Marcel and Suzanne Fransen
Owners
Hi, we are the owners of Tots Love Country. I (Suzanne) work as a Registered Nurse and Marcel works in Construction.
We bought a 10-acre lifestyle block of land in 1988 in Rotokauri, where we could raise our family of six children with space to run around, explore, raise animals, and grow vegetables.
In 2006 we were given the opportunity to purchase Tots Love Country and build a purpose-built building on our 10-acre block at 16 O’Brien Rd.
We are thrilled to be able to share our love of the country atmosphere with our families and children at Tots Love Country.
Tots Love Country is a family orientated centre where our children feel safe and cared for in a loving and teaching environment, where they can explore our country surroundings through play. In Spring we have baby animals so our children can feed and care for them. Miss Poppy our little pig is part of our family and the children feed our chickens each day and collect eggs.
Our centre promotes a positive safe learning environment where we can support our awesome teachers to give our children the best place to play and learn in the country atmosphere.
Phillipa Carroll
Professional Leader
Ko Phillipa toku ingoa, Ko Waikato te awa, Ko Hunter taku tama, Ko Lachlan taku tama, Ko Russell taku tane.
I’ve worked at Tots since 2009 when I started with my almost one year old. I’ve now had my two boys come through the centre with me and have loved to see them grow in the open spaces and rural environment we provide here.
I am currently the professional leader at this wonderful centre. I have worked with all age groups and enjoy developing relationships with each and every child, watching their personalities emerge. I strive to provide experiences which both teach and nurture the tamariki whilst they play and have fun.
I am passionate about the environment and am constantly striving to improve on what we provide here at Tots Love Country. I also believe in developing strong relationships with parents and families and would like to feel like we are all part of an extended whānau.
Nicki Lilley
Kiaora,
Ko Pirongia te maunga
Ko Waikato te awa
Ko Indus te waka
Ko Dante te tama
Ko Phoenix te tama
Ko Cole te tama
Ko Rob te tane
Ko Nicki ahau
I have been with Tots Love country since 2012 and love working in a whānau based centre. I feel blessed to be working in a mixed aged group setting where tuakana and teina relationships are fostered. My philosophy is strongly influenced by whānau relationships and learning through the natural world. I love the natural environment and believe it provides the most purists of experiences where tamariki are free to explore about the world around them.
Tiffany Oldham
Ko Tiffany toku ingoa, Ko Whakatane te awa, Ko Putauaki te maunga, Ko Zoe taku tamahine, Ko Jamie taku tama,Ko Nick taku tahu.
I love working here at Tots! It is a special place which I hold close to my heart. I feel like one of the family and I am so happy to be a part of this wonderful place. I have been teaching for a number of years and I love what I do! Being a part of our tamariki's learning journey's is so rewarding and I love coming to work everyday. I have a passion for teaching and feel honored to be helping to teach our future generations. My philosophy of teaching includes children being confident and independent learners and communicators, where they learn through making their own choices and exploring their environment.
Cheree Van den Heuvel
Ko Cheree toku ingoa, Ko Pirongia te maunga, Ko Waikato te awa, Ko Greg taku tahu, Ko Frankie taku tamahine, Ko Jasper taku tama.
Kia ora, I am Cheree and I have been here at this amazing Childcare Centre since 2018. Prior to starting at Tots, I had worked in both Centre and Homebased settings. I feel lucky to be part of such a beautiful centre, surrounded by Waikato farmland, green grass and animals. I feel privileged to be part of a centre that places such value on whaanau relationships and the natural world.
My passion is working with and alongside tamariki outside. I really enjoy being part of projects, where tamariki can get suck in and take the lead in their own learning. My teaching philosophy is about supporting tamariki to become confident and competent learners and building their independence. It also involves supporting tamariki to become confident communicators, who can express themselves and their needs to others.
Outside of work I am busy mum of two super active and outgoing children who love to be outdoors exploring the world around them. Greg and I love to take our children to beaches, rivers and bush walks, where we encourage our children to explore and discover the beauty around them and the treasures within in.
Haley Watt
Ko Ben Nevis toku Maunga,
Ko Nevis toku Awa,
Ko Ruapehu toku Waka,
Ko Koterana toku Iwi,
Ko Haley Watt toku Ingoa
Ko Tyler Hinaki Akania taku Tama.
Kia Ora, I am Haley. I have been teaching in ECE since 2015, where I started as a Home-based Educator. I feel in love with the work that I did and later made the choice to move into a centre-based setting. I have been teaching here at Tots since May 2022, and I absolutely love it here. I am grateful to be able to work within an environment that is surrounded by farmland and animals, and to be part of a teaching team that are passionate about the natural world, whaanau, and of course, our precious tamariki. I value respectful practice, and aim to facilitate a learning environment where tamariki feel seen, heard, and understood. I love the natural curiosity that children possess, and enjoy supporting children to make connections between the people, places and things in their world.
Outside of ECE I am a mother to a very active and curious boy who currently attends Rotokauri Primary School. Together my son and I enjoy road tripping and exploring our amazing country, creating memories' and having fun! My family is also actively involved with Scottish Pipe Bands, where many members of my family play/or have played competitively. Other than the sounds of Pipes and Drums, I also enjoy arts and crafts, music, stand-up comedy, and day trips to my favourite place; Raglan.
Stephanie Holz
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa
Ko Mātaatua te waka
Ko Whakatere te maunga
Ko Hokianga te awa
Ko Ngāpuhu te iwi
Ko Te Mahurehure te hapu
Ko te Tuhirangi marae
Ko David Peehikuru tōku pāpā rāua ko Edna Mulley tōku māmā
Ko David Peehikuru tōku tungāne, ko Lisa Peehikuru rāua ko Waiena Peehikuru ōku tuakana
Ko Craig Holz tōku whaiāipo
Ko Jaydn Holz tāku tamaiti
No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa
I have been teaching tamariki (children) since 2007, first as a home based caregiver then working for the Ministry of Special Education as a Support worker in both Early Childhood and Primary, before stepping into Early childhood as a Registered Kaiako. I gained my ECE Degree through Te Rito Maioha Early Education New Zealand. I have my level 1,2,3 and 4 Te Ara Reo Māori from Te Wananga o Aotearoa and I continue to develop more Te reo Māori me ōna tikanga.
I am passionate about how Papatūānuku (the land/mother earth) can take care of our every need in life. Tots love country embrace that world with our kararehe (farm animals) and our gardens. As a kaiako I am part of the joy when tamariki use their own working theories and figure things out from their own exploration through their interests. Te Ao (The world) through tamariki eyes is an amazing thing.
Shannon Prescott - Jackson
Ko mauhau te maunga
Ko tirua te awa
Ko tainui te Waka
Ko hauraki te whenua
Ko Shannon ahau
Ko Andrew taku tahu
Ko Nate taku tama
Kia ora my name is Shannon. I have been in ece for a long time graduating in 2016. I
Have lived in Hamilton all of my life. I started working at tots in September 2022 and i have loved being here. I absolutely love getting messy with the tamariki and you will often find me in our secret garden making creations with the mud. I love watching children lead their own learning and using papatuanuka as part of their everyday play. I love working with children and forming meaningful relationships with their whanau. Getting to know you and your children is very important to me. I have a step son and a son of my own. My partner and I also have a fur baby named chopper. We love being outside and having fun together.
