A small memorial has been set up at the Dunn Drive Children's Choice location. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Respected leaders

‘She was our glue’: community pays respects to longtime early childhood educator

Dec 30, 2021 | 5:00 PM

The small office where Gail Szauter spent her days now sits dark and on Thursday, a young child walking by was overheard saying ‘Oh I will miss you, Gail’ just prior to being comforted by staff.

The longtime executive director of Prince Albert’s Children’s Choice passed away on Christmas Day as a result of complications after surgery. She was 66.

Szautner has been with Children’s Choice since 1984 and during that time successfully managed to operate seven locations: Dunn Drive, St. Michael’s, King George Early Learning, St. Anne’s, St. Francis and St. Catherine’s. Judy Pasiechnik-Beauchesne is a director at the St. Anne’s location and recalled how Szautner hired her as a 20-year-old woman out of university, and mentored her into a director.

“She never stopped encouraging you and pushing you to know you could do what you wanted to do”, she said, adding Szautner was the type of person who gave you heck when you needed it, but was also there to support you and encourage you when you needed it.

It was not uncommon to see Szautner working with a young child on her lap. (Submitted/Judy Pasiechnik-Beauchesne)

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Faced with days now where she cannot turn to Szautner for guidance or a quick hello, Pasiechnik-Beauchesne explained a huge void has been left.

“I am so empty. I wake up every morning thinking maybe it’s different today, maybe she’s still here. It’s been 30 years with her in my life and she was like my second mom,” she said.

Reflecting back on the many lessons she gained from Szautner, Pasiechnik-Beauchesne said she will always remember the one code her mentor lived by — always put the child first.

“You know how they say when you lose a family member they are kind of the glue to the family … she was our glue,” Pasiechnik-Beauchesne said.

A picture of Szautner celebrating her birthday. (Submitted/Judy Pasiechnik-Beauchesne)

Crystal Grovestine has been a member of the Children’s Choice Board for over 10 years, and president for the past eight. She said she was moved by Szautner’s passion and dedication.

“It wasn’t just a job for her or a place to run. She really believed in it and it’s all about the children,” Grovestine said.

Reflecting back on times when children would sit on Szautner’s lap while she worked, Grovestien’s own children attended Children’s Choice but have all since grown to be adults. Despite having no children currently registered, Grovestine has remained on the board.

“I really stayed because of Gail and how much she just cared for everybody”, she said.

Mickey MacGillivray is the regional fundraising manager at Hope’s Home, but at one time worked for Szautner at both the west flat and St. Michael’s locations. MacGillivray too credits Szautner’s mentorship and leadership for helping mold her into the director she has become.

“I have always said, I couldn’t have done that job the way I did without Gail Szautner. Gail was known as a hard ass for sure, but it’s because she held her staff to very high standards and used every moment she could as a teaching moment,” she said.

Listing a number of favourite memories, MacGillivray explained Szauter did whatever she could to help her staff grow, which included sending them to conferences all over the world such as Boulder, Colo., Niagra Falls and even Italy.

“Most cherished are my office chats with Gail… she’d come sit in my office and always had time to ask about my family and my personal life before getting down to the work stuff,” MacGillivray said. “Even after leaving Children’s Choice to become a director at Hope’s Home, we still chatted and she still asked about my girls and my mom… always wondering what people were up to.”

Sautner always had a smile on her face when working around the young children. (Submitted/ Judy Pasiechnik-Beauchesne)

One particuar emotional memory that stands out for MacGillivray was the morning Chrystal Rivet was killed. The 30-year-old woman had been an early childhood educator at the daycare for nearly ten years, and was killed in a motor vehicle accident.

MacGillivray recalled how Szauter requested she pick her up on their way to work. Knowing that the task of telling staff and children about Chrystal’s passing was going to be a tough one, Szautner wanted to be there for support.

“She got into my truck and after some tears she said to me ‘Mickey, you are one of the strongest women I know and this is not going to be an easy day, but I know that you can do this and you will do it with great strength and love, just like you live every day of your life’.”

In addition to her work at Children’s Choice, Szautner gave back to the profession as a member of the Sask Polytechnic program advisory board for Early Childhood Education; and was a member and executive of the Canadian Childcare Federation and the Saskatchewan Childcare Federation.

Over the years, Szautner has also done numerous interviews with paNOW, whether it be reacting to government announcements; discussing the need for more child care spaces; the impact from the pandemic; or the expansion of their programming.

Nicole Rancourt, former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Prince Albert Northcote, knew Szautner well, and described how, like many in the community, her first encounter with Szautner was when she enrolled her now adult children into Children’s Choice Daycare.

“If was evident that Gail was committed to early childhood education and inclusion of all children in the daycare setting”, Rancourt said

Years later, when Rancourt’s daughter registered her son at Children’s Choice, she was surprised that Szautner recognized her immediately.

“Of all the families that Gail has worked with, she made each and everyone of us feel important and a part of the Children’s Choice family”

As a former MLA, Rancourt learned about the impact that Gail had on early childhood education, not only in our city but across the province as well. Rancourt added Szautner was an advocate that ensured all families had access to good quality, affordable, accessible early childhood education.

“The leadership from Gail will have a long-lasting impact for many families for years to come,” she said.

A private service was held this week in Humboldt and a recording of the celebration will be available on the funeral home’s website from Friday, Dec. 31st to Jan. 9, 2022.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell