HISTORY
Ever since she was nine years old, Yasmine Ghandour knew she would become a teacher of young children. She would tell anyone who would listen what her school would look like and what it would entail. Years later, in 2003, when she was looking for the perfect preschool for her newly born daughter, she opened the doors to the first Orchard House. There, she hoped for a school that would mirror the values she holds dear: one with a calm learning environment, a steady separation process, and a progressive, well-developed curriculum that would engage each child to reach his or her full potential. At Orchard House, she created just that! Over the years, Orchard House has grown into Quebec’s leading establishment for early childhood education.
Faculty
Leadership Team
Yasmine Ghandour, Ph.D. - Founder & General Director
Miss Yasmine holds her Montessori Qualifications from the Montessori Center International, a M.A. in Early & Elementary Education from Columbia University and a M.Ed in Educational Psychology from McGill University, focusing on Inclusive Education. She completed her Ph.D. at Concordia University, exploring the implementation of the Montessori method within a Quebec framework. She has taught in preschool settings in Asia, the Middle East and North America and has most recently spent a few years as an Elementary School Director in Montreal. Miss Yasmine has also led seminars at McGill University, hosted workshops in early childhood education at the annual Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference and has served on the board of a speech and language centre. Her varied experiences have led her to understand the true value of an individualized approach to education.
Imad Khalil - Director of Operations and Development
Imad holds a B.Comm in International Business (Concordia University), and a Kellogg-Schulich MBA from both the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University) and the Schulich School of Business (York University). With over twenty years of corporate experience culminating in leadership roles in marketing and merchandising, Imad has channeled his skills in his new-found passion for education. As a father of three, he is actively aware of the important role of building and continuously maintaining the ideal learning environment for young children.
Tina Hillenbrand – Director, Admissions
Miss Tina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Science and a certificate in Family Life Education from Concordia University. She also has completed Montessori and Daycare Management Certification. Miss Tina has taught and directed in preschool settings in the Montreal area for over 20 years. She is passionate about nutrition and cooking, cycling and being a mom of two daughters.
Christine Mayers – Operations Manager
Miss Christine has a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University and has worked in various administrative positions but enjoys preschool environments the most. In her spare time, she likes cooking, skiing, hiking, reading and spending time with her family and two daughters.
Annette Boulet - Assistant Director
Miss Annette holds a B.A. with Major in Child Studies from Concordia University and has been working with children in both the elementary and daycare settings for over ten years. She strives to create a climate of connection and community within the school, as well as foster a lifelong love of learning in children. Miss Annette enjoys reading, dancing, spending time in nature and visiting her family in Manitoba.
Ivana Aquilino – Administrator
Miss Ivana holds a college diploma in Early Childhood Education as well as a Certification in Daycare Management. She has several years of experience both in and out of the classroom and values the professionalism and dedication that she brings to her work. Miss Ivana is passionate about spending time with family and friends and enjoys anything to do with fitness and fashion. You can always catch her in her brightest outfits!
Members of Our Faculty
The teachers at Orchard House are specifically chosen for their warm and nurturing nature, and for their understanding of individual needs. All teachers hold a certificate in Emergency First Aid procedures. With class sizes ranging from 6 to 10 children, teachers create child-centered environments, concentrate on the needs of the whole child and are well-positioned to address social or cognitive issues as they arise.
Our Helping Hands
All members of our Helping Hands – our professional cleaning team – support us in our efforts to maintain a clean and hygienically safe learning environment. They also help the children with their diapering and toilet training needs. Most importantly, they offer on-going operational support around the school. We could not do our jobs as well as we do, were it not for the hard but discrete work of Miss Celia, Miss Kaye and Miss Jas (NDG), Miss Susan and Miss Yolanda (Pointe Claire).
Miss Jasmin
Miss Jaz has a diploma in Criminology from the Bergen College in the Philippines. She is always smiling and loves to sing. In her spare time, Miss Jaz plays volleyball and badminton and enjoys travelling.
Miss Celia
Miss Celia has been with Orchard House for over 10 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Baguio in the Philippines. Miss Celia has been working with children for many years and considers herself to be a kid at heart! Miss Celia loves adventure and exploring new places with her friends in her spare time.