A Look Back at a Rewarding Day of Professional Development

On June 5, 2026, at Collège Boréal, educators from the Carrefour francophone gathered for a professional development day focused on learning, sharing, and collaboration.

The day began with a speech by Stéphane Gauthier, Executive and Cultural Director of the Carrefour francophone. He took the opportunity to invite the entire staff to our 75th anniversary celebrations. This gathering also included a tribute to Monique Cousineau, former Executive Director of the Carrefour francophone, who passed away on June 4. A minute of silence was shared in her memory.

The program for this enriching day included a workshop led by Emilie Castilloux and Natalie Singer on the importance of family involvement in the development of the French language, a reflection on “letting go” led by Nicholas Dupuis, and a presentation by Samantha Purcell of Child & Community Resources on courageous conversations.

Enjoy the read!

Emilie Castilloux and Natalie Singer

Raising awareness among families about the importance of involvement in the development of the French language

Emilie Castilloux and Natalie Singer led a workshop on the importance of family involvement in the development of French language skills among very young children. Through discussions and reflections, they invited participants to explore the essential role that collaboration between families and the educational community plays in children’s linguistic and cultural development.

The discussions highlighted a shared belief: when families and educators work together, children thrive in a consistent, stimulating environments rich with opportunities to experience French in their daily lives.

The workshop continued with role-playing exercises inspired by real-life situations in child services. These exercises fostered discussions on the best ways to support families, communicate with them in a caring manner, and strengthen a shared approach to promoting the French language in all aspects of a child’s life.

As a result, this workshop enabled the teams to discover practical tools and to deepen their reflection on the importance of building, together with families, a strong partnership dedicated to the vitality of the French language.

Nicholas Dupuis

The Expo idéale

Led by Nicholas Dupuis, this workshop offered a creative experience centered on letting go, the unexpected, and curiosity. The goal was to allow everyone to step outside their usual creative frameworks in order to reconnect with the spontaneous and intuitive experiences of children, and to draw inspiration from them to enrich their daily practices.

The activity took place in an immersive and unconventional way: large rolls of paper were unfurled on the floor, transforming the space into a collective creative surface. Educational staff members were invited to sit directly on the paper to explore drawing through abstract forms, guided by Nicholas Dupuis’s instructions. This approach encouraged movement, experimentation, and creativity.

The works produced during the workshop were part of “Expo idéale,” a large-scale immersive exhibition that spanned all three floors of Place des Arts in Greater Sudbury. Presented as part of the launch of the Carrefour francophone’s 75th-anniversary celebrations, the exhibition has been on view since June 17, 2026.

Nicole Czaja

Active Break

After two morning workshops, everyone gathered for lunch Au Pied du Rocher at Collège Boréal. This break gave everyone a chance to recharge in a friendly atmosphere before continuing this day full of learning.

After lunch, Nicole Czaja energized the group with an active break activity combining movement, music, and interaction. Through simple, accessible exercises, she led two complementary games: “Find Someone Who…,” which encouraged conversation and socializing among colleagues, and “Pause and Freeze,” a relaxation game that allowed participants to take an active break and refocus their attention.

This short session created a moment that was both energizing and unifying, helping to maintain a positive group dynamic for the rest of the day.

Thank you, Nicole!

Samantha Purcell

Courageous Conversations

Samantha Purcell, from Child & Community Resources, led a workshop on courageous conversations. The workshop aimed to equip staff to approach sensitive discussions with respect, clarity, and empathy, both with families and among colleagues.

The workshop highlighted child and family-centered approaches, as well as practical strategies for preparing for, structuring, and facilitating these conversations. Samantha particularly emphasized the importance of “how”: the way things are said plays a crucial role in the quality of communication and in building trust.

Role-playing exercises allowed everyone to revisit real-life situations and explore different ways to respond to them. Based on these scenarios, Samantha suggested possible solutions tailored to each context.

Everyone also left with a resource kit to help them continue reflecting on and applying what they learned in their daily work.

Acknowledgments

This professional development day provided the educational staff at Carrefour francophone a space rich in learning, exchange, and collective reflection. Through a variety of workshops combining hands-on activities, creativity, movement, and reflection, everyone was able to deepen their skills while strengthening their professional approach with children and families.

Beyond the topics covered, this gathering above all highlighted the power of collaborative work and the importance of taking the time to come together to reflect on our practices. The discussions, role-playing exercises, and experiences shared throughout the day helped foster a shared vision rooted in kindness, commitment, and the advancement of the French-speaking community.

In an atmosphere marked by emotion and gratitude, this day also served as a reminder of the importance of collective memory and the progress the organization has made.

Thank you to everyone, as well as to the facilitators, for their contribution to the success of this inspiring day.