September 30 is "Orange Shirt Day"

We are proud to recognize Every Child Matters Day or "Orange Shirt Day" in Shoreline School District. September 30 is recognized each year as a day of reflection, remembrance, and education. We invite all members of our community to wear orange shirts on this date and join us in our commitment to acknowledging that every child matters.

Every Child Matters Day, also known as Orange Shirt Day, began in 2013 to honor survivors of residential and boarding schools and to remember those who were lost. The orange shirt symbolizes the story of Phyllis Webstad, whose new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at a residential school—a reminder that every child matters.

By proclaiming Every Child Matters Day, Shoreline Public Schools has committed to:

• Honoring survivors of boarding schools and remembering the children who never came home.

• Teaching authentic Indigenous histories and perspectives, developed in partnership with Tribal Nations.

• Creating respectful and relevant learning environments where Native students feel fully seen, honored, and supported.

• Advancing anti-racist practices to ensure equity and belonging for all students

We are grateful for the contributions to this proclamation by the Urban Native Education Alliance (UNEA) and members of our Title VI Tide to Tradition Parent Advisory Committee.

Take meaningful action on September 30:

• Wear orange today, and any day of the year
• Get outside and connect with the lands
• Follow and learn from Indigenous advocates and families
• Watch films: Carlisle 200 and Sugarcane
• Listen to podcasts: "Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s" Spotify | Apple Podcasts
• Donate to Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition or Indian Residential School Survivors Society

Educational Resources:
Teachers in Shoreline schools have been provided educational resources to teach about the history of residential boarding schools in accurate and age-appropriate ways, including this video, in which Title VI Advisor Sadrina Dorn talks about Orange Shirt Day and reads aloud the book Every Child Matters: