Glebe Parents’ Day Care welcomes executive director

By Chloe Wade

Having completed a thorough and thoughtful search, the Glebe Parents’ Day Care (GPDC) board of directors is thrilled to welcome Lee Stanistreet as the inaugural Executive Director of the GPDC. She is a veteran leader with 20 years’ experience in early childhood education, and she demonstrates a commitment to the community values that drive the GPDC staff and families.

The Glebe Parents’ Day Care originated in the early 70s, a result of the need for quality non-profit childcare in our neighbourhood. The GPDC’s mission and vision have always prioritized the community operating a cooperative model in which parents and staff function together to maintain an inclusive, caring and nurturing environment for children.

Over the years, the center expanded its programs to meet community needs and now offers a full range of childcare options for infant to school-age children. GPDC has seen substantial growth with a custom-built childcare center opened on Fifth Avenue alongside programs run out of First Avenue, Mutchmor and Hopewell schools. GPDC also runs a comprehensive Parents’ Home Child Care program across the city.

Now serving hundreds of families, the board identified an opportunity to recruit an executive director to establish and communicate long-term strategic plans, optimize organizational efficiency and achieve continued fiscal sustainability. The selection committee, composed of three parent board members, had to find the right leader to support the organization’s recovery from these very challenging COVID years and ensure its continued success alongside new provincial systems in the early childhood education sector.

Said Stanistreet, “It is with great enthusiasm that I start this role. I look forward to working with the staff, parents and the community. As GPDC continues to be an integral part of the Glebe, I am excited to see what else we can offer the community.”

We are confident that under Lee Stanistreet’s leadership, the organization’s success and impact in achieving its mission and vision will continue to flourish. We’d like to thank all members of the GPDC staff and families who contributed their time and for their dedication to this process. Please join the GPDC board of directors in offering a warm welcome to Lee!

Chloe Wade is a member of the board of directors of the Glebe Parents’ Day Care.

Lee Stanistreet is the inaugural executive director of the Glebe Parents’ Day Care.