Nov 20th – Transgender Day of Remembrance

Ms. Haigh

The International Trans Day of Remembrance is next week, on November 20th. It is an annual observance that honors the memory of Trans, Two-Spirit, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming community members whose lives were taken from acts of violence.

As you may know, the Trans community has been put under a microscope by many government administrations across the world, including Canada. Because of this, many members of the Canadian Trans community have felt an increase in pressure, oppression, and violence.

  • Transgender communities, and in particular Trans People of Colour, face some of the highest rates of violent crime – with 70% of Trans Youth in Canada experiencing some form of sexual harassment or violence.
  • Transgender and Non-Binary Youth are more than twice as likely to have thought of self-harm in their lifetime compared to those who are cisgender (a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex registered for them at birth)
  • Stats recently released from Vancouver show an increase of 83 per cent in hate incidents targeting those who are Trans, Non-Binary, Agender or Intersex between December 2022 & December 2023.

Some things that you can do include:

 

 

 

 

Library Murder Mystery

Ms. Haigh

Last week week, for Halloween, the Library Learning Commons held its annual murder mystery event. Classes were invited to try to solve the whodunnit, with students reading the clues, looking at the crime scene and analyzing evidence to determine which of the eight suspects did it. This year was the biggest turnout yet, with 18 classes (more than 400 students) participating. Many students were able to deduce that the killer was the character Peter and more than thirty were awarded prizes for giving a complete and complex motive and means. The grand prize winner for her excellent detective skills was grade 9 student Rhianne Li.

Truth and Reconciliation Day 2024

Ms. Haigh

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Vancouver Ultimate League

September 30th is right around the corners, and with it comes The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

“This day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process”.

On the 30th you are encouraged to wear orange and to take some time to learn from and listen to the Indigenous people of the lands where you live. If you need some ideas on where/how to do that, attached is a list of resources created by Leanne Ellis, one of SD41’s Indigenous Youth Engagement Support Workers.

Orange Shirt Resources.docx

Library Volunteers Wanted

Ms. Haigh

If you are interested in being a library volunteer this year, come by the library to fill out an application form. Volunteers help with keeping the space neat and tidy, and work hard to shelve Alpha’s library books in their correct spots. Volunteer positions are available at select lunch hours, after school and even some flex times.

Unfortunately, we always have more interest than space, so applying doesn’t mean that you automatically get a spot. The schedule of those who get “a spot” will be posted by 3pm on Wednesday September 18th.

Application forms are due to the library by 3pm on Friday September 13th!

Welcome back!

Ms. Haigh

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome back Alpha Students! The library is open and ready to have you come check out books.

We went through a renovation this summer, so things look a little different, but we still function pretty much the same. The big thing you’ll notice is that we no longer have desktop computers. Instead, we just have a laptop cart. If you need to use a computer while visiting the library you can borrow one of these laptops, so long as a class hasn’t booked them. Our laptops must stay in the library, so you can’t take them to class with you.

A friendly reminder that you can still take out up to 5 books at a time for 3 weeks each.

We look forward to seeing you in our “new” space soon!

Pride

Ms. Haigh

Pride Month: Moving Beyond Rainbow Logos and Embracing Authentic Allyship

June is Pride Month, and with the library being home of Alpha’s GSA Club (Gender and Sexuality Alliance), we wanted to make sure that everyone knows what Pride is, and why it exists. Below is some basic info.

Why is Pride Month celebrated in June?

To honour the Stonewall Riots which took place in Manhattan beginning on June 28, 1969. They were the tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. It works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning people.

 

What are the 3 main premises of the pride movement?

  1. People should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
  2. Diversity is a gift.
  3. Sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and cannot be intentionally altered.

 

What is an ally?

It is a heterosexual and cisgender person who supports equal civil rights, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ social movements. Individuals may meet this designation through their actions without actively identifying as an ally.

 

Why are there so many different flags?

There are many pride flags that identify and support different groups that fall under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Some of the flags represent specific genders and others represent sexual orientations. An excellent guide can be found here.

 

Is there a list of helpful terms related to Pride?

Yes! Check out this Glossary of Terms

 

I still have questions. Where can I get more information?

 

Truth and Reconciliation Day

Ms. Haigh

Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day take place on September 30.

Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”.  The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.

On September 29th, please where your orange shirt to Alpha.

If you’re looking to educate yourself further around what this day is about and why it matters, check out the resources available at https://nctr.ca/education/coming-soon-truth-and-reconciliation-week-2023/