Helen Reeves
Helen Reeves has been a proud teacher for the Lonsdale Preschool for a remarkable 18+ years. She moved here from England and completed her ECE certification at Capilano University. Prior to that, she ran a home daycare for many years growing her devotion to working in childcare and education. Her philosophy is to have a play based preschool that children can thrive in with teachers who inspire self-esteem and confidence in their students. For her, being a preschool teacher means she gets the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of all the children she teaches. Helen makes it a priority to form a relationship not only with the child but with the whole family. At Lonsdale Preschool, safety, fun and learning are paramount. Children are able to grow and learn in a loving, supporting environment encompassing all aspects of preschool. From trying something new, talking aloud at circle time, to solving problems during peer interactions, she wants to be there to encourage her students along the way. Helen says her two coworkers create a very joyful atmosphere which ensures for a successful preschool program. Some of her interests are playing camping, badminton, fitness classes, kayaking and yoga. Baking and home decorating also add to her list of hobbies. "Nothing is more rewarding than seeing the children happy and learning through play."
Jan McCallum
Jan McCallum's 15+ years of experience working for NVRC has led her to a position as the third member of the Lonsdale Preschool team. Pre-preschool programs, 8 years and counting at Sandpiper Preschool and more recently 3 years with Lonsdale comprise the past decade of her life. Just like most North Vancouver natives, Jan takes pride in where she is from by appreciating what her city has to offer, such as enjoying camping, hiking and swimming in her spare time! The time she gets to spend with her 3 grown children is also a vital part of her life. For Jan, nurturing children's curiosity and creating a warm, safe, loving environment is something extremely important to her. She adores her classroom work where she can teach in a play based setting to promote learning through play. Circle time is Jan's specialty and she has plenty of fun using various props to engage her students, such as felt board stories. Her creativity is utilized when planning daily activities, especially when she gets to prepare the felt stories, crafts and games herself.
Shiraz D'Mello
Bollywood and jazz dancer Shiraz D'Mello grew up in Mumbai, India and immigrated to Vancouver in 2003. She was a star in the Shiamak Dance Company's team where she performed live shows, touring all over India and the world. Her passion for fitness and dance motivated her to be an instructor, which she did for over 15 years. NVRC was fortunate to have Shiraz join their team in 2009, with her talents and optimistic approach to teaching. She led early years programs such as Toddler & Me, Lonsdale Little Ones and now holds her current job as one of the Lonsdale Preschool teachers. Due to her background in dance and fitness, her hobbies consist of similar activities. However, she does enjoy spending time making art, participating in clay making classes, and yoga. Her job as a Lonsdale preschool teacher has allowed her to learn and understand from children. Shiraz's own children are her priority and being a preschool teacher has helped her to be a better parent. Shiraz says her job is so fantastic because of her coworker Helen, who makes her job really pleasant. She also mentioned that the work hours suit her lifestyle as a mother. The idea of giving back to the community where she and her family live is something very special to Shiraz. "NVRC is a friendly, organized and community based organization that makes me feel welcome."
