Posted on 2025-09-25 19:35:26.385 +0000 UTC
On Friday, September 26, High Prairie School Division will wear orange in honour of the Survivors of Canada's residential schools and the thousands of children whose lives were tragically taken; who never came home. Our schools will be closed on Monday so that staff can participate in Indigenous Education professional development. All schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, September 30 for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
Originating in 2013, Orange Shirt Day was inspired by the personal childhood experience of Phyllis Webstad, a woman of mixed Secwepemc (suh-𝐖𝐞𝐩-muhc) and Irish/French heritage, born in Dog Creek, BC. This day was created as an opportunity to discuss the effects of residential schools and their legacy. It honours the experiences of Indigenous Peoples, celebrates resilience and affirms a commitment that every child matters. In June 2021, the government of Canada passed Bill C-5 to make September 30 a federal statutory holiday, known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Residential schools operated in Canada for over 160 years, and their legacy continues to affect many generations of families in the form of intergenerational trauma, loss of culture, language, identity, and emotional, physical, and psychological scars that persist for Survivors and their descendants. Many, if not all, Indigenous families in our area have relatives who attended these schools.
Several schools in our own vicinity boarded hundreds of children who were, in many cases, forcibly removed from their families and communities:
Grouard (St. Bernard’s) 1894-1957
Roman Catholic Missionary Boarding School
Joussard (St. Bruno’s) 1913-1969
Roman Catholic Missionary Boarding School
Lesser Slave Lake (St. Peter’s) 1895-1932
Anglican Missionary Boarding School
Sturgeon Lake (Calais) 1907-1961
Roman Catholic Missionary Boarding School
Whitefish Lake (St. Andrew's) 1908-1950
Anglican Missionary Boarding School
Wabasca (St. John's) 1902-1966
Anglican Missionary Boarding School
High Prairie School Division is committed to providing education that reflects Canada's true history. Through this work, we affirm that reconciliation must be woven into daily practice and leadership across our Division – ensuring that students, staff, and families learn, reflect, and grow together in truth and respect.
The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line provides 24-hour crisis support to former residential school Survivors and their families free of charge at 1-866-925-4419. For more information on Canada’s residential schools, go to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at nctr.ca.