So far my experience with Hillsdale P.S has been positive. The school fosters a warm, inclusive environment where students feel safe, encouraged, and excited to learn. We’re happy to be a part of this school community.

Principal is very micro managing. Feels like you're under a microscope constantly. Program Support is also this way. I Didn't enjoy working here as a supply staff.

This school used to be fantastic! The moral was high, the kids were happy and the support was there. Now St.Pat’s is so low on moral, it is a chore not a pleasure to go to work. I have worked in many schools in this board and I have to say this school has gone so far down the tubes I don’t know if it can ever come back to what it used to be. The administrative staff are harsh and unsupportive, making it difficult to find support when there is a problem. The lack of support in the classrooms for children with special needs is ongoing and only getting worse. It feels very alone and segregated as a staff, with a staff turnover rate that demonstrates the lack of passion teachers have when working there. I think if the administration was moved around and new people were to come into these roles, maybe the staff moral would begin to turn around.

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.

got so hot in the school during the summer i threw up (it was like 40 celsius in there) so like maybe teach you teachers to keep the windows closed..?

I’m Lori, and I’m a retired Educational Assistant.
I worked with the Durham Catholic District School Board for nearly 25 years. I loved my job. I loved the students, and I loved the staff I worked with. I never imagined I’d retire early—but I did. And it wasn’t because I wanted to. It was because I didn’t feel safe, respected, or supported anymore. I had to chose a school for this story but this school doesn't necessary represent the good or bad experiences I am about to share.
Over the years, I’ve been hit, bruised, and bloodied—black eyes, busted lips, and more. At one point, strangers and even my own family thought I was being abused at home. But the truth is, these injuries came from students who were in crisis—students who needed help, but didn’t get the support they deserved.
We talk a lot about how the government is failing schools. That’s true. We absolutely need more funding and better resources. But that’s only part of the story. Leadership in our schools matters just as much. I worked in some schools where I felt appreciated and safe—where leadership made a real difference. And I worked in others, with the same funding, where I felt dismissed and afraid to speak up.
The Board has policies around harassment and bullying. But policies don’t mean much if they’re not enforced— staff are being harassed and ignored, even by those in charge.
That’s why I’m sharing this. Because I know these conversations are happening behind the scenes, and they need to be brought into the light. If you’re a leader and this message hits close to home—reflect. Change starts there. If you’re working in a school and feeling like I did—you’re not alone.
To every EA still showing up, doing the hard work, I see you. I know your battle. You deserve respect. You deserve safety. And you deserve to be heard.
It’s time we all listen.