After five more years in Winnipeg, Sheila moved to Waterloo, Ontario when her husband began his career as an actuary at the head office of Mutual Life. Sheila was delighted to return to the teaching profession in 1975.

In 1976 Sheila was invited to assist students struggling with reading at her children's elementary school — Sir Edgar Bauer Catholic School (SEB). The following year SEB's special education teacher left the school and Sheila was hired in a full-time position. She taught at Sir Edgar Bauer until 1980 where she was pivotal in establishing the school's successful special education program.

Leaving the elementary school in good shape, Sheila took on a more challenging role teaching adolescent students at St. David Junior High School. In some cases she remained with the same students from SEB as they faced new challenges in grades seven to ten. This move was central in her teaching career as two significant events in the 1980's would change the nature of special education in Catholic schools in Ontario.

The first event was the integration of special needs students into the regular school system in 1982. These students were previously isolated in special schools or long term care facilities without access to daily mutual social interaction with their peers. The second event was the establishment of full funding for Catholic education by Ontario Premier Bill Davis in 1984. These two events were fundamental in confirming Catholic education and increasing the sophistication and innovation of special education in the modern school system.

The responsibilities of special education teachers expanded. In addition to educating students with the usual learning challenges, they were also tasked with managing new high needs students. Some of these students had difficult handicaps that required more attention, care and energy. Though some would resist the change, Sheila immediately took on these new challenges with patience, grace, and an open mind and heart.

Sheila's experience and talent were rewarded when she was hired to be a board-wide special education consultant with the Waterloo Region Catholic Separate School Board (WRCSSB) from 1986 to 1989. As preparation for the new role, Sheila brushed up on her elementary teaching skills by returning to again teach the lower grades at St. John's Catholic School in Kitchener in 1985. The board job saw her manage several board priorities like refining the curriculum, counseling schools struggling with special education issues, and ensuring standards for education were being met across the system. At the same time the WRCSSB was undergoing growth and reorganization as the full funding policy took shape. All its middle schools were eliminated and replaced with a system comprised of elementary schools — kindergarten to grade eight, and secondary schools — grades nine to thirteen (Ontario Academic Credits).

By 1989 Sheila was restless to get back to teaching. She took her skills in special education to the newly renovated St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School in Cambridge, Ontario. However, three years later fate stepped in again and her husband and grown children all moved to the big city of Toronto. Sheila called on her vast network of colleagues and landed a special education teaching position with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board in 1991.