Educators
Passionate, dedicated, and loving, Small Steps Early Childhood Educators love their work and it shows in everything they do. Our goal is to make a positive difference on every child who comes to our facility.
Melanie
ECE - Level III
Director
Do what you love and love what you do!
I have been working in childcare for over 30 years in a variety of roles from working as a primary educator in the classroom, to managing my own private day home, to Assistant Director and now Director. Each day in early learning is an adventure, as you never know the direction the children will take you. One of the biggest things I have learned over the years is the importance of being flexible and open minded in this occupation. I am still learning every day, I learn from the children, I learn from the staff, I learn from the parents. This allows me to embrace change and adapt to the ever changing needs.
My favorite thing to do with the children is circle time, Robert Munch stories are my favorite to share with the children. I also love random conversations with the children as you never know what will come out of those little mouths or how their tiny brains work.
I have 3 boys who are all now officially adults and a dog. In my spare time, I love spending time with family, traveling, walking by the river, water skiing (alpine skiing in the winter), cooking for others and gardening. Summer is my favorite season as I love the warmth of the sun and spending time in nature.

Kendra
ECE - Level III
Assistant Director
Hi, my name is Kendra and I have been with Small Steps since 2017. I have recently completed my Diploma in Early Childhood Education in the spring of 2022 through Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
One of my favorite parts of working with children is seeing the progress of each child and learning alongside them. It is fascinating to be a part of their learning and helping them reach their goals. I also teach a Learn to Skate program for children 3 to 10 during the winter where I have been a coach for over 7 years. In my spare time I enjoy being outdoors participating in a variety of activities often bringing my dog alongside, photography and spending time with my family.
Aakash
ECE - Level III
Infant & Toddler Room
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Hi my name is Aakashdeep. I have finished my 2 year diploma in Early Childhood Education from CDI college, Montreal, Quebec. I have more than a year of experience as an educator .I have ECE level 3 of Saskatchewan. I have joined the team of Small Steps Early Learning Centre in July, 2023 ,as an educator. I am so grateful for being a part of this organization.
My home country is India, here I am living with my husband .I love working with children as they remind me of my childhood days. My target is to observe each child in the class and prepare activities according to their development needs and age. I always keep in mind to create a healthy and positive environment in and outside the classroom .
I have a number of hobbies I like. In the morning I go for a walk with my husband. I am so passionate about badminton and drawing. Sometimes, I love listening to music along with it try to sing. Moreover, I join my husband sometime to play cricket.
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Rachelle
Infant and Toddler Room
My name is Rachelle. I was born and raised in Saskatoon. My partner Darren and I moved to an acreage 20 minutes outside of Outlook in April. I am looking forward to getting familiar with the community and meeting new people. I enjoy spending time going on long walks with my dogs Tucker and Rufus. We also love going to the lake and playing in the water.
I joined Small Steps inMay 2023. I am in the process of starting my ECE Level I and look forward to obtaining my ECE diploma. I enjoy working with the children and learning from them.
Kiran
ECE - Level III
Hi, my name is Kirandeep. I did my early childhood education from CDI college which is located in Montreal, Quebec . My studies were 2 years long and after my studies I did work in Daycare Garderie le cocon du Bonheur Montreal, Quebec. So I got one year experience as an educator in Quebec . I have my level 3 and I joined Small Steps Early Learning Centre in June 2023, as an educator. I was born in India and after completing my schooling then I did my one year degree in computer Science .
I love to plan and organize new activities for children according to their interests. I like to provide and to take care of them because a safe and enjoyable environment is more important for them . Apart from this , I prefer to develop the creativity between them through painting , craft, music and dance . I love to encourage and to motivate them .
I mostly prefer to enjoy my time with my family members . I like to try and explore new and interesting things in my life . Moreover, in my free time I love to listen to my favorite songs for relaxing my mind and body.

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Mari
Preschool Room
Hello! My name is Mari. I was raised in Outlook and I love being a part of this wonderful community. I enjoy playing piano and ukulele, camping and spending time outdoors, and playing with my cats Flossie and Freddie. I will never say no to coffee, and I occasionally barista for a small pop-up coffee shop.
I joined the Small Steps ELC team in 2018 and received my Early Learning and Childcare Certificate from Portage College in 2021. I am currently pursuing my ECE diploma. I feel very privileged to be included in so many children’s lives as they attend SSELC. I am very passionate about music education, outdoor education, and fostering early literacy and language skills.
ECE - Level II
Rita
ECE - Level III
Hi, my name is Rita, I have been working in childcare settings for over 30 years. I grew up in a small northern community. I have experienced many different roles at different towns and cities in Saskatchewan.
I have five adult children, ten grand-children, and one great grand-child and another one on the way.
I love teaching and working with children of all ages. The smiling faces and the greetings I get when I walk into the centre just make my day extra special. It is a wonderful learning experience with little ones every day.
I enjoy every minute of my job with the children and staff and I also love learning new things every day.
I’ve been at Small Steps now for 9 months. And it’s been a great experience and wonderful to work with the children and staff here.
Outside of my job, I enjoy spending time with family, especially my children and grandchildren, and going for walks, meeting new friends, and I really enjoy camping, boating and fishing in the summer.

Penny
ECE - Level III
My name is Penny Bedient and I am married to my husband James for 42 years. We have a small Maltese dog named Lacey. We have three children and 3 grandsons. I opened my own daycare in my home in 2013. I love working with kids as well as learning from them, you never know what they are going to say or do. I like to think I taught them a lot but I also learned a lot from them as well. Seeing them accomplish small tasks or feats makes me feel like I’m doing something worthwhile. I think of all the children I’ve worked with over the past nine years and it makes me smile knowing I had something to do with the way they turned out. The hardest thing I’ve done is close my daycare and say goodbye to my kids.
Raman
ECE - Level III
Hi, my name is Ramandeep and I have been working as an ECE for one year. I have completed my diploma in Early childhood education in 2021 from Pures college of Technology in Ontario. I have started working at Small Steps in June 2023 and it's a great opportunity for me to learn more about kids.
I like to go to the gym in the evening every day. In my spare time I like to cook, clean, and go on walks with my friend. I love working with young children because they remind me of how amazing the world is. I enjoy playing with kids and their questions also motivate me to think creatively about new ways to do things. I love to travel with my friends and I love to explore more about the world and different countries and their culture.


Hanna
Food Service Personal and Support Staff
Hi, my name is Hanna. I have been with Small Steps since the fall of 2022. I am happy to prepare lunches and snacks for kids and happy when they are full. =) When I'm on the floor with children, it is a special time and it is always interesting to learn alongside them and share in their interests.
My work is intertwined with my main hobby - baking cakes. Besides baking, I like to draw pictures. I spend most of my time with my husband Mykyta and son Mark. I enjoy traveling through the world and seeing new places.
Bailey
ECE - Level I
School Age Program Leader
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My name is Bailey, I’m from Rosetown, Sk. I have my Youth Care Worker certificate, as well as my ECE Level 1. I’ve been with Small Steps since June 2019. I have worked with kids of all ages! My specialty is Before & After School Programming. I love art, music & writing! I try to incorporate this into my work, as I love to plan crafts for the kids to do! The kids always put a smile on my face & make every day interesting (in a good way)!
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