Huron Expositor, 2007-08-08, Page 3News
The Huron Expositor • August 8, 2007 Page 3
Seaforth children's centre has new director
SCCC expands Best Start program offering second one at St. Patrick's School
Susen Hundertmer4
Becoming director of the Seaforth
Cooperative Children's Centre is
like coming home for Naomi Pelss.
Pelss worked as an Early
Childhood Education (ECE) worker
for five years at the SCCC before
becoming assistant director and
then director of the Walton Little
School during the past six years.
A month into the job in Seaforth,
Pelss, who's lived in Seaforth close
to 15 years, is thrilled to be able to
take her three-year-old daughter
and her 18 -month-old son to work
with her.
"It's a great job and it's nice to
know they're (her children are) in
the same building with me," she
says.
The last SCCC director, Sandra
Jansen, is now working with the
school -aged children at the daycare.
Pelss is beginning as director a
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Naomi Pelss is Seaforth Cooperative
Children's Centre's new director.
year after SCCC began offering the
provincial Best Start program for
foul and five -year-olds in Seaforth
Introducing the Ontario Child Benefit
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and a few months before the Best
Start program will be offered for the
first time in Dublin at St. Patrick's
School.
"Best Start has been successful in
Seaforth. The children have a blast
and it's nice for parents to have that
kind of care available," she says.
Offered to junior and senior
kindergarten students during the
days they're not in school, Best
Start's purpose is to provide
resources, toys and learning materi-
als to provide an easy transition
into school from daycare.
Pelss is hoping parents with
kindergarten age students begin
enrolling in the program in August
to ensure a spot in both Seaforth
and Dublin.
While Best Start is offered at the
daycare centre in Seaforth, it will be
offered in a classroom at St.
Patrick's School to a maximum of 20
children at each location.
"It's first come, first served so par-
ents need to start thinking about it
now," she says.
Best Start funding from the
province will bring funding to St.
Patrick's School to renovate a class-
room, erect additional playground
fencing and provide the necessary
materials.
Pelss sOS\that parents enquiring
about the Best Start program in
Dublin are also asking if before and
after school daycare will also be pro-
vided at St. Patrick's School.
She is currently enquiring with
the province if a school -aged day-
care program could also be provid-
ed.
"If that's what parents need, wft'll
try to provide it," she says.
The Dublin Best Start program is
scheduled to begin at the start of
the school year in September if
enough children enrol.
"We're excited to take it on," Pelss
says.
YOU WOULD
DO ANYTHING
FOR YOUR KIDS.
Because you want them to have
the best you possibly can give them.
The new Ontario Child Benefit is one
way to help make it a little easier. If you
have children and are in a low-income
family, you may qualify for this benefit.
• You don't have to apply but to get it
you need to file your income taxes
for 2006 and register for the federal
Canada Child Tax Benefit.
For more information: Toll-free 1-888-789-4199
(or 416-325-5666 in Toronto) TTY 1-800-387-5559
www.OntarioChildBenefit.ca
i/r"Ontario
Paid for by the Government of Ontario