St Andre use to be a good enough school but over the past year it has by far become one of the most toxic environments you can send your child to. *** was the worst principal by far I have seen at this school. *** is right up there with her. Complete lack of diversity for the increased population of black children. With an increased level of racism coming from teachers to students. I hope at some point the ministry steps in and cleanses up this school.

My son has been spit on twice by a student that is not in his class or grade. Both times no one from the school contacted me and I had to hear about it from my 11 year old. Unacceptable.

I have been an EA for 20 years. This job is not the same job it was 20 years ago. Over the last 5 years or so it has taken a downward turn. My stress level has skyrocketed! Just going into work is stressful because I never know what the day will hold. Less and less, I am helping students with academic needs. More and more I am facing students with extreme violent behaviors. Behaviors that not only impede their ability to learn, but also impede other students' ability to learn. Every day I go into work I hope I can leave the same way I came in, but it has gotten to the point that leaving with "only" a scratch or bruise that will heal quickly is a good day, in what other job do you say that. Since 2019 I have had 3 concussions and 1 count of whiplash at the hands of students I work with, before 2019 I had never had a concussion or been seriously injured on the job. I am currently off work recovering from a concussion and now am facing seeing a neurologist to ensure there hasn't been any brain damage from all the trauma to my brain. This violent behavior not only takes a physical toll on my body, but also a toll on my mental health. Daily my co- workers and I are faced with being spat at and on, sworn at, kicked, punched, and bit. You can only endure so much of that. I am in tears and I see them in tears too. I feel these incidents are not taken seriously enough; every child has a right to an education, I would never argue that, but I have the right to feel safe coming to work. I have the right to have something left in the tank at the end of the day so my own kids get some of me too. So often I have nothing left to give after being at work. I struggle constantly to reconcile loving this job and being so passionate about it, but also legitimately wondering how much longer I can do this for.

Staff members are regularly subjected to verbal, physical, and even sexual assault by students, creating an unsafe and hostile work environment. Despite repeated concerns being raised, administration and board officials have failed to implement effective measures to protect staff, students, and visitors. The lack of action has led to a decline in morale, with many staff feeling frustrated, unsupported, and undervalued.

On a daily basis staff are subjected to verbal and physical abuse from the students. This means special needs students and non special needs students. If your child attends this school they have seen staff get hit, be cursed at and be treated with utrer disrespect.The staff feel stressed and like there is nothing they can do about it. We do not feel supported by administration or the board. The board needs to provide more support staff. The current support staff are being asked to watch multiple special needs students at a time or are being pulled to deal with an emergency situation in another area of the school. This is putting the staff and students in unsafe positions.

Not happy since the new principal started last year (***) extremely dismissive, doesn’t listen or care to follow through, and the worst part is with regards to special education she doesn’t do much other than give it to *** who now has taken reins and IEPS are not fully abided by; the Educational Assistanrs are all over the place, don’t know what they are doing , all new faces - kids missing the EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS who were exceptional lost a few of them with no knowledge of where they went ….. why? What happened? Horrible.