Executive Director’s Report June 2026

A Season of Growth and New Beginnings

As we move through spring and look ahead to summer, we are excited to share many positive updates from Splash. This season brings new growth in our centres, new opportunities for children and families, and many exciting developments across our community.

What’s Growing

We are beginning garden and beautification projects in our centres and community spaces. Children will have opportunities to plant, explore, and learn more about nature, healthy food, and food security.

New Faces, Fresh Energy

We are pleased to welcome new educators to all of our centres through the Federal Summer Jobs grant. Some of these team members are returning from last year, and we are excited for families to meet them.

Expansion Updates

We are delighted to announce the opening of the Splash Mino Pimatisiwin Children’s Centre this month. The new centre will employ 32 staff and provide 96 new child care spaces. The centre is located in the former Balmoral Hotel building.

We are also looking forward to the opening of the Faraday Satellite Centre in June.

Summer Care

Families looking for school-aged care over the summer are encouraged to apply to the Faraday Satellite site. Applications are accepted from families across all sites and from the community.

Grant Success

We are grateful for the support of the Charlie Coffey Family Fund, Aaron Wojnowski, founder of Musi, and the Winnipeg Foundation’s Children and Youth Summer Grant. Their contributions help support our centres and our Forest School programming.

Forest School is an important part of our program, and the cost is significant, approximately $30,000. We are deeply appreciative of all funding support that helps make this experience possible for children.

Financial Support Needed

To continue offering Forest School at the urban forest and Bunn’s Creek, we need your support. This year, we have raised $3,169 toward our goal of $15,000, and we are working to raise the remaining $11,831 by September 30.

We will once again be holding a Miller’s Meat Raffle this summer. We ask every family to participate if possible. If you do not eat meat or are unable to sell tickets, please consider making a donation instead. Every contribution helps us reach our goal.

Professional Development Closures

Please mark your calendars for the following professional development and learning opportunities:

• June 30, 2026: Closed for Forest School orientation training.

• November 13, 2026: Our conference at FortWhyte Centre.

• September 2026: A series of workshops hosted by Mino Pimatisiwin Children’s Centre, with dates to be announced.

We are also pleased to welcome back Elder Winston Wuttunee for our Forest School orientation training.

Forest School Information

Families will soon receive a Forest School manual and information about upcoming virtual family orientation nights. These sessions will give you an opportunity to connect with Forest School practitioners, learn more about the program, and ask questions.

Please review all information carefully so that you are informed and prepared for the summer. It is important to label all belongings and arrive on time for all scheduled drop-off and pick-up times. During Forest School outings, staff pack and organize materials for each child to help ensure a safe and healthy experience in the forest or at the park. Late arrivals can affect safety and staffing ratios.

If your child has a medical appointment or another need that requires an exception, please make arrangements in advance. If a child arrives after the group has already left for an outing, staff will follow established procedures and contact leadership as needed.

Safety Reminders

If you need to drop off or pick up your child from Bunn’s Creek or parks while they are away from the centre, please contact leadership at your location first. Leadership will then notify the Forest School practitioners and educators in parks.

Team Roles

We are changing the title of Supervisor to Team Lead. This change better reflects the role itself and the important work Team Leads do in training, orientation, mentoring, coaching, and supporting a positive work environment.

We also have Site Leads, who serve as the direct link between the Executive Director and educators. Their responsibilities include guiding daily operations, supporting health and safety compliance, ensuring accurate payroll reporting, supporting performance management and goal setting, and helping organize meetings and improve overall program performance.

Summer Joy

We also remind families that active supervision is essential, especially during outdoor and water activities. For summer safety, please remember to use sunscreen, provide water, and avoid prolonged direct sun during peak hours when possible.

We look forward to a safe and joyful summer with your family. Together, we can support children’s learning, wellness, and outdoor exploration by staying prepared, communicating clearly, and working collaboratively.

Lesley F. Massey (she/her)

Executive Director 

S.P.L.A.S.H. Child Care Inc., Splash Child Enrichment Centre and Splash Faraday Satellite Centre, Splash Early Learning Centre, Splash Urban Learning Centre and Splash Mino Pimatisiwin Children's Centre. 

Phone #: 204-560-5602

Reconciliation is a journey for all Canadians.

“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.”