Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) proudly recognizes its long-serving staff members. At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), CNH staff and contractors who have reached the milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service and dedication to the neighbourhood house, were thanked by the Board of Directors.
This year, we recognize and celebrate Cindy Chisolm for over 20 years of service!
Cindy Chisolm
In 2004, Cindy started as a childcare worker in CNH’s toddler program. Five years later, she transitioned to a role as school-age coordinator in our Graham Bruce and CNS programs.
Today, she is a coordinator with the Renfrew School-Age Child Care program. Cindy is described as someone who “puts everything into her work.” This includes ensuring a quality program and the utmost creativity with annual art shows Cindy hosts with her team and program participants.
Cindy says she has stayed at CNH for so long because it doesn’t feel like a traditional workplace At CNH, Cindy says it feels like a community and a family where people genuinely care about each other.
While Cindy holds many favourite memories at CNH, one experience she will never forget is a trip to Reggio Emilia.
“It was such a fantastic learning experience,” she says. “I know for myself and many others who went on this trip, it showed that CNH values the work that we do as [Early Childhood Educators] by providing us this opportunity.”
As a result of starting in the toddler program, Cindy has had the honour of working with some children from their toddler years through Grade 7. They are now in university and still come to visit. “I love the connections made over the years,” Cindy says.
A more recent memory would be watching a child with low self-esteem, who thought she wasn’t good at anything, beam with pride during the art show as she led the school principal around. And later with such joy as she showed her mother what she had done.
Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) proudly recognizes its long-serving staff members. At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), CNH staff and contractors who have reached the milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service and dedication to the neighbourhood house, were thanked by the Board of Directors.
This year, we recognize and celebrate Im Mei Kwok for over 20 years of service!
Im Mei Kwok
Im Mei has worked with CNH for over 20 years. Currently with the Duke Street Early Learning and Care Centre team, she first started as a childcare worker on Nov. 3, 2003.
Im Mei has a passion for teaching children many different concepts and skills; she introduces different activities and stories to them with excitement and joy. Described by her colleagues as scholarly, resourceful, thoughtful and positive, she is also described as “a gentle, loving teacher to the children.”
Im Mei said that she has stayed with CNH because she has been part of a good team over the years. To the team, they say Im Mei is like family to them.
Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) proudly recognizes its long-serving staff members. At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), CNH staff and contractors who have reached the milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service and dedication to the neighbourhood house, were thanked by the Board of Directors.
This year, we recognize and celebrate Soudabeh “Soudi” Babaie, one of our childcare workers, for over 25 years of service!
Soudi (left) and her colleague, Sabrina Bantog, at CNH’s Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024.
Soudi started as a childcare worker at CNH on Oct. 11, 1998. Today, she continues to work in childcare at the Duke Street Early Learning and Care Centre where her years of experience complement her compassionate nature.
Described as caring, considerate and understanding among her colleagues, Soudi is also known for her sweet, gentle and loving manner with the children in our programs. Soudi credits her 25+ years at CNH to the support of her colleagues and has built many deep relationships as a result. Soudi’s colleagues say she is equally supportive and like family to many of the childcare workers at CNH.
Soudi loves running, reading, hiking, sewing and knitting, and plans to travel more.
The Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) Board of Directors is proud to provide a scholarship of $750.00 in honour of a long-term staff Nina Vacca.
Nina passed away in 2021. Nina arrived to Canada as a refugee and was a lifelong learner; she pursued her Early Childhood Education Certificate later in life.
Nina worked at CNH as a manager of the LINC Childcare Program; she was also a childcare worker in the Families Branching Out Program and Family Place. She always showed a lot of love an care in the work she did with children.
Her contributions and work did not stop with her caring for children at CNH: she volunteered in her community every year to organize events for the Chilean community.
At CNH we want to celebrate Nina’s legacy by offering this scholarship to newcomer women and girls, including those who identify as trans or non-binary.
How to apply
Download and fill out the application at this link or get an application form from reception at CNH (5288 Joyce St)
Email the form to info@cnh.bc.ca or hand it into reception by deadline
Application Deadline
The deadline for applications is Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 5 pm.
Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) proudly recognizes its long-serving staff members. At each year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), CNH staff and contractors who have reached the milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service to the neighbourhood house were thanked by the Board of Directors.
This year, we recognize and celebrate Jyotsna Patel for 15 years of service. Here’s what Sabrina Bantog, Child Care HR Manager, had to say aboutJyotsna:
Jyotsna has been a childcare casual with the Department of Early Years at CNH since March 4, 2008, where I have had the pleasure of both working with and supervising her. As a casual, she works in multiple programs, sometimes with very little notice for a shift start time. Jyotsna is flexible and always wants to work as much as possible. There have been multiple occasions when she has worked in the same program for months at a time.
Her colleagues describe her as being helpful and hard-working and say she is always friendly with the children and staff. She is very generous, kind and thoughtful. When asked why Jyotsna has stayed with CNH for so long, she said it’s because she likes CNH, she likes the children and she simply just wants to stay with us. Jyotsna says that when she started working with small children at CNH she just had to continue.
We thank and appreciate Jyotsna for her dedication and commitment and want her to know that she is so valued. Congratulations, Jytonsa!
Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) proudly recognizes its long-serving staff members. At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), CNH staff and contractors who have reached the milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service to the neighbourhood house were thanked by the Board of Directors.
This year, we recognize and celebrate Walda Gornfor 25 years of service. Here’s what Diana Taykandy, Operations Child Care ProgramManager, had to say about Walda:
Walda began her journey at CNH just over 25 years ago. In 1997, she started as a practicum student in our preschool program. Once she completed her Early Childhood Educator (ECE) coursework, she returned to CNH to complete 500 hours of volunteer work to obtain her license to practice in childcare. At this time, Walda volunteered in both of our preschool and infant/toddler programs.
Eventually, a part-time position became available in our infant/toddler centre and Walda applied. With her experience at CNH, it was no surprise she was hired for the role. Shortly after, a full-time position opened with our childcare team and for years, Walda worked happily in the infant/toddler program, learning, growing and always caring for our under-threes. Over time, it became clear that Walda was continuously willing to learn, discover and improve her programs. She was also keen on honing her own skills and knowledge in the industry.
In 2013, Walda became a program coordinator at CNH and that’s where we still find her. We are so fortunate that Walda did all her early learnings with us. Today, Walda works with eight educators in the infant/toddler program, most of whom have been working together for many years. Needless to say, a team working together as long as they have, share a special connection.
When asked what made Walda stay with us for so many years, her initial response was that she loved the team she worked with. Ultimately, Walda says she felt (and still feels) that CNH is her place. Walda also lives nearby and has been a part of the local community for a long time. In fact, Walda’s family has spent time helping in both our infant/toddler program and CNH as well. Walda’s husband, for example, has supported our childcare centres by doing odd jobs, such as painting, pressure washing and building furniture. Additionally, he has always been a huge support to Walda, who in turn is always looking out for the very best in her programs.
Walda is dedicated and self-motivated, which is only part of what makes her the special person she is today. It has been a pleasure working with her all these years and we look forward to many more. (We are not kidding, Walda says her future plans are to continue working at CNH.)
Thank you, Walda, for all that you do every day. We are so fortunate to have had your entire career take place at CNH!
The Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) Board of Directors is proud to provide a scholarship of $750.00 in honour of a long-term staff Nina Vacca.
Nina passed away in 2021. Nina arrived to Canada as a refugee and was a lifelong learner; she pursued her Early Childhood Education Certificate later in life.
Nina worked at CNH as a manager of the LINC Childcare Program; she was also a childcare worker in the Families Branching Out Program and Family Place. She always showed a lot of love and care in the work she did with children.
Her contributions and work did not stop with her caring for children at CNH: she volunteered in her community every year to organize events for the Chilean community.
At CNH we want to celebrate Nina’s legacy by offering this scholarship to refugee and immigrant women.
Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) proudly recognizes its long-serving staff members. At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), CNH staff and contractors who have reached the milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service to the neighbourhood house were thanked by the Board of Directors.
This year, we recognize and celebrate Rosanna Costantini for 15 years of service. Here’s what Sabrina Bantog, Child Care HR Manager, had to say about Rosanna:
“Rosanna currently is a Grenfell School Age Childcare worker and she does Parents & Tots Gym time with our Recreation department.
“Rosanna has been a participant, a volunteer and currently a staff. It all started over 20 years ago when she used to bring her children to Parents & Tots Gym Time and she participated in Family Place.
“Rosanna has volunteered being an MC at many of CNH’s events, she has done senior’s friendly phone calls, volunteered & had a position in the Families Branching Out Program, and she facilitated the Mama & Papa Goose Program.
“Rosanna’s supervisor, Donna says that Rosanna enjoys implementing a variety of activities with the children including cooking, art, music/dancing and playing tag. The children love her willingness to play along side them. She thinks Rosanna has stayed with CNH so long because she genuinely loves working with children, encouraging their individual growth and development.
“Donna’s favourite work-related memory involving Rosanna was when she made a pinata for Spring Break a couple of years ago. The children all took turns trying to break it open and… nothing. It was like the pinata had been made of concrete and not paper mache. So, Rosanna tried to break it, and ended up breaking the pinata stick in half, and the pinata remained unscathed. The running joke with her now is that she should explore a career of making houses with her paper mache mixture as they would stand up to almost anything and not fall apart!
“When Rosanna was asked why she is still around, she said “It’s because I want to give back to our community, to families and children, to impact their lives… to put smiles on their faces, to lend them an ear when needed and also give them my heart but most of all to have them realize they are special, welcomed and that they belong and that they matter. We all have an important part to play in making changes and improving our society and the world and I can do this with my everyday interactions with the people who walk through the doors of CNH.
Today, November 30th, is a Canada-wide Day of Action for Child Care. As the Province moves forward with the implementation of their $10 a day Child Care BC plan, it’s important to recognize that quality, affordable child care cannot happen without the educators.
CNH will continue to be an advocate for professional wages and benefits based on a provincially funded wage grid because child care educators not only play a vital role in providing quality care and expansion of spaces, but they are essential in the education of young minds!
Visit https://youtu.be/FXNXxLadtJY to watch a video of four of our educators tell us why they chose the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) profession, what they love about their work, and what they are hopeful for, for the field of ECE.
We highlight the work of CNH’s amazing child care staff. Parents very kindly shared with us what their child’s educator means to their family and words of support for the ECE profession. These kudos are also being shared with our educators.
Some of our incredible child care staff
“I have found all ECEs to be kind, fair, great negotiators(!), caring, fun and respectful of our young ones. They encompass all the qualities a parent could ask for when entrusting them with the care of our precious children”
“Preschool teachers are exceptionally important in children’s lives, especially during their most impressionable years. They provide children with a support system, encouragement and build a great foundation for their future”
“I cannot overstate how much we appreciate the work that you all do in providing care and contributing to raising healthy and happy kids”
“The low level of pay available to these childcare workers versus the training they need and the precious people we put in their hands is greatly out of balance and I have seen firsthand where programs have lost AMAZING employees to better paying jobs”
“The bonds he has developed with these teachers and staff have allowed him to grow and develop into the wonderful toddler he is today. The staff are incredible, and always willing to learn how to adapt to our son’s needs. The training, education, and continual improvement required to care for the diverse needs of all children requires a special person. Their contribution to the growth of our children is extremely valued and we are very thankful”
“They are all calm and honest, not passing judgment onto a parent or made to make them feel less. They are very understanding and honest and most of all friendly. All the staff that interact with C, are always smiling and seem genuinely to love their job. They always greet us with a smile every morning and even say goodbye after we leave. C is getting to be around people with good values and respect for one another. Plus, he really likes it I’m sure. Even if he does cry a bit when dropped off in mornings, ha-ha!”
“It’s a long day for my kids. It’s a profound relief, and a delight, to see them so excited to get to out-of-school care in the morning, and then always wanting “5 more minutes” when I pick them up at the end of the day. I know that they love this program because it’s a safe and enriching place for them to play”
“We value the educators at O’s daycare for providing genuine care and connection for all the little ones in their parents’ absence. I recall struggling when first sending him to daycare, and I was compassionately reassured that his needs would be met (including being held and hugged when pandemic measures encouraged social distancing)”“It takes a village to raise a child and that cannot be more true about the teachers at Terry Tayler. We couldn’t do it without their support, compassion, patience and care. They welcome us at every drop off and pick with a big smile no matter how well-behaved or difficult our child was that day. It is hard to be away from your child all day but knowing that our children are happy and well cared for at daycare makes a huge difference. Teachers are educating our future doctors, engineers, artists, business owners and so much more. That is a huge job and they deserve a fair wage!”
“We can’t express enough how grateful we are for the early childhood educators that teach and care for P. Knowing that she has a safe, stimulating, and nurturing environment to go to everyday allows us to have peace of mind. It allows us to focus on what we need to do to contribute to the health and vibrancy of our household and community. P loves going to daycare and we know she feels safe and nurtured by the committed educators who teach her. We are so lucky to have to have these amazing humans in our community! We have the utmost respect and appreciation for the skills, knowledge, capabilities and empathy of the early childhood educators at your centre. We believe that our current early childhood education system under compassionates those providing such an important service to our community and we strongly support fairer wages going forward. Quality, affordable childcare for all!”
“Please consider that those who are spending large amounts of the day, often more waking hours than their primary caregivers, provide not only a watchful eye, but are also our children’s first professional educators. They provide rich learning opportunities, while building our children’s confidence and ensuring they are cared for both physically and mentally”
“As a parent who’s benefited from the $10/day program, I can see how it has allowed our family to redirect the funds to other important areas in our life but this monetary benefit has not been experienced by the ECEs”
“Early education is so important to us – Teachers play such an important role in a child’s earliest years, when they’re just picking up the foundational elements of life, and aren’t able to (or need to) rely as much on friends and other students, like they can in later years. It’s laying the foundation for their education – Daycare is about so much more than simply learning basic skills – Our kids learn critical social and emotional skills and a partnership is formed between the child, their parents and the teacher. When this is done successfully, it lays the groundwork for it to continue throughout the child’s education. – They help lay the foundation for education and discovery, for the rest of a child’s life – for a successful future. They bring expertise in children’s development – they specialize in working with children the age of ours. They are pros at assessing, observing, and documenting their development. They focus on the child’s strengths and adapt their environment to their needs and likes. – We see them building a warm and positive relationships with our children – important to us because children need to feel safe and cared for. They also help the kids build positive relationships with other. They teach them so many important life skills – cooperation, sharing, being creative, using their imagination… They create a welcoming environment for children to make them feel right at home. They have patience for our children. They help us understand what is going on with our children.It has been so great to see them socialize with people outside of our home and family – this has made them very social people, which we so appreciate! They don’t get scared around new faces or around large groups”
Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) proudly recognizes its long-serving staff members. At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), CNH staff and contractors who have reached the milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service to the neighbourhood house were thanked by the Board of Directors.
This year, we recognize and celebrate Sabrina Bantog for 25 years of service. Here’s what Alison Merton, Director of the Early Years, had to say about Sabrina:
“I have been fortunate to work with Sabrina since 1996.
“Sabrina grew up in Vancouver. She attended Langara College to study Early Childhood Education. In 1996, Sabrina began working in Family Place at CNH and did casual work in child care before securing a position in the infant and toddler program. She then quickly moved into management roles within the child care department first in Kindercare, Collingwood Early Learning and Care Centre, and then she became the manager that opened the Terry Tayler Early Learning and Care Centre in the fall of 2012.
“Sabrina’s current role is as a Child Care Manager which requires her to deal with all human resources (HR)-related tasks for the child care staff team, which is quite the task given the amount of staff we have.
“We are so extremely fortunate to have Sabrina’s expertise in HR at CNH. She is kind, compassionate, and always goes above and beyond. She is very well respected by everyone. Sabrina puts the ‘human’ in human resources! She has represented CNH at CUPE and also at many Early Childhood Educator events. She continuously seeks out professional development opportunities and is currently doing courses in HR at BCIT.
“Sabrina says CNH is her home. She felt like she grew up at Collingwood, making many relationships. She has always felt supported and has had many opportunities to learn, grow and advance. She says CNH feels like family. This is likely because her husband Jaime also once worked at CNH and both her children, Alissa and Kyle, attended our child care programs! It’s not unusual to see Kyle here in Friday’s youth program or to see Sabrina’s mom hanging out in the seniors’ programs.
“Sabrina says there are many memories that make her smile, reflecting back. What stands out the most is the trip to Italy to visit the Reggio Emilia programs at their source with her peers and the management team. She will be forever grateful for that opportunity, definitely not something she would have been able to do on her own and it was most meaningful to be able to do this with colleagues.
“She would like to acknowledge all of the wonderful people she has had the pleasure of getting to know over the years. Her continued commitment to CNH, the Early Years department and the Early Childhood Education profession is outstanding. Thank you, Sabrina, for your many years of service and congratulations.”
