On Christmas Day the Governor visited boarding schools of Smolensk region

On Christmas Day Governor Alexey Ostrovskiy visited several social institutions of the region where the children who need special care and attention live and study. It was them who Alexey Ostrovskiy decided to spend some time with, to talk to and to deliver Christmas gifts to. On the trip round the region he was accompanied by Deputy Governor for Social Policy Olga Okuneva.

The first institution, which the Head of the region visited that day, was the Pochinkovskaya special (correctional) boarding school of types VII-VIII, located in the village Prudki of Pochinkovskiy district. For 28 years this school has been headed by Honored Teacher of the Russian Federation, Excellence in Public Education Igor Chepuryshkin. The students are cherished in this school. Now 100 people are being brought up here. Eight of them are orphans, 16 children have been left without parental care from Roslavlskiy, Ershichsky, Monastyrshchinsky, Hislavichsky, Glinkovsky, Vyazemsky, Smolensky districts and from Smolensk. It should be noted that the Pochinkovskaya boarding school is listed in the encyclopedia "Best People of Russia" and "Gifted children are the future of Russia".

Alexey Ostrovskiy talked to the teachers and students. While touring the boarding school, the Governor noted that the institution is developing at a good pace, largely due to the initiative of its management, not only in words but in deeds following the principle of "a rolling stone gathers no moss".

Only in 2013 the head of the institution managed to attract extra-budgetary resources in the amount of 1.95 million rubles, which allowed to renovate the gym and to carry out other necessary repairs. The boarding school has two computer labs with modern specialized equipment, with the help of which the children with disabilities successfully tackle educational programs.

The Pochinkovskaya boarding school students participated in the World Special Olympics (Nagano, Japan), in the International drawing contest "Christmas Fantasy" TEAR Fund (GA, USA) etc. The creative work – an applique on fabric by Catherine Yakusheva on recommendation of the Ministry of Culture has been exhibited at the International Children's Art Gallery in Moscow.

After talking with the students of the Pochinkovskaya boarding school Alexey Ostrovskiy and the children took a bus drive to the village Shatalovo where there is another socialized institution – the Shatalovsky orphanage.

Here the regional Administration organized a Christmas party for the orphans and children left without parental care and the children with special needs from the Pochinkovskaya boarding school, the Shatalovsky orphanage, the "Nest" orphanage and Ekimovichskaya secondary specialized (correctional) boarding school.

The children took part in the New Year performances under leadership of Grandfather Frost, talked with Governor Alexey Ostrovskiy while having tea, and then enjoy a wonderful Christmas show presented by Smolensk regional Puppet Theater named after D.N. Svetilnikova.

And of course, all the children received gifts from the Governor: sweets and toys - with the symbols of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. In addition, each institution received from the Administration of the region a valuable gift, and the boarding schools students presented the guests with the gifts made with their own hands – very touching flowers of beads, warmed by the heat of children's hands.

Just like in Prudki, Alexey Ostrovskiy personally checked the conditions of living and studying at the Shatalovsky orphanage, which has been headed for 20 years by Excellence in Public Education Galina Sokolova.

Now the orphanage is the home for 66 people from the districts of the region: 12 orphans and 54 children without parental care. The comprehensive development of the children in the Shatalovsky orphanage is paid special attention to. There is a "social apartment" - an ordinary apartment where conditions have been created for pupils to experience independent living and to acquire self-help skills for the future adult life.

The gym, the arts school, the sewing workshop, the computer class, gymnastics class, the medical unit, and so on are in active use. A pleasant smell from the cooking workshop "strongly suggested" not to pass...

It is a family type orphanage, which contributes to the socialization of the children. The children's rooms have modern furnishings. When talking to the head of the institution the Governor drew attention to the sponsorship provided to the institution. In 2013 it was managed to attract extra-budgetary funds of 1 million rubles. In addition, the boarding school received equipment for 4 million rubles.

The students of the Shatalovsky orphanage take prizes in various prestigious competitions : the 2nd prize in the All-Russia competition for orphans and children left without parental care in the nomination "The best Russian folk instruments band", the 1st prize in the All-Russia competition for orphans and children left without parental care in the nomination "Vocal" , the 1st prize in the open championship of Russia among the football teams of orphanages and boarding schools held in St. Petersburg , the 1st prize in the open All-Russia football competitions among the teams orphanages and boarding schools "The future depends on you".

While the students of the orphanages enthusiastically shared their impressions of the Christmas celebration, solving puzzles from Grandfather Frost, the Governor held a working meeting in the office of the Shatalovsky orphanage dedicated to the issues of working with children in need of the special care from the state. It was attended by the Heads of the relevant executive authorities and the orphanages of Smolensk region. Following the meeting, Alexey Ostrovskiy set some other specific tasks.