We are a licensed facility under Early Childhood Development Services, The Early Years Branch, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. All of our teachers are fully qualified and have either an Early Childhood Education (ECE) or a Bachelor of Education background.
Our Staff
Staff Members
Sara Lordly
(ECE Level II, 2016-17 Recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education)
Coordinating Director / Toddler/Preschool Educator
Miss Sara Lordly recently celebrated her 39th year teaching at Halifax Early Childhood School. Miss Lordly was educated in Ontario, receiving her Early Childhood Education Diploma from Centennial College. In the early 1980s, Miss Lordly returned to the preschool she had attended as a child, this time as a teacher, and she assumed the Coordinating Director position in 1999. Miss Lordly loves music and drama and believes these arts facilitate connections between both teachers and students and students with each other. She is also passionate about the importance of language arts activities as a foundation for students’ subsequent learning. Miss Lordly’s dedication to early childhood learning and development for over three decades has positively influenced generations of Halifax children. She is fully committed to seeing each child reach their potential, as evidenced by the commendable feedback given by parents about HECS, year after year.
Perri Shippien
(ECE Level II)
Assistant Director / Preschool Educator
With a passion for nurturing young minds, I bring over three decades of dedicated experience in early childhood education to my role. For 15 of those years, I successfully ran my own early learning center, where I cultivated a warm, inclusive, and stimulating environment for children to thrive. Currently, I am honored to serve as the Assistant Director at Halifax Early Childhood School. Here, I continue to champion quality education, support our talented team of educators, and ensure that each child receives the best start possible on their educational journey. My approach is rooted in kindness, creativity, and a deep understanding of developmental milestones, always aiming to foster a love for learning in every child.
Emma McManus
(ECE Level III)
Inclusion Coordinator /Toddler Educator
Miss Emma McManus graduated with distinction from the University of Guelph, Ontario with a Bachelor’s degree in Child, Youth, and Family Studies. Born and raised here in Nova Scotia, Miss Emma has known she wanted to work with children her whole life, gaining invaluable experience through the years as a camp counsellor, nanny, and lead teacher in licensed childcare facilities. Her patient, gentle demeanor puts children and families at ease and brings a comfortable warmth to her classroom.
Miss Emma’s personal pedagogy is one rooted in the concepts of emergent curriculum and open-ended play, as well as the notion that children deserve to be active participants in their own learning experiences. She believes in a holistic approach that supports healthy child development in all areas. Miss Emma is also an avid visual artist, passionate about fostering her students’ creativity and imagination. Miss Emma is delighted to be joining the wonderful team of educators at HECS and looks forward to becoming a partner in your children’s development and education.
Tessa Jones
(ECE Level I)
Toddler Educator
Tessa Jones holds a BA in History and French and Level 1 classification in ECE. She moved back to Nova Scotia from Montreal with her young family in 2019. Raising her children at home during the pandemic prompted a career change into the inspiring and engaging field of ECE. She is inspired by the wonder of young children and she believes all children are capable competent learners and she encourages learning through play, process and exploration. Miss Tessa loves all things outdoors and believes anything we do inside with children we can take outside! She is passionate about sustainability and preserving our environment and aims to use recycled, repurposed materials in her practice. In her personal life, she enjoys gardening, swimming, knitting, hiking, baking. Miss Tessa lives in North End Halifax with her husband, 2 children, 2 cats, a fish and a new baby arriving mid December, 2024!
Miss Tessa considers it a privilege to spend time with your child during the day and strives to create a home away from home at HECS.
Mary Ann Collins
(BSc)
Preschool Educator
Ms. Mary Ann holds a BSc degree from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, and worked in the healthcare field for over 15 years. She moved to Montreal, where she and her husband raised their family. Their girls attended a wonderful parent/teacher run co-operative preschool, much like HECS, where she volunteered in the classroom and participated on the executive committee. A few years later she was approached by the school to join the staff, and so her love affair with early childhood education began! There she followed her new passion working with with fellow teachers on planning and delivering curriculum, themes and educational programming. Additionally, Ms. Mary Ann gained experience working with older children as an animator/educator at a robotics camp, and after school programs, as well as starting a Green Club for the junior grades at her children’s primary school.
Ms. Mary Ann considers herself to be a positive, kind, caring and enthusiastic person, and these traits are brought to the classroom to help contribute to an environment that promotes curiosity and a love of learning, as well as a safe environment for free expression and self-discovery. She is a firm believer in play-based learning and enjoys providing many different ways for her students to work on important social skills like sharing, conflict resolution /feelings and planting the seeds of empathy. She is a lover of art, music and the outdoors and loves fostering opportunities for creativity and movement both in and out of the classroom.
Ms. Mary Ann and her family recently moved here from Montreal, and they are loving the laid back Atlantic coast vibes, all the wonderful places they have explored and all the very friendly people they have met since they arrived. She is thrilled to join the staff at HECS and is excited about working at this “little gem” with you and little ones.
Robyn Corbett
(ECE Level III)
Preschool Educator
Robyn Corbett has a Bachelor of Arts (Child and Youth) from MSVU and has been working in early learning settings for a decade providing rich, emergent play-based learning experiences. Her early learning practice centres children's well-being and creating a culture of community within the early learning centre. Most of her experience comes from the MSVU Child Study Centre. As a certified yoga and mindfulness instructor, Robyn has encouraged young people to deepen their relationships with themselves, others, and their environment through engaging mindfulness programming. Her early learning practice is deeply influenced by contemplative practices, inspiring her to stay curious about her assumptions in order to grow as an educator.
Erin Allen
Cook
Born with a passion for culinary arts and a nurturing spirit, Ms. Erin has discovered her true calling as the chef at HECS, where she brings creativity and wholesome nutrition to the young minds and bodies she serves. She understands the vital role of balanced nutrition in supporting growing bodies and developing minds, ensuring that each dish not only meets dietary guidelines but also delights young taste buds. Whether introducing new vegetables in playful and enticing ways or crafting themed meals that ignite imagination, Ms. Erin is dedicated to nurturing a positive relationship between children and food.
In her spare time, Ms. Erin indulges in recipe experimentation, drawing inspiration from diverse global cuisines and integrating fresh, local ingredients whenever possible. Committed to continuous learning, she stays abreast of nutrition trends and culinary techniques to enrich the dining experience for the daycare's young patrons. At home, Ms. Erin finds invaluable support and inspiration from her two pre-teens, who offer insightful input when developing new recipes and eagerly suggest ways to enhance flavors or make vegetables more appealing. They particularly excel in collaborating on new gluten- and dairy-free baking recipes.
Shelby
Shelby is in her final year of the Child and Youth Study program at Mount Saint Vincent University, with plans to graduate this spring. With over a decade of experience as a professional nanny in London, England, Kitchener, ON, and Halifax, NS, she has developed strong skills in nurturing, educating, and supporting the growth of young children. Her combination of hands-on experience and academic education provides her with a comprehensive understanding of childhood development. Shelby is passionate about fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment where children feel safe to explore, ask questions, and express themselves.
Last year, Shelby completed a practicum placement in the toddler room at H.E.C.S., an experience she found both enriching and personally rewarding. Since then, she has enthusiastically taken on substitute roles at H.E.C.S. whenever possible. Shelby is thrilled to now join the team on a regular basis and looks forward to contributing to the growth and success of the children and the program.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Halifax Early Childhood School is a non-profit organization that is committed to providing a learning environment of the highest quality for all children. HECS is guided by a volunteer Board of Directors and managed by a Coordinating Director. All parents and children at HECS are members of our community and the involvement of parents is always welcomed. Two individual parent-teacher meetings during the year offer the opportunity to discuss individual students and their development. Our Annual General Meeting is held each September and Parent Committee meetings are held twice a year. ‘HECS highlights’, a weekly summary including photos, stories and lyrics of new songs, is sent to all families every Friday.