ECE Mentor Appreciation Night

On October 28, 2009, 140 early childhood educators attended an evening of celebration to honour our child care community. The event was held in the James Colvin Atrium. Pam Skinner, Fanshawe's Dean of Nursing, Health Sciences, and Human Services, welcomed the participants as the child care community acknowledged those child care centres who participated in the "Raising the Bar" Quality Child Care Initiative. As well, 21 child care directors who are participating in the Mentor Pairs for Child Care Project did a presentation to the group on the effect the Mentor Project has had on their centres, the community and their personal growth as a director.

Dean Pam Skinner welcomes attendees to Mentor Appreciation Night

Mentoring Pairs for Child Care is a province-wide program that enhances child care quality, by matching more experienced child care supervisors with less experienced child care supervisors in their own communities. It is funded by the Government of Ontario and managed by the Early Childhood Community Development Centre (ECCDC), who. have partnered with Fanshawe College to pilot this project.

Additional funding was made available to our local community and Fanshawe College to allow us to host a professional development event on November 10, 2009, where 75 Supervisors of Child Care Centres attended. The City of London provided the space at the North London Optimist Community Centre for this training event. Phase 2 of the Project will begin in January 2010, with all communities in Ontario participating, including London.

Sheryl Ragobar
Coordinator, Early Childhood Education
Sheryl sits on the Provincial Advisory Committee and co-animates this project with part-time faculty member Kim Woods of London Children's Connection.