Healthy Policies

List of 17 frequently asked questions.

• Prior to their arrival on campus, what precautions should Ridley students take during their 14-day isolation period? 

  The Government of Canada has authorized a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period for all visitors to Canada. Students must adhere to the regulations of the quarantine, which can be found here. 
  
  While self-isolating off campus for 14 days, students must not have any direct contact with persons whom they are not self-isolating with, and must remain at their self-isolation location. Students must monitor themselves daily for COVID-19 symptoms. If a student becomes ill during the 14-day self-isolation period, they must report this to the local public health unit by calling Toll-free: 1-888-505-6074.  

   

  If symptoms of illness present, the 14-day quarantine period may be extended. Students must inform Ridley College if they have become symptomatic during their self-isolation and inform of the direction received by the local public health unit.  
  
  
  

• Will the school support my child’s academic study while we await our permit and visa if these are not available by the start of the school year?

  While international students await their immigration documents, we will work to develop an academic plan for students to follow while still in their home country. It is imperative that parents keep the school informed of where they are in the study permit application process and of any travel plans.  
  
  

• Will international students be required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival to Canada? 

  Yes. In accordance with the Quarantine Act, and while in effect, all international students must quarantine (self-isolate) for 14 days upon arrival into Canada.  

   

  Domestic boarding students are not required to self-isolate under current Quarantine Act guidelines for interprovincial travel. However, they must adhere to provincial self-isolation requirements: do not come to campus if they have been symptomatic in the past 14 days; if they are awaiting COVID-19 test results; if they have had contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19; or if they have been directed to self-isolate due to any travelling they may have done in the past 14 days.   
  
  

• When can my child enter Canada?

  If your child held a valid study permit prior to March 18, 2020, they are exempt from travel restrictions. Further details regarding travel restrictions may be found here. Students who do not have a valid study permit must wait for direction from the IRCC. Ridley is monitoring these updates daily and parents are encouraged to follow the IRCC website. 
  
  

• Can I accompany my child to Canada? 

  If your child held a valid study permit prior to March 18, 2020, they are exempt from travel restrictions, as per the IRCC. As a parent, you must have written authorization from the IRCC to fly to Canada. Please visit the IRCC website, scroll down to “How to reunite with an immediate family member who is in Canada temporarily,” and follow the instructions. 
  
  

• Can students enter Canada with a current study permit that expires on September 30, 2020? 

  Yes, a student with a valid study permit that expires on September 30, 2020 is permitted to enter Canada, provided they show proof of re-enrollment at Ridley College, as well as the items listed in the pre-arrival checklist. You may apply for your study permit extension in Canada if you have the appropriate documents.   
  
  

• What documents should my child travel with when returning to Canada? 

   Before boarding their flight to Canada, please ensure students are travelling with the following documents: 

    

  ·       passport 

  ·       letter of enrollment for the 2020-21 school year 

  ·       tuition receipts for the 2020/21 school year 

  ·       current study permit 

  ·       current Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), or its estimated arrival date 

  ·       custodianship declaration and contact information 

  ·       Ridley Admissions Office contact details 

  ·       self-isolation plan 
  
  

• If I need immigration advice, who can I speak with?

  We recommend contacting International Student Guardianship Canada (ISGC) for immigration services and support. The school cannot provide legal advice or immigration services.  
  
  

• How can I find out study permit and visa processing times for my area? 

  You can find Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processing times here. Please note, however, that due to the pandemic, these processing times are only estimates and subject to change. 
  
  

• Who do I contact if I need supporting documents for my application?

  For information on supporting documents, please contact admissions@ridleycollege.com or marina_spalla@ridleycollege.com. The list of documents needed to apply for a study permit can be found here.   
  
  

• How will Ridley screen students, faculty and staff for COVID-19 and how often? 

  Each day, using our Boardingware app, all students, faculty and staff are required to complete a health questionnaire before arriving on campus or leaving their dorm house. Once they arrive at school, daily on-site temperature monitoring will be completed as a secondary measure.
  
  
    

• What PPE will students, faculty and staff be required to wear? What if someone wants to wear additional PPE?  

  Students, faculty, staff are encouraged to wear, at minimum, a non-medical mask for source control. There are areas on campus—designated as mandatory 'mask zones'—where individuals will be required to wear a mask. Upon their return to school, Ridley will provide all students, faculty, and staff with three cloth masks. Training on how to safely use, clean and store masks will be completed. 

   

  At times, personal protective equipment (PPE) may include surgical/procedure masks, eye protection, gowns, and gloves. PPE may be used outside of the Health Centre by those who are involved in providing direct care or services to students, faculty or staff who are symptomatic .  

   

  The choice to wear additional PPE in the school setting while completing daily activities is dependent on each person's level of comfort. With the exception of gloves, we will not prevent students, faculty or staff from wearing additional PPE. Gloves must only be worn when providing direct care to a symptomatic person, or cleaning and disinfecting. Hand hygiene is the single most important action in preventing the spread of the virus and, if not worn correctly, gloves can increase the spread of viruses. 
  
   

• What if I have a medical condition or religious belief that prevents me from wearing a face mask?

  Exemptions to wearing a non-medical face mask are as follows:  

   

  • For medical reasons, the person is unable to wear the face mask because it would inhibit their breathing;  
  • The person cannot safely wear a face mask for other medical reasons, such as having respiratory disease, cognitive difficulties, or difficulties in hearing or processing information;  
  • For religious reasons, the person cannot wear a face mask, or cannot wear one in a manner which would properly control the source; and/or 
  • The person is a child under the age of two.  

     

  The ability of a child or youth to follow direction and wear the face mask appropriately is dependent on a variety of factors (e.g. age, maturity, physical ability, comprehension). It will be important for students, parents or employees to assess the individual's ability to properly use and care for the mask. Ridleians who are unable to properly wear a face mask will be required to wear a face shield as an alternative in the specified zones. 
  
  

• How will Ridley protect students’ private health information? 

  Ridley maintains compliance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronics Document Act (PIPEDA). We will continue to safeguard personal health information of our students, faculty, and staff. In relation to a positive case of COVID-19, PHIPA regulates the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information. The Act also specifies that during certain circumstances, consent to collect this information is not required. During a pandemic, the Niagara Region Public Health office will be requesting information that will assist them in determining the extent of the illness. This may include details about absences and/or contact information about students, faculty and staff in order to assist with contact tracing. 
  
  

• What happens if a student, faculty or staff member tests positive for COVID-19? 

  Ridley has developed a fulsome Case Management Policy in collaboration with Niagara Region Public Health to care for students or employees who are symptomatic or have a confirmed case of COVID-19. Key strategies of our plan include: accommodation for isolation and self-isolation; testing; health care and monitoring; contact tracing; student and community health teaching; and a communication plan to keep students and families informed. 
  
  
  

• Where will students be isolated if they test positive for COVID-19? 

  Boarding students who have tested positive for COVID-19 or present with symptoms will remain at the Schmon Health and Wellness Centre under the direct care of a school nurse. Day students who have tested positive for COVID-19 or present with symptoms will remain home. Whether boarding or day, students will remain in isolation until they have met current guidelines set out by the province of Ontario and may return to school.  

   

  Note: If they have tested positive for COVID-19, boarding students who live within a four-hour radius of Ridley College will be required to return home for their isolation period.  
  
  

• What if only one of my children is sick?

  If one of your children is unwell, for example with a fever, this raises the question about whether their sibling(s) can come to school. In line with our school policy, the sick child will need to be off school for a minimum of 48 hours without fever and be assessed by their medical provider or public health office.
  
  If it is recommended that the ill child be tested for COVID-19, then we ask that the sibling does not come to school until the test results are known. If it is not recommended that the ill child be tested for COVID-19, and everyone else in the household has been well over the past 10 days, then the sibling can come to school, given they pass the daily health screening requirements.