Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:01 Good morning, Fort McMurry, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. You've tuned into the Mac CD morning show. I'm your host, Elliot Pierre. And we're going to start the show off on the same note. We start every show off with a moment of gratitude. I know you could be doing a million other things with your time. So the fact that you're spending with us truly does mean the world to me. So thank you on that note, Tanner hit.
Speaker 1 00:00:20 Oh, she caught me loves and you're listening to the next city morning show.
Speaker 0 00:00:24 <inaudible> all right. And we're back. Okay. I know I say this a lot and Tanner hates it. He just likes dislikes it, but, uh, we have my new favorite guests hands down, primarily because she brought a gift and a lot of people bring gifts, but she brought a gift that I will truly put to use. And it's, uh, some adult beverages for the site. So first and foremost, thank you for the gift. Um, on that note, I think everybody knows I don't introduce my guests. I let them do that themselves. So can you please tell everybody who you are and what you're about?
Speaker 2 00:01:01 Uh, I'm crystal Churchill and I am the owner and program director of early start learning center.
Speaker 0 00:01:08 Very cool. Now let's just get into it. I think you guys have a really cool concept of what you do, um, have from day one, since I first initially met you guys, can you explain what early start is? Because it is very unique and you don't see it in a lot of places.
Speaker 2 00:01:23 Um, well, early start is a private preschool program children's center. Um, our curriculum, we designed ourselves over the past eight years. It's been like a curriculum in the works, um, but we are a social emotional based curriculum. So we focus on the basics of building social skills and friendship skills, um, instilling independent self-confidence and really like teaching children, emotional intelligence and, and coping strategies as they go from preschool into big school or, you know, into the world. So
Speaker 0 00:01:59 That's right. So the age range, did you have children coming in as well? What, what's the starting point and what's the ending point that you have
Speaker 2 00:02:06 For the preschool programs? We start at 22 months. Um, and the ending point really depends on the child. So we've had children that have stayed with us through, you know, four and a half, five years old and then go on gone to school in grade one. Okay. Um, we do have three basic like preschool programs that support those age groups. Yeah. Um, so really there is no end date, I guess, as long as, as the child is succeeding in our programs and it's working for the family. Yeah. Um, pre COVID, we offered also like a parent and child, baby program to like a pre-kindergarten kind of mom and dad class with their child. Right. Uh, hopefully we can start offering that again.
Speaker 0 00:02:52 No age limit Elliot, a class. We can finally pass. There we go. Facts. Maybe, maybe let's not, let's not be two classes together. Let's not be too cocky. Yeah. That's the cool thing that I've always liked about early start is the unique programs that you guys, um, offer. Um, I really liked the class sizes that were there, but also, like I said, the odd out of the box, thinking in regards to how to educate, but not just like learn, but how children can interact with one another and those coping skills you use with.
Speaker 2 00:03:25 Yeah. I think that building that social and emotional foundation is even more important than academics at this age for children. Um, you know, those are life skills. That's, what's going to carry you through getting through school into the career you want and into the relationships that you know, you're hoping for in your life.
Speaker 0 00:03:42 So how did you come up with this idea?
Speaker 2 00:03:45 Um, I worked as a behavior support teacher, um, in BC and, um, that was kind of my background. I have a bit of a behavioral psychology background and education background. Um, and I just always enjoyed kind of the puzzle that was some of those behavioral children that I worked with and finding out what they needed to be successful in a school environment. Right. Um, and when we moved to Fort McMurray, I was a stay at home mom with my daughter. And I just found that there wasn't something like that in the community. So thought I would kind of give it a try. We tried it from our living room for, for the first year. And, uh, it took off, it was almost overwhelming at first, the support from the community. And, um, we rented our first space, which is we're in, when I met you when we were unreal Martin drive, um, with 80 kids. And then, you know, we've graduated up to our thick wood location and, um, you know, it's been nothing but kind of growth and, and, uh, innovation for our programs as we've gone through the years right now, we've always been looking to change the programs to match the needs of the community. So, you know, we've always had different programs when, you know, the fires were happening and everyone was returning. We added a lot more kind of a therapy-based programs into our center to support what children were needing, coming out of that.
Speaker 0 00:05:17 Yeah, no, it was like, that was a big thing during the fires and during the floods and even during COVID, you guys have been able to definitely adapt and pivot, which we were talking a little bit before the cameras went on, but my hat goes off to you. Like you guys are very, very good at dealing with circumstances that are thrown at you. So I ha I have to say that has a lot to do with, um, the staff that you surround yourself with.
Speaker 2 00:05:45 For sure. I mean, early start is only going into our eighth school year, this year because of the staff, like, um, we have an amazing team and a diverse team, uh, people from different backgrounds, social work education, um, you know, motherhood, like we have an amazing team of, of ladies that have supported the community and, and believe in the program a hundred percent. So, yeah.
Speaker 0 00:06:12 So when, if anybody is at home thinking that they want to get involved potentially in the future, if you're expanding in regards to a career opportunity, what is it that you look for as far as not only personality, but like the actual certifications for,
Speaker 2 00:06:26 Um, it depends on the position. We are currently looking for, um, an assistant in our preschool program. And we like for someone to have obviously like a background in early childhood, but we do look for diversity. So, um, I'd love to bring in people that have a social work background or a psychology background, um, something that just brings a different element to the classrooms. So we're completely open, um, you know, there's some basic criteria for education, but other than that, it's someone that's going to fit in with the team and going to be able to support the families and the kids in the program. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:07:04 Now you originally moved to Fort McMurray quite some time ago. What brought you to Fort McMurray? I love to hear people's stories about what brought them to the community.
Speaker 2 00:07:13 Um, I think like most people, my husband worked in oil. Uh, we lived in Victoria at the time and we just had our first daughter and I didn't want to have like a fly in, fly out kind of family. So I moved here. I had never been past Edmonton had never been married. No, I never knew really what to expect. I'd heard terrifying things, right. Like everybody else, but I, I gambled and kind of put my faith in my family and my husband. And, um, he rented a place for us here to over the internet and I had no idea what we were, what we were getting. Um, it was, it was crazy. It was, uh, yeah, it definitely a lifestyle change. I, I cried for probably 10 days, I think when we moved here, um, yeah, just adjusting and, um, I will say it was the best thing we ever did actually, him and I both talk about just how amazing the move to Fort McMurry was for us as a couple and as a family. Um, we had never lived in kind of an isolated community before in a way from, from family. Right. So it really made us strong and like rely on each other. And, um, I say it to everyone I meet outside of Fort McMurray, just what an amazing community there is here. And it's like, nothing I've ever experienced anywhere else. You really do feel like you're in like a small town family, community where people support each other. And, and, um, yeah, I it's been, it's been a great place to live.
Speaker 0 00:08:49 Awesome. Yeah, no, it's a pretty cool community. And my mom actually has similar a similar story to that in regards to when she first got here, it was, I think in 1976 or seven, but she cried for days because he was very small and very different from what she was accustomed to. Um, but fast forward, I don't know I'm bad at math, but she still lives here to this day. And like her and my father are retired and they're not going anywhere. They just, they love this community before all the same reasons that you outlined in regards to it is a community. There is family here and it kind of built around them, but it is nice to be kind of isolated. Cause it makes you stronger not to have that reliance on that huge family sector that you normally would have. So, yeah. Cool. Now we're at the part of the show called the Mac city minute. This is Tanner segment. He's going to ask you a few quick questions. I don't know what he's going to ask you. I wish you the best of luck Tanner hit it with the Mac city minute.
Speaker 3 00:09:41 Ah, all right. Question number one. What is your favorite part of working with children at the start of their education?
Speaker 2 00:09:49 Um, I guess my favorite part is figuring out what they need, like the puzzle that is the child. Um, I've always loved to kind of get to know them and figure out what we can do to, you know, get them to the next level and to, to build those skills that they need. So, yeah, the puzzle, I guess,
Speaker 3 00:10:11 Number two, what is one student story that stands out for you?
Speaker 2 00:10:17 Um, Hmm, that's a hard one. Like we have had so many people through the school. Um, I guess one, one story that sticks out for me is we have something called the early start, um, futures foundation where we put money aside, uh, throughout the year to sponsor space spaces in our program. So if anyone ever comes to school and can't afford a space that's available for them. Um, the first year we offered that we had a, a child that came to the program and, um, was able to go to preschool for the whole year through this foundation. And we were able to do some Christmas hampers to support this family, um, over the holidays. And I have seen the mom probably four or five times throughout the years. This was like the very beginning of early start. So it's been eight years now that this happened and she still tears up when she sees us or, or, you know, she says driving by the school, it's always like such a special moment for her that, um, she feels like we kind of helped her child be able to have success in school and give them an opportunity that they wouldn't have been able to have.
Speaker 2 00:11:32 So that's awesome. Yeah, that one sticks with me for sure. Like
Speaker 3 00:11:36 Question number three. What is one thing that working with children's education has taught you,
Speaker 2 00:11:43 Um, to be flexible, uh, to not have a lesson plan that's like set in, in, um, stone and to look at the child that's in front of you and not the expectations that go with that child or with the program, I guess, to, to be present and, um, be flexible. I guess,
Speaker 3 00:12:04 Question number four. What is one thing that children today have in common with children from your youth?
Speaker 2 00:12:14 It's a good one. Um, well I see some of the hairstyles coming back, um, I guess the same like sense of curiosity and same basic needs that we had as kids like that need to play and explore and be their own person.
Speaker 3 00:12:35 And your final question, when you got, when you first got to Fort McMurray, what was one food spot that surprised you with
Speaker 2 00:12:45 Mitchell's hands-down yeah.
Speaker 3 00:12:48 And those have been your five questions.
Speaker 0 00:12:49 There we go. Killing a Tanner as for usual. My man. Thank you. Okay. I got a question though. Off topic completely about really starts. So we got this awesome gift here that you brought right now. Are you a lover of gin? What what's what's uh, what's your drink of choice? Okay.
Speaker 2 00:13:05 I, I do like Janet I've learned to like Jen again as an adult. Um, I, yeah, I'm not a huge drinker, so I like wine, but if I had a drink, I go, yeah. I usually like the <inaudible>. Okay. But I want to bring you something from Alberta kind of different. Yeah,
Speaker 0 00:13:26 Yeah, no, it's cool. Yeah. I've never had a, like a, a gin that was flavored before. Yeah, really? Yeah. Never.
Speaker 3 00:13:35 It's like a peppercorn Jane or like a,
Speaker 0 00:13:39 I think we got Bombay. I know we got Bombay there and I've and unfortunately my youth I've drank a lot of beef eater, a little, um, uh, sorry. Beefeater um, but yeah, I've never had a, a flavor gin, so I'm very excited to try this
Speaker 2 00:13:54 Delicious it's really good club soda
Speaker 0 00:13:56 Club soda. I was just, that was my next thing. What do you mix them with it? Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:14:00 Yeah. Clubs. Sodas like drinking TV. Static. Okay. Yeah, you can mix it with water
Speaker 2 00:14:08 At one. That's good with like lemonade, cherry lemonade then. Oh,
Speaker 0 00:14:12 Ooh. Summer's winding down. That could be my end of summer cocktail. I like it. Okay. So I know we're we're on now time and that's the whole process. 20 minutes. Keep it short and sweet. Um, but before we let our guests leave, they get a shameless shout out or plug. So the camera's on you. The Mike's on you.
Speaker 2 00:14:30 We have spaces in our program still this year. Um, so come down to early, start anytime for tour. Uh, bring your child with you. Check out our website, um, early start.ca. We really could use some support to fill our programs this year, um, to keep being able to offer the programs that we do in the community. So.
Speaker 0 00:14:51 Awesome. Well, thank you very much for coming on the show. Thanks for having me. You're more than welcome. Anytime you want to come back, please call us again and again and again. Okay. Well Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. That's been another episode of the Mac city morning show. Uh, once again, thank you very much for tuning in. I really do appreciate it. Hopefully you're having a nice day. We'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
