Our Staff
Our professional staff is committed to providing high quality childcare to our children.
Elif Sonmezocak
Executive Director
My name is Elif, and I have been with Hawthorne Daycare since 1993. I started my professional early childhood educator (ECE) career after graduating / completing my training etc.
Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened. Dr. Suess
I started my professional career as an Early Childhood Educator with Hawthorne on Essex Daycare in September 1993. I have worked with preschool, Kindergarten and School Age children up until 2005 at which point, I became the centre’s Executive Director
Having a child of my own, I discovered very quickly the struggles families face in finding quality affordable childcare.
I also understand how important it is to families that qualified, nurturing, and engaging, Registered Early Childhood Educators and Early Childhood Assistants are provide quality care for their child. Where every child feels they belong, have their well being checked, are engaged in the program and activities, and can express their thoughts and feelings.
Each day I get to witness the pure and genuine joy children display when they have discovered something new, their pride when they develop a new skill or the empathy, they show a peer. I get to give hugs when feelings are hurt or just because.
My goal is to provide the best support and guidance to the RECE’s, ECA’s as well as our Kitchen team so that they can be their best. We are a family and Hawthorne on Essex Daycare is a home away from home.
Hannah Singh
RECE and Assistant Supervisor.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
It’s been 24 years since I have been a part of this daycare family.
1997- I did my first placement as a George Brown Student and I never looked back. Hawthorne on Essex Daycare paved the way for me as I began my journey as an Early Childhood Educator.
I worked mainly as a school age teacher for about 17 years and my genuine love for planning, guiding, supporting and helping to enrich little minds daily, grew in these years.
It’s an amazing thing to watch children grow into exceptional, individual little human beings and this fills me with so much pride as an ECE.
My growth in work and experiences building relationships with the children, families and staff has helped me transitioned into becoming the Assistant Supervisor for about 5 years now. As my journey continues with hope for a positive difference in each day.
Hawthorne Daycare’s professional staff
Amanda Baglieri
You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.
Palma Buccini
Everyday may not be good.... But there is something good in everyday
Maricel Manabat
Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence
Annemarie Lonergan
Let all that you do be done in Love
Tracy Pereira
Play is often talked about as it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning
Maria DaCosta
Everything happens for a reason
Mary Santoli
Life is always better at the beach.
Catherine Burke
Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.
Esther Kim
A well educated mind will always have more questions than answers
Natalie Nicolas
Everything happens for a reason
Urja
Everything happens for a reason
Nimrah
Kindergarten Teacher
Chantelle Paulite
Never get so busy making a living, that you forget to make a life
Daniela Spadafora
All mistakes are lessons to be learned and challenges to overcome
Canetra Baker
A bird sitting in a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking because her trust is not in the branch but on its wings
Jerome Knight
School Age Teacher
Mary Romeo
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. -John Lennon
Angelica Alexander Felix
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
Celina Breault
For the world is in a bad state, but everything will become still worse unless each of us does his best.
early childhood educators.
All our staff are fully trained early childhood educators (ECEs) or early childhood assistants.
All staff members hold a valid first-aid and emergency CPR certificate that is updated annually and each attends professional workshops on a regular basis.
Some of the loyal, positive-minded staff on our team have been with us for more than 20 years and treat our centre like a second home for themselves and the children.
We run an in-centre kitchen and provide fresh, health and mostly vegetarian lunches for our toddler, preschool, and kindergarten children. Our wholesome and often inventive meals are well received by kids and many parents are surprised how many new things their children will try at daycare. Our cook, Mary, develops our menu on a seasonal basis with a six-week rotation.
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