Ukrainian kids displaced by war start school in Calgary
Posted Sep 5, 2022 7:59 pm.
Last Updated Sep 5, 2022 8:03 pm.
The first day of school is an exciting and sometimes nerve-racking time for many students, and for Ukrainian kids that are in Calgary displaced from their homes because of the war, the new start can be difficult.
Lina Borets. a mother whose family was displaced due to the war in Ukraine, says her son attended a Canadian school for a short time last school year. He is starting grade 2 for the fall 2022 year.
“He was excited yes; but actually, he expressed his concerns about the language again. But he was more confident, definitely,” Borets said.
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At the start of the school year, the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) say they have about 700 Ukrainian students registered, while the Calgary Catholic School District has about 150 Ukrainian students.
Both school boards offer services to help newcomer students, with the St. John Reception Centre at the Catholic board, and the Welcome Centre with the CBE.
“At the Welcome Centre, [students] receive language assessments, as well as understanding what types of supports they need as students. We’re also able to connect their families and themselves to some of our partner services,” said Andrea Holowka, the superintendent of school improvement with the CBE.
Borets’ son is attending a CBE school, and she says her child has enjoyed his Canadian school; however, there is no ESL teacher on staff. The school vice principal told her that’s because of a lack of funding.
“The language barrier, it was really difficult for him,” Borets said. “You know, I was a bit disappointed, because there is no ESL teacher at school. I think that in Canada there should be ESL teachers because this is the country that accepts a lot of immigrants.”
Borets hopes that this year there will be more supports offered for her son, but she will continue to help support her child’s learning as a mom and a teacher herself.
