TDSB & Me is a staff storytelling series that celebrates the people who help our schools and workplaces thrive. Each profile recognizes the everyday leadership, creativity, and care that shapes our system and supports student success.

Paula McLaughlin

Finance Support Officer

More than 20 years ago, a colleague encouraged Paula McLaughlin to apply for a role she had not considered herself. They saw potential in her before she fully recognized it, and today, Paula strives to do the same for others. 

Paula began her career with the former City of York Board of Education in 1994 and has been supporting school communities ever since. Since taking on her current role in 2005, she has become a trusted source of support for school staff across the system. As a Finance Support Officer, she helps Principals and Office Administrators navigate budgets, financial processes, and Board procedures. Yet colleagues know her for something beyond her technical expertise: her commitment to helping others learn, grow, and succeed. 

"What has stayed with me throughout my career is that support is not about having all the answers. It's about helping people understand the 'why' behind the process so they can move forward with confidence." 

Each day, Paula balances training, consultation, and financial analysis. She develops learning opportunities for staff, responds to questions from schools, and helps teams understand how financial decisions support student success. What she enjoys most is watching confidence grow over time. 

Paula's influence extends beyond her day-to-day responsibilities. During the transition to online learning in 2020, she helped reimagine financial training for staff across the system. She also contributed to the implementation of School Cash Online, a change that improved efficiency, strengthened transparency, and made school payments easier for families. 

Her commitment to supporting others can also be seen through her involvement with the African Heritage Month Volunteer Planning Committee, where she served as Co-Chair. Through this work, she helped support initiatives including a scholarship and the Aspiring Leaders of African Heritage workshop. 

For new employees joining the Board, her advice is simple: ask questions, learn about the systems, and get involved. Building connections across the organization, she says, creates opportunities for growth and helps strengthen the work we do together.