About Us

Jacob Hespeler Child Care Centre was established in 1986 and operates as a non-profit charitable organization. We operate six high quality, innovative child care programs in Waterloo Region serving children from infant to 12 years of age and their families. We are an inclusive child care program.We are 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 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. Curriculum is child centred and inquiry-based. Educators observe the children, ask questions, and discover children's ideas, hypotheses and theories and provide enriched opportunities for discovery and learning. The professional staff are warm and nurturing Registered Early Childhood Educators committed to lifelong learning.

Our centres are licensed by the Ministry of Education. 

We are governed by a voluntary Board of Directors made up of parent and community representatives. If you are a parent interested in joining our Board of Directors, please email Colleen Lehnen, Executive Director, to apply, indicating your interest and any skills and abilities you could share with the Board.

Charitable # 13889 0199 RR0001

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 the 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. As a foundation to our high quality programs we are dedicated to upholding the College of Early Childhood Educator’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

We value honest communication — among children, families, educators, and the community creating a respectful social culture.

We hold an image of a child as competent, rich in potential and capable of constructing knowledge.This powerful image supports and nurtures  the innate wonder, curiosity and creativity of children, allowing for healthy risk innovative risk taking stimulating independence and autonomy of both mind and body.

We value natural play-based environments where children learn through their active engagement and inquiry-based research, as they seek out and explore the world around them