Students and staff from the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board (NPSC) recognized the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The day honours the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities.
"Commemoration of this painful piece of Canada’s history is a vital component of reconciliation, which we support in our NPSC Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan," says a news release. "Orange Shirt Day also occurs on September 30 and was honoured in all of our NPSC school throughout the week. This day serves to recognize the legacy of the residential school system and its impacts on generations of Indigenous persons in Canada."
Students and staff from all schools at the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board engaged in a variety of educational activities.
It focused on raising awareness and learning about the history of residential schools in Canada while honouring residential school survivors.
"Indigenous Student Advisory group, Mkwa Doodem at St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Catholic Secondary School (SJSH), passionately facilitated an educational presentation to all students in Grades 9 - 12 dedicated to recognizing the significance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and featured guest speaker Sergeant Chantal Larocque of the Anishinabek Police Service. Sergeant Larocque told students that change begins in our own communities, highlighting how she went from Mattawa to West Nipissing, uplifting both communities, while excelling as a role model for Indigenous youths across the region," says the release.
At Our Lady of Sorrows School (OLS), residential school survivor Judy Couchie met and spoke with students and staff to share about her life and how she lives each day recounting her residential school experience, while focusing on the future and emphasizing the importance of reconciliation.
Students and staff engaged in a drum and dance circle to embrace Judy, centered around healing, and supporting one another.
Various recognition activities were held across the Board, which included school smudging ceremonies, orange shirt days, educational assemblies, and community gatherings to learn from and honour residential school survivors.
