At Kids by Design preschool, we are committed to developing a child’s love for learning and a sense of purpose in life. We achieve this by cultivating positive growth in your child’s Character, Confidence, Competence, Compassion, and a sense of Community toward others.
Children are born with a natural wonder for the world they live in, and our goal is to encourage that curiosity in a child-led, play-based environment.
At Kids By Design Preschool, children are given many opportunities to freely interact with their peers. This fosters the positive social skills and friendships which are important for building a child’s self-confidence. Children will expand their learning concepts through individual and group exploration. They will be given the freedom to achieve new skills at their own pace while gaining a sense of personal competence. Children will also explore different cultures and communities by participating in various field trips and projects. These activities will help to cultivate greater compassion toward others and their understanding of the world around them.
All these aspects are implemented through a combination of thematic and emergent curriculum, where the teachers and students work together to extend their classroom learning.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My name is Sandra Tan. I am the Director and teacher at Kids By Design Preschool. I have been teaching in the ECE field since 2011 as an Early Childhood Educator. My passion is to inspire generations of life-long learners who are enthusiastic about learning because it is fun, interesting and meaningful. As a preschool teacher, I have the privilege of seeing how this process takes place through the eyes of your children. It is truly an honour to be part of your child’s first introduction to school life in the early formative years.
I am happily married to my wonderful husband and we have two beautiful children. Over the past summers, we went ziplining, speed-boating, tree top adventure climbing and mountain off-roading! I even climbed the Grouse Grind for the first time in over 2 decades!
I look forward to creating new and memorable experiences with your children this year and am thankful to have an amazing group of teachers to teach alongside. Thank you for entrusting your children in our care and I am anticipating an exciting year of learning for all of us!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My name is Debbie Milot and I am an Early Childhood Educator. I have been working with children for over 30 years. I originally started as a Kindergarten teaching assistant for the Burnaby School District. I then transitioned to the Strong Start Facilitator role for the Coquitlam School District. I have been teaching preschool in the ECE field for 11 years in PoCo. For the last 7 years, I have managed and supervised preschool programs in my community.
My two passions in life are teaching and travelling. As a preschool teacher, I am committed to providing your children a loving learning environment and a strong foundation to build upon a lifetime of learning. I will strive to create and maintain a surrounding where your children can grow and thrive while exploring the world around them. My love for books helps me relate and connect with children through stories and pictures. I believe through the reading of stories aloud to children, teaching and encouraging children to tell stories, and finding unique ways to illustrate them builds not only a great imagination, but also facilitates comprehension and literacy.
I was born in South Africa and am the oldest of 7 children. I’m married with 2 beautiful daughters. We have been residing in PoCo for many years. My husband and I enjoy coaching and managing soccer and hockey games in our community. We enjoy rock climbing, zip lining, white water rafting and all things outdoor.
I am very excited to be a part of an inspirational team of teachers at Kids by Design Preschool. I look forward to getting to know your children and families. It is going to be a preschool year filled with fun and amazing new learning experiences!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My name is Cecille Chassay. I studied in South Africa where I earned my education in Microbiology and worked in the Pharmaceutical industry for 10 years. My true passion has always been in early childhood development so I decided to follow my heart and dreams and completely changed my career path. I studied early childhood development in South Africa and assisted at a preschool.
On arriving in Canada, I volunteered at my son’s elementary school for numerous years and was a member of the PAC. I then ran my own private daycare and thoroughly loved nurturing, teaching, helping and guiding children aged 3 to 5 through daily activities that included art, outdoor exploration, cooking and music. We always had so much fun and laughter!
I am married to my wonderful husband and we have 2 beautiful and confident boys who love the outdoors – especially camping and cycling!
I am a licenced ECE teacher and I am thrilled to be working at Kids By Design Preschool. I am looking forward to spending a wonderful and memorable year with you and your children. Here is to an amazing fun year!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My name is Chelsea LePage and I am an Early Childhood Educator at Kids by Design Preschool. Previously, I worked for several years in restaurant management and studied psychology and English literature. I am passionate about poetry, creative writing and music but my greatest passion and joy has always been found in the presence of children. I am amazed and humbled by how much children teach me about the world with their pure hearts and curious minds.
I am married to my husband and together we have 3 children. My family resides in Maple Ridge and we enjoy exploring our beautiful province. We love to travel to new places with our RV, swim at the lake and geocache in the forest. We also enjoy entertaining, cooking and having dance parties in our living room.
My journey as a teacher at Kids By Design began when I enrolled my daughter in the preschool. I fell in love with the program and was inspired by the incredible teachers. I decided to pursue my lifelong dream of working with children. I feel so fortunate to be a part of Kids by Design Preschool and I am honoured to have the opportunity to both teach and learn from your children during their precious early years.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My name is Gene Cruz and I am an Early Childhood Educator at Kids By Design Preschool. I was born in the Philippines and moved to Canada when I was a child. I’m married and blessed with 2 children. We enjoy going to the movies, singing, musical theatre, playing sports, and all things Disney and Marvel Universe. I also love to be outdoors and enjoy hiking, biking and spending time at the beach.
I have been working with children for over 20 years and completed my ECE program in 2004. I worked as a Children’s Ministry Coordinator for a local church, organizing Sunday School, special events and children’s theatre presentations. In the last 5 years, I worked as a Lunch Hour Supervisor at an elementary school. My desire for kids is to encourage them to grow and develop in their natural abilities and skills in a fun, creative and caring learning environment.
I am excited to be part of a wonderful team at Kids By Design Preschool! I look forward to getting to know your children and families for a great year of exploration and learning adventure!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hello! My name is Claudia Molina. I have been an Early Childhood Educator for over 20 years. Working with young children has always been my greatest passion. I truly believe that children are some of the best teachers in life. Their curiosity, honesty and happiness are unique and rewarding. The ability to nurture their growth and learning during these developmental years, all while having fun, is what makes this profession so meaningful to me.
I was born in Guatemala and have proudly called Canada home for over 30 years. I’m happily married and a proud mother of 2 wonderful children. As a family, we love spending time outdoors, being with family and friends, and discovering new cultures together.
Both of my children attended Kids By Design Preschool. I had the opportunity to experience firsthand the warm and inspiring environment and the dedication of its educators. It was clear to me that this was a special place; one that I knew I wanted to be a part of one day. Today, I feel grateful to contribute to this community and to be a part of each child’s learning journey. I look forward to meeting your child as we celebrate everyday milestones and the magical moments of early learning!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My name is Diane Daykin. I was born and raised in Manitoba and moved to BC for over 30 years. I am a mother to two grown and independent daughters, a newly graduated daughter from high school, and a proud grandma of 4 grandsons! My husband and I own two cats.
I am a dedicated walker, cautious biker and fledgling piano player. My family and I love to hike and explore all the great trails in the Lower Mainland and across BC.
I am a licensed Early Childhood Educator with a background in accounting and bookkeeping. I love to present pre-math concepts to young children! I am a support teacher at Kids By Design Preschool and look forward to a lot of fun and adventure in the classroom with your children this year!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My name is Aleta Fernandes. I was born in Prince George, BC. I moved to the Lower Mainland shortly after graduation where I met my husband. We have 3 wonderful daughters together. I enjoy cooking and exploring different cuisines from around the world. I also love gardening, reading, puzzles and art.
I was an ECE Teacher for 5 years before leaving to raise my children. I’ve loved having returned to work as a Support Teacher at Kids By Design. Working with young children has always been an interest of mine and I’m so excited for the new adventures to come in this new school year!