CBC News · Posted: Sep 08, 2022
Ukrainian children who escaped Russia's war in their home country began school in Sudbury this week.
To help incoming Ukrainian students adjust to their new schools, the Rainbow District School Board, in partnership with the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario, offered a summer program.
The aim was to build on students' English language skills and help them connect with their new community ahead of the school year. The program ran from July to August.
Lileya Oslaba is mother to six-year-old Richard and two-year-old Areta. Her husband Yurij is currently working at a tourist lodge out of town and visits over the weekend.
The family arrived in Canada at the beginning of August, after fleeing Russia's war on Ukraine. Oslaba said so far, her family has taken a shining to their new home town, noting the city's quiet and slower paced energy.
"We can have rest, relax and not worry about something happen[ing]," she said, "I just feel that my children [are] safe."
Oslaba said despite moving across continents, her son Richard continues to feel the effects of the war's mental toll, "He's still worried."
When she watches him play she overhears him mention bombs and rockets. When this happens, she said, she has to remind him that he is safe now.
But even with the lingering challenges, she said, that her son's feedback following his first day of school on Tuesday, was encouraging and positive, "I asked him, 'Richard, do you like?"
Oslaba said her son responded, "Yes! It was funny, we went to [the] playground and we just played and I didn't learn the alphabet." She laughed at the alphabet comment.
Preparing for Canadian classrooms
Richard was one of the participants of the summer program organized by Rainbow District School Board and YMCA Immigration Services, which helps newcomers prepare for school.
Dr. Koziar is the principal of the program with the Rainbow District School Board.
"Part of the goal of the program was to familiarize students with the community, provide them with preparation for entry into school because some of them have never been to a Canadian school before."
"The programming included information about things you can do in the community and also included information about what does it look like on a school yard in a Canadian school, what sort of games do people play, how might you approach other students," he said.
Koziar noted that the greatest challenge in integrating the students was addressing the language barriers they faced.
"Once we were able to get that communication barrier sort of eliminated there weren't really any major challenges," he said.
"We were really pleased at how receptive the students and families were. They were really involved and engaged with the program and seemed excited at the opportunity to have that sort of early entry to school and some practice in those school skills."