
This week is Secret Path Week and here are the activities that everyone can participate in as we all walk along the path towards reconciliation. We are challenging everyone to walk or run laps around the school all week long for our Walk for Wenjack. Our goal is to log 600km to represent the distance between the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in Kenora and Chanie Wenjack’s home on the Marten Falls First Nation Reserve in Northwestern Ontario. Classes and individuals are invited to keep track of the laps they walk outside along our very own Secret Path indicated with purple markers. One lap is equal to 0.5km so 2 laps is 1km. Be sure to email Ms. Elst at telst@wqsb.qc.ca to log your kilometres or swing by the Resource Room (Room 162) to fill out a paper tracking form. You can also check out the Walk for Wenjack display outside of Ms. Laine’s office to see the progress of our walk in reaching our goal of 600km. Today at lunch you can join Ms. Legge in Room 242 to watch 2 of our featured documentaries about Indigenous rights and culture – Invasion & Turning Tables. On Tuesday at lunch you can join Ms. Legge in Room 242 to watch another excellent documentary about systemic racism – Spirit to Soar. On Wednesday we are asking everyone to wear purple, the colour of the Downie Wenjack Fund and Legacy Schools, as we honour all the children who were forced to attend Residential Schools. Then at 1pm you can join the group walk/run to help us log more kilometres for our Walk for Wenjack. On Thursday at lunch you can join Mrs. Ray in Room 163 to watch the Secret Path film and on Friday you can join Mrs. Ray again in Room 163 to watch the Secret Path documentary. Also, all week long we asking for donations of red dresses for the REDress Project that will be featured in the Cafeteria in May for the National Day of Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. If you don’t have a red dress at home to donate, you can always check out your local charity shop. Please drop off your dresses in the red box in the lobby of the main entrance.