Category: Beyond the Library

National Indigenous History Month

June is National Indigenous History Month, highlighted by National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21. Visit us in the school library, live or online, and join with us as we celebrate and learn more about First Nations, Inuit and Metis history.

source: canada.ca

Surrey Schools Statement on the Kamloops Residential School Burial Site

Statement from Surrey Schools on the horrific news out of Kamloops:

“This past Friday, Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓ pemc First Nation in Kamloops, B.C. announced the discovery of the remains of more than 215 children buried at the site of what was once a residential school. This news was a heartbreaking reminder of the trauma of residential schools, and the impacts that remain in our province today.

To honour these children and all those who suffered trauma and harm at the former residential school in Kamloops, all flags in our district will be flown at half-mast until further notice.

This horrific tragedy serves as a difficult reminder for survivors of residential schools and their families, of the hurt and intergenerational trauma they have endured. We will continue to care for our staff, students, and families in need of our support or resources, and we encourage anyone who needs additional support to reach out to their school. We must all continue to take care of each other.

As a public education institution, the Surrey School District remains committed to revealing and correcting miseducation around the shameful legacy of residential schools and the ongoing need for Truth and Reconciliation. As the Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, once said, “Education got us into this mess and education will get us out of it.”

There cannot be reconciliation without truth and understanding. Our district is committed to having meaningful discussion about the effects of residential schools and the legacy they have left behind. While these conversations on history and the impact of residential schools are taking place within our schools, we encourage families to also continue the learning at home. The Indian Residential School Survivor Society (IRSSS) and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) have several resources on their site for families to learn more.

Our hearts go out to the families of the children and to all communities closely impacted. Please take a moment to reflect on this recent discovery and to reach out and support one another.”

For Support

Original Post at SurreySchools.ca

Earth Day

Today is Earth Day. There are many ways to celebrate and observe this important day. Perhaps you can check out some of these books we have the look at Planet Earth. Find out more about our life on this planet, including ecosystems, climate change, and threats to our environment on this, our only home in the universe.

Earth Day

April 22 is Earth Day.

Although it is pretty insignificant in relation to the entire universe, less than a grain of sand in the ocean of space, the Earth is pretty important to us– it is the only home we have.  All human beings should celebrate the Earth, and protect it.

EnnyIzzy123, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Celebrate Earth Day tomorrow and every April 22. And celebrate life on Earth every day. Earth is the only planet we’ve got.

Find out more:

Yom HaShoah

Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, is the day that Jews around the world remember the six million who perished in the Holocaust.  This year Yom HaShoah begins on the evening of April 7 and continues until sundown on April 8.

Holocaust RemembranceSource: CC / Sienda
Source: CC / Sienda

Find out more about the Holocaust, the systematic mass-murder of more than 6 million Jews, and other groups, targeted by the Nazis and their allies:

Happy International Women’s Day

source: internationalwomensday.com

International Women’s Day is isn’t just important for women. It is essential for everyone. Until women are truly equal and free, the world is not as it should be for any human being.

From internationalwomensday.com:

International Women’s Day is powered by the collective efforts of all.

Collective action and shared ownership for driving gender parity is what makes International Women’s Day impactful. Gloria Steinem, world-renowned feminist, journalist and activist once explained “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.” So make International Women’s Day your day and do what you can to truly make a positive difference for women.

International Women’s Day

Find out more about International Women’s Day:

United Nations

BBC: International Women’s Day 2021

Government of Canada

InternationalWomensDay.com

International Women’s Day is March 8. Be sure to visit the School Library to check out our book displays for our ongoing celebration and observance in the month of March.

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is March 8.  Come by the School Library this March to check out our month long display of books and other materials related to women, feminism, and the ongoing struggle for the equality, rights and freedoms of women in Canada, and around the World.

Here are some more books on display:

#ChooseToChallenge

The theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is “Choose To Challenge.”

Check out this video:

#Choosetochallenge

International Women’s Day is March 8. Be sure to come down to the School Library to check out our display of books and other materials as we “celebrate women’s achievements; raise awareness about women’s equality; lobby for accelerated gender parity.”
(source: internationalwomensday.com)

#IWD2021 #ChooseToChallenge