After an injury cut her performance career short, she returned to Canada, enrolling in the National Ballet School's Teacher Training Program.
Staines leaves an incredible legacy at Canada’s National Ballet School as she retires from her role in June 2024.
In 2010, Staines was appointed Member of the Order of Canada (CM) in recognition of her "commitment to the education and well-being of individuals in the field of dance.
"[2] In February 2013, Staines received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions to dance and education.
[3][4] Staines is a recipient of the 2019 Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in Dance.