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UCDSB Schools Honour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
UCDSB Schools Honour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Posted on 09/30/2021

Indigenous education, teaching truths and committing to reconciliation is woven into the every-day curriculum and culture at the Upper Canada District School Board. Today, students and staff showcased interactive community displays and stunning artwork, held outdoor ceremonies, planted heart gardens, and so much more, all to commemorate the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. Here are a few examples of how our students, staff and community came together:

iLead Student Representative Fisher Horn and UCDSB Indigenous Educator Bill Montgomery outline the significance for today:



 

UCDSB Partners up for Community Education Event in Brockville 

Students at both Gananoque Secondary School  and Thousand Islands Secondary School reviewed the 94 recommendations of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission in their classes. They then set up a walk-through exhibition in Brockville’s Hardy Park, where community members were invited to read and learn more about these Calls to Actions. The UCDSB partnered with a planning committee for this event which integrated the theme of “Kanona’kwa,” the Haudenosaunee word for “Community.” The event included elders attending, drummers were on site and there was a ceremony circle as well.

UCDSB

Seaway District High School Students Create Path to Truth and Reconciliation 

Seaway District High School students started the process to create a path to Truth and Reconciliation on the school grounds. With students designing individual artwork on stones, the project will ultimately see the creation of a path using the stones. The  initiative occurred thanks to the Iroquois school’s Link Crew Leadership and Construction classes.

Roxmore Public School Shows How Every Child Matters 

Each student at Roxmore Public School decorated a strip of construction paper earlier this week. Each strip was turned into a link connecting all pieces together to form an orange paper chain that hung throughout the school. The message for this activity is that “Every Child Matters”.


St. Lawrence Secondary School Sets up Interactive Display

A group of students at  St. Lawrence Secondary School in Cornwall ensured that each student and staff had the opportunity to reflect and learn about today’s significance while at school through an interactive displayThis beautiful display showcases student artwork, statistics and poetry that honours the victims and survivors of Residential Schools.  


Pakenham Public School Students Donate items to Honour the Day

Pakenham Public School students Liam and Savannah donated a Shabot Obaadijiwan First Nations People flag to the school today. The proceeds from the sale of this flag went towards supporting the Shabot Obaaijiwan's Cultural Centre. As well, student Gabe donated 

 "Every Child Matters" stickers to each student in his classroom to wear today with pride. 


Pakenham PS

 

South Crosby Public School Spells Out Their Support 

As a school-wide activity, staff and students from South Crosby Public School in Elgin went outdoors and came together to create the human-size spelling of a powerful message: “Today We Acknowledge.”

SCPS


Char-Lan District High School Commemorates Day with Hoop Dancer 

Char-Lan District High School welcomed Feryn King, an Indigenous hoop dancer, to perform an outdoor dance to the song ‘Unforgotten’ by Indigenous artist Iskwe. Williamstown Public School also attended the event, bringing together the school communities for the outdoor event. 


Almonte District High 
School Hosts Outdoor Smudging Ceremony
 

Almonte District High School hosted an Indigenous Smudging Ceremony to commemorate residential school victims, survivors, and their family members and an outdoor assembly where staff and students planted a heart garden. Students decorated the halls of the school with Orange Shirt Day artwork and they plan to dedicate a page in the yearbook to this special day.

 

ADHS

These are just some examples of the good things happening in our schools to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. While today is a significant day, our school board remains committed to continue to further integrate Indigenous cultural history, traditions and lessons into our schools and curriculum all year round.

See the below photo gallery for more ways our schools commemorated the day.

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