Early Childhood Development Support Centre - NSCC Burridge Campus

03/23/2026

The Early Years Professional Learning Support Sites will be closing operations as of April 1, 2026. Our services will continue as planned until the closure date.
If you have borrowed materials from the Tiny Cats Library, we would ask that you return them before March 31, 2026. Any lenders unable to do so before that date, can return borrowed items to the NSCC Burridge Campus Library.
Note: We are currently looking at options of where we might be able to host these important resources so they remain accessible.

02/19/2026

Author Spotlight
SHAUNTAY GRANT

We are proud to feature and recognize African Nova Scotian author, poet, and playwright Shauntay Grant, whose work celebrates identity, history, culture, and community.
Born and raised in Halifax, Shauntay Grant is an award winning writer whose work spans poetry, theatre, and children’s literature. She is recognized for thoughtfully uplifting African Nova Scotian stories, highlighting themes of belonging, strength, community pride, and deep roots in home and community. Through her writing, she amplifies local stories and ensures that the histories and lived experiences of African Nova Scotian communities are visible and honoured. Her work has received national recognition and continues to inspire readers of all ages.

We would like to highlight several of her meaningful titles:

Africville (available in English and French)
This award winning picture book honours the historic Black community of Africville in Halifax. Told through the eyes of a young girl, the story celebrates community pride while gently opening space for conversations about displacement, resilience, and the importance of remembering local history.

My Fade Is Fresh
A joyful and affirming story about a young boy getting a fresh haircut, this book celebrates confidence, identity, and cultural pride through rhythmic language and vibrant storytelling.

Where There Is Love
This lyrical picture book is a heartfelt reminder that love surrounds us in many forms. Through poetic language, it invites children to recognize love in family, community, and everyday moments.

Up Home
A tender and nostalgic story about summer visits to a grandparent’s home in rural Nova Scotia, this book beautifully captures intergenerational connection, community traditions, and the feeling of belonging.

The City Speaks in Drums
This poetic celebration of city life uses rhythm and sound to bring Halifax to life. Through music and movement, it captures the vibrancy, creativity, and cultural heartbeat of the community.
Shauntay Grant’s books create opportunities for children and families to explore history, pride, identity, love, and the power of community.

We encourage educators and families to support Shauntay’s work by adding her books to their collections, sharing them with children, and using them to open conversations and enrich experiences in early learning settings. Through our local connection, many of these stories offer meaningful opportunities for children to connect with places and experiences they may recognize in their own lives, strengthening understanding and making learning more personal.

02/13/2026

Heritage Day honours the remarkable people, places, and events that have shaped Nova Scotia’s unique heritage. This year, the province recognizes the Hon. Joseph Willie Comeau, a dedicated champion of Acadian history and culture.

In observance of Heritage Day on February 16, the Early Years Professional Learning Support Centre will be closed.

02/13/2026

Book Spotlight
A Sweet New Year for Ren

As we recognize and celebrate Lunar New Year, we are highlighting the beautiful picture book A Sweet New Year for Ren written by Michelle Sterling.
This warm and inviting story follows Ren as she prepares for Lunar New Year with her family. Through food, tradition, and time spent together, readers experience the joy and meaning behind the celebration.

Michelle Sterling writes from lived experience, sharing traditions that are personal and authentic. The story reflects real family practices, offering children an opportunity to experience Lunar New Year through a voice rooted in cultural knowledge and family connection.

This book offers meaningful possibilities for extended learning in early learning settings. A recipe is included that could be prepared together, creating a shared experience that brings culture to life. The story also introduces a variety of traditional foods, opening space for children to think about how food connects us to memory, identity, and celebration.

Nova Scotia’s Early Learning Curriculum Framework reminds us that children build understanding through relationships, identity, belonging, and respect for diversity. In many of our local early learning communities, there are children and families who celebrate Lunar New Year. Stories like A Sweet New Year for Ren help us create space for those experiences to be seen, valued, and shared, while also inviting all children to learn with curiosity and care.

Educators and families might consider inviting conversations such as:
• Does anyone in our community celebrate Lunar New Year? What would you like us to understand about it?
• What traditions are important in your home during special celebrations?
• What foods help your family mark important occasions?
• How can we show respect and interest when learning about celebrations that are meaningful to others?
• What can we learn by listening to one another’s stories?

Adding A Sweet New Year for Ren to your collection offers an opportunity to slow down, listen, and learn together. Whether through conversation, cooking, or storytelling, this book can help build empathy, strengthen connections, and support a deeper appreciation for the traditions that shape our communities.

02/11/2026

Author Spotlight
LINDSAY RUCK

We would like to feature and recognize African Nova Scotian author Lindsay Ruck, whose work shares stories rooted in community, identity, and local history.

Lindsay lives in Dartmouth with her husband, two children, and their dog, Quincy. She studied journalism at Carleton University and began her career writing for newspapers and magazines. Her first book, Winds of Change: The Life and Legacy of Calvin W. Ruck, was shortlisted for a Dartmouth Book Award. Since then, she has written and edited many books for readers of all ages.
While she has published titles for all ages, we would like to give a special highlight to her children’s books and her contributions to early years literature: My Nova Scotia, My Favourite Colour, and This big Heart.

My Favorite Colour is a fun, rhyming read-aloud that celebrates diversity while helping young readers learn the colours of the rainbow.

My Nova Scotia is a story for all who call this land home or are just here to visit. It warmly reminds readers that they are welcome here, and asks the question: “What’s your Nova Scotia?”

This Big Heart gently supports conversations about grief and big feelings, reminding us that we feel deeply because we love deeply.

Lindsay’s work is also part of a collaborative effort with the Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute in Halifax, which supports African Nova Scotian education and community learning. The Institute works to create educational change and genuine opportunities for learners and communities of African ancestry to reach their full potential. Through research, programming, and initiatives such as Ubuntu, meaning “I am because we are,” the Institute shares knowledge and preserves the rich cultural heritage of African Nova Scotia. They also offer opportunities for learning, access to resources including additional children’s books and a legacy bursary, as well as advice and guidance on practice and policy.

Learn more about the DBDLI here: https://dbdli.ca/

We encourage our educators to support local African Nova Scotian authors like Lindsay Ruck and to bring her contributions to early learning literature into their early learning spaces as a way to spark rich conversation, celebration, and playful exploration this February for African Heritage Month, and to keep these stories in their libraries to continue learning throughout the year.

Visit her personal website to learn more and to purchase her books here: http://lindsayruck.ca/

02/09/2026

Check out this fantastic opportunity hosted by the Early Years Professional Learning Support Centre Kingstec!

02/09/2026

🌈 Free Professional Learning Opportunity for Educators 🌈

Join us for Gender Inclusive Early Learning Environments, an in-person professional learning session focused on creating affirming, inclusive, and anti-bias spaces in early learning and child care.

Grounded in Nova Scotia’s Early Learning Curriculum Framework, this session invites educators to reflect on gender inclusivity and explore practical strategies that support children’s holistic development.

Saturday, April 18
9:00–12:00
NSCC Burridge Campus (In-Person)
372 Pleasant Street, Yarmouth
Free to attend

Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1982468515697?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please feel free to share with colleagues who may be interested!

02/06/2026

This February we celebrate African Heritage Month by taking time to reflect, learn, and honour Black voices, stories, and experiences.
Our lending library includes children’s books that support identity, belonging, community, and history in early learning spaces. These stories help children see themselves, learn about others, and build understanding from an early age. Stop by to borrow one of these or browse the rest of our selection to support learning and sharing this month and beyond!

02/05/2026

Check out this opportunity happening in our area!

Rooted in Resilience: Adult Program. No Registration Required

✦ Celebrate African Heritage Month with us! Every Tuesday from 11-12:30, enjoy a 4-part series of inspiring speakers, food, and history as each class highlights a unique moment in time.

02/03/2026

Mi’kmaw Ways of Being & Knowing
Free Professional Learning Opportunity

Join us for an in-person professional learning session focused on deepening understanding of Mi’kmaw culture, history, and worldview. Guided by Mi’kmaw Elders and Knowledge Holders, participants will engage in storytelling, reflection, and ceremony, and explore concepts such as relationship, respect, and reconciliation in early learning and child care.

Saturday, March 28 | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Rodd Grand Hotel, Yarmouth
Lunch and snacks provided
Free to attend (registration required by March 13th)

Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/mikmaw-ways-of-being-and-knowing-tickets-1981331932145?aff=oddtdtcreator

02/03/2026

Join us for upcoming online sessions of Module 3, 4, or 7 of Nova Scotia’s Early Learning Curriculum Framework: Capable, Confident, and Curious.

🟦 Module 3: Connecting Early Learning Principals and Practices - Feb 24 & 26
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/nselcf-module-3-principles-and-practices-nscc-bonline-registration-1977613894394?aff=oddtdtcreator

🟦 Module 7: Critical Reflection and the Reflective Planning Cycle - March 10 & 12
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/elcf-m7-reflective-planning-cycle-nscc-b-tickets-1982201693625?aff=oddtdtcreator

🟦 Module 4: Connecting Learning Goals, Learning Objectives and Strategies - March 17 & 19
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/elcfm4learning-goals-learning-objectives-and-strategiesnscc-bonline-registration-1982201995528?aff=oddtdtcreator