Samantha-Joe Laforest:
Full Circle
She walked in as a parent needing a daycare spot. Now, she’s running the centre.
Samantha-Joe Laforest
Samantha-Joe Laforest has spent most of her life in Noëlville. In 2013 she was a young mom with an 18-month-old and no child care. A support staff position came with a spot for her son, and she took it. A week later she was an educator in the room, with no experience.
She kept saying yes. She went from support staff to assistant educator, then decided to do her apprenticeship to become a qualified educator. With a maternity leave in the middle, it took five years to finish, all while working. She became a preschool educator, then supervisor of one of the region’s first family grouping centres, and since October 2023, she runs the centre in Noëlville.
I can keep learning, and I can succeed in the field I fell in love with.
- Samantha-Joe Laforest
Her mornings tell you what kind of supervisor she is. She gets in around nine, and before she opens her computer she walks through every room to say good morning to her staff and the kids. Sometimes the kids want to sing and play. She always says yes.
Some days I don't make it to my office until 10. But for me, that's okay.
- Samantha-Joe Laforest
She has watched the field shift from daycare to early learning centres, from theme-based lessons to play-based learning built on children’s curiosity. Her centre brings in artists to perform, heads into the forest to learn about caring for nature, and treats every child as someone learning at their own pace. Underneath it all is the value she holds closest.
For me, honesty is the foundation of every relationship, whether it's with the children, the families or your colleagues.
- Samantha-Joe Laforest
Her 18-month-old son who started it all is now 15. He’s watched her whole journey, and along the way she was even his preschool educator. This year he came back to volunteer at her centre.
I think my son is proud of me. He's seen my whole journey from the start.
- Samantha-Joe Laforest
Asked what she’d tell someone standing where she stood in 2013, she didn’t hesitate.
Go for it. Try it. Dip your toes in. You've got nothing to lose. It's such a rewarding field.
- Samantha-Joe Laforest
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