September 30th is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. 

The Windsor Essex-Catholic District School Board is committed to sharing the true history and legacy of residential schools, acknowledging the harm that has been done and honouring the strength and resilience of Survivors, their families and communities. Together, we will center this truth in the spirit of healing relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians, toward our board’s vision of “building communities of faith, hope and service”. 

As part of our commitment and in the spirit of healing, each school will uniquely honour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with opportunities for reflection as a community through acknowledgement, prayers, and school awareness and allyship activities. All staff and students are being encouraged to wear orange shirts as a visible symbol of remembrance and respect and to inspire students to take action to promote reconciliation within themselves, their schools, their families and their communities.

As a necessary step on the road toward reconciliation, we affirm our commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action for Education (#62, 63) to “embed Indigenous cultures, histories, perspectives and contributions in the curriculum (K-12), including learning about the history and legacy of residential schools, in age-appropriate ways”. This work is done in acknowledging the truth, which must come before any reconciliation can occur. We strive to build intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect in our school communities.

We recognize the need for ongoing learning and sharing of the truth to take meaningful action as a system this National Truth and Reconciliation Day and beyond.