The Portage Ukrainian Nursery School is attempting to make their intake system more inclusive for newcomers.

Director Lori Carpenter says the idea was initially sparked a couple of years ago as staff went to Winnipeg for a training session with the Department of Education early years division. She outlines how this was the catalyst for their new system.

"We talked about cultural awareness, and our newcomer population in our centre has grown over the last few years," explains Carpenter. "We didn't want to say something that might make someone uncomfortable, and we wanted to support them as best as we could."

Carpenter says they decided to alter their intake questionnaire to make it more inclusive so more people in the community would feel welcome.

"There's also questions about can we help you with any services," explains Carpenter. "So, if someone's new to the community and they don't know that we have a library, or they don't know about the sports program, or other supports in the community we can help them with that."

She says she wants the newer families to feel like they're a part of the community as well. She explains according to samples of the new questionnaire sent to newcomer families, Carpenter says it really opened their eyes for what life is like for them before they came to Portage.

"It's very important and we just want everyone that comes to our door to feel like family," adds Carpenter. "Introducing them to other parents in the program so it it widens their circle of who they know in Portage."