Sunday, October 1, 2023
  • Login
School Management Plus: School & education news worldwide
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Leaders
    • Heads & Governors
    • Admissions & Marketing
    • Bursars & Finance
    • Staff Recruitment
    • Development & Fundraising
    • Alumni Relations
    • School Owners & Operators
    • Multi-Academy Trust
    • Communications & PR
    • Estate Management
    • EdTech
    • School Data Management
    • Staff Wellbeing
  • Teachers
    • Safeguarding
    • College Counselling
    • Online Learning
    • Early Years
    • Exams & Qualifications
    • Assessment
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Sports and Outdoors
  • International
    • The View From Here
    • Wellbeing
    • Curriculum Design
    • Overseas Development
    • Staff Recruitment
    • EdTech
    • International School Magazine
  • Jobs
    • View Vacancies
    • Advertise your Jobs
    • Why work there?
    • Movers & Shakers
    • CPD
  • Features
    • How We Did It
    • Spotlight on a School
    • 30 minutes with…
    • Partnerships & Outreach
    • School News & Announcements
    • School Management Plus
  • Video
    • Russell Speirs and Friends
    • Inspiring Leadership
    • School Leaders
    • Membership Bodies
    • The Friday Club
  • Suppliers
    • Meet the Supplier
    • From Our Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Advertise
  • About
    • Editorial Board
    • Associations & Distribution
    • Our Publications
      • International School Magazine
      • School Management Plus Magazine
      • Wellbeing in International Schools Magazine
      • WISEducation newsletter
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Leaders
    • Heads & Governors
    • Admissions & Marketing
    • Bursars & Finance
    • Staff Recruitment
    • Development & Fundraising
    • Alumni Relations
    • School Owners & Operators
    • Multi-Academy Trust
    • Communications & PR
    • Estate Management
    • EdTech
    • School Data Management
    • Staff Wellbeing
  • Teachers
    • Safeguarding
    • College Counselling
    • Online Learning
    • Early Years
    • Exams & Qualifications
    • Assessment
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Sports and Outdoors
  • International
    • The View From Here
    • Wellbeing
    • Curriculum Design
    • Overseas Development
    • Staff Recruitment
    • EdTech
    • International School Magazine
  • Jobs
    • View Vacancies
    • Advertise your Jobs
    • Why work there?
    • Movers & Shakers
    • CPD
  • Features
    • How We Did It
    • Spotlight on a School
    • 30 minutes with…
    • Partnerships & Outreach
    • School News & Announcements
    • School Management Plus
  • Video
    • Russell Speirs and Friends
    • Inspiring Leadership
    • School Leaders
    • Membership Bodies
    • The Friday Club
  • Suppliers
    • Meet the Supplier
    • From Our Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Advertise
  • About
    • Editorial Board
    • Associations & Distribution
    • Our Publications
      • International School Magazine
      • School Management Plus Magazine
      • Wellbeing in International Schools Magazine
      • WISEducation newsletter
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
School Management Plus: School & education news worldwide
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest News

‘Pastoral staff deal with children’s fear of World War every day’

Schools across the Black Sea region are working hard to support colleagues in Ukraine and address their own pupils' concerns, writes Stephen Priest

Stephen Priest by Stephen Priest
March 8, 2022
in Latest News, The View From Here, Wellbeing
Reading Time: 3 mins read
1 0
A A
0
ISAMS web banner
Refugees fleeing Ukraine

Refugees fleeing Ukraine

Linked InShare on FacebookShare on TwitterPin This

The Black Sea Schools Group is a loose grouping of COBIS member schools in Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine. We came together and started collaborating in 2018 at an initial meeting we held at BIS Ukraine in Kyiv.

Since that time we have hosted student face-to-face events in Ankara, Kyiv and Tbilisi and numerous online student events and staff CPD and networking events. It has been an honour to have served the group as chair since our inception and work with such a fantastic group of school leaders and their staff.

When one of your members is in trouble is when you see the strength of any organisation and this has been the case following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and our support of the British International School Ukraine (BISU).

Since before the invasion, we have been in contact with our good friend and fellow principal, David Cole. He is an inspiration to all school leaders in how he has personally dealt with the ultimate crisis.

“We are offering places at our schools for the students of Kyiv’s international schools.”

Remaining in contact with David is one thing we can do just to let him know we are there. However, as a group of schools we have worked together to support BISU staff and students where possible and also to support, in honour of BISU, child refugees from the crisis.

We quickly convened a meeting and discussed what we could do to help. This included offering places at our schools for the students of Kyiv’s international schools and assistance and accommodation for BISU staff. Our individual school and parent communities have led on initiatives to collect physical resources for refugees.

One of our British International School in Tblisi parents has already collected over three tonnes of resources with support from other parents and the International Women’s Association of Georgia. These needed items include nappies, blankets, medicines and foodstuffs.

Black Sea Schools have also set up a financial donations online collection in association with the Romanian Red Cross.

Our schools have diverse communities who are directly and indirectly affected by the war in Ukraine. Most of our schools have Ukrainian families who need support and in particular support for their children who are worried about extended family members and friends in Ukraine.

“Children have an uncanny ability to pick up on the emotions of parents and other adults.”

Even very young children, whose parents may think they have isolated the children from the horrific news seen on the TV, are affected — they have an uncanny ability to pick up on the emotions of parents and other adults. Children of all ages have difficulties processing these emotions and need well-being support.

Virtually all our schools also have Russian children and many of them are concerned about how they will be perceived by others in their communities. Children of other nationalities are not immune from the impacts of the war. Talk of World War 3 and a widening of the conflict is something school pastoral staff are now dealing with on a daily basis.

“There is a fear in Georgia and Moldova that we could be next.”

There is also heightened concern amongst the school community in countries like Georgia and Moldova. Here in Georgia, there are already Russian troops on the ground in the breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia is still fresh in the minds of many. Similar feelings are evident in Moldova, where they can actually hear the bombardment of Odessa over the border, a country that has its own Russian-backed breakaway province. There is a fear in these two small countries that we could be next.

It has been fantastic however to see how the international school community globally has been more than willing to support our member school, BISU, and the efforts to support refugees. COBIS and Colin Bell are, for us Black Sea Schools, the “mother ship” and it has been much appreciated by all the level of support we have received.

Tags: CobisGeorgiainternational schoolsRussiaUkraine
ShareShare2Tweet1Pin
Stephen Priest

Stephen Priest

Stephen Priest is the principal of the British International School, Tblisi, Georgia and is chair of the Black Sea Schools Group of COBIS member schools.

web banner Litmus web banner square Kampus24

Video

  • All
  • Video
Chris Nash, author of Starting Your International School
Heads & Governors

In Conversation with: Chris Nash, principal and co-author, Starting Your International School

September 18, 2023
20
Russell Speirs Sonia Rawat
Heads & Governors

Podcast: Russell Speirs and Friends – Sonia Rawat, UWC Mostar

September 10, 2023
20
International School Magazine

International School Magazine – Spring 2023

September 3, 2023
20
Gaelle Sullivan, The Institute of Boarding
Heads & Governors

In Conversation: Gaelle Sullivan, director, The Institute of Boarding

August 2, 2023
20

Latest News

VAT on fees Rishi Sunak
Admissions & Marketing

‘Class war’ claim over VAT on fees

September 29, 2023
20
Pepe DiIasio, ASCL
Heads & Governors

Pepe Di’Iasio confirmed next ASCL general secretary

September 27, 2023
20
what breed of international school are you?
International Schools

In Focus: Which breed of international school are you?

September 27, 2023
20
Rugby School student leadership
Curriculum Design

‘Let students take the lead on race, gender and privilege’

September 26, 2023
20
The Old Palace of John Whitgift School
Admissions & Marketing

Old Palace of John Whitgift School to close

September 26, 2023
20
Keir Starmer wants VAT on fees
Admissions & Marketing

Labour to bring in VAT on fees immediately if elected

September 26, 2023
20
School Management Plus: School & education news worldwide

© 2020 Independent School Management Plus.

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • Latest
  • Leaders
  • Teachers
  • International
  • Jobs
  • Features
  • Video
  • Suppliers
  • About

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Leaders
    • Heads & Governors
    • Admissions & Marketing
    • Bursars & Finance
    • Staff Recruitment
    • Development & Fundraising
    • Alumni Relations
    • School Owners & Operators
    • Multi-Academy Trust
    • Communications & PR
    • Estate Management
    • EdTech
    • School Data Management
    • Staff Wellbeing
  • Teachers
    • Safeguarding
    • College Counselling
    • Online Learning
    • Early Years
    • Exams & Qualifications
    • Assessment
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Sports and Outdoors
  • International
    • The View From Here
    • Wellbeing
    • Curriculum Design
    • Overseas Development
    • Staff Recruitment
    • EdTech
    • International School Magazine
  • Jobs
    • View Vacancies
    • Advertise your Jobs
    • Why work there?
    • Movers & Shakers
    • CPD
  • Features
    • How We Did It
    • Spotlight on a School
    • 30 minutes with…
    • Partnerships & Outreach
    • School News & Announcements
    • School Management Plus
  • Video
    • Russell Speirs and Friends
    • Inspiring Leadership
    • School Leaders
    • Membership Bodies
    • The Friday Club
  • Suppliers
    • Meet the Supplier
    • From Our Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Advertise
  • About
    • Editorial Board
    • Associations & Distribution
    • Our Publications
      • International School Magazine
      • School Management Plus Magazine
      • Wellbeing in International Schools Magazine
      • WISEducation newsletter
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us

© 2020 Independent School Management Plus.

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Facebook
Sign In with Linked In
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.