Today, SOLE students and staff marked the first annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and the 8th annual Orange Shirt Day.

On this day we reflect on the past, honour the survivors and remember the thousands of children who did not survive. We recognize and acknowledge the legacy of residential schools and its significance for Indigenous communities, and nation-to-nation relationship building.

It is also an opportunity for us to learn and educate ourselves about the ongoing impact of the legacy of residential schools on First Nations, Métis and Inuit families and communities. Each of us must take the necessary steps to educate ourselves on Indigenous history and perspectives and the systemic discrimination that’s still ongoing.

This week, we have discussed the history and continuing trauma of residential schools in class. Students wrote messages on orange paper that are now on display at the entrance to the school, and many in our school community wore orange to honour the survivors and victims.

This is just a beginning. We encourage everyone to educate themselves, listen to survivors, and continue to work towards transforming their communities. Reconciliation is a verb.