Commemorating Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Across Our Schools
This past week, students and staff across the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board (NPSC) gathered to honour Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, engaging together in prayer, learning, storytelling, music, and reflection. These activities reflect our commitment to remember the children who never returned home from residential schools, to honour Survivors and their families, and to affirm our shared responsibility in reconciliation.
Learning and Engagement in Our Classrooms
Across our schools, students engaged in meaningful, age-appropriate activities to deepen their understanding of residential schools and the ongoing journey toward reconciliation. From reading books such as Phyllis’s Orange Shirt, Stolen Words, and When We Were Alone, to participating in guided discussions, art projects, and the creation of collaborative classroom displays, students explored the significance of the message Every Child Matters.
Many classrooms incorporated hands-on projects — including designing symbolic orange shirt artwork and writing promises of kindness and respect — to connect learning with personal insight and action. Students also engaged with Indigenous teachings and prayers, honouring the cultural richness and resilience of Indigenous communities. These activities nurtured empathy, understanding, and the importance of caring for one another in our Catholic education community.
Community Partners Sharing Knowledge and Wisdom
We are deeply grateful to the Survivors, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers who joined our schools to share their stories and teachings. Their presence reminded us that reconciliation requires humility, a willingness to listen, and an openness to learn. Through storytelling, ceremony, and personal testimony, these shared moments created spaces of respect, healing, and unity.
A Survivor’s Story at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Elementary School
At Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Elementary School, students and staff were honoured to welcome Elder and Residential School Survivor June Commanda, who shared her personal story. Her testimony offered a direct and powerful connection to the history of residential schools, leaving a lasting impact on those who listened.
The gathering included reflections from Indigenous Graduation Coach Mr. Mowat and a song led by Ms. VanBeek, fostering a spirit of respect and unity. Students also practiced communicating in Anishinaabemowin, asserting the language’s importance, beauty, and our schools’ commitment to its revitalization. For students and staff, the opportunity to hear directly from June highlighted the courage, strength, and resilience of Indigenous peoples, and reinforced the importance of carrying forward the truth of these lived experiences.
L-R: Stacey Malette, Principal, Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Elementary School; Paula Mann, Director of Education, NPSC; June Commanda, Elder and Residential School Survivor; Mrs. Candace Fisher, Teacher, Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Elementary School; Jody Weller, Superintendent of Education, NPSC.
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Elder and Residential School Survivor June Commanda speaks with a class of students at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Elementary School.
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Sharing Music and Teachings at St. Victor Catholic Elementary School
On September 30, St. Victor Catholic Elementary School was blessed with a visit from Char Guilbeault and the Drumming Sisters, who shared music and Indigenous teachings, creating a space where students and staff could engage deeply in reflection, respect, and unity. Through their talents and powerful presence, they offered gifts of knowledge, wisdom, and healing, guiding students and staff in honouring, remembering, and recognizing the importance of truth and reconciliation.
Students and staff from St. Victor Catholic Elementary School gather in a circle as Char Guilbeault and the Drumming Sisters perform a song.
Peace Park Opening Ceremony at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary School
Another meaningful moment took place at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary School (OLF) with the official opening of the school’s new Peace Park. Principal Micheline Lamarche welcomed students and staff to the ceremony, which was led by Knowledge Keeper and community partner George Couchie. The ceremony opened with a prayer and smudge, followed by a drumming song performed by OLF students and George together.
George explained that the drum connects us to the earth, mimicking the steady heartbeat of a mother that is consistently heard by her child in the womb.
Every detail of the Peace Park reflects care and intention. The circle-shaped bench opens to the East, a direction that represents life and vitality in Anishinaabe tradition. Surrounding the bench are cedar flower boxes blooming with orange chrysanthemums, also known as fall mums, which are brilliant in colour and possess a unique ability to withstand the elements – another symbol that represents the brilliance and resilience of Indigenous peoples and especially those impacted by residential schools.
Over the course of the ceremony, as George explained the significance of the Anishinaabe teachings that informed its processes, he emphasized that Indigenous communities hold various traditions and teachings, underscoring the diversity of Indigenous cultures.
Knowledge Keeper George Couchie drums with a group of students at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary School near the new Peace Park.
Walking Together
Students of St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Catholic Secondary School, accompanied by Indigenous Graduation Coach Ms. Ashley Windsor, participated in the Every Child Matters Walk, joining community members along the shores of Lake Nipissing to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This public act of remembrance reinforced the importance of walking together in truth and healing.
A group of students from St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Catholic Secondary School at the Every Child Matters Walk at Lee Park in North Bay.
A Shared Responsibility
This week’s events across our schools remind us that reconciliation is a continuous journey — one that calls for honesty, courage, and compassion. As a Catholic education community, we remain committed to walking this path together with our students, staff, families, and Indigenous community partners.
To learn more about how our NPSC schools recognized this important day, visit our NPSC Facebook page.