TDSB Celebrates National Indigenous History Month: June 2024
June is National Indigenous History Month and June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day. It is a time to celebrate and learn from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples’ diverse cultures, histories, experiences, creations, perspectives, and achievements.
On Friday, June 21, the TDSB recognizes National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a day of significance for many Indigenous Peoples in the country we call Canada today. It marks the day when the Sun is closest to the Earth. It is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. Many First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples celebrate the Summer Solstice. It is a time that reminds us to remain grounded, humble and appreciative. It is usually celebrated by coming together with family and community for a feast.
June is National Deafblind Awareness Month in Canada
This month serves as a platform for raising awareness about the distinctive challenges encountered by individuals with an identified dual sensory loss. Deafblindness, a combination of sight and hearing loss to varying degrees, profoundly impacts communication, mobility, learning, and access to information. Those who are deafblind often rely on alternative communication methods, such as tactile sign language, braille, or assistive technology.
To learn more about the local deafblind community, please visit https://deafblindservices.ca/DeafblindAwarenessMonth.
Italian Heritage Month: Video Submission - Sharing of Special Memories / Traditions
During the month of June Italian Heritage Month is proudly recognized at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) by our students, staff and TDSB community since a motion was passed by the Board of Trustees on May 16, 2012. The Province of Ontario has also held celebrations in honour of Italian Heritage Month since 2010 with the royal assent of the Italian Heritage Month Act, https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/10i17.
This year's selected theme for Italian Heritage Month is Sharing Our Stories and Embracing Our Future / Condividere le nostre storie e abbracciare il nostro futuro. We are excited to share the many stories from Italian ancestors whose contributions helped shape our Canadian cultural mosaic. Italian stories and traditions reaffirm identity and connect us to one another. These stories allow us to walk for a moment in someone else's shoes, to see ourselves in others. Stories unite future generations while they evolve and create new customs and traditions for us to embrace. Together, the past, present and future will redefine what it means to be an Italian-Canadian.
Seniors Month is also celebrated across Ontario throughout June, and with this lens in mind combined with our theme of Sharing Our Stories and Embracing Our Future/Condividere le nostre storie e abbracciare il nostro futuro we're inviting all our TDSB students to submit a 2-minute video that:
§Expresses a special memory you have of your nonna/nonno (grandmother/grandfather) or an elder caregiver or
§Shares a tradition that you learned from your nonna/nonno (grandmother/grandfather) or an elder caregiver
Deadline: Friday, June 7, 2024 @ 5:00 pm
Please see the attached document for all details including eligibility, criteria, etc.
We look forward to your submissions!
Portuguese-Speaking Heritage Month - Portuguese-Speaking Heritage Month is proudly recognized during the month of June at the TDSB and has been since 2011. This year’s theme is Unidos/United! Please follow us on Twitter @TDSB_PSHM and visit the website to learn more about planned events in June.
TDSB Celebrates 2SLGBTQ+ Pride - June is Pride Month at the TDSB! It’s an opportunity to celebrate diversity and raise awareness among all staff and students about the rich culture and history of our 2SLGBTQ+ community. We look forward to celebrating Pride 2024 with all 2SLGBTQ+ students, staff, and allies! Learn more.