February 14th: Have a Heart Day 2023

This message is from the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada (FNCFCS) website:

“Have a Heart Day is a child and youth-led reconciliation campaign that brings together caring Canadians to help ensure First Nations children have the services they need to grow up safely at home, get a good education, be healthy, and be proud of who they are.

Watch “End the Gap – Fair Funding For First Nations Schools”

Activity Ideas:

  • Spread the word through social media like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Use the hashtag #HaveaHeartDay and/or #JourneeAyezUnCoeur.

Explore the Have a Heart Day website to download Have a Heart Day resources.

Through activities like Have a Heart Day, we are creating a movement where the landscape of Canada is only one of honour and possibility for First Nations children.”

FNCFCS also shared this music video by N’we Jinan Artists “Important to Us”, written and performed by students at Pierre Elliot Trudeau School.

Their message is inspiring:

“No matter where you’re from,

let’s fill our home with colour and love.”

Teachers: More resources are available here

  • Borrow Spirit Bear books by Cindy Blackstock from your school or Siwal Si’wes Library.
  • Follow Cindy Blackstock on Twitter (Cindy Blackstock @cblackst) and/or F.N. Caring Society on Twitter(F.N. Caring Society @Caringsociety)
  • Explore the Have a Heart Day website to download Have a Heart Day resources.

Pink Shirt Day 2023

Mark your calendar: Pink Shirt Day is February 22rd, 2023.

PinkShirt_2023

“Today our diversity is becoming more visible than ever as people continue to embrace their cultures, identities, and true selves in more open and direct ways; making the need to Lift Each Other Up and have greater acceptance, respect, and inclusion for everyone so important. This year we are asking you to join us in celebrating our diversity while raising funds to support inclusive anti-bullying programs for kids in our communities.”  (https://www.pinkshirtday.ca/)

Where did Pink Shirt Day come from?

In 2007 in Nova Scotia, Grade 12 students David Shepherd, Travis Price and a few friends saw that a grade 9 student was being bullied for wearing a pink shirt on the first day of school.

They knew they had to do something to show that this kind of behavior was not okay.

They decided to go out and buy pink shirts and hand them out to other students to wear.

By the end of that week, most of the students in the school were wearing pink shirts to show support for the grade 9 student who was bullied.

On February 23rd, wear something pink to show that we are all working together to erase bullying in our community.

Resources:

Book recommendations:

(Educator/Family guide also available.)

Family Literacy Week 2023

2023 Family Literacy Theme:

Make it count!FamilyLit_2023

Play . Sort . Measure.

“Numeracy is everywhere. Children start using math the moment they start exploring the world. Sorting, counting and measuring are ways of playing with math. Talking about math with children helps build a positive attitude towards math. Math talk helps your child connect math with daily activities.”

Recommended Resource: Math in Mission Website

Additional Resources: Make it Count Activities

Additional Resources

Joyful Literacy Family Literacy Activities:

(developed by Dr. Janet Mort)

Early Learning Families: Check out the Early Learning Page on Curriculum Connections for creative family activities developed by MPSD’s StrongStart Team