Meet the Team!
Paula – Executive Director
I have been on the child care field for over 25 years. I especially love working with special needs children and ESL families.
In 1990, after graduating from the intensive Early Childhood Education program at Algonquin College, I started working at an Integrated Headstart Nursery School Program. This program gave me the opportunity to develop my skills with special needs children and their families. I worked there for three and a half years until I went on Maternity leave.
After my Maternity leave ended, I decided to work from home and started my own home day care. Working from home gave me the opportunity to raise my own two children and continue to work with children. I operated a very successful home day care for 16 years, where the children that I took into my home became very much a part of my family.
In 2010, I joined the College of Early Childhood Educators and decided to go work outside the home. I became the Assistant Director at a Kindergarten School Age Program.
In November of 2012, I joined Fairview as the Director of the program. I have loved connecting with the families and staff at Fairview. I especially like the fact that I am still able to spend time in all the classrooms and get to know each individual child. It continues to be a pleasure and an honour to watch all of the children grow and develop.
Brandie – Assistant Director
Officially, I have been an Early Childhood Educator since 2002 but I began working at a Preschool immediately after starting school at Algonquin College in 2000. I had always worked with children and said to myself I should go back to school and get my diploma. I went to work at preschool all day, school at night along with raising three children. It was a very trying two years, but was worth every moment. Now, I am a proud member of the College of Early Childhood Educators
In 2010, I accepted a permanent position in the Junior Room at Fairview Child Care Centre. In September of 2012 I began working with the new Toddler Program at Fairview and I’m thrilled to be there. No matter what age group I am working with, I have found a second family in the people I work with and the families I have come to know. Through life’s challenges, I have always had a sanctuary in this center and hope that is what the families find as well.
My job is one of the best out there. Although it’s a lot of work, seeing the children grow and develop into “big boys and girls” is very rewarding. They truly make my job fulfilling!
Jennifer – Program Educator
My love for children began many years ago. In 1991, I completed my ECA certification with Mothercraft. Then, I started my career off working as a nanny for 2 families in Blackburn Hamlet. I enjoyed doing this for 10 years then decided that it was time to move on, as the children had grown up.
In the summer of 2005 I started supplying for Fairview Child Care Centre and in February of 2006 I was hired on full time at Fairview. I’ve enjoyed working in every program at Fairview, but worked several years in the Senior Preschool Program. When the new Toddler Program began in September of 2012, I started working with the toddlers. Whether I am working in the Toddler Program or one of the Preschool Programs, I have so much fun and find my job extremely rewarding. To see the children learn and grow is absolutely awesome.
I have also been working very hard towards completing my ECE through Algonquin College and hope to soon become a proud member of the College of ECE.
I have always enjoyed working with children. I find it extremely fulfilling and rewarding.
Urszula – Early Childhood Educator
My career started in Poland, where I graduated from the Maria Curie Sklodowska University in Lublin, Poland with a Masters of Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education. I then went on to work with school age children.
When I came to Canada, I started supply teaching for daycare centers in Ottawa. I enjoyed working in preschool programs and got my equivalency in ECE. I am a professional member of the College of Early Childhood Educators and I have been working with the amazing team of teachers at Fairview since 2000 and find it very rewarding.
Working with children is my passion and I look forward everyday to my contribution to every child’s optimal development. I believe “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted”-Aesop Quote.
Meena – Early Childhood Educator
I have been working with children for many years now. Working with children is my passion! I have volunteered and worked at different schools and centres throughout the years. I have also worked with families and children in home settings as well.
I have acquired my BA in psychology from The University of Ottawa. I am also a proud member of The College of Early Childhood Educators.
In the summer of 2017, I came to Fairview to complete my last placement for my ECE diploma. After completing the placement, I was given the opportunity to work as an enhanced support staff and as a supply educator. In January 2019, a full-time opportunity was offered to me and I have had the pleasure of working at Fairview since then.
It brings me lots of joy knowing I am making a difference in the lives of many children and their families. Helping children reach their full potential, and to help them feel happier and better about themselves, is what I enjoy most. The endless laughter and giggles with the children is an added bonus!
Marilyn – Early Childhood Educator
I graduated with a diploma in Early Childhood Education at Algonquin College in Pembroke in May 1992. I did my final placement at Fairview Child Care Centre in 1992 and upon graduation started my career at Fairview. The first year, I worked in the Kindergarten Program, but then moved to the Preschool program. I am also a proud member of the College of Early Childhood Educators.
My experience working with children of any age has taught me that my role as a teacher is to offer children the opportunity to grow to their fullest potential. Seeing the smile on a child’s face shows me I have chosen the right career.
I especially enjoy working with special needs children. I find it extremely rewarding to see how they grow and I enjoy challenging them. To see a smile on their faces when they have accomplished a task is truly priceless.
There are many rewards of teaching young children. Those rewards are not only from seeing them accomplish something, but also what they teach us as adults.
Nesrin – Floater/ Kitchen Assistant
I was born and raised in Syria. When I graduated from the university of Damascus. I immediately started working in office administration. In 2016, I moved to Canada with my husband and three young children. I never thought ESL classes would lead me to working with children, but I am extremely happy it did.
In 2018, I completed my Child Care Worker certificate at Queen of the Angels Adult School. This led to my practicum at Fairview. I had an amazing experience at Fairview and after I completed my placement, I was offered a 1-year contract as kitchen assistant/floater. When my contract ended, I was sad to go and hoped to return some day. However, I knew child care was where I wanted to be and supplied at various child care centres close to home.
In July 2020, I was called back for an interview and offered the kitchen assistant/floater position which I immediately accepted. I am thrilled to be back at Fairview. I loved the staff and families here and couldn’t be happier. This position offers me the opportunity to work both in the kitchen and directly with the children – two things that I so love doing
Mona – Early Childhood Educator
I have worked with children for many years. I started my training in 1994 in Sri Lanka where I received my diploma in Preschool Montessori from the Vocational Education Centre. I worked in London England as a Nursery School Assistant and in Oslo, Norway as a special needs assistant, where I worked one-on one with a child with special needs.
In 2007, I completed my Early Childhood Educator Assistant diploma from ICAN College here in Ottawa. Shortly after graduating, I started working at a Kindergarten School Age program as a program assistant and I worked there until 2013.
Wanting to expand my experience in the child care field, in September of 2013, I began working at a preschool program where part of my duties included preparing meals for the children. Then, in March of 2014, I joined the Fairview team as their new Cook/Floater. I welcomed the challenge this opportunity offer me and I looked forward to growing my skill set as I worked with the staff, children and their families.
In September of 2015, I was offered an opportunity I could not refuse – to work full time with the children here at Fairview. I am thrilled to be working with the children and their families.
I believe that continuous professional development is extremely important. I have completed various workshops including the Crossroads Behaviour Management Training, various ELECT workshops, and Creating Partnerships with Families. I finally decided that I needed to work on getting my ECE diploma and in December of 2018, I completed all my courses for my ECE diploma. In February 2019, I became a proud member of the College of ECE.
My love and passion for children is immense and I believe that children teach us just as much as we teach them. For me, there is no better way of learning about how one can change a life than to grow and learn along with them.
Tekiya – Cook/Floater
I was born and raised in Ethiopia. There, I took sewing classes and was trained to work as a seamstress.
In 2005, I came to Canada. As a newcomer to Canada, I studied ESL, including taking the PSW preparation course. As part of my PSW course, I completed my Food Handler’s certificate. I had no idea this would lead me to my position at Fairview.
I got to know Fairview when I registered my youngest of 4 boys to attend Fairview while I went to school. In 2014, I was recommended by a friend to fill in as the assistant cook. In September 2015, I was offered the fulltime Cook/Floater position.
I have always loved to cook and feel very at home in the kitchen. I love trying new recipes and creating meals that will provide children with the opportunity to try new foods. At the same time, I am enjoying getting to know all the children personally as I spend time on the floor with the children. I especially love how excited they get when I bring the lunch carts into the rooms and hear then shout with excitement that lunch has arrived.
Azza – Early Childhood Educator
I was born and raised in Sudan and have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. I came to Canada in 2001 and have 3 beautiful children. I have always loved children and been interested in teaching.
I worked for two years at Queen Mary Public School both as a volunteer and as a lunch monitor. I have also worked at Rahma International School teaching Arabic and Islamic Studies.
When my youngest son attended Fairview, I became very interested in the Early Childhood Education field. In September 2013, I started volunteering at Fairview and then began supplying in the program. I loved the children and connected instantly with the staff and the families.
In November 2014, I was offered a term position in the toddler room and was thrilled to work there until June of 2015. In January of 2015, I decided that ECE was where I wanted to be on a fulltime basis and began taking ECE courses at Algonquin College.
I thought that after my vacation, I would return to supplying at Fairview. However, when I returned, Fairview offered me the opportunity to be a permanent part time staff. As the kitchen assistant/floater, I had the opportunity to work with all the age groups, as well as assisting in the kitchen.
In December of 2017, I reached my goal of completing my ECE and shortly afterwards, I became a proud member of the College of ECE. In January 2018, I was also blessed with the opportunity to work as a full-time educator at Fairview.
Nothing gives me more joy than to see the smile on a child’s face as he explores the environment around him and I couldn’t have picked a better place than Fairview.
Majd – Program Assistant
I was born and raised in Jordan where I graduated with a degree in Financial Economics. While volunteering in a Baptist Church daycare in Jordan, I discovered my love for working with children.
In 2015, my family came to Canada and in 2019, I followed my passion for working with children by completing the Child Care Assistant course at the Adult High School. I was fortunate enough to start working at the Ottawa Technical Secondary School in their child care program. In July of 2021, I was given the opportunity to join the Fairview Child Care family as a support staff. I find it very enriching working with the children