Meet the Staff at St. James!
Michelle Franks: Supervisor/Teacher
Michelle is a phenomenal Supervisor and Teacher who started with St. James in 1995. The executive and the co-op members are very happy with the high quality of programming at St. James whereMichelle’s strengths in creating creative, stimulating and friendly programs are clearly evident. Her interaction with the students and co-op parents is consistently friendly and enthusiastic. Michelle’s strong sense of purpose and professionalism is exhibited day after day through the diligence in which she ensures the school and programs meet and exceed all regulatory requirements. When issues or questions do arise regarding guidelines for programs and other regulated aspects of running a nursery school Michelle is always eager to engage government representatives for guidance and support. She is well known around the preschool for her energy, enthusiasm, creative ideas, care and concern for the children.
While at St. James, Michelle has embraced the opportunity to stimulate young minds to develop lifelong literacy skills. Michelle was instrumental in developing three innovative programs: Alphabet Soup, Kindergarten Capers and most recently, 1-2-3 KaBOOM-a Math & Science class that excites the minds of young explorers! More than 150 children have attended these programs! The parents of the children attending the programs often comment on their child’s new eagerness to contribute ideas, the increased details in their work, and their pride; “I can print my name”, “I can read it all by myself”, and “I can rhyme words”.
Get to know Michelle better (in her own words!):
“My middle child of five daughters summed up my job at St James Preschool precisely one morning as I rallied the troops for school: “You’re so lucky…I go to school to work and you go to school to play!”
Over my many years at St James, I have been very fortunate to work with fellow teachers who share my passion to enrich the learning experiences of our young explorers with dedicated work and enthusiasm, an amazing set of parents each year who step forward with spirit and commitment to help ensure a bright beginning for their children, and children who are just children; eager to explore, share their discoveries and seize the moments. There is never a dull moment at St James. For those times, I love to read, embroider little girls’ smocked dresses, spice up my life with travel and enjoy time with my girls.”
Sandra Walker: Teacher
Sandra Walker is usually the first teacher many Dundas toddlers have! Former students can be heard from the sidewalk yelling her name as she boogies along the St. James float at the annual Cactus Festival Parade. She began her career in London, Ontario teaching at a daycare there for 6 years before moving to Dundas with her husband and young family. Sandra has been a part of the St. James family since 2000. She, herself, brought her youngest daughter to the preschool when she joined as a parent member. She decided to get more involved and worked as an executive member and finally, was hired as a teacher. Sandra is married with two teenage daughters and has lived in Dundas for 16 years.
Sandra upholds the philosophy of our school through her leadership in programming, adaptability and friendly and professional interaction with co-op members. She has always shown excellent interaction skills with our membership. She is sensitive to parents and the concerns they may have surrounding their children and makes all children and parents in her program feel equal and valued. She is informative, friendly and very knowledgeable.
Sandra teaches the Superstar program for toddlers (age 2 by Dec 31st). She knows what it feels like to transition your child to a new and exciting (but different!) social environment for the first time. She always has an extra arm (or two, or three) for any child needing a calm place. Parents are comforted by her warm smile, great sense of humour and conversations, and consistent routines.
As an active teacher that really enjoys exercise and being part of a team, Sandra also teaches Sport Fit. This program introduces new sports/activities to 4 and 5 year olds where no prior skills are necessary and with Sandra, the emphasis is always on co-operation and having fun!
Get to know Sandra better (in her own words!):
“I love Rock and Roll, chocolate milk, a good party and children. I hate paperwork, dishes and housework. On my down time I like to curl, golf, kayak/canoe, hike, bike ride, rollerblade, camp, playing hockey and reading.
I have learned to text (barely), am getting the hang of the digital camera (sort of), and I can check and receive e-mail. I am not on Facebook and I do not Twitter. I have a teenage daughter who loads my MP3 player, programs my cell phone (which is usually not charged and out of minutes) and any other computer/techy thing the modern world thinks I need done to make my life simpler (Ha).”
Trish Hood: Teacher
Trish is one of our fabulous teachers in Kids Club. She has been a part of St. James many years and loves everything about our program. She started as a parent when both of her children started in the Super Star program with Mrs. Walker, then moved up to the many classes with Mrs. Franks, starting with Kids Club (Alphabet Soup, Kaboom, Word Detectives) and then finally Print Works. Once her daughter started SK, she was asked if she would like to do some supply work at St. James and of course she jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the program. In 2013, she was offered a part time position which she of course took and we are so grateful to have her as a part of our team!
Get to know Trish better (in her own words!):
“Since accepting the part time job at St. James I have not looked back. This has been the best decision for myself and my family and now I am heading into my 11th year of teaching at St. James. Over the course of my time at St. James we have had some absolutely wonderful teachers join our team and it is always such a positive team of humans to work with.”
Martha Fiorentino: Teacher
Martha is such a valued member of the Dundas community and we were beyond lucky when she joined the St. James staff in 2017. As a Registered Early Childhood Educator, she brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and dedication to supporting children’s growth and development. In addition to her role at the preschool, Martha also works as a Supply ECE with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, where she continues to foster positive learning experiences for young children. Her warm, caring nature and passion for early learning make her a wonderful part of our team.
Get to know Martha better (in her own words!):
“I am a proud mom of five children; four boys and one girl, who keep life busy, fun, and full of adventure! When I’m not at work, I love spending quality time with my family. Whether we’re relaxing by the pool on a sunny day or cheering from the stands at the hockey arena, being together is what I enjoy most. Family time is incredibly important to me, and I treasure making memories with my husband and children wherever our activities take us.”
Megan Beckett: Teacher
Megan is another wonderful staff member who has been with St. James since 2021. She is a OCT certified primary school teacher and taught for 5 years in London, England before having kids. Like everyone else, she was the parent of a child attending St. James, before joining the team. Her experience as a parent was probably very different than the other educators, as her son attended during COVID in 2020-2021 which means she didn’t get to participate at all really, but her son had an amazing experience that year and she knew he was in excellent hands so she joined the St. James team the following year.
Meg has worked with in both the Super Stars and Kids Club programs and we were thrilled to ask her to teach KinderGrow program that piloted this past 2023-2024 year. For this program, she plans on following the Ontario Kindergarten Curriculum, and intends to make each year an amazing introduction to big school for those who attend her JK program prior to heading off to new adventures in SK the following year.
Get to know Meg better (in her own words!):
“Hi all, I’m Megan! I have two wonderful children, 2 crazy dogs and a funny British expat for a husband. I love sports, music (anything but country, sorry!), camping and dogs. Family is the most important thing to me. I am very fortunate to get to work at St. James with the awesome staff and all the amazing children who attend. Thank you for allowing me to be apart of our wonderful Dundas community!”
Julie Kivell: Director/Teacher
Julie joined the St. James staff as our new Director and Teacher in 2023 and is a wonderful asset to the team. She has been a part of the St. James community for many years prior as she started with a few drop offs/pick-ups of her eldest niece. Some current and former families may also know her mom (Grandma Marj) who worked at St. James in 2019-2022 and/or her husband Shane who was the greeter and door screener in 2020 during Covid. Prior to joining St. James, Julie graduated as an Early Childhood Educator from Mohawk College and worked for the HWDSB from 2015 – 2023. She’s worked at Pauline Johnson, Bellmoore, and George L. Armstrong Elementary School (formerly Ms. Howden) as well as did a full year for the HWDSB Remote School until 2022 when she went on maternity leave to have her oldest son Emmett. While on maternity leave, she did a lot of drop offs and pick-ups of her younger niece, where she had opportunities to engage with the families and teachers and fell in love with the St. James atmosphere all over again. She was already in the mindset that she wanted a change but wasn’t sure what, so when she heard about the opportunity for the position she took a deep breath, a big leap, and applied.
Get to know Julie better (in her own words!):
“Hi I’m Julie! I have a wonderful husband and two boys; 4 years old and 16 months. I live in a multi-generational home, and I love spending time with my family while playing board games, going swimming, or doing escape rooms. Like Mrs. Walker, I love music and enjoy many genres but mainly 70’s, 80’s and 90’s music. I was born, raised, and still currently live in Dundas so I might also be a familiar face to some; especially if you shopped at Fortino’s on Main Street West as I worked there just shy of 8 years. Even prior to accepting the position, the St. James team welcomed with open arms. I am looking forward to seeing what is to come in this next chapter, as well as meeting all the new families that I will have the pleasure of working with.”
Angela Sanderson: Teacher
*Information Coming Soon*
Payton McNab: Teacher
Payton started at St. James in 2025, initially stepping into the role during Ms. K’s maternity leave. Her dedication, enthusiasm, and natural connection with children quickly made her an amazing member of our community, and we were delighted to welcome her as a part-time staff member the following school year.
Payton has been a wonderful addition to our team. Children are naturally drawn to her positive, caring personality, and she brings a fresh perspective and many creative new ideas to the classroom. Her energy, warmth, and commitment to creating engaging learning experiences help make our preschool an even more special place for children and families.
Get to know Payton better (her own words!):
“Hello everyone, my name is Payton and I am a registered Early Childhood Educator, with both a diploma and degree in Early Childhood Education. I have six incredible years of experience working with children. Childcare has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember, and something that I have always wished to gravitate towards. I deeply enjoy the new adventures I encounter when working alongside children and appreciate the lessons learned. I believe all children have unique abilities to achieve success, and with that comes an educator who believes and inspires them. Attending to the basic needs of children comes naturally to me, and my friendly nature makes it easy for me to build strong, yet trustworthy relationships with all the children. I believe all children deserve the same experiences as one another, therefore, creating a sense of belonging and inclusion is vital to my work and the impact I have on them. I am looking forward to being apart of your child’s early learning journey.”