Our Staff

Caring & Qualified

The Schoolhouse Playcare Centre, in accordance with the Child Care and Early Years Act, is staffed by qualified Early Childhood Educators, with additional training in First Aid and CPR. 

Early Childhood Educators who are employed with Schoolhouse Playcare Centre also have to be registered with the College of Early Childhood Educators in order to practice as an Early Childhood Educator. The Early Childhood program is a two year college course in which a diploma is obtained at completion of studies. In the two year program, child development, curriculum planning, and observations are studied for children infant to adolescent. 

The staff/child ratio is complemented by Early Childhood Education students who assist in such areas as: creative art, music, drama, and other learning experiences provided in an early childhood setting. 

Schoolhouse Playcare Centre

Wanda Collins
Executive Director
RECE, AECEO.C
Leila Nagy
Pedagogical Lead
RECE, AECEO.C
Lina Maclam
Pedagogical Lead
RECE, AECEO,C BA BEd

ST. James School Site

Brenda Walkoski
Head Educator
RECE, AECEO.C
Miranda Lange
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Emily Merenda
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Swati Limbachia
Educator
B.A, BEd, M.A.
Smriti Bhoray
Educator
ECE BEd BA in special education
Rachelle Minthorn
Early Childhood Educator
RECE RT
Alesha Spirka
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Jen Kesner
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Don McMahon
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Bobbi Abraham
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Wasantha Wanodani
Educator
BEd SNE Post Grad Cert in Ed ECE ECD
Poonam Arora
Educator
BEd BA MA MPhil
Emma Toriseva
Educator
Gagandeep Kaur
Educator
B Phys Honours, BEd, MEd, specializing in environment and sustainability
Terry Scocchia
Food Preparer

Ecole elsie Macgill site

Lindsey Richardson
Head Educator
RECE
Natasha Agostino
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Megan Ahtila
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Jessica Chikoski
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Madi Osbourne
Educator
Hailee King
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Manpreet Kaur
Educator
Bsc BEd MEd
Lynette Spicer
Educator
Keara Fiset
Educator
OCT BA BEd
Swati Sharma
Educator
BEd, MSc
Abby Skok
Educator
Harmeek Kaur
Student Support Worker
B.Ed
Julie Harris
Food Preparer

ST. Martin school site

Jen Tervo
Program Coordinator/Head Educator
RECE, AECEO.C
Liz Brock
Educator
Cameron Hansen
Educator
Paige Cameron
Educator
Caitlin Brock
Early Childhood Educator
RECE

Westmount school site

Lindsey Richardson
Program Coordinator/Head Educator
RECE
Cristy Kuokkanen
Early Childhood Educator Otherwise Approved
SSW
Camryn Blake
Early Childhood Educator
RECE
Gurpreet Kaur
Educator
M.Ed, B.Ed, M.Sc , B.Sc
Rylee Gemmel
Educator

CORPUS CHRISTI school site

Brenda Walkoski
Program Coordinator/Head Educator
RECE, AECEO.C
Poonam Arora
Educator
BEd BA MA MPhil
Marlene Salmonson
Early Childhood Educator
RECE

St Thomas aquinas school

Jen Tervo
Program coordinator / Early Childhood Educator
RECE AECEO.C
Rylee Gemmel
Educator
Preston Sgambelluri
Educator
Tatyana Popovik
Educator
HBA Psychology, B.Ed.

On Going Professional Development for Staff

We believe in encouraging and providing ongoing learning and professional development for our educators in our programs. This occurs in many different formats. Educators participate in weekly team meetings where we deconstruct our observations and develop programming for the children. Monthly staff meetings incorporate learning communities which allow us to further study our philosophy and guiding principles. Book studies, presentations, workshops, article reviews, reflective conversations, and more are some of the ways we continue to challenge ourselves as early childhood professionals.


Professional Development Project for 2022 to 2023

This year's educational project is to focus on the inquiry cycle and supporting ongoing projects. Through out this year we will be using staff meetings and team meetings to reflect on our understanding and use of the inquiry cycle and hear from our colleagues about their past projects with children.

"Reggio Emilia approach is oriented at raising children as creative thinkers and self-motivated explorers. Early introduced, project work helps them develop connections between primary activities, like playing, exploring and expressing oneselves. It encourages curiosity and active approach to learning."

- Kids Collective website


We are proud to have hosted an event put on by Schoolhouse Playcare Centre Educators:

"A Community Learning Event...The Inquiry Cycle"....Saturday, April 29,2017

Schoolhouse Playcare Centre put on an all day professional learning opportunity for the E.C.E. community and all those working with and caring for young children! It was held at our St. James School location. It was an exciting day where participants were involved in discussion and interactive workshops regarding the observation, provocation/putting it into practice, and documentation of children's learning. There were interactive displays that focussed on early childhood environments, children's representations, light and transparency and more!