to the AL Fortune Traditional Drum Group for organizing the AL Fortune Orange Shirt Day!
|
|
|
|
We had a beautiful Orange Shirt Day at Sorrento Elementary. Mrs. Nitschke, with help and support from Barb LeBeau, Tara Willard and Sherrelle Anderson, lead a fabulous and meaningful outdoor ceremony of story, drumming and acts of reconciliation today. Students in Div 1-5 and 6-10, participated in two separate outdoor gatherings. Our students conducted themselves with respect,, pride and genuine engagement. A very special day. |
|
|
Salmon Arm Senior Secondary |
Today is Orange Shirt Day - a day to listen, to learn, to support and to acknowledge the history of Indigenous culture and people in Canada, including the long-lasting effects of Residential Schools.
Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission Residential School commemoration project held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, on May 2013. This event grew from Phyllis Webstad’s story. As a young 6-year-old indigenous girl, Phyllis’ shiny new orange shirt was taken away from her on the first day of school at the St. Joseph Mission. The way she was treated at this residential school made her feel like she didn’t matter, that no one cared, and that she was worthless. Why Orange Shirt Day? Orange Shirt Day has become an opportunity for schools and communities to remember the impact residential schools have had on Indigenous culture and on Canadian history.
· This day is designed to acknowledge the 150 000 school-aged Indigenous children forcibly taken from their families and removed from their land by the Canadian government between 1830 and 1990.
· Residential schools were established by the Canadian government to control and transform Indigenous people.
· While attending residential schools, Indigenous students were not allowed to speak their language and were forced to abandon their cultural traditions.
· Thousands of former residential school survivors have come forward with stories of how they were isolated from their families for years, taught they were inferior, and abused in various ways.
· Tragically, over 4000 children died while attending residential schools.
· In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada published a report that called on all Canadians to learn about this part of our history and to acknowledge the abuses that many people suffered.
· The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada also invites us to recognize, learn about and celebrate the diverse Indigenous cultures in our country and the valuable contributions of Indigenous people throughout time.
Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity for our school to come together, to honour and remember residential school survivors and their families, to recognize that Every Child Matters, and to be reminded that discrimination or bullying of any kind has no place in our school or society.
|
|
Classes spent time discussing the issues around reconciliation and this will continue as the year goes on. Kasey Joseph and Jeff Abbott have developed a plan for our school, including friendship clubs. One of the themes this year is to delve into the history of the Secwepmec People in the Shuswap area. |
|
Orange Shirt Day was observed by all classes through readings of the following books: Shi-shi-etko, Shin-chi's Canoe, OSD Phyllis Webstad's story, "When I was Eight." Many classes followed up their learning by colouring an "Every Child Matters" hand, and writing supportive words that we might share with residential school survivors. In addition, Grade 7/8's tuned into the live stream and watched the new resource video from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. Grade 5/6 class worked on a play that they wrote about residential schools; It is still in the works. The Grade 2/3 class had ongoing teachings and readings while doing the heart exercise: identifying all the “things” that were taken away from Indigenous children / families and writing it in a giant heart. As they learned through stories about what was taken away they slowly took pieces out of that heart. Eventually, they will talk about resiliency and healing, to mend the broken heart. Staff and students wore Orange shirts to recognize this day to honour and remember Residential School Survivors and the intergenerational effects of the Residential school system. |
|
All of the classes at Armstrong Elementary did their own acknowledgment of Orange Shirt Day, with a class activity. They also participated in helping create some awareness throughout the school, by wearing their orange shirts, and coloring orange shirts for display. Staff also participated by wearing their orange shirts |
|
South Broadview Elementary |
South Broadview acknowledged Orange Shirt day through several mediums. We placed an information bulletin board at our school entrance including photos and stats. Kindergarten students created an orange shirt bulletin board with paper t-shirt messages and a giving tree. All classes in the school participated in an age appropriate book reading and follow up discussion. Lastly two of our intermediate classes embarked on novel studies pertaining to residential school. The majority of our staff and students wore orange shirts and all students created orange beaded bracelets to wear in honour of the day. |
|
Indigenous Education Department
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
