Our Story

St. Giles Preschool opened its doors in 1948 when young moms, still in the postwar workforce, needed a safe, nurturing place to leave their children. 

Formerly named St. Giles Parent Co-operative, the all day school operated on a drop-in basis and was operated by a full-time teacher and volunteer parents.

 

During the 1950’s, other schools in the Lower Mainland opened and the Council of Parent Participation Preschools was formed. St. Giles joined this association in 1960. 

Throughout the years, St. Giles has been blessed with dedicated teachers who were committed to the school for many years. 

Our Teachers

We are fortunate to have amazing, long-term teachers at St. Giles.  Tracy and Carole, our current teachers, have been with us since 2006.  They bring to the classroom their qualifications as Early Childhood Educators, and, equally importantly, enormous caring and imagination.  

I strive to create a nurturing, supportive preschool setting where every child and family feels welcome and appreciated.
-Carole

Carole Cordle

I came to the school as a parent in 2001 and began teaching in 2006. Before receiving a Diploma in Early Childhood Education from Langara College in 1995, I graduated from UBC with a degree in Physical Education.

I love to foster a sense of independence in young children as they discover the joy of learning. My gentle manner gives children a sense of safety and security in their classroom environment. I use quiet encouragement to support children as they begin to develop important life skills.

My interest in how children learn about the world around them fuels my interest in preschool science. I believe that children learn best through hands-on experience coupled with the opportunity to freely explore, re-visit and experiment with a wide variety of materials in the classroom setting.

Tracy Conn

I arrived at St. Giles as a parent in 2001 and began teaching in 2006. Before obtaining my Early Childhood Education Diploma from Langara College in 1996, I completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at UBC.

I bring an interesting perspective to the classroom. As a former parent in the school, I recognize the unique experience PPP offers parents of young children. As a teacher, I understand the importance of developing a caring, nurturing environment for all young children. In my own caring way, I work to make all children and their families feel special at St. Giles.

I believe children need to be given the opportunity to explore and experiment with a variety of materials in all learning areas.

My love of art is ever-present in the children’s classroom environment. To me, every child is an artist, capable of great work that should be admired and respected.
-Tracy
My son is an observer, slow to warm up to new situations. The gentle, accommodating atmosphere established by Carole and the other parents really enabled him to take things at his own pace.
Jodie

Our Philosophy

Our philosophy regarding early childhood education is that children learn, develop and grow by doing what they do best naturally and spontaneously which is PLAY! 

The process of learning through play occurs in an atmosphere where trust, security and comfort are nurtured and supported.

Our Goal

Our goal at St. Giles is to assist your child in developing self-confidence, self-discipline and a sensitivity and awareness in his/her interactions with others.

Our preschool sets the stage for young children to begin to work toward this goal.