By Carly Roy, Principal

​Westview Ta na wa Ns7éyxnitm tlá Teltíwet Elementary recently recognized Orange Shirt Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the impact of residential schools on Indigenous peoples and promoting reconciliation. 

Throughout the week, classes had engaged in age-appropriate learnings of residential school and reconciliation through stories, art and discussion. The learnings culminated in school-wide activities on Friday, September 27, where our school engaged in collective learning and activities. 

In the morning, students and staff gathered in the gym in their “Together Time” Groups, 16 multi-age groups, each group named after a Squamish language animal. These together time groups follow students through their educational journeys at Westview, where they connect with students outside of their grade cohort and also with different staff around the school. Our assembly was led by Ms. Grocott, where students learned about the history of Orange Shirt Day through story. Our school then made their way in their groups to create a school wide banner, where students shared their feelings and learnings about residential school.

Our afternoon was spent learning through a story walk, where images from two books (one primary and one intermediate), interspersed with information about residential schools, were placed through the landscape of the school site, so students could engage with this topic in their own way. 

While we spent this important week acknowledging Orange Shirt Day, our commitment towards reconciliation is ongoing and continues to be a central focus here at Westview.