Orange T-Shirt Day

Hi All,

At HWDSB, we respect the longstanding relationships with the local Indigenous communities, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River. On Thursday, September 30, we wear orange to honour the story of Phyllis Webstad, who in the early 1970s had her orange shirt taken away on her first day at the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) Residential School in British Columbia. The orange shirt is symbolic of how Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their homes, families and communities to attend state and church-led schools that stripped them of their culture, language and identity. This created irreversible harm from which many families still suffer. We encourage you to wear orange on Thursday, September 30 to honour the children whose lives were lost and the survivors of Residential Schools.

For family resources please visit: https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/elementary/supports/indigenous-education/