The atmosphere has been heavy at St. Josaphat Elementary School in Toronto for the past few days as the Russian invasion continues in Ukraine. In one of the three public schools in the Queen City teaching Ukrainian culture and language, the children write letters to the soldiers and the teachers of Ukrainian origin try as best they can to continue their work.
Nearly 10% of the country’s approximately 1.2 million Ukrainian Canadians live in the city of Toronto. Many of them send their children to one of three establishments of the Toronto Catholic School Board—all west of the city—offering immersion in Ukrainian culture. Some, freshly arrived in Canada, also learn English there.
These days, the office door of Leda Ostafichuk, the principal of St. Josaphat School, is always open for both students and teachers to discuss the Russian invasion. Last Friday, one of the teachers was inconsolable. She informed her manager that she could not return to work. “I texted her to tell her that she needed to make sure her family in Ukraine was safe,” says Leda Ostafichuk. This week, staff members gathered for a dinnertime prayer.
Children capture this energy from their educators. Leda Ostafichuk watched the students play in the playground last week: their energy levels were different. On Monday, Andrea Zurawik’s fifth and sixth graders walked in after recess and announced that they had been singing, their arms tied, Glory to Ukraine, a salute to the army. In class, 10 and 11 year olds wrote letters to soldiers.
The employees of Leda Ostafichuk take care of listening to the students, answering their questions, but also preventing excesses. In the aftermath of a protest in downtown Toronto, some students returned to class with slogans containing inappropriate language. It’s one thing in a demonstration, it’s another thing in a school, argues the director. “We can’t do that, since our goal is to listen to others,” she says. Anti-Russian messages have no place in the classroom.
Andrea Zurawik is not Ukrainian, like half of her colleagues, but she says she understands what her students are going through: she is of Lithuanian origin, another country formerly occupied by the Soviet Union. “We’ve all gone through this experience in some way,” she says. In 1991, the Torontonian walked with her parents in solidarity with the Ukrainians, who were marching towards independence.
The life experience of staff members ultimately has an impact on how they approach the subject. “We must constantly be aware of our body language and what we say”, explains Leda Ostafichuk.
parental influence
All children have their way of channeling their emotions at the moment, describes Leda Ostafichuk, in particular because of the experience of their parents. Sometimes in these schools one of the parents is still in Ukraine. One of Andrea Zurawik’s students immigrated to Canada in December. Approximately 40% of students were born outside of Canada. Older students told their teachers that their parents were going through tough times and didn’t know what to do.
Andrea Zurawik is worried about the impact the war in Ukraine will have on parents in the coming months, and the repercussions this will have on children. Fathers, mothers, uncles and aunts are afraid. St. Josaphat School can count on the support of social workers and a psychologist for the students, who are usually at school, assures Leda Ostafichuk. The principal suggested that the students inform their families of the help available. “There is a reluctance among adults to speak up, as they fear being judged, because they would appear not to be strong enough,” she says.
Important establishments
The schools’ presence in the Ukrainian community is vital, according to Natalie Lalka, whose three children attend Josyf Cardinal Slipyj School, one of three Ukrainian schools in the Toronto Catholic School Board. Mme Lalka was formerly president of the parents’ committee of the Svitlychka day care centre. “Now, more than ever, with Russia’s aggression and attempts to delegitimize our identity, immersion schools like Svitlychka are so important,” says the one who still has family in western Ukraine. .
At the Svitlychka daycare, young children can follow a Ukrainian immersion program. The Ukrainian schools of the Toronto Catholic School Board, for their part, offer the teaching of Ukrainian from the 1D at the 8and year. In kindergarten, instruction is done in Ukrainian for half the day. At St. Josaphat School, children also learn Ukrainian prayers, explains Andrea Zurawik. “I hope my children will finish school with a better understanding of their heritage and identity,” says Natalie Lalka.
Schools are now working to help their compatriots. Josyf Cardinal Slipyj School raises donations, as does St. Josaphat School. “Medicines, diapers, linen”, lists Andrea Zurawik. The students have a lot of feelings and ideas, so the teacher suggested that they put them on a bulletin board. “We don’t try to avoid the subject,” says the teacher.
This story is supported by the Local Journalism Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.