Our Staffing Standards & Requirements
At Kelowna Early Explorers Academy, we believe that great care starts with great people. Our team is made up of kind, qualified, and passionate educators who truly love working with children. Every staff member meets the requirements set by the Province of British Columbia, and many go above and beyond to ensure your child is in safe and caring hands.
Qualified & Caring Educators
All our educators are certified through the BC Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Registry and bring the right training and heart to the job. Depending on their role, our team members hold one or more of the following:
ECE Certificate – to work directly with children
ECE Assistant Certificate – to support lead educators in the classroom
Infant & Toddler Certificate – for working with babies and toddlers under 36 months
Special Needs Certificate – to support children with extra needs
Ongoing Learning
We believe learning never stops—not just for children, but for our staff! That’s why our team takes part in regular training, workshops, and professional development throughout the year. All staff also keep their First Aid and CPR certification up to date.
Safety First
Keeping children safe is our top priority. All staff and volunteers must:
Completed Criminal Record Check
Proof of immunization
Valid Childcare First Aid Certificate
Small Groups, Big Attention
We follow (and often exceed) BC’s required staff-to-child ratios to make sure each child gets the attention and support they need. These small group sizes help us build strong connections with each child and create a warm, responsive environment where they can thrive.
At Kelowna Early Explorers Academy, your child’s safety, well-being, and happiness are at the heart of everything we do. With qualified staff who truly care, you can feel confident knowing your little one is in good hands every day.
At Kelowna Early Explorers Academy, we recognize that guiding children’s behaviour is an essential part of supporting their overall growth and development. Our approach combines preventive strategies, based on knowledge of child development, with intervention strategies, which are used to stop or redirect undesirable behaviour when it occurs.
Our educators respect each child’s individual needs, interests, and pace of development, and work to promote each child’s self-esteem, independence, and ability to make positive choices.
Intervention Methods
When challenging behaviours occur, our staff respond with calm, respectful, and supportive strategies. These may include:
Remaining calm and composed.
Bending down to the child’s eye level.
Establishing gentle eye contact.
Using a calm, steady voice.
Offering a reassuring touch, such as a hand on the shoulder.
Once the child is ready to listen, our educators will acknowledge their feelings and restate the expectations in clear, age-appropriate language. For example:
“I understand you wanted the truck, but grabbing it and pushing your friend hurts them. You can tell them you would like a turn when they are done.”
Staff focus on the behaviour as unacceptable, not the child. We communicate that the child is valued and cared for, while making it clear that certain behaviours are not appropriate.
Younger children may be redirected or distracted with a new activity or toy before a conflict escalates. If necessary, the child may be guided to another area to help them settle.
Older children may be offered a choice of alternative, positive activities. Educators support them in becoming engaged in the new activity and encourage problem-solving with words instead of physical actions.
Preventive Methods
Preventing behaviour challenges is a central part of our philosophy. Our staff:
Model respectful, positive behaviour and problem-solving skills.
Treat every child as a unique individual, taking into account their age, developmental stage, temperament, experiences, and cultural background.
Plan a variety of developmentally appropriate activities that engage children’s interests and provide opportunities for choice.
Keep children engaged to minimize idle waiting time, which can often lead to misbehaviour.
Plan smooth transitions between activities so children have time to prepare for changes.
Arrange the play space to define activity areas clearly.
Include daily indoor and outdoor gross motor play to meet children’s needs for movement and energy release.
Our proactive approach ensures that children are supported before conflicts arise.
Guiding Behaviour & Setting Limits
Educators at Kelowna Early Explorers Academy:
Use positive reinforcement, focusing on what to do rather than what not to do.
Provide clear, consistent limits and expectations.
Explain the natural or logical consequences of actions (e.g., “If you throw the blocks, they may break, and we won’t have them to build with.”).
Give children time to respond to requests and remind them as needed, since young children may forget easily.
Ignore minor misbehaviours that do not cause harm or disrupt learning.
Step in when children are unable to resolve conflicts on their own, helping them learn effective problem-solving skills.
Address issues as they occur and avoid dwelling on past incidents.
Family Communication
We value strong partnerships with families and maintain open lines of communication. Our open-door policy encourages parents to visit, call, or speak with staff at any time.
Daily communication logs are maintained in each classroom for routine updates.
For sensitive matters, a private communication booklet may be sent home and returned the next day.
Incident reports are completed for behaviours causing harm, deliberate damage to property, or situations where a child loses control and must be removed from the group.
Accident reports are completed for any injuries.
If challenging behaviours persist, a meeting will be arranged with the family, educators, and the Centre Director to discuss strategies and support plans.
Staff Orientation to Our Guiding Behaviour Policy
All staff review and sign the Guiding Behaviour Policy upon hiring. The Centre Director ensures that the policy is followed at all times and provides ongoing guidance to staff in its implementation.
Kelowna Early Explorers Academy – Guiding Child Behaviour Policy
When a child needs to be stopped or redirected:
Toddlers & Infants: Will be redirected or distracted with a new activity. If needed, they will be calmly guided away from the situation to a more positive setting.
Older Children: Will be given choices of alternative activities and encouraged to use words to solve problems.
If a child loses control, they will be removed from the group until they are calm, and then supported in rejoining activities. The focus remains on the behaviour, not the child’s worth.
We believe that with consistent care, patience, and understanding, most behaviour challenges can be resolved without conflict. Physical punishment, harsh words, or humiliation are strictly prohibited.