Executive Director's Report: Lesley Massey
Executive Director's Report for May 2026
Thank you to everyone who helped make the Week of the ECE so meaningful and successful. Your dedication and care continue to strengthen our community every day.
I would like to share an update regarding leadership. My retirement date has been extended to November 30th. This extension allows the Board the necessary time to thoughtfully recruit a new Executive Director while ensuring stability within the organization. During this transition, I will remain in my role to support safe operations, provide steady leadership, and guide us through one of our busiest and most productive seasons.
We are also excited to welcome new team members through the Canada Summer Jobs grant. This initiative allows us to enhance our child-to-staff ratios, supporting a safer and more enriching summer experience for all children.
As part of our ongoing growth, Splash Mino Pimatisiwin Children’s Centre and the Faraday Satellite Centre are opening. Educators may have opportunities to move between centres, supporting continuity of care and learning environments. To ensure smooth transitions, cross-training has taken place, and children have already begun building relationships with new staff.
Forest School planning is well underway, and we are looking forward to a safe, organized, and engaging summer outdoors. Time in the forest provides children with a valuable opportunity to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature. Through hands-on, experiential learning, children strengthen social connections, develop critical thinking skills, and gain confidence as they explore and navigate their environment.
In the forest, children learn practical skills such as building shelters, understanding weather, reading maps, and even basic fire-building under careful supervision. These experiences foster independence, problem-solving, and adaptability skills that are increasingly important in a technology-driven world. The forest becomes a teacher, supporting literacy, numeracy, ecological awareness, and a deep respect for the natural world learning beyond four walls.
We understand that with these many changes, things may feel unfamiliar at times. Please know that every step has been thoughtfully planned through collaboration between leadership, educators, families, and community partners. These changes are guided by a strong commitment to providing high-quality, safe, and meaningful experiences for your children.
Thank you for your continued trust and support as we move forward together
Lesley
Round two of our Friday lunch fundraiser was a huge success!
Everything ran smoothly and the children were genuinely excited. Good food, good vibes, and lots of happy faces.
Lunch was a crowd favourite: lazy lasagna, garlic bread, green beans, and strawberries.
Thanks so much to everyone who showed up and supported us! It really means a lot.
We’re doing it again on May 22. Check the link for all the details.
We’re looking for enthusiastic parent or guardian representatives from each of our centres to join our Fundraising Committee. This group will work together to plan and run four fundraisers this year, helping support programs and initiatives at SPLASH.
The committee will meet monthly via Zoom. It’s a great way to get involved, share ideas, and make a meaningful impact.
If you’re interested in joining or would like more information, please connect with Dj at Dj@splashcares.ca
Welcome to the team!
Lily joined the Splash family in 2026 and has been working in the childcare field since 2019. She graduated from Red River College Polytech with her ECE II certification. Lily is passionate about outdoor play and incorporating risky play opportunities that support children in building independence, resilience, and problem-solving skills. She enjoys offering hands-on activities that spark creativity and encourage learning through play. Lily lives in Stonewall, Manitoba with her two dogs, Belle and Taffy, and has a passion for baseball and basketball.
Aileen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and is a licensed teacher in the Philippines. Her early career included over six years as an Early Childhood Educator in Singapore before she immigrated to Canada. In Canada, she initially worked as a Quality Analyst for more than three years, while simultaneously earning a Diploma in Office Assistant from CDI College with honors. Her career then shifted to academia, where she served as a teaching assistant and later a college instructor for over three years. After maternity leave, Aileen returned to her passion, now working as an Early Childhood Educator II in training.
Aileen expresses deep enjoyment in working with young children, admiring their “innocent way of how they look at our world.” She finds it incredibly fulfilling to “light the children’s flame of curiosity,” believing that educators play a “most crucial role” as “first teachers.” She is a strong advocate for providing children with a robust foundation during their formative years for future success, a mission she actively embraces. Aileen also highlights the long-term impact of early care, stating it “will help shape how they treat others for the rest of their lives,” and recognizes the importance of collaboration with families.
Board members 2026
Chairperson: Jordan Lee L.C.
Vice Chairperson: Shawna Beach-Nelson L.C.
Treasurer: Martha Beach-Nelson LC
Secretary: Jessica Sinclair
(Community Member)
Members at large:
April Sinclair CC
Jasmine Rivard LC
Melissa Del Vecchio LC
Sean Carleton LC
Jane Johnston LC
Kaitlyn Gyles LC
Genevieve Benoit - (Community Member)
ECE Week at our North End locations was filled with so much joy, laughter, delicious food, and unforgettable moments!
Every day our educators were celebrated with treats, fun activities, kind words, and thoughtful surprises.
ECE Week is such a meaningful reminder of how valuable our educators are and how important the work they do truly is. Every day they help shape, guide, support, and care for children who will one day grow into the future generation.
While this week is dedicated to celebrating ECEs, their hard work, patience, and dedication deserve to be appreciated every single day.
A heartfelt thank you to all the parents who shared kind words and spoiled our educators with treats and thoughtful gifts during ECE Week!
Your appreciation truly means a lot and made the week even more special for our team.
Big shout out to:
April & Mario
Izabella & Tyler
Vicki & Steven
Amandeep & Jagdeep
Lisa & Joey
Kiana & Dylan
and Lesley
And to the educators who shared yummies and treats with the group!
What is happening in May
May 5
Red Dress Day
May 10
Mother's Day
May 12
Manitoba Day
May 18
Viktoria Day (all centres are closed)
May 18-22
Treaty Week
May 25-31
National AcessAbility Week
Treaty Week is a time to learn about the Treaties that form the foundation of the relationship between First Nations and the Crown in Manitoba. Treaties are living agreements based on respect, peace, cooperation, and shared responsibilities.
Treaty Week is important because it helps children, families, educators, and communities better understand the history and significance of Treaties, as well as our shared roles as Treaty partners. Learning about Treaties supports respect, awareness, and reconciliation while honouring the contributions of First Nations peoples to Manitoba’s communities, cultures, and future.
Event: William Whyte Neighbourhood Spring Clean-Up
Date: May 9. Registration Starts at 10:30 AM, Clean-Up starts at 11:00 AM
Location: Pritchard Park (295 Pritchard Ave)
Information: wwna2017@gmail.com or 204-582-0988
Event: Manito Ahbee Pow Wow.
Date: October 31 & November 1, 2026.
Location: Canada Life Center, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Information: Follow "Manito Ahbee" on social media or visit www.manitoahbee.com.
FRIENDLY REMINDERS
Food Reminders:
CC is a fish-free centre
Splash Child Enrichment Centre is a Nut free Centre (peanuts/all tree nuts). We ask you do not send any snacks or lunch foods that contain or may contain nut products.
Reconciliation is a journey for all Canadians.
Solidarity Statement
“Splash Child Care Inc. acknowledges that the land on which we gather is stolen land, the original inhabitants driven off, forced to relocate. This is the reality of colonization. Covenants were formed, in the languages of the colonizers, called treaties, but these were amended and broken by the colonizers as desired. This land knows sorrow. But this land also knows joy and hope. Hope that the future will not be like the past. And so with humility and respect we commit ourselves to the continuing promise of reconciliation, the reclamation of dignity, the restoration of just relationships. We are all Treaty People.”