Honouring Ceremony at Langley School Board Office
May 31, 2022
Dear Parents/Guardians/Students and Staff,
As you may be aware, flags around the District have been lowered to half-mast for the last year. I am sharing an important update with the community about the flags and next steps as part of our truth and reconciliation journey as a District.
On May 27, 2021, Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓ pemc First Nation in Kamloops, BC announced the confirmation of remains of 215 children buried at the site of what was once the Kamloops Indian Residential School. On May 31st, the BC Provincial Government declared that as a sign of respect and way to honour those who suffered trauma and harm at the former residential school, and their families and communities who are mourning, all schools in BC were asked to lower the flags to half-mast until further notice. In accordance with the provincial declaration, all flags were lowered to half-mast at SD35 sites, with an end period to be determined.
In July, the province announced an end to the half-masting period. At that time, the Langley Board of Education approved a motion to keep the flags at half-mast for an indefinite period. At the October 2021 Board of Education meeting, the Board of Education passed the following motion:
“That the Langley Board of Education ask our ya:y̓ əstəl ̕representative and staff to take the half -masting of flags to the ya:y̓ əstəl ̕table to guide trustees on our next steps”
ya:y̓ əstəl̕ is the District’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee. At the November ya:y̓ əstəl̕ meeting, the Board representative asked for guidance and support with respect to how to move forward with finding an appropriate
way to honour the survivors and the children who did not return. The feedback from ya:y̓ əstəl̕ was for this matter to be taken to the leadership of Matsqui, Kwantlen, Katzie and Semiahmoo First Nations. Representatives from
ya:y̓ əstəl̕ met with leadership from each of the four land based Nations. From these meetings, feedback was given on the process, how to move forward in a good way and discussion was started around a more permanent way to honour the residential school survivors and those that did not return.
As part of the feedback, guidance was provided around how to end the half-masting of flags in a way that respects the Nations and the survivors and their families. A motion was brought forward at the Regular Board Meeting of the Langley Board of Education on May 24, 2022 that the School District and Trustees host an Honouring Ceremony after which all flags at all SD35 sites will be returned to full mast. This motion was passed unanimously.
This Honouring Ceremony led by leadership from Kwantlen and Semiahmoo First Nations was held today at the School Board Office. Flags at all SD35 sites will be raised back to full mast before the end of the day. The District expects to proceed with further consultation with the leadership of the local Nations around the creation of a more permanent memorial.
Today’s ceremony was a learning opportunity and a way to help foster healing. It is clear as a District, there is more work needed but this experience was one example of our ongoing commitment to truth and reconciliation and continued work with First Nations partners. We encourage all members of the community to join us on this journey.
Sincerely,
Mal Gill
Superintendent of Schools