About Steveston Society of Children's Centres

Garden phoots (15)

Our values and mission

Mission:

Founded in 2018, SSOCC is dedicated to nurturing young minds and hearts through high-quality, nature-based early childhood education programs. We prioritize social-emotional learning, outdoor education, and trauma-informed practices to foster well-rounded and resilient children, especially those with diverse abilities and needs.

Values:

  • Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: We are committed to creating inclusive environments that celebrate diversity and empower all children, regardless of their background, ability, or learning style.
  • Child-Centered Learning: We believe in child-led learning experiences that foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking for every child.
  • Nature-Based Education: We recognize the profound benefits of outdoor learning and strive to connect all children with nature.
  • Social-Emotional Learning: We prioritize the development of social-emotional skills to build strong foundations for lifelong well-being for every child.
  • Trauma-Informed Practice: We are committed to creating safe and supportive environments that address the impact of trauma on all children’s development.
  • Professional Development: We invest in our early childhood educators through ongoing professional development opportunities and competitive compensation, with a focus on inclusive practices and special needs support.
  • Community Partnership: We collaborate with families and the community to create a strong support network for all children and families.

Additional Priorities for SSOCC include:

  • Advocacy for Early Childhood Educators: We advocate for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions for early childhood educators in British Columbia, with a particular focus on recruiting and retaining diverse talent.
  • Supporting Vulnerable Populations: We are committed to recruiting, supporting and hiring individuals from marginalized and underrepresented populations. We prioritize inclusive hiring practices to build a diverse and skilled workforce.
  • Inclusive Child Care: We strive to create inclusive child care programs that meet the needs of all children, including those with diverse abilities. We provide specialized support and training to our staff to ensure that every child feels valued and included.

By emphasizing these key areas, SSOCC can position itself as a leader in inclusive early childhood education, committed to providing high-quality care for all children and supporting the professional development of its dedicated staff.

Our Board

The SSOCC Board of Directors supports the Alderwood teaching team with our decades of not-for-profit and market-based child care operational experience, child and youth outreach work and, of course, parents who care about quality education.

Our board of directors is made up of child care experts and parents from across the province:

Current Board of Directors:

Amanda Worms

Cassandra Lopez

Jason Wu

Chris LeClerc

Our Strategic Plan

Our Executive Parent Adviory Board

Our Executive Parent Advisory Board functions in an advisory role and guide the overall administration of our programs.  The Executive Parent Advisory Board will make recommendations to the Board of Directors as requested, provide insight to administrators, and run the PAC in order to support the delivery of each of our programs.

Our Parent Advisory Community

Our programs are parent participation programs. All parents / guardians of registered children in our programs are automatically part of our PAC.

That means that parents have opportunities to volunteer in their child’s classroom, participate on sub-committees that contribute to the functioning of the classrooms and/or the society.  At our AGM in June, the PAC votes on important strategic decisions to help guide future society operations.

 

Our Childcare Leadership Team

The Steveston Society of Children's Centres is a not-for-profit organization operating in Richmond and Vancouver, BC. Our leadership team includes:

Zhaleh, Child Care Programs Coordinator

Christine, Financial Director

Michelle, Payroll Assistant

Randi, Registration Manager

Niamh, North River pedagogical lead

Caleb, London toddlers pedagogical lead

Hasina, London infants pedagogical lead

Gurneel, Southlands pedagogical lead

Kayla, Sandpiper Junior Kindergarten pedagogical lead

Annabel, Heron Infant Toddler pedagogical lead (Maternity leave position)

Jordan, Heron OSC pedagogical lead (Maternity leave position)

Sandpiper OSC pedagogical lead (TBD)

Heron Junior Kindergarten pedagogical lead (TBD)