Pink Shirt Day – February 22, 2023

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Pink Shirt Day – February 22, 2023

On Wednesday, February 22, 2023, all HWDSB students and staff are encouraged to wear a pink shirt or display the colour pink, in honour of Pink Shirt Day, a day to raise awareness and stand up against bullying.

Pink Shirt (or Anti-Bullying) Day is an annual national effort to unite and show we are against bullying. The importance of Pink Shirt Day originates from Nova Scotia in 2007. When a student was bullied for wearing a pink shirt on the first day of school, two fellow students took a stand. They encouraged peers to also stand in solidarity by wearing pink to school.

At HWDSB, we believe in building and maintaining a positive culture to support well-being. This year, we emphasize a focus to “Lift Each Other Up.” It is important that we acknowledge the importance of this theme as we embrace diversity and celebrate our unique cultures, identities, and true selves.

Pink Shirt Day 2023 will be the first year that we are marking the occasion with a new Bullying Prevention and Intervention Policy. At its February 13 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the new document that involved months of consultation and collaboration with the Safe Schools Advisory Groups, Policy Working Group and focused consultation with student groups most impacted by bullying; students who are Indigenous, Black, racialized, Two Spirit and LGBTQIA+, and students accessing special education supports and services.

As a result of these contributions, every section of the policy has been changed resulting in an approach that is comprehensive, inclusive, and provides clarity in the areas of bullying prevention, intervention and responding. Your input has, and will continue to, make a difference. The Safe Schools Action Plan team looks forward to upcoming feedback opportunities where advisory groups can share thoughts on the procedures which support the Policy.

Please share how you are participating in Pink Shirt Day by posting on social media using the hashtag #PinkShirtDay and tagging @HWDSB. Here are some other ways students and staff can participate in Pink Shirt Day:

Proudly wear a pink shirt or display pink
Start a conversation about kindness and inclusion
Design your own pink shirt logos or slogans
Create an anti-bullying school banner for all students and staff to sign
Practice random acts of kindness all day long
Have a class discussion around what “kindness starts here” looks like in the classroom
Visit pinkshirtday.ca to learn more

You can also learn more about HWDSB’s bullying prevention and intervention resources for students and families, and the Safe Schools Action Plan continuously guiding our anti-bullying work.

Thank you for considering wearing a pink shirt or displaying pink and encouraging an environment where we can lift each other up.

Sincerely,

Sharon Stephanian
Superintendent on Special Assignment, Safe Schools Action Plan, and Student Well-Being

Resources:

Updated on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

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