Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows School District students and staff will honour residential school survivors and their families by participating in Orange Shirt Day activities and virtual events on Wednesday, September 30, 2020.
“Now is the time for the courageous conversations to recognize the lasting impacts of residential schools within our Indigenous communities,” said Kirsten Urdahl-Serr, acting principal Aboriginal Education.
To help raise awareness and understanding of the legacy of residential schools and engage in the process of reconciliation, the SD42 Aboriginal Education department has created a list of resources and activities for teachers, students and families at https://abed.sd42.ca/
On September 30, the Ab Ed department will also be hosting Orange Shirt Day virtual events for elementary and secondary students that will include drumming, powwow dancing and an educational video about St. Mary’s residential school in Mission.
“As a system, we need to collectively accept our responsibility to ensure our students with ancestry are provided the utmost attention and care during their educational journey while also ensuring all students learn the rich cultural history of our First Peoples,” added Urdahl-Serr.
For more about the history of Orange Shirt Day, please visit OrangeShirtDay.org