Message from Ms. Davidson

Today we stand for the search for openness and truth. Orange Shirt Day or National Truth and Reconciliation Day is a very small, symbolic, beginning in the journey to reconciliation for our Indigenous peoples, our Maskwacis friends, neighbors, students, families and colleagues. The privileged place at which many of us exist can make it difficult to understand the depth and breadth of atrocities imposed on Indigenous peoples throughout history and up to the present day. The legacy of residential schools has cut deeply across the swath of our humanness, providing a breeding ground for systemic racism and intergenerational trauma. For a moment, step into the reality of having your child taken away from you, to an unknown place, knowing you may never see them again. The thought is chilling. We challenge all our community members: students, staff, families and community partners to check themselves, to open a door for understanding, to be aware of personal language and discourse. In addition to embedded teaching and discussions about Indigenous culture and knowledge, we will be commemorating a day for Truth and Reconciliation on the last day of each month. We have much to learn.