The Discipline Committee hears matters regarding allegations of professional misconduct and/or incompetence which have been referred by the Complaints Committee following investigation.
The College is mandated to publish a summary of its disciplinary decisions and reasons when the Discipline Committee makes a finding of guilt. These disciplinary decisions are published on the College’s website, on our blog and on CanLII, the Canadian Legal Information Institute’s website.
Note the number of Discipline Decisions listed is higher than normal for this timeframe; Discipline summaries were not included in the summer or fall issues of Connexions in order to focus on resources related to the pandemic. During this time, decisions continued to be published on the College’s website as usual.
Tammy Ann Mullins
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspended Tammy Ann Mullins’ Certificate of Registration (registration number 00770) for four months.
Reprimand, Terms, Conditions and Limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration.
Contribution of $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed facts: Tammy Ann Mullins (the “Member”) was employed as an RECE at a child care centre (the “Centre”) in Windsor, Ontario. The Member, along with another RECE, was supervising a group of ten preschool-aged children. The Member and her colleague took the children outside to play, during which time a child left the playground through a gate that had been left open. The Member and her colleague realized the child was missing shortly afterwards. The Member searched for the child while her colleague stayed with the other children. The Member found the child, who was with an adult that had stopped her car to assist the child who was alone. The Member brought the child back to the playground.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including that she failed to supervise adequately a person under her professional supervision; she failed to maintain the standards of the profession; she acted in a manner that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful; and she conducted herself in a manner that is unbecoming of a member.
Penalty: The panel required the Member to appear before the Discipline Committee to be reprimanded. The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend the Member’s Certificate of Registration for four months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration, including mandatory mentorship sessions. In addition, the Member was required to contribute $1,000 to the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
To read the full decision, click here.
Konstantina (Dina) Zimmerman
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspended Konstantina Zimmerman’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 03115) for four months.
Reprimand, Terms, Conditions and Limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration that include mentorship.
Contribution of $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed facts: Konstantina Zimmerman (the “Member”) was employed as an RECE at a child care centre (the “Centre”) in Windsor, Ontario. The Member and her colleague were supervising a group of ten preschool-aged children. The Member and her colleague took the children outside to play, during which time a child left the playground through a gate that had been left open. The Member and her colleague realized the child was missing shortly afterwards. The Member stayed to supervise the children, while her colleague went to search for the missing child. The colleague found the child and brought them back to the background.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including that she failed to supervise adequately a person under her professional supervision; she failed to maintain the standards of the profession; she acted in a manner that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful; and, she conducted herself in a manner that is unbecoming of a member.
Penalty: The panel required the Member to appear before the Discipline Committee to be reprimanded. The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend the Member’s Certificate of Registration for a period of four months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration, including mandatory mentorship sessions. In addition, the Member was required to contribute $1,000 to the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
To read the full decision, click here.
Kelly Lynn Marion
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspended Kelly Lynn Marion’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 19741) for nine months.
Reprimand, Terms, Conditions and Limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration that include mentorship and coursework.
Contribution of $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed facts: Kelly Lynn Marion (the “Member”) was employed as an RECE at a child care centre (the “Centre”). Following a 2018 decision on a previous matter, the Member continued working as an RECE despite a five-month suspension of her certificate of registration. Approximately, three and a half months into the suspension, the Member’s employer conducted a certificate-status check on the College’s public register and discovered the Member’s certificate was suspended. At that time, it was also discovered the Member had not arranged for a mentor nor had she complete coursework as stipulated in the 2018 decision.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Early Childhood Educators Act; Ontario Regulation 223/08), including that she contravened an order of the Discipline Committee; acted in a manner that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable and unprofessional; inappropriately used a title in respect of her practice contrary to the Regulation, and, acted in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
Penalty: The panel required the member to appear before the Discipline Committee to be reprimanded. The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend the Member’s Certificate of Registration for a nine months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration, including mandatory mentorship sessions and coursework. In addition, the Member was required to contribute $1,000 to the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
To read the full decision, click here.
Jill Wendy Walsh
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspended Jill Wendy Walsh’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 17563) for six months.
Reprimand, Terms, Conditions and Limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration.
Contribution of $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed facts: Jill Wendy Walsh (the “Member”) was employed as an Early Childhood Educator at a public school (the “School”) in Pembroke, Ontario. The Member, along with other staff, was supervising a large group of children who were waiting for buses home. Among this group of children was a five-year old child who was holding her backpack. The Member instructed the child to put on the backpack, but the child did not as her sister was going to carry it to the bus for her. The Member yelled at the child and forcibly put the backpack on the child. In the course of putting the backpack on the child, the Member grabbed the child by the arm and made contact with the child’s neck,causing redness. The child became upset and began to cry The Member asked the child not to tell anyone about the incident.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including that she physically abused a child under her professional supervision; psychologically and/or emotionally abused a child under her professional supervision; failed to maintain the standards of the profession;; acted in a manner that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and conducted herself in a manner unbecoming a member.
Penalty: The panel required the Member to appear before the Discipline Committee to be reprimanded. The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend the Member’s Certificate of Registration for a period of six months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration, including mandatory mentorship sessions and coursework. In addition, the Member was required to contribute $1,000 to the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
To read the full decision, click here.
Candace Amber Renaud
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspended Candace Amber Renaud’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 09585) for seven months.
Reprimand, Terms, Conditions and Limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration that include mentorship.
Contribution of $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed facts: Candace Amber Renaud (the “Member”) was employed as a Supervisor at a child care centre (the “Centre”) in Kirkland, Ontario. The Member did not pay for child care services the Centre provided her children, in the amount of approximately $22,715, and the Member allowed another staff member, an RECE, not to pay for child care services for their children either, in the amount of approximately $43,820.
The Member’s actions were revealed as a result of an audit.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including that she failed to maintain the standards of the profession; she acted in a manner that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and, she conducted herself in a manner unbecoming to a member.
Penalty: The panel required the member to appear before the Discipline Committee to be reprimanded. The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend the Member’s Certificate of Registration for a period of seven months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration, including mandatory mentorship sessions. In addition, the Member was required to contribute $1,000 to the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
To read the full decision, click here.
Zachary Solomon Yudin
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspended Zachary Solomon Yudin’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 44606) for seven months.
Reprimand, Terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration.
Contribution of $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed facts: Zachary Solomin Yudin (the “Member”) was employed as an Early Childhood Educator at a child care centre (the “Centre”) in Toronto, Ontario. The Member and another ECE were supervising a a group of kindergarten-aged children at the Centre’s after school program. During a transition from the kindergarten classroom to the gym, one of the children was left behind in the washroom. The Member and his colleague failed to notice that the child was missing.
The child put on her winter clothes and backpack and walked 900 metres to her home which included crossing a number of streets. The child’s parents were not home, so the door was locked. A neighbor noticed the child was alone and notified her parents.
The Member and his colleague noticed the child was missing approximately 50-minutes later but assumed the parents had picked the child up; however, the Member did not call the parents to verify the child was with them, nor did he call the Centre’s Manager to alert them that he did not know where the child was. The child’s father later called the Centre to notify the Member’s colleague that the child was home safe.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including that he failed to supervise adequately a person under his professional supervision; he failed to maintain the standards of the profession; he acted in a manner that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful; and, he conducted himself in a manner unbecoming of a member.
Penalty: The panel required the member to appear before the Discipline Committee to be reprimanded. The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend the Member’s Certificate of Registration for seven months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration, including mandatory mentorship sessions. In addition, the Member was required to contribute $1,000 to the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
To read the full decision, click here.
Marlène Michel
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspended Marlène Michel’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 20495) for three months.
Reprimand: Terms, Conditions and Limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration.
Contribution of $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed facts: Marlène Michel (the “Member”) was employed as an Early Childhood Educator at a child care centre (the “Centre”) in Ottawa, Ontario. The Member and three non-ECE staff were supervising a group of 12 toddlers in the Centre’s yard. As they transitioned back inside, the Member noticed a child was still outdoors and called to her several times, asking her to come inside. The Member assisted other children in removing their outdoor clothing, then counted the children and believed all were present. The Member proceeded to take the children into the toddler classroom while the child was still outside.
After approximately 20 minutes, a parent passed the Centre and saw the child outside unsupervised. The parent called the Centre and the supervisor returned the child to the classroom. Until that point, the Member did not notice the child was missing.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including that she failed to supervise adequately a person under her professional supervision; she failed to maintain the standards of the profession; she acted in a manner that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful; and she conducted herself in a manner that is unbecoming of a member.
Penalty: The panel required the member to appear before the Discipline Committee to be reprimanded. The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend the Member’s Certificate of Registration for three months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration, including mandatory mentorship sessions. In addition, the Member was required to contribute $1,000 to the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
To read the full decision, click here.
Shajeetha Chandramanoharan
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspended Shajeetha Chandramanoharan’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 54018) for five months.
Reprimand, Terms, Conditions and Limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration.
Contribution of $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed facts: Shajeetha Chandramanoharan (the “Member”) was employed as an Assistant Supervisor at a child care centre (the “Centre”) in Toronto, Ontario. Two children, siblings aged 12 and 9, arrived at the Centre but were sent home by the Member the Centre’s management did not allow them the children to participate in that day’s field trip. The Member did not notify anyone the children were sent home, nor did the member take steps to verify they arrived home safely.
The children, alone and unsupervised, were unable to contact their legal guardian and when they arrived home, there was no one there. Approximately five hours later, a neighbour found the children sleeping in the building hallway.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including that she failed to supervise adequately a person under her professional supervision; she failed to maintain the standards of the profession; she acted in a manner that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful; and, she conducted herself in a manner that is unbecoming of a member.
Penalty: The panel required the Member to appear before the Discipline Committee to be reprimanded. The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend the Member’s Certificate of Registration for five months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s Certificate of Registration, including mandatory mentorship sessions. In addition, the Member was required to contribute $1,000 to the College’s prosecution and hearing costs. To read the full decision, click here.