All-Day Ukrainian Schools Score Impressive Marks

by Markian Shwec

The four all-day Ukrainian schools in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) again stand out from their peers in the 2009-2010 school year.  Three of the schools are in Toronto - Saint Demetrius, Josef Cardinal Slipyj, and Saint Josaphats, and one in Mississauga - Saint Sophia.

The Government of Ontario Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) conducts an annual standardized test to evaluate its educational programs in Grades 3 and 6.   The four Ukrainian schools scored higher than their peer groups in the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) and in the Province of Ontario.   This is all the more impressive when you consider the high number of children born outside Canada attending some Ukrainian schools.

We should congratulate the parents and educators at our Ukrainian schools who continue to work together to provide a high level of excellence for our students. 

After years of working with young people from the Ukrainian community, I can attest first hand that the biggest potential in developing our youth lies with those that attend multiple Ukrainian organizations, where children obtain a multi-faceted approach to learning and community building.  This includes those who attend Ukrainian Church, attend all-day Ukrainian schools, attend Saturday Ukrainian heritage schools, join youth organizations (“CYM”, Plast,…), partake in a Ukrainian cultural group (bandura, choir, drama, …), and those who have travelled to Ukraine to see their ancestral land first hand. 

We only need to take a look at the current leaders of our community to see this common thread that brought many of them to the forefront of community life.  Simply said, “It takes a village to raise a child.”

We should all continue to strive for excellence in all that we do for our children and congratulate our Ukrainian schools for their good work towards helping us attain this goal.

Markian Shwec is Past President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Toronto Branch