Letter to the Community: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 

September 28, 2021

The following letter may cause distress and trigger strong emotions for anyone who may have been impacted by Residential Schools or experienced related trauma in their lives. The District’s priority is student health and well-being. Crisis support lines are available 24 hours daily including the National Indian Residential Schools Support Family Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419. For additional resources, please read here.

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students: 

Re: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 

The federal and provincial governments are formally recognizing September 30th as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours survivors of Residential Schools, the children who didn’t return home, their families, and communities. The day is an opportunity to shed light on our painful shared history and the ongoing impact of colonization, including the Residential School system. Recognizing the day is an important part of our Truth and Reconciliation journey as a District. 

I want to acknowledge that this may be a challenging day for some of our students, staff, and families. It is a reminder for all of us to be respectful of others, mindful of everyone’s lived experiences and identities. I recognize that we are all at different places in our journeys. My hope is for our school communities to work and learn together towards respect, healing and understanding. 

Throughout the week, our schools will be engaging in classroom activities related to teachings about the impact of Residential Schools. I encourage you to talk and listen to your child about their learning. One of the best ways to open the door to these difficult conversations is through reading stories. For resources to support families in their learning, please visit our District website here which references a list of age-appropriate books by Indigenous authors, information, videos and links curated by our District staff. 

As said by the Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, “Education is what got us here, and education is what will get us out.” It is our responsibility as a District to do our part in helping guide our school communities on this journey. Thank you for your ongoing support and taking time to reflect and learn. 

Yours sincerely,

Gord Stewart
Superintendent of Schools