Upper Canada District School Board aiding newcomer students with satellite classrooms

An eastern Ontario school board is helping asylum-seeking families living in Cornwall by setting up satellite classes for their children to attend school, so they can integrate into society easier and quicker.

During an assembly at the Dev Centre and Hotel, students new to Canada celebrated the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

A world away from poverty, they are now attending school in the same building where their families live after claiming asylum here.

Still learning English, eight-year-old Medo Elsafei from Egypt says math is his favourite subject so far, while 11-year old Sebastien Mendoza of Colombia loves gym class.

"I play soccer play basketball!" he smiled.

The initiative by the Upper Canada District School Board to set up three satellite classrooms at the centre is gaining momentum with students, which will eventually transition them into classrooms at two local public schools.

"We have children who have proceeded onto both Bridgewood and Central Public School," said satellite class principal Cynthia Seguin. "We've had children who have moved away to Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal, where they are successfully integrated into their school settings there."

Seguin noted that the board found that the children arriving at the Dev Centre last September needed to have an education, so they were sent over to Bridgewood Public School.

"When more came, it made sense to have classes right here on site to help them initially," she said. "First, learning English and then helping them to learn school in Canada and then go back to Bridgewood."

A map in the Grade 3 to 6 classroom shows children come from a wide range of countries, including Colombia, Egypt, Afghanistan, Syria and Türkiye.

A wall of a satellite classroom for children of asylum-seeking families at Cornwall's Dev Centre. Children from all over the world are learning here before integrating into local public schools. (Nate Vandermeer/CTV News Ottawa)

"We want to make sure that these children are receiving education as soon as they arrive here, and that we are helping them to become members of their school community at the same time," Seguin said. "So we give them education on learning skills, social skills, physical education as well as math and language."

And as the children learn, so do their parents.

“The adults are taking English as a second language classes as well to improve their English," said Bridgewood Public School Principal Julie Pollock-Iwachniuk. "It's really taking a lot of stress off of those families by having their children learn throughout the day, and nearby."

"The families are incredibly happy with what's happening here," Seguin added. "They speak with the staff every day; they drop their children off and pick their children up."

"We're getting them ready. If a family chooses to go to another location in Canada, we've already done the registration process and their children have had that sort of head start around getting into the school system elsewhere," Seguin said.

One girl during the assembly noted she 'wants to study in Canada and become a doctor in the future.'

"Huge success," said Pollock-Iwachniuk. "So when I'm in and out of this building I'm speaking with parents and they are just so grateful for this opportunity and I think it comes down to that."

Around 70 children are spread out among the three classes, and 20 have already moved over to Bridgewood P.S.

"We work really closely with our classrooms here and the classrooms at Bridgewood. Every morning we do morning announcement and 'O Canada' over Teams Live, so that they can see each other in the classrooms," Pollock-Iwachniuk smiled.

While it's been a long road to a new life in Canada for so many, it's made easier by the work that happens here.

"The families are very happy and I know that the staff are honoured to be able to serve them," said Seguin.

"These children are so resilient," added Pollock-Iwachniuk. "It's a huge success for our families and our students."