Certificate of Achievement Recipients
Quebec
Sandra Breton
Centre de la petite enfance Le Bilboquet
Sherbrooke, Quebec
Sandra Breton helps children see beyond physical differences so that they can be the best they can be. For example, she developed a series of activities, games, materials and stories to demonstrate that, while physical differences may exist, the similarities among all children in terms of interests and abilities far outweigh the differences. As a consequence, children in her care believe in themselves and begin to learn language and relationship skills with confidence and purpose. Breton also established a foundation that raises money to purchase assistive devices and educational tools for preschool children with special needs.
Get in touch!
Centre de la petite enfance Le Bilboquet
195, rue Mont-Plaisant
Sherbrooke, Quebec J1E 2A5
Telephone: 819-564-7400
Fax: 819-564-3785
France Drouhin
Centre de la petite enfance La voûte enchantée
Montreal, Quebec
France Drouhin encourages children to learn about other cultures to develop greater respect, self-esteem, independence, creativity and social skills. She introduces children to the global village as the basis for her teaching. Every week the children are asked to research a country and then present the information to the class. At the end of each month, the children are given a passport to keep track of the many places they have "visited." Children are also encouraged to bring in traditional foods and music to mark special holidays, such as Hanukkah and the Chinese New Year. Parents are also encouraged to join in the celebrations and help the children explore various cultures and regions.
Get in touch!
Centre de la petite enfance La voûte enchantée
775, rue Bonsecours
Montreal, Quebec H2Y 3C8
Telephone: 514-394-6365
Fax: 514-394-6365
Sandra Duchesne
Centre de la petite enfance Pomme Soleil
Longueuil, Quebec
Sandra Duchesne specializes in helping children with special needs recognize their strengths and develop strong self-esteem and self-confidence. She teaches children who have complete or partial loss of their ability to understand, speak, read and write. Many of her charges have been accepted into the regular stream within the school system. Duchesne has developed a series of songs and stories in the form of movable pictograms and created a visual schedule for children. Other professionals and educators at the centre are now using these innovative tools. She continues to take courses in occupational therapy. She is also in high demand to train others on her successful methods and program.
Get in touch!
Centre de la petite enfance Pomme Soleil
525, rue Adoncour
Longueuil, Quebec J4G 2M6
Telephone: 450-677-2308
Fax: 450-677-8961
Jacinthe Guilmain
Centre de la petite enfance Ma Famigarde
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
Jacinthe Guilmain provides a learning environment that stimulates a child's natural curiosity, and encourages debate, explanations and discussions. She works closely with parents and encourages them to be active participants in the preschool. For example, parents are asked to work with their children on language exercises complementing the preschool curriculum at home. A strong advocate for including all children, Guilmain undertook the care, education and integration of a child who had a language disorder and was unable to understand, speak, read or write. She developed a series of learning programs and tools to help the child communicate, and together, they constructed a magnetic fishing rod to fish for words and sentences.
Get in touch!
Centre de la petite enfance Ma Famigarde
13570, avenue de l'Église
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2R 1W9
Telephone: 450-799-2500
Sylvie Paquette
Centre de la petite enfance Tour à Tour
Montreal, Quebec
Sylvie Paquette creates a fluid learning environment that allows children to express themselves and to demonstrate initiative. She gives children tools that bring their challenges within reach, such as pictograms to help them understand and remember instructions. She also uses interactive games to help children learn discipline and develop self-control. This allows them to control their emotions and to relate better with others. Working closely with parents, she has developed a number of training sessions on discipline and creating a positive learning environment at home. She also led a successful project for integrating children with special needs into a preschool classroom.
Get in touch!
Centre de la petite enfance Tour à Tour
120, rue Sherbrooke Est
Montreal, Quebec H2C 1C3
Telephone: 514-844-8090
Ontario
Judith Friel
A Child's Paradise Inc.
Brantford, Ontario
Judith Friel opened the first early childhood education centre for teenaged mothers in Brantford. The centre, located in a high school, provides an environment that makes children feel comfortable and encourages them to do their best while allowing mothers to continue their studies. The centre also provides parenting classes to the young moms. Part of Friel's mission is to educate others about the value of childhood educators and their role in supporting childhood development.
Get in touch!
A Child's Paradise Inc.
34 Dalkeith Drive
Brantford, Ontario N3P 1N6
Telephone: 519-756-9880
Fax: 519-756-9045
Ina Zakal (Kulugutaq)
Tungasuvvingat Inuit Head Start
Ottawa, Ontario
Ina Zakal builds a strong rapport with each child in her care and, based on this relationship, is able to help children meet challenges and difficult tasks head-on. Fluent in Inuktitut, she incorporates the language and cultural teachings into classroom activities. For example, she introduces students to traditional games, music and artwork. She also helps children prepare traditional northern foods and teaches them Inuktitut songs, which they perform at special community events. Zakal also communicates with parents in Inuktitut, and has developed a communications book for other Inuit early childhood educators. She is recognized as a community leader and tirelessly works to promote Inuit culture and language.
Get in touch!
Tungasuvvingat Inuit Head Start
230, avenue McArthur
Ottawa, Ontario K1L 6P5
Telephone: 613-747-2225
Fax: 613-747-0629
Saskatchewan
Lucille Gilliland
Southwest Day Care and Early Learning Centre
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
If it takes a village to raise a child, the people who live in the village had better start working together. That is Lucille Gilliland's common sense philosophy, and she puts it to work by getting parents, other family members and the community involved with childcare. She has developed a successful program for children that is now offered in childcare centres, preschools and play schools throughout Moose Jaw. The program's primary goal is to show children the various ways they can interact with other children. Gilliland developed materials, such as a parent handbook and a staff training manual, to support the program. She also participates in workshops, courses and conferences on early childhood education and development.
Get in touch!
Southwest Day Care and Early Learning Centre
1504-4th Avenue SW
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan S6H 5V7
Telephone: 306-693-6688
Fax: 306-693-6688
Liliana Sulikowska-Klebek
Lil' Day Care
Kindersley, Saskatchewan
Working in a rural community, Liliana Sulikowska-Klebek is often called upon to provide care, development and supervision to children, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To help meet these needs, Sulikowska-Klebek has built contacts with parents and the community. She also offers courses on subjects such as basic parenting skills and nutrition. In working with the children she seeks to develop a relationship with each child and then tailors activities to specifically address his or her learning needs. Her efforts have been recognized in the community and by local child care groups such as Rural Voices, a national project that is studying early childhood education and care in rural Canada.
Get in touch!
Lil' Day Care
PO Box
995
Kindersley, Saskatchewan S0L 1S0
Telephone: 306-463-8243
British Columbia
Dianne Bentley
Carrot Seed Preschool
Victoria, British Columbia
Dianne Bentley creates a classroom environment that is "child-directed and teacher-supported," in which children feel good about themselves and are encouraged to tap into their creativity. She provides children with support to take initiative and make their own decisions. For instance, she encourages children to choose their own school activities and projects. Children also learn to resolve conflicts and to be more sensitive to the feelings of other students. Bentley also keeps the lines of communication open with parents. She prepares a monthly newsletter for parents, outlining upcoming activities, and organizes regular coffee parties for parents. As well, she created a library for parents, filled with parenting resources and tips.
Get in touch!
Carrot Seed Preschool
813 Claremont Avenue
Victoria, British Columbia V8Y 1J9
Telephone: 250-658-2331
Fax: 250-658-5937
Barbara A. Friesen
Deer Lake Preschool
Burnaby, British Columbia
Barbara Friesen provides a respectful environment in which children learn to get along with each other. Every child, including those with special needs, receives the time and care they need to develop, learn and have fun with their peers. Emphasizing learning through play, Friesen designs activities to help each child learn and succeed. For example, she adapts materials, including props, tools and furniture so children with special needs can fully participate.
Get in touch!
Deer Lake Preschool
5135 Sperling Avenue
Burnaby, British Columbia V5E 2T2
Telephone: 604-294-4988
Fax: 604-205-9041
Annette MacGregor
Cowichan Preschool
Duncan, British Columbia
Annette MacGregor instills a love of music by singing and playing guitar during circle time. She takes children on special outings in the community - to the library, museums and concerts. She also invites special guests, such as a dentist, natural history interpreter or violinist, to talk to the children about their profession. In the spring, the classroom becomes a garden filled with plants. After studying about seeds and plants, the children go to a local farm to create a pumpkin patch, which they harvest in October. MacGregor provides parents with ongoing reports of their children's progress. She also uses these reports to tailor specific activities for the children.
Get in touch!
Cowichan Preschool
PO Box
633
Duncan, British Columbia V9L 3Y2
Telephone: 250-748-4112
Joan Schumann
St. Giles Preschool Centre
Vancouver, British Columbia
Joan Schumann strives to be creative and follow the natural curiosity of children. For instance, when children started asking questions about bones and skeletons, she had them trace their body shapes on paper and then draw in the bones. Through this activity, the children were better able to understand their bone structures and skeletons. Schumann also works on behalf of her profession and community, as she has helped establish a financial aid program to help subsidize the tuition fees for families with low incomes. She is also a volunteer at a children's hospice. She devotes time to help train and support students in early childhood education.
Get in touch!
St. Giles Preschool Centre
305 West 41st Avenue
Vancouver, British Columbia V5Y 2S5
Telephone: 604-325-0114
Fax: 604-325-0114
Sukhvir Sidhu
Centennial Daycare
Victoria, British Columbia
Sukhvir Sidhu uses everyday items to stretch children's imagination and knowledge. For example, a cardboard box becomes a recycled truck and an opportunity to teach children the importance of recycling and the environment. Openness and acceptance are key values emphasized in Sidhu's classroom. She encourages children to share information about their culture and traditions. She ensures that children with special needs and their families get the support and services they need to fully participate in all activities. Sidhu also provides referrals, when needed, for families in need or facing crises.
Get in touch!
Centennial Daycare
612 David Street
Victoria, British Columbia V8T 2E1
Telephone: 250-386-6832
Yukon
Karen Macklon
Macklon Family Day Home
Whitehorse, Yukon
Karen Macklon seeks to get to know each child in her care very well so that she can be sensitive to the child's feelings and understand his or her needs. She works closely with parents to capitalize on everyday life situations to stimulate and educate children. Macklon has devoted herself to creating greater awareness of the importance of quality childcare in her entire community. She has, for example, created Childcare Awareness Day, an annual event highlighting the importance of quality early childhood education that attracts more than 1000 visitors. She also helps educators to get training and supports newcomers to the field looking to set up home-based programs.
Get in touch!
Macklon Family Day Home
12 Tutshi Road
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 3R3
Telephone: 867-668-6349