On Monday, October 29, 2018, PLASP CEO Lynn Hiebert shared her report for the 2017-2018 school year at the Annual Parent and Community Meeting at the International Centre in Mississauga. Almost 900 parents, staff and community partners were in attendance and heard greetings, reports and our keynote address from clinical psychologist, author and AhaParenting.com creator Dr. Laura Markham.

 

In her report, Lynn spoke about a special campaign that PLASP launched during the  year. PLASP programs received “I believe” chalkboard to share their beliefs. Photographs of the children and staff posing with their chalkboards were shared throughout the year at the PLASP office, on social media and in our Annual Report.

 

Lynn shared with the audience the following list of her own beliefs, that guide her work as the CEO of PLASP, an award-winning child care provider since 1975.

 

 

I visited one of our new locations on the first day of school with our President Sherry Fodor – we shared our own messages, using the chalkboards provided to each program during the 2017-2018 school year. 

 

I believe that curiosity is the start of learning.

It seems to me that learning starts with a question. That belief is echoed in our pedagogy for the early years – How Does Learning Happen? At PLASP, when we think about children’s learning, we start with questions and professional reflection. Children’s sense of wonder – and our own curiosity as adults – is the natural starting point. We encourage children to explore the world around them. They decide what they would like to do in our programs, increasing their involvement and excitement about the activities they participate in.  

 

I believe we’re never too young to learn – or too old to play. 

At PLASP, we share the vision of young children as capable and competent, rich in potential. Children are born learning, and we’re privileged to play a role in their learning journey, alongside their families, other educators in their lives, and their communities. We know children engage in learning first through play and inquiry. I hope that throughout our lives, we never lose the ability to learn through play. Here at PLASP, we can always count on the children to be our role models in play-based learning. I witness this each week when I visit programs.

 

I believe we do our best thinking outdoors. 

We’ve always known the importance of active, vigorous outdoor play for children’s well-being. Learning in nature’s classroom is a big area of focus for us at PLASP. As parents and educators, we also support our own well-being by getting outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. 

 

I believe everyone is unique in their own way. 

Our programs support children’s self-expression, as an important foundation of learning. Respect and inclusion are key beliefs that play a vital role not only on our values statement, but also in our programs every day.

 

I believe we need to be kind to each other. 

To create the sense of belonging that’s so foundational to learning, we focus on our values of care and empathy. Of course, these qualities are just as important in our interactions among staff, with our families and communities as they are in our early learning programs.

 

I believe we live best in a community. 

At PLASP, we believe in the communities we serve. It’s important for us to be active in these communities. Last year we participated in many community events including:

• Streetsville’s Bread and Honey

• Brampton KiteFest

• Newcomers Welcome in Mississauga and Brampton

• Santa Parades in Brampton, Etobicoke and Mississauga.  

 

We will be in three Santa Claus parades over the next few weeks, including Brampton on Saturday, November 17, 2018, Etobicoke on Saturday December 1, 2018 and Mississauga on Sunday, December 2, 2018. We hope to see you there!

 

I believe that it’s never too late to have a happy childhood. 

This is from the wonderful book, Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, by Dr. Laura Markham. Dr. Laura threaded this theme through her book, along with so much great, practical advice for us. For more information on Dr. Laura Markam, visit her website at www.ahaparenting.com. 

 

So much of what we do centers around the well-being of children. We’d love to hear what you believe in, as a parents, child care provider, or community partner. To see photos from our I Believe campaign during the 2017-2018 school year, visit our photo gallery on our website here or our photo album on Facebook here.