For us, this is an exceptional circumstance, where we had an influx of a large number of Syrian refugee students from one country at a targeted, specific time. We needed to rally support for those students in a specialized setting to ensure that they could transition from their home country to Canada and to our school district, and be successful. That is the greatest challenge we are facing.
When we receive a few students here and there, we can accommodate and assimilate them into our district. When we receive a large number in a very short period of time that we are required to support, that puts tremendous strain on our system. What we are requesting is for the provincial government and the federal government to work together to ensure that, if we are going to do this again, there is a coordinated effort to work directly with the school boards that are educating those students each and every day.
We are also requesting for the federal and the provincial governments to work with us now to help and support us by reimbursing us for the funds we have already utilized in supporting those students.