November 11th, 2020

Across our board today, we will mark Remembrance Day.

We honour all Canadians that have served and are serving to protect our country. This includes the recognition and significant contributions of those identifying as Indigenous, Black, Sikh, Chinese, French, Jewish, Muslim, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized communities who served for Canada, who too often go unacknowledged in historical teachings and commentary.

We are grateful for their service.

We also cannot overlook the fact that some of our students and staff have experienced war first hand, which may impact how individuals choose to acknowledge this day. Similarly, for some, the history of war may bring remembrance of events like the internment of Japanese Canadians during the war, the refusal to keep commitments to First Nations, Metis and Inuit soldiers and the unintended impacts of overseas conflicts.

It is important for us as a board to pause on Remembrance Day to reflect on the past, acknowledge the challenges of our present, and hope for a more peaceful future.

Remembering virtually

Whether connected in-person or virtually, our students and staff will honour the people who fought for our freedom, sacrificed their lives, and continue to serve our country.

For the past four years, we have livestreamed Remembrance Day ceremonies from inside our schools to our greater WRDSB community.

This year, in the midst of this global pandemic, how and where we take the time to pause, reflect and commemorate the service and sacrifice of those who have served and continue to serve their country, will look different.

Because our schools could not gather for a formal ceremony, we wanted to continue the tradition of sharing the artwork, presentations, performances, personal reflections and tributes our students and staff put together to honour Remembrance Day 2020.

Please take a moment to reflect and listen to their messages.

O Canada


Presentations



In Flanders Fields





Poems





Spoken Word


Artwork

A bulletin board filled with pictures of students holding poppies with a “Lest We Forget” poster in the middle. The artwork is provided by Country Hills PS.

A Canadian flag, made with hand and footprints dipped in red paint, is provided by a teacher in our Elementary Distance Learning Program and her daughter, an Empire PS student.

Flags

To mark Remembrance Day, flags at all WRDSB schools and buildings are lowered to half-mast from sunrise to sunset.

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