Central Okanagan schools welcoming influx of Ukrainian students

As the school year gets underway, Central Okanagan schools are welcoming dozens of new students from Ukraine.

Schools superintendent Kevin Kaardal said there are 75 new Ukrainian students at a variety of Kelowna-area schools and there are more coming every day.

“We’re excited to welcome them and our settlement workers in schools are connecting them with supports in the community,” Kaardal said.

“We’re excited to support those students and make sure that we have enough language support for them as well.”

1:25 Students and parents ready for return to school

In-school and extra curricular clubs will be made available to offer “activities where there’s less pressure on learning.” There, they can interact with their peers and enhance their language learning, as well.

“We have a whole approach and program that’s supported by the federal government and the provincial government around new immigrants as well as refugees,” he said.

“We’re just continuing with that process and it’s growing, just like our district is.”

Kaardal said that the district, which is having its first full day of classes Wednesday, is currently running at 106 per cent capacity and plans are underway to expand a number of facilities for the approximately 24,000 kindergarten to Grade 12 students that are returning to classes.