Our Teacher

Meet our new Teacher: Sonia Ross!

For the past three years, Sonia has been responsible for the Strong Start Program at Seymour Heights Elementary, where she has helped parents strengthen their relationships with their children and also helped them deepen their understanding of the challenges faced by their children during this eventful developmental stage.

Sonia received her Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma from Capilano College in 2004 and since, has worked in daycare settings with children ages 0 to 6. She focuses on combining play-based learning with helping children build meaningful relationships: she believes these are key during the early years so children develop the solid foundation that helps them grow into wonderful individuals.

Originally from Mexico, Sonia has lived in North Vancouver with her family for the past decade. She is a mother of two wonderful boys, trilingual English, Spanish, and German and is passionate about what she does as an ECE. Helping children feel safe and confident comes to her naturally.

Over the years, she met and got to know a number of SHPPP parents. "Seeing their commitment towards their own children and how they have built a great community where parents support and help each other made me want to be part of it" shared Sonia with us during one of our interviews.

She is excited to join this community as our new Teacher-Supervisor starting in the Fall of 2012, and we are extremely happy to have her!

Meet Teacher Patt!

After being an enthusiastic PPP parent herself, Patt Uren obtained her Diploma in Early Childhood Education in 1990. She loves working with children and parents alike, and it shows. Patt's guidance and expertise at the preschool, along with her ability to encourage each child's individual strengths, has inspired a strong sense of community amongst families at Seymour Heights PPP.

Patt has received numerous awards for her continued excellence in the field of early childhood education, including the Goldie Maycock Award, the highest honour presented by the Council of Parent Participation Preschools in B.C. Her outstanding contributions to the parent participation preschool movement were recognized with the 2003 Parent Cooperative Preschools International District Award. In 2009, Patt was selected as one of a tiny group of early childhood educators across Canada to receive the prestigious Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education.

In addition to teaching preschoolers, Patt has been involved with educating adults earning their Early Childhood Education Diplomas. A long-time resident of the North Shore, she is a mother of three and an active member of her community and church.

Patt has been our dedicated teacher since 1991. The 2011-12 school year marks her 20th and final year at SHPPP. We wish her the best in her next adventure!