Margaret Blair - Director
Margaret Blair established the Interact Programs in 1992, with the first Interact Social Skills Program. The idea originated in a Parent Support Group session which she was facilitating on behalf of the Learning Disabilities Association of Quebec, Montreal Chapter 1, where parents were expressing the need for such a program for their children. Subsequent programs were based on requests from parents and followed the basic principle that these children require an individualized approach meeting their specific needs. Smart kids who have difficulties, particularly with language processing often exhibit behaviour problems which lead to fewer opportunities to succeed.
Margaret has worked as a substitute teacher, drug counsellor, and group facilitator. It was while she was working as a Street Worker for Dans La Rue that she became convinced that early and direct intervention with children "outside the norm" was the key to their potential success.
Margaret holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Social Science from Concordia University as well as training in Educational Practises for children with learning disabilities.
Margaret is a prolific reader, loves music, plays guitar, and has an extensive collection of British Mystery DVDs. "There is nothing like a gruesome murder in a pastoral setting to take away the stress of the day."
Dayle Wiltshire - Head Teacher
Dayle Wiltshire began working at Interact when she was 17, volunteering in the first Social Skills program while attending Dawson College in Creative Arts. She has spent nearly every Saturday for 15 years at Social Skills playing with the kids and learning as much from them as they do from her.
Dayle decided to become a teacher when she realized how much support these children needed at school. In 1999, she graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Education. In the Fall of that year, Dayle and Margaret decided to open their school, seeing that there was a need in the community for specialized services. It has been the teaching experience of a lifetime as Dayle juggles her students' abilities and needs, and the expectations of the curriculum. She lives for life's challenges!
In January of 2009, there was a new addition to the Interact family, as well as Dayle's own family with the birth of her first son Zachary.
In her free time, Dayle enjoys camping, music, drawing, yoga and reading. She also spends much of her time caring for her cats along with all of the other pets at school.