Upper School families, it’s almost time to start the 2023-2024 school year. Whether you are just beginning your journey at Ridley or returning for another action-packed year, all the start-up information you need can be found here.
Our 2023-2024 Upper School Opening Days schedule is now available. Visit our Opening Days page for more information.
Psst... if you see a term below and aren’t quite sure what it means, visit our Glossary of Terms, where we break down everything you need to know.
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Important Dates and Deadlines
Mark your calendar with these important dates and upcoming deadlines leading up to the beginning of the school year. Be sure to review our Major Dates Calendar for all our important dates starting September 3rd with orientation, which we call Opening Days.
All times are listed in Toronto (ET) time.
- June 6th at 7:00p.m. – Newly enrolled families join our virtual Town Hall*
- July 3rd - Virtual appointments for assistance setting up your electronic devices open.
- August 3rd to 31st – Uniform fitting appointments open
- August 3rd - Uniform alterations through our on-campus sewing room are available
- August 8th – School uniforms available for purchase online through Hank’s Campus Store
- August 15th – Complete the health forms listed on your child's Magnus account
- August 15th – Provide proof of a valid Provincial or Territorial health card through Magnus (if applicable)
- August 15th at 7:00p.m. – Newly enrolled and returning families attend our virtual Town Hall*
- September 3rd – All new boarding students arrive and move in
- September 3rd to 5th – Opening Days Orientation
- September 3rd to 7th – Visit Hank's, in the basement of School House, anytime between 9:00a.m. and 4:00p.m. to be fitted for a uniform without an appointment
- September 4th – All returning boarding students move in
- September 6th to 8th – Grades 9-12 Camp
- September 8th to 9th – Grade 12 Senior Retreat
- September 11th – Classes begin
* An email will be sent to all incoming and current families with a registration link for our upcoming Town Halls. Please keep your eye on your email in the coming weeks.
Checklist for Newly Enrolled Families
As you are just beginning your journey at Ridley, there are a few things you need and should do before the start of the school year. We’ve created a checklist below to help you rest easy, knowing you’ve done everything you need to prepare for your child’s first day at Ridley.
In July, current parents, on behalf of the entire Ridley College Family Guild (RCFG), will contact each of our newly enrolled families as part of the Family Mentor Programme. If you are new to Ridley, you can expect an email or phone call from one of our family mentors, who will be delighted to answer any questions about what it's like to be a Ridley parent. We hope this programme will provide you and your child with a smooth transition to Ridley life and encourage relationships within our community.
- Sign and submit your enrollment contract on TigerNET.
- Ensure your account is up to date based on the payment plan you chose on your enrollment contract.
- Provide the following documentation and information to our Academics Office:
- Ontario students: Complete the Consent to Transfer Record Form and email it to our Upper School Registrar, Mrs. Charlene Hutton, at [email protected].
- Students from outside Ontario:
- Complete one of the Consent to Transfer Records Forms, linked below, and submit it to your child's current school to authorize them to send all academic documentation to Mrs. Charlene Hutton at [email protected].
- Email proof of the following to Mrs. Charlene Hutton:
- Your student's legal name (photocopy of birth certificate or passport)
- Copy of your child's final report card
- All summer school credit/course information for any current enrollments
Additional steps for international families:
Course Selection
Your child will receive an email from our Guidance Department regarding booking an appointment with a Guidance Counsellor to discuss their course selection.
We offer extensive on-campus health resources for all Ridley students. There are a few pieces of your child’s health information that you need to provide before August 15th so that we can review them and ensure we are ready to offer your child the best possible care on campus.
All medical records and health information should be provided through Magnus Health, which is the school's secure electronic medical record system. Families can log into Magnus through their TigerNET account. Please note that only the parent's TigerNET account can access Magnus.
Before August 15th, you should:
- Complete the health forms listed on your child's account
- Provide proof of a valid (non-expired) Provincial or Territorial health card (if applicable)
- Add your child’s immunization records
Learn more about these requirements, systems, and our on-campus health care in general.
For your child to make the most out of their Ridley experience, there are a few items that we request you send with them at the start of the school year.
Uniforms
- Order your child’s school uniform online and review the Upper School Uniform Policy.
- For school uniforms, please visit Hank’s, our campus store, between 9:00a.m. and 4:00p.m from Sunday, September 3rd to Thursday, September 7th. No appointments necessary. Starting Monday, September 11th, Hank’s will resume regular business hours of 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. No appointment necessary.
- Returns and exchanges: Hank’s will be open for returns and exchanges by appointment beginning August 10th. Please call Hank’s at 905-684-1889 ext. 2243 to make an appointment.
- Alterations: Our sewing room will be open Monday to Friday from 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m. beginning August 3rd. They will also be open September 3rd to 7th from 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m. No appointment is required. The sewing room will be closed on September 8th.
Technology Requirements
- Purchase an Apple MacBook laptop, which is required for all Upper School students. We recommend any 13" MacBook Pro or MacBook Air models with a minimum hard drive size of 256GB or better.
- Ridley’s partnership with Apple allows us to pass on educational discounts to all our families. You can order a laptop and any other Mac needs through Ridley College's store on Apple's website and have it shipped directly to your home. Education discounts are automatically applied when purchasing through Ridley College’s store.
- Ridley is a Microsoft Office 365 school that will provide students with all the software they need for their academic journey.
- Set up all of your child’s electronic devices before arriving on campus to access Ridley’s wifi, their Outlook email, class schedules, and more. Check out our Technology Requirements page for details about setting up your child's devices.
- If you would like someone from our HelpDesk to assist you with setting up your child's device, you can book a Virtual Laptop Setup appointment with our team. Appointments are 15 minutes and run throughout the summer.
Learn More
Textbooks
Secure any required textbooks in Hank’s (our on-campus store) during the first week of classes.
As a new boarding family, we know there are many things to consider, from your child’s travel to campus to what they should pack. We want to take the mystery out of the boarding experience to help make the transition to life at Ridley as smooth as possible.
Below are a few steps you need to take before you arrive on campus, but we’ve also created a page with all the details about boarding for you to explore whenever is most convenient for your family.
- Book your child's transportation to campus. New boarding students are invited to arrive and move into their boarding houses on September 3rd.
- Plan accommodations if your child is arriving before their move-in date. We recommend the following accommodation options:
- Hospitalité Canada has worked with Ridley College for over 15 years to provide care to international students needing a safe place to live while not at school.
- International Student Guardianship Canada (ISGC) offers a short-term homestay programme which allows students to stay in a safe and friendly home within a community in Ontario.
- Pack all of the items suggested on our packing list.
Following house placements in the spring, the Heads of Houses will send a welcome email and information for the coming school year to all boarders.
Learn More
Checklist for Returning Families
Welcome back to Ridley! Although you’ve been through at least one school year with us, we wanted to ensure you had all the information you needed to prepare for your child’s first day back at Ridley.
- Make sure you have signed and submitted your enrollment contract on TigerNET.
- Ensure your account is up to date based on the payment plan you chose on your enrollment contract.
Additional steps for international families:
Course Selection
If your child is entering Grade 9, they will receive an email from the Guidance Department regarding booking an appointment with a Guidance Counsellor to discuss their course selection.
Although we already have your child’s health records on file, we request that you review their information and make any necessary updates on Magnus Health before August 15th to ensure we are ready to offer your child the best possible care on campus.
Before August 15th, you should:
- Update the health forms listed on your child's account
- Provide proof of a valid (non-expired) Provincial or Territorial health card (if applicable)
- Update your child’s immunization records
Refresh your knowledge about these requirements, systems, and our on-campus health care in general.
You probably already have all the school supplies ready and waiting for September for your child. If your child is going into Grade 9, there are changes to your child's uniform and a couple of additional items they should bring with them for this school year.
Uniforms
- Order your child's Upper School uniform. Please review the uniform policy to learn more about the changes to your child's uniform requirements for Upper School.
- For school uniforms, please visit Hank’s, our campus store, between 9:00a.m. and 4:00p.m from Sunday, September 3rd to Thursday, September 7th. No appointments necessary. Starting Monday, September 11th, Hank’s will resume regular business hours of 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. No appointment necessary.
- Returns and exchanges: Hank’s will be open for returns and exchanges by appointment beginning August 10th. Please call Hank’s at 905-684-1889 ext. 2243 to make an appointment.
- Alterations: Our sewing room will be open Monday to Friday from 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m. beginning August 3rd. They will also be open September 3rd to 7th from 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m. No appointment is required. The sewing room will be closed on September 8th.
Technology Requirements
- Purchase an Apple MacBook laptop, which is required for all Upper School students. We recommend any 13" MacBook Pro or MacBook Air models with a minimum hard drive size of 256GB or better.
- Ridley’s partnership with Apple allows us to pass on educational discounts to all our families. You can order a laptop and any other Mac needs through Ridley College's store on Apple's website and have it shipped directly to your home. Education discounts are automatically applied when purchasing through Ridley College’s store.
- Set up all of your child’s electronic devices before arriving on campus to access Ridley’s wifi, their Outlook email, class schedules, and more. Check out our Technology Requirements page for details about setting up your child's devices.
- If you would like someone from our HelpDesk to assist you with setting up your child's device, you can book a Virtual Laptop Setup appointment with our team. Appointments are 15 minutes and run throughout the summer.
Learn More
Textbooks
Secure any required textbooks in Hank’s (our on-campus store) during the first week of classes.
Although your family are experts on boarding at Ridley, you are welcome to explore our new boarding page to take the mystery out of the boarding experience. We’ve got you covered, from travel information to a list of what to pack, from your child's daily schedule to how they can send and receive mail.
Learn More
Opening Days Schedule
Our 2023-2024 Upper School Opening Days schedule is now available. Visit our Opening Days page for more information.
View Opening Days Schedule
Camp Schedule
- Grade 9-12 Boys will travel to Camp Onondaga on September 6th
- Grade 9-12 Girls will travel to Camp White Pine on September 6th
- Grade 9-11 students will return to campus on September 8th
- All Grade 12 students (Boys and Girls) will travel to Muskoka Woods on September 8th for our annual Senior Retreat and will return to campus on September 10th
Upper School Packing List - Boys
Upper School Packing List - Girls
More details about camp will be provided in the coming weeks.
Additional Resources
Explore Our Website
There is so much more to Ridley than we can fit on a single webpage. When you have time, explore the following sections of our website for more information about what your child will experience when they start in September.
Don’t forget to follow us on social media to get an inside peek at the day-to-day of the Ridley Tiger experience. Links to our social media channels can be found at the bottom of this page.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the information on this page, below are the Ridley community members who can assist you.