From a young age, Melissa knew she wanted to work with children, a passion captured in her First Grade journal where she declared her dream of becoming a teacher. She began her journey early, leading Summer Day Camps, babysitting, and working in various daycare settings while still in high school. As she pursued her education, she continued to nurture her love for teaching by instructing preschool and children’s dance classes.

Melissa earned her Bachelor of Education, focusing on Early Childhood Education, from the University of Calgary. With a solid foundation, she spent 16 years teaching Kindergarten through Grade 4 with the Calgary Board of Education. Throughout her career, she has also gained valuable experience working with children with special needs and English Language Learners.

Melissa is excited to bring her extensive expertise to the Pre-Kindergarten team, where she mentors the staff, manages the curriculum, and oversees program planning to foster a nurturing and educational environment for young learners.

Melanie brings a unique blend of creativity and administrative expertise to her role as Administrative Director at Pre-Kindergarten Educational Services. With a background in the Performing Arts and Entertainment Administration, Melanie honed her skills in operations management, finance, and team leadership across diverse and dynamic environments. Her passion for fostering growth and development, however, extends beyond the stage and screen.

Driven by a desire to make a positive impact, Melanie transitioned to the field of early childhood education, bringing with her an unwavering belief in empowering individuals to reach their full potential. As Administrative Director, she oversees all aspects of Pre-K's operations, including enrollment, tuition, subsidy, payroll, and accounting, ensuring a seamless and supportive experience for families and staff alike.

Melanie's commitment to inclusivity and her appreciation for the arts enrich her approach to early childhood education. She holds an honours degree in Art History with a particular passion for Medieval Art and Architecture, a testament to her lifelong love of learning and exploration.

When she's not immersed in the world of Pre-K, Melanie enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, losing herself in a good book, and exploring her creative interests.

For over four decades, Marie has dedicated her life to nurturing and educating young minds. From an early age, she felt a strong calling to work with children, a passion that ultimately led her to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. In 1993, Marie graduated from Mount Royal University with a major in Early Childhood Education, a pivotal moment that solidified her professional path.

Beginning her career in the classroom, Marie has gained invaluable experience working in every role within the field of early childhood education. This comprehensive understanding has cultivated a deep sense of compassion for the teachers she works alongside, allowing her to provide effective support and mentorship. As a parent herself, Marie intimately understands the importance of quality care and is driven to ensure every child in our programs receives the best possible experience. She firmly believes that learning is a lifelong pursuit and is committed to staying abreast of the latest research and advancements in early childhood education.

Throughout her 40+ year career, Marie has consistently provided quality care and created enriching learning experiences for countless children. Her commitment to fostering positive development and creating supportive environments has been the hallmark of her work.

Beyond her professional life, Marie has cherished her role as a wife of 30 years, a mother of three wonderful children, and a grandmother to seven beloved grandchildren. She finds joy in music, expressing her creativity through scrapbooking, and the art of sewing.

Level Three Child Care Development Certification

What do I enjoy most about working with children? I like to see a child grow and develop . I like becoming part of a child’s life ( knowing the dog’s name , what movie you watched Friday night , when grandparents are coming to visit – all those little things). I love being silly and awakening a child’s imagination and creativity.

When I am not at school, you can find me… At home spending time with my husband , daughter and four dogs.

Something you don't know about me: I was born in South Africa and came to Canada in 2014.

Teacher's message: “There are two gifts we should give our children : one is roots, and the other is wings.“ - Unknown

M.SC / Level Three Child Care Development Certification

What do I enjoy most about working with and teaching children? I enjoy how children grow, play, and achieve their milestones. It's always a rewarding experience to see their energy, creativity, and flexibility.

When I am not at school, you can find me... Spending time with my family, watching movies, and baking.

Something you might not know about me... I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and spent most of my life there.

Teacher's message: Looking forward to welcoming all the children and their parents to our beautiful class. This is going to be a wonderful year filled with learning and laughter.

MRC Social Work Diploma / Level Two Child Care Development Certification

What do I enjoy most about working with and teaching children? I enjoy watching each child grow and develop their skills. Not only the child is learning, but we learn together.

When I am not at school, you can find me...travelling, camping, biking, swimming, and snowboarding/skiing with my husband and 6 year old son.

Something you might not know about me...I was born in Vietnam. However, I don't understand a single word of it but do understand and speak Cantonese.

Teacher's message: I am looking forward to a great year with the children and parents. We will learn and grow together through out the year.

Level One Child Care Development Certification

My favourite thing about working with children is… how creative, funny and kind-hearted they are.

When I’m not at school, you can find me… spending time with my own two kids at home, reading a book, traveling or hiking in nature .

Something you might not know about me is… that I was born in Iran and I was a junior high teacher for 13 years before moving to Canada. I look forward to learning and growing alongside the little ones! Being as a teacher was my dream job since I was a child myself.

Teacher’s Message: While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.

Level Three Child Care Development Certification

What I love most about Teaching is… I enjoy helping the children become independent and social learners, and helping them start their formal educational years with a love of learning. It is incredibly rewarding to see each student grow and learn and I feel fortunate to be able to be a part of that journey.

When I’m not at school you can find me… When I’m not at school I enjoy spending time with my husband Mike and our daughter Michaela. Michaela is currently studying social work at Mount Royal University. I enjoy playing board games, doing puzzles, or doing crafts. Throughout the summer I enjoy camping with my friends and visiting family.

Something you may not know about me is… I enjoy taking on practicum student teachers. This also allows me opportunities to learn new teaching methods from the student teachers in addition to helping them learn to become great teachers themselves. I am passionate about attending conferences as they allow me the opportunity to learn new techniques to bring back to my classroom.

Message from the Teacher: I anticipate a fun-filled year working and growing with you and your child.

Level One Child Care Development Certification

What I love most about working with children is… their ability to teach me something new every day. My job is never dull!

When I’m not at school you can find me… hanging out with my son, trying to make each other laugh.

Something you may not know about me is… I love puzzles. A fun night to me is having some popcorn and putting together a 1000 piece puzzle.

Message from the Teacher:  OSC is a safe space. Everyone is welcome and made to feel like this is their home away from home. I am never too busy to be interrupted for a hug or a word of comfort or both.

Level Three Child Care Development Certification

What I love most about working with children is… I love and take pride in working with children as I enjoy creating safe and nurturing spaces for them to grow and see themselves. By building relationships with them I get to see their thinking become visible in their play and art, and I am able to relay the learning happening to them and their families.

When I’m not at school you can find me… When I'm not with the children I am usually at home doing puzzles, reading a book, listening to music, playing video games or doing a combination of these. 

Something you may not know about me is… I have only ever worked in the child care/recreation field because of my passion for children and interest in their well-being. Other than my hobbies I only foresee myself working for children and families as it brings me joy and pride in supporting them.

Message from the Teacher:  I cannot wait to grow with the children and families and explore all of their interests and wonder. 

Level Three Child Care Development Certification

What do I enjoy most about working with children? I enjoy seeing the children progress throughout the year in their education, relationship building, and problem solving skills. I also love the ability to be silly and have fun with the kids and build that relationship with them too!

When I am not at school, you can find me… hiking, hanging out with friends, or curling up with a book and my kittens! I love to be outside no matter the weather and find activities to do with friends and family in every season. 

Something you don't know about me: I speak Spanish fluently.

Teacher's message: I am so excited to be part of this amazing group of Educators and can't wait to grow alongside everyone!

Level Three Child Care Development Certification

What do I enjoy most about working with children? I like their creativity, imagination, smiles and laughter. They are full of energy and once they get going,  they just keep going.  They are very enthusiastic and every single day is different. I always expect something new, exciting, fun and interesting from them every day. I enjoy playing sports with them like basketball, volleyball, and table tennis and collaboratively creating some dance movements. Also, I like to bring some of my sports equipment like a badminton set, and table tennis, so it will be easily available for them. The children are very creative and curious about everything. When I  am around kids, I always learn new things from them which shows me that learning is endless.

When I am not at school, you can find me… in the kitchen, baking or cooking something new or outside doing my walking workout or walking my dog, Sherlock or playing with my exotic shorthair cat, Betty. 

Something you don't know about me: I am typically a quiet person, but if I am around kids and co-workers I am fun to be with and always like to move and read books about wellness.

Teacher's message: I am so excited to start my journey as a Program Supervisor at the Ranchland location. First, the opportunity to meet new kids and their families, and new co-workers to be able to learn from them and build relationships with them. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Passages Pre- KIndergarten, Quest Kinder Care and Odyssey OSC. I am looking forward to a more successful camaraderie and team work as we accomplish our roles and responsibilities each day.