Vancouver school communities continue learning and reflecting on reconciliation

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a federal statutory holiday observed each September 30. It honours residential school Survivors, their families and communities, commemorates the children who never returned home, and recognizes the lasting effects of Canada’s residential school system. The day fulfils Call to Action 80 and falls at the time of year when Indigenous children were historically taken from their homes to attend residential schools. It coincides with Orange Shirt Day, which grew out of a 2013 spring commemoration of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) residential school in Williams Lake. Phyllis Wenstad’s account of having her new orange shirt taken away on her first day at residential school helped inspire a national movement and the message that Every Child Matters. In 2024, Wenstad visited Queen Victoria Annex to read her book, Every Child Matters. After each page, she shared personal stories, giving students an opportunity to connect with her more deeply.

The two observances also draw attention to the ongoing intergenerational impacts of residential schools, and reflection should continue beyond Sept. 30. Vancouver School Board (VSB) students and staff are continuing to learn, reflect and commit to action on the path to reconciliation. The district’s Indigenous Education Department held workshops to help staff use a Truth and Reconciliation Resource Kit that was given to every school. Queen Alexandra Elementary held an Orange Shirt Day assembly open to the community, followed by a Community Awareness Walk through the neighbourhood. Students at Gladstone Secondary and Norquay Elementary watched a performance by Dancers of Damelahamid, an Indigenous dance company founded on more than five decades of work to revitalize song and dance. VSB said the activities are part of its commitment to continuous learning, with students and educators deepening their understanding of truth, reconciliation and the lasting impacts of residential schools throughout the year.