📘 The Learning Curve: The Aftermath of IB’s Exit at Holy Cross in Woodbridge – How Students Are Coping

How Students Are Coping After the IB Program Cancellation at Holy Cross

In November 2024, families at Holy Cross Catholic Academy in Woodbridge were informed that the school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme would be phased out beginning the following school year. The decision, communicated following a special board meeting, cited low enrollment and rising program costs.

Students already enrolled in the IB Diploma Programme were permitted to complete their studies, but those earlier in the pipeline were forced to make difficult choices. Students wishing to continue on the IB pathway were directed to transfer to other schools, primarily St. Robert Catholic High School in Markham or Cardinal Carter Catholic High School in Aurora.

For families who had planned years in advance around the IB curriculum, the decision arrived mid-stream — with limited notice and little opportunity to explore alternatives.

The Student Experience: Long Commutes, Larger Classes

Now, with Semester 1 complete, students who transferred to continue IB are beginning to reflect on the reality of the transition.

One student now attending St. Robert Catholic High School described the adjustment as “very hard.” Their day begins around 6:45 a.m., relying on public transit to make an 8:30 a.m. start. The daily commute can take up to one hour and 45 minutes each way, significantly increasing fatigue and reducing time for rest, extracurriculars, or study.

Inside the classroom, the student described class sizes of 31 students or more, a noticeable change from their previous learning environment. While academically capable, the combined academic, social, and logistical demands have proven difficult.

Parents Speak Out: “There Was No Support”

Parents of affected students say the issue was not simply the cancellation of the program, but the lack of structured transition support that followed.

Several families say they were given little guidance beyond being told where their children could continue the program. No transportation assistance was offered, despite the significantly longer distances students were expected to travel.

“They didn’t even provide my child with bus fare to get to school,” one parent said, noting that families were left to absorb both the financial and emotional costs of the decision.

For many, the concern centres on equity — whether all students truly had the means to continue IB once it was removed from their home school.

Families Were Already Paying — and Willing to Do More

What has further frustrated parents is that IB at Holy Cross was not a no-cost program.

Families paid up to $2,000 per student each year in IB-related fees to participate — costs parents say they accepted without issue because they believed in the value of the program. According to families, hundreds of students were enrolled in IB at Holy Cross, undermining the perception that interest was minimal.

Parents now question why no consultation took place to explore whether families would have been willing to contribute additional fees to sustain the program — particularly given the disruption caused by cancelling it mid-stream.

For some, the lack of dialogue feels like a missed opportunity to preserve an academic pathway that students and families were already investing in financially and academically.

Not an Isolated Case: IB Changes Across Ontario

The situation at Holy Cross is not unique. Across Ontario, school boards have been re-evaluating the sustainability of International Baccalaureate programming amid enrollment pressures and financial constraints.

The Upper Grand District School Board eliminated its Grade 9 and 10 IB preparatory courses, while the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board moved to phase out new IB enrollment while allowing current students to complete their studies.

More recently, students at Riverside Secondary School staged a walkout to protest the elimination of their IB program, drawing attention to concerns over limited consultation and the loss of an established academic pathway. The decision was made by the Greater Essex County District School Board, and highlighted growing student frustration with how IB cuts are being handled across the province.

Together, these cases point to a broader provincial trend: when boards face financial or enrollment pressures, IB programs are increasingly among the first to be reduced or eliminated — often with significant consequences for students already committed to the program.

Accountability and Financial Context at the Board Level

The IB cancellation at Holy Cross also occurred amid broader governance and financial challenges at the York Catholic District School Board.

Public reporting has shown the board spent nearly $208,000 on internal disputes and legal conflicts, prompting criticism from education observers who questioned whether those funds could have been better directed toward student supports. The Ontario Ministry of Education has since raised concerns about governance and financial oversight at the board, resulting in heightened provincial scrutiny.

Parents affected by the IB decision say these broader issues matter because budgetary and governance decisions at the board level directly affect which programs survive — and which students are forced to relocate to continue their education.

One Semester Later: Are Students Settling In?

As Semester 1 concludes, outcomes for former Holy Cross IB students are mixed. Some are managing academically, while others continue to struggle with exhaustion, long commutes, and the emotional toll of leaving their school community.

The situation raises a broader question: when students and families are willing to pay — and programs are in demand — should cancellation be the only option on the table?

What This Means for Education in the GTA

The aftermath of IB’s exit at Holy Cross raises important policy questions for boards across the GTA:

• Should parents be formally consulted before specialty programs are cancelled?

• What responsibility do boards have to students already paying into a program?

• And how can equity be preserved when access to education increasingly depends on geography and transportation?

As The Learning Curve continues to examine education in the Greater Toronto Area, this case underscores a fundamental truth: students should not bear the cost of system-level decisions made without consultation.

📘 The Learning Curve is GTA Weekly’s weekly look at education in the Greater Toronto Area—because every student’s journey deserves attention.
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