Long-standing preschool teacher in Kamloops receives Prime Minister’s Award

KAMLOOPS — A well-known preschool teacher in Kamloops has been recognized for her passion in the field of early childhood education, receiving the Prime Minister’s Award for her nearly half century of work.

Patti Pernitsky received the award on Wednesday morning (Nov. 9) from Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Frank Caputo at her Kamloops United Preschool. The award, which was given to 15 people across the country, is for excellence in early childhood education.

Pernitsky has been helping young children grow and develop for the last 48 years, and while she didn’t get into childcare for awards, the Prime Minister’s Award is humbling.

“It’s kind of a bit of an unbelieveable moment,” she said after receiving the award. “I never thought 48 years ago that I would be standing here getting an award of such prestige, and that’s certainly not why I entered into early childhood education. I entered into it because I saw a need to help children of all ages and all stages of development, and so to be able to be here today after 48 years is like a ‘yay’ moment.”

Caputo added, “She displays this vivacious nature, an authenticity that few can match and I’m sure that really spills into her work. Obviously it has because she’s only one of 15 people across the country to receive this very prestigious award and we’re so proud to have her here in Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo.”

Pernitsky started in childcare in 1974 when she was still in Grade 12 at Norkam Secondary.

“I was working at a daycare centre and would go to work at 6:30 in the morning and then race like heck to homeroom at 8:30,” said Pernitsky. “My teacher knew I was coming.”

It was the start of a rewarding journey, working with thousands of children and making an impact on each of their lives.

“People say ‘you make it look so easy!’ I think any time you’re passionate about something, it does become easy because it becomes part of who you are,” noted Pernitsky. “If you really feel the love of everybody around you, and I’m lucky because I get to play with warm Play-Doh and eat snack and hold hands and sing songs and read stories — all the fun things in life — and I get paid for it. It probably doesn’t get any better than that.”

Pernitsky has worked at almost every childcare centre in the city over her nearly half century in the field. A decade ago, she took over the Mother Goose program, which stalled during COVID-19 but now has returned.

Pernitsky, though, is most proud about working with children with exceptionalities.

“That could be anything from autism to Down Syndrome, just anything, behaviour situations, and I believe they have just as much equal opportunity to participate in a program. We have an integrated program here, and I believe that it helps us all to be part of that program,” she said. ”

She’s been lucky to have one of her grandsons in her class this year, and while she has a couple years left in her, the 66-year-old Pernitsky can see the end in sight.

“I have been doing this for 48 years and there does come a time when one has to turn the reigns over to somebody else.”