Portland Public Schools: Resources To Guide Discussion With Students On Ukraine Conflict

Press release from Portland Public Schools:

February 25, 2022

Yкраїнський

Dear PPS Families,

This communication is a follow-up to Superintendent Guerrero’s message to PPS families regarding the events that are happening now in Ukraine. As we navigate this unfortunate situation, we want to provide additional resources to help guide discussion with your students and seek additional support for your family as needed.

Accessing Support at SchoolEvery school at PPS is staffed with a licensed professional school counselor who is trained to support the academic and personal/social well being of all students. If you would like to talk with someone about how best to support your student, please reach out to the school counselor at your students' school by calling the main office. They can provide support as well as assist in connecting your family to additional mental health supports.

Discussing the Russian/Ukraine Conflict with your student Tips from Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz of the Child Mind Institute 

Do:

• Ask what children have heard, what they are feeling, and what they think.
• Help them express their feelings and offer comfort to help them feel safe.
• Process your own feelings so you can be available when your children need you.

 Don’t:

• Don’t provide assurances you can’t ensure. If students are fearful, don’t tell them, “Everything will be okay.” For some students, the dangers they fear are very real. However, you can help them find positive ways to address their fears.
• Don’t share too much. For young children, limit exposure to the news to times when you are together. Help kids make sense of what they hear in an age-appropriate way.

Community resources in the Portland area:

• IRCO Slavic and Eastern European Center:  IRCO's Slavic and Eastern European Center (SEEC) celebrates, unites and engages Oregon's diverse Slavic and Eastern European community to achieve its highest potential. A true reflection of the people it serves, SEEC is led by an advisory council of community leaders and staffed by a multicultural multilingual IRCO team. Contact: Andrii Nagornyi, SEEC Coordinator and IRCO RESJ Slavic Community Coordinator, seec@irco.org or 971-386-3990. For a list of community events see SEEC’s Instagram page, @SEEC_IRCO 
• Ukrainian-American Cultural Association of OR & SW WA - Home | Facebook
• Community Mental Health Resource Chart: ​​A quick reference chart for available resources. Includes links to websites, contact information, and hours of operation.

Helpful Articles

• How to talk with Students About the Russia-Ukraine War 5 Tips Ed Week
• How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War Common Sense Media
• Talking to Your Kids About War VeryWell Family
• Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children American Psychological Association
• Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children American Psychological Association

This press release was produced by Portland Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.