Eric Bidewell holds a sign during a rally for Ukraine at Kelowna city hall, Feb. 27, 2022.

(CARLI BERRY / iNFOnews.ca)

As the war continues in Ukraine nearly 80 Ukrainian students will be entering the Central Okanagan public school district this fall.

Superintendent Kevin Kaardal said 85 students from Ukraine will be attending school this fall, with 67 of those being new students for this coming school year coming from the conflict in the country.

Central Okanagan Public Schools is at 106% occupancy in the district and “of course, we will support all students who arrive here, we are expecting to grow,” he said. The district will have roughly 24,000 students attending classes this fall with the expectation that roughly 250 new students will be onboard, including the Ukrainian refugees. 

READ MORE: Kelowna group launching service to help connect Ukrainian refugees with landlords

The Ukrainian students will be supported through the district’s settlement workers in schools program and the English language learning centre, Kaardal said.

There are English language learning teachers within the district and teachers are also trained for trauma-informed practices for a variety of reasons including the pandemic, he said.

“We’ve added supports over the years and will continue to do so as the program grows,” he said. 

The B.C. Public Schools Employees Association is currently in negotiation with the province for a new contract. Teachers have been without one since June.

Kaardal said he wouldn’t comment on negotiations happening at a provincial level.

“If job action and those things do occur, we’ll adapt as necessary,” he said.

This September, masks will be optional, and any new advice from the Ministry of Health will be coming imminently and will be followed by the district, he said.

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