Saginaw Child Care Centre

At Jacob Hespeler Child Care Centre, we are dedicated to providing inclusive, high-quality child care for children aged 0 to 12. As a not-for-profit organization, we offer innovative and interactive learning opportunities that challenge and stimulate children in a secure, respectful environment facilitated by qualified, nurturing professional staff.

Our philosophy is inspired by the preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, which are considered by many experts as the best child care system in the world. Our curriculum is child-centred and inquiry-based, where educators observe children, ask questions, and discover their ideas, hypotheses, and theories, providing enriched opportunities for discovery and learning. Our professional staff are warm and nurturing Registered Early Childhood Educators committed to lifelong learning.

We operate six high-quality, innovative child care programs in Waterloo Region, serving children and their families. We are an inclusive child care program, participating in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Program, and further child care fee subsidies are available through the Region of Waterloo. Our centres are licensed by the Ministry of Education and governed by a voluntary Board of Directors made up of parent and community representatives.

Our Programs

We offer a range of programs for children from birth to age 12, including infant, toddler, preschool, and extended day programs. Our programs reflect our philosophy that children best learn and grow by being actively involved in their environment. We recognize that high-quality, developmentally appropriate child care, specific to each child's needs, is also inclusive care. We assist children in developing to their fullest potential, in their own way.

Our infant programs support children from birth to 18 months of age and operate on a 1:3 (3:10 max) ratio. Our toddler programs support children from 18 to 30 months of age and operate on a 1:5 ratio. Our preschool programs support children from 30 months to 6 years of age and operate on a 1:8 ratio. Our extended day programs are for children who attend JK (3.5 yrs) through grade 6 (12 yrs) and operate on ratios of 1:13 for JK/SK and 1:15 for School Age.

Our Mission

Jacob Hespeler Child Care Centre is a not-for-profit organization providing inclusive high-quality child care services to children from Infant to 12 years of age, and positive support to their families. We offer innovative and interactive learning opportunities that challenge and stimulate children in a secure, respectful environment facilitated by qualified, nurturing professional staff.

Our Core Values and Guiding Principles

We value relationships. Nurturing, authentic, and inclusive relationships promote deeper engagement and foster a sense of belonging. We value professionalism, integrity, and respect, and believe that these values are essential in creating a positive and inclusive environment for children to learn and grow.