frm & ¢ @ e s » Feature by Valorie Lennox The Review Pat Robertson is a pre-school teacher’s idea of a perfect pre- school teacher. Just ask Lea van Stolk, a pre- school teacher who lives in Sidney and works in Victoria. Van Stolk’s daughter Ali attends Countryside Co-operative Preschool in Central Saanich. “7 went there and did an obser- vation and I was so impressed with Pat — there was no question that Ali would go there,” van Stolk said. “She just emanates joy. She is very respectful of children as peo- ple. She listens to their ideas.” Unfortunately for the children and parents, Robertson is hanging up her smock this June, after 18 years with the pre-school. During that time, she has worked with an estimated 35 chil- dren each year. Among the first children in the pre-school was Robertson’s son, David, who first attended when he was three-years-old. “He graduates from the Univer- sity of Victoria Thursday,’ Robert- son said. Daughter Leah, who also attended Countryside, is now stud- ying childcare at the university. Robertson started as a parent volunteer with the co-op 20 years ago and was hired by the family tun co-op 18 years ago. She had an A DRUMMING DUO are Countryside Pre-School! teacher Pat Robertson and five-year-old Christopher Wilson. new things.” For the past 10 years, Robertson has played piano to accompany the Saanich District Youth Choir. She has shared her love of music with the pre-school children. Rhythm instruments are scattered throughout the pre-school, includ- ing a child-height collection of bells and chimes. “She gives the children time to be creative. She gives them time to have their voice,” van Stolk said. One treasure in the school is a replica of an African drum, made for the school by parent Gregory Brown. The drum is typical of the many ‘We sometimes call this a family of families and that’s the way if feels _ most of the time’ elementary teaching degree and had taught for two years in public school before her children were bom. Now she is thinking of returning ‘to University to study music and also plans to take dulcimer les- sons. “T Jove music. I love learning BUY OR RENT CALL NOW FOR SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICES 656-2070 items created for the pre-school by parents. When the school started 21 years ago, the only equipment was a small mailbox. Since then, donations and work by parents have filled an outside playground with equipment and filled the shelves in the pre- school’s quarters at St. Stephen’s TRAMPOLINES SUNDANCE TRAMPOLINES — FREE ONE-WEEK RENTAL BOOK ONE MONTH RENTAL . AND RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL WEEK FREE! ONE COUPON PER CUSTOMER LIMITED NUMBER AVAILABLE — RESERVE YOUR TRAMPOLINE TODAY! RECYCLE TheReview Ll gS Anglican Church hall. “Countryside has a reputation of being an excellent school,” van Stolk said. The non-profit, co- operative pre-school is operated by an elected board of parents and parents must also contribute time to the centre. Robertson notes that require- ment makes it more difficult for single parents to belong to the pre-school, since a working single parent must then also find time to help the pre-school. She would like to see more single parents involved, partly because of the support received from other pre-school families. “We sometimes call this a fam- ily of families and that’s the way it feels most of the time,” Robertson said. Over the past 20 years, she has noticed more and more fathers participating in the pre-school. Now it is not uncommon to find fathers on the pre-school execu- tive, helping supervise the children or bringing their toddlers to the pre-school. “That has been a tremendous asset for the school, providing another point of view and another perspective,” Robertson said. She regrets leaving but feels it TheReview - Teacher's teacher hangs up smock would be difficult to leave at any time. And she is looking forward to new challenges. Eventually she would like to operate a pre-school in conjunc- tion with a seniors’ centre, so the children and seniors interact daily. Music, which bridges the genera- tions, would be a large part of the program. On June 9 the Countryside Co- op parents will honor Robertson at a farewell dinner As part of the tribute, the parents will sing the following song, composed espe- cially for Robertson. “When Pat’s with our kids they are angels. Good heavens, is this really true? So when we take home all our angels, We say, Pat, oh won't you come too?’ ~ } AS loro Pech 7 a L FOR |__PREJNVENTORY __| | (ULILSLS | We don’t want to count it! Every day, for the month of June, a new sale up to 106-2506 BEACON we're not just for kids SS “Luxury living in a natural setting” a unique blend of 75 adult orientated carnage homes nestled throughout 75 acres of manicured and prestine parkland. OPEN DAILY 10-5 1255 Wain Road, Sidney 655-3111 ae Wednesday, June 6, 1990 — AI7 SAANICH PENINSULA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WINNERS TO DATE Na A BOOKSTORE & MORE Date Amount Name Jan. 28/90 $20 N. Mcmurchy Jan: 29/90 $20 Dr. CG Eeg & Staff Jan. 30/90 $20 D. Mollard Jan. 31/90 $20 P. Deeton Jan. 31/90 $200 K. Barnard Feb 1/90 $20 J. Ferguson Feb 2/90 $50 K. Wyatt Feb 3/90 $20 B. Quesnel Feb: 4/90 $20 £ Dorman Feb 5/90 $20 A. Winram Feb 6/90 $20 B. Ramsay Feb 7/90 $20 J. Williams Feb 8/90 $20 C. Achizner. Feb 9/90 $20 F Giles Feb. 10/90 $20 B. 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Trivett May 31/80 $20 R. Wibster May 31/90 $200 D & G. Dololi June 1/90 $50 D. Wilson June 2/90 $20 CG. nner June 3/90 $20 J Andrew June 4/90 $20 F. Reid Brought to you by: TheReview