PRPS Commemorates Truth and Reconciliation Week

From September 26-29, students and staff in Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) will observe and participate in Truth and Reconciliation week leading up to the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th. 

Respecting the calls to action from Indigenous leaders towards reconciliation in Canada, September 30th is a non-instructional day in PRPS and school facilities will be closed. This is in line with Call to Action 80 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which calls for the establishment of a federal statutory holiday to honour survivors, their families, and communities, to ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

“As educators, it is our role to listen and reflect on the history and teachings of our Indigenous peoples,” says Superintendent Reagan Weeks. “To do this, not only must we provide opportunities for our students to learn about reconciliation, but we as a staff must also actively participate in the learning and teachings ourselves.”

At the PRPS division-wide staff professional learning day on September 29th, a significant focus will be on building understanding and knowledge related to reconciliation. A keynote session will be led by Cowboy Smithx, a Blackfoot filmmaker from the Piikani Nation and Kainai Nation in Southern Alberta. Smithx is best known for his work on a featured documentary entitled Elder in the Making, which focuses on reconciliation between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal Peoples of Canada.

Leading up to the PD day, students across PRPS schools will actively participate in their own learning opportunities. This will include Orange Shirt Day, where students and staff wear orange t-shirts to recognize the legacy of the residential school system. Additionally, through partnerships with members of local Indigenous communities, students will participate in traditional activities focused on culture and traditions. These traditional learnings will be enhanced through dedicated literacy centres featuring books and poems about the Canadian Indigenous experience.

To find out more about specific activities related to Truth and Reconciliation in Prairie Rose, please contact your local school or PRPS Communications.