Response to Kamloops Residential School tragedy

Dear parents,

It with with deep sadness that I join all people around the world in mourning the loss of the 215 children found last week at the Kamloops Residential School. It is hard to put into words how something like this could ever have happened, and very challenging to try and explain to our children (or anyone for that matter). It is important as a school community to recognize and join the Indigenous people in solidarity as they deal with the grief that has come about as a result of this tragedy. Last night I had the opportunity to speak with Deacon Rennie Nahanee, a Catholic deacon who is also a member of the Squamish First Nation, in hopes of getting some advice on how we can respond to this event as a school community. With the youngest child being around 3 and the oldest around 16, this is a very sensitive subject matter that must be very carefully approached with our students. At this point in time, we have decided to acknowledge this tragedy by lowering our flag to half mast, praying the attached prayer together, wearing orange tops this week, and writing prayers on paper shoes that will cover our school hallways. Your child is invited to wear an orange top this week if they would like to. Our school mass will be dedicated to the souls of these children. Teachers will be responding to questions from students and approaching the subject matter in a way that is suitable for the age. Although we do not know how these children died, no individual deserves to be buried in an unmarked/ undocumented mass grave. The important thing to recognize is that we do not know how these children died- we can only pray that these children did not suffer at the hands of another human being. We hope to have some direction in the coming days on how best to approach this with our students. If your child is struggling with this, please do not hesitate to reach out to me and let me know so that I can provide support. Please pray for the souls of these children, their families and all Indigenous people around the world who mourn their death.

Jesus – gentle Saviour, forgiving and humble of heart,
Good Shepherd, Divine Healer, Great Lover of all peoples:
We offer you our sorrow
For the wrongs committed Against our First Nations’ children in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools.
We offer you our desire
To walk with our First Nations brothers and sisters;
To journey with them
On the path of truth, healing and reconciliation,
As we share this earthly pilgrimage to our heavenly homeland,
Where every tear will be wiped away
And every sorrow will be turned to joy. Give us one heart and one mind
To walk forward together along this path
In the love and strength of your Spirit, In truth, reconciliation and peace. We make this prayer
In the power of your Most Holy Name.

Amen

God bless,

C. Heah
Principal