Simcoe Hall Settlement House - Oshawa, Ontario

Bat R.

Title: Concerns Regarding the After School Program – Based on My Experience

Review:

To my knowledge and understanding, this After School Program experienced a significant lice outbreak, and ongoing cleanliness concerns remain unaddressed. The entrance is often littered with cigarette butts and debris, posing safety risks.

I filled out a form identifying areas I wanted the program to focus on for my child, but to my knowledge, no action was taken.

Well-behaved children are sometimes placed in separate rooms for long periods—up to three hours—with little supervision and mostly using personal electronics. I feel this does not reflect the quality of programming expected.

I have concerns about staff professionalism, including inappropriate discussions in front of children and possible sharing of private information between attendees.

Based on my observations, some children, particularly transgender and gay attendees, appear to receive more favorable treatment from at least one staff member, which I feel is unfair to others.

Communication from the program is often delayed or inconsistent, especially affecting divorced or co-parenting families where one parent may not receive important updates.

I have also observed a group of parents frequently gathered near the entrance during pickup times engaging in inappropriate behavior, including using vulgar language, smoking cigarettes, and spitting on the ground. This creates an unpleasant and potentially unsafe environment for children and families entering or exiting the program.

Finally, I feel concerns raised by parents are sometimes dismissed, and children involved may face subtle retaliation.

I encourage families to consider these issues before enrolling.

M T.

On September 2, 2025, at 10:50 AM, we had an appointment at Simcoe Settlement Hall to pick up a school backpack. My wife went inside on time, but the staff refused to give it to her because she showed a screenshot of the confirmation email.

My wife does not speak English well and is not familiar with technology, so I had sent her the screenshot to make it easier. Still, she was kept waiting for 45 minutes, while other women from the same culture as the staff were allowed to pick up backpacks without any issue or verification.

This was very disappointing and felt unfair. Families should be treated with understanding and respect, especially when there are language and technology barriers.

Blue P.

Regarding the Simcoe Hall After School Program’s Walking Bus:
Although the school’s official dismissal time is 3:05 PM, most students are actually released closer to 3:00 PM. During this time, I’ve observed children in the program running around unsupervised in front of the school, including in driveways and parking areas, while buses and vehicles are actively arriving and departing. This presents a serious safety concern. Simcoe Hall staff often don’t arrive until 3:05 PM or even later, leaving a noticeable gap in supervision when it’s needed most. It’s unclear why staff don’t arrive a few minutes earlier to account for the early dismissal of the children in their care.

Even when staff are present, they often seem preoccupied with personal conversations instead of actively supervising the students. For example, last Friday, two children were swinging upside down and hanging from the metal railings just a few feet away from the after-school staff. They didn’t seem to notice, as they were engaged in a personal conversation. It wasn’t until a special education teacher came out and firmly told the children to stop — loudly enough for the after-school staff to hear — that anything was done. Only then did the staff briefly turn to the children and say, “Don’t do that,” before resuming their conversation.

Thank goodness for the special ed teacher, because the children could have seriously injured themselves on the asphalt. This incident highlights a larger issue with supervision and attentiveness that should be addressed for the safety and well-being of the students.

Anthony C.

People working at Simcoe Hall Settlement really know the true gift of giving. They put everything they have into supporting their community. Ever since I joined the Seniors group it really gave me a renewed sense of being back home in Oshawa. Yes allot has changed in Durham. However, o w thing always remains the same. That's the size of those that grew up here to help other's that need it that came. Oshawa will always be the go to in that regard. "Impossible is Nothing "

Lucy L.

Absolutely love the after school program and summer camp opportunities that Simcoe Hall offers! My daughter has been going to SH for a years now and we can’t say enough great things about the staff. They’re like family now.

Karl F.

OK they need to seriously update thier hours on website for food bank. Mondays are posted open.when actually closed ..Tuesdays are open

Qadari S.

I appreciate their service and the staff with a kind and nice behavior they are really helpful.

Zareen S.

I went there today and was quite impressed, I was there about 15 years ago (yes I realize thats a very long time ago) and was very disappointed. I got 1/2 a bag of cheerios, a head of broccoli and a few cans of stuff. I thankfully haven't had to use food banks in quite a while, but anyways today I had a much better experience. I got a bunch of canned food a box of burgers green peppers and all the bread I could take.
Great experience, especially compared to the last time.