Return to Campus

Healthy Activities

"Creative pursuits are fundamental to a flourishing life, which is why Ridley has developed innovative ways to continue delivering our outstanding Arts programming this fall."

— Duane Nickerson, Director of the Arts

Ridley has always valued the connection between mind, body and spirit. At no other time in our lives have these three components of human well-being been more intertwined or important to nurture. This section outlines our ongoing commitment to physical literacy, arts, athletics, and co-curricular activities.

Committed to Daily Physical Activity

As a national leader in physical literacy and sport, Ridley remains dedicated to our tradition of quality daily physical activity and athletics, as well as our dynamic co-curricular pursuits, ranging from robotics to theatre. From our Kindergarten through Upper School, we will endeavour to keep students active and engaged every day.
 
These activities are being responsibly developed and managed, using the best research and timely science-based evidence from public health authorities, along with guidance from our provincial and national sport organizations and the Canadian Sport Institute’s medical team.

Fostering the Arts

Student artists, actors and musicians can rest assured that our commitment to the Arts is unwavering. Our facilities and professional instructors will be accessible upon student's return to campus this fall, while artistic spaces, studios and theatres will have enhanced and tailored protocols in place to allow our collective imaginations to come to life safely.
 
Instructors, directors and conductors have laid out customized plans for how they will deliver enjoyable independent lessons and foster safe peer collaboration. Ridley's Drama department is already discussing the fall play, while Music teachers are exploring ways our bands and vocalists can come together in harmony. Rest assured, no Ridleian will be hindered in their creative pursuits.

Multi-Access Co-Curriculars

Theatre, music, choir, and the abundance of co-curricular offerings that make up Ridley's dynamic programme have now been further enhanced with the evolution of our digital platform. This technology, along with our mitigation strategies, will allow for both in-person delivery and remote participation in activities—engaging more members of our community, more often.

In our campus facilities, we have developed comprehensive plans related to capacity, flow, enhanced sanitation and hygiene, and daily schedules. In terms of physical activity, we will explore a phased approach that is responsive to provincial legislation, the climate of the pandemic in the Niagara region and Ridley’s robust community screening and hygiene practices.

 
In Lower School this means:
  • Grade-level outdoor recess and play will be enjoyed multiple times daily, in compliance with our cohorting plan and adhering to physical distancing recommendations for children. These will be supervised by Lower School faculty.
  • Regular physical education classes will be held with specialist teachers: these may evolve from physically distanced individual pursuits to small side games, depending on the health status of the Niagara region.
  • Multiple days of co-curricular sport and activity will be enjoyed with sport coaches. These may evolve from physically distanced individual training, to small team practices and game-like situations, to regional sport competition, depending on the health status of the Niagara region and that of our competitors.
 

In Upper School this means:
  • Morning and afternoon recreational (Sport for Life) and competitive sport sessions may evolve from physically distanced individual training, to small team practices and game-like situations, to competitions, depending on the health status of the Niagara region and that of our competitors.
  • Regular physical education classes will build sport skill competency and confidence, develop coaching and sport leadership, and influence our community in positive ways.
  • Interschool sport matches and travel will be based on the health status of Niagara and our competitors' regions. Our diverse sport associations have developed a variety of schedule options that could include regional and interprovincial play. The CISAA has contingency plans which include altering schedules and moving sports out of their traditional seasons, in order for student athletes to enjoy the benefits of competition.
 
When it comes to physical activity, there is no remote or virtual replacement for the needs of the mind and body. We all need to be active, engaged and creative—Ridley’s plan endeavours to ensure that our community continues to safely reap the rewards of an active lifestyle.

"With talented coaches and world class facilities as the foundation for sport at our school, no matter the compilation of the sport year, there will be no better place in the province for a passionate student-athlete to train and develop than Ridley."

— Jay Tredway '96, Director of Athletics

FAQs

List of 7 frequently asked questions.

  • How will co-curriculars work for 2020-21 school year? 

    As demonstrated throughout the spring and summer of 2020, Ridley is capable of delivering engaging high-quality co-curriculars, whether we are face-to-face or remote. The same will be true for the 2020-21 school year and, no doubt, our collective abilities will increase. We have developed a platform that will allow our co-curriculars to transition completely to remote if need be, but, as public health conditions allow, we plan to appropriately engage in-person as often as possible.

  • Will student social events, including dances, be held? 

    We are confident that, whatever public health conditions dictate, Ridley's dynamic student leaders and our incredible Residential Life team will be able to develop innovative events that allow for social connection, relationship development and, most of all, fun!  

     

  • Will physical education be taught this fall? 

    Absolutely, yes! We are blessed with amazing facilities, including incredible outdoor spaces that our teachers look forward to taking advantage of.  

  • Will students be required to wear a mask during physical activity?

    Students will not be required to wear a mask or face covering while engaging in physical activity, sport and select co-curriculars, such as music.


  • Will athletic facilities be open when students return for the fall term? 

    Yes. New user protocols will be in place for all sport spaces, and we trust our community members to do their part to uphold our standards and ensure safe continued use for all.  

  • Will Ridley students be able to participate in interscholastic athletics? 

    The return to play is evolving in Canada and our coaching staff is at the forefront of the Return to Sport process in a number of sports in Ontario.  
     
    Recently, the province’s Phase One and Two reopening allowed us to put rowing athletes in racing shells back on the water. Collaboratively, we developed return to rowing protocols, which earned approval from Rowing Canada, Row Ontario and the Canadian Henley Rowing Corporation. In so doing, we have capably created a safe and secure environment for our student athletes to resume their training. 
     
    As for competition, there are no clear-cut start dates that anyone can provide yet. We are fortunate to be a part of the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association, Canadian Accredited Independent Schools, Midwest Prep Hockey League, Junior Women’s Hockey League, and Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association—all of which have been developing multiple options for what competition could look like this year. When it is safe and appropriate for face-to-face competition to take place, Ridley teams will be there.  

  • What is Ridley doing to prepare for the possibility that interscholastic athletics do not take place? 

    We are fortunate to be a part of the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association, the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association, Canadian Accredited Independent Schools, Midwest Prep Hockey League, Junior Women’s Hockey League, and Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association—all of which have all been developing multiple options for what competition could look like this year. 

    Beyond those extensive plans, Ridley has already demonstrated that innovation is crucial at this time. Until more traditional methods can resume, we will continue to develop plenty of other ways to create the competitive environments that allow for growth experiences for our student athletes. 










P.O. Box 3013, 2 Ridley Road St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 7C3 Canada 905 684 1889
With more than 700 students from 60 countries, the largest boarding programme in Ontario and the third largest in Canada, Ridley College is a truly international, co-educational, day and boarding school of the world that prepares students for the world. It has provided enriching learning and life-shaping experiences focused on the arts, academics, and athletics since 1889. Ridley’s Lower School offers JK-Grade 8, its Upper School consists of Grade 9-PG, and Ridley graduates attend some of the top universities and colleges around the world. Ridley is the only   co-ed independent boarding school in Canada and one of only three in North America authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum programme.