Ridgemount Welcomes Families to the 2019-2020 Schoo Year!

Happy September Everyone!

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome all new and returning families to Ridgemount Elementary School.  We look forward to seeing all our families and meeting all of our new families. Please feel free to stop by the office and introduce yourselves during entry and dismissal.  Our first week back will be a very busy one as students and staff adjust to their new learning environments however, we will endeavor to make the transition as smooth and successful as possible.  We also have some new staff joining us this year so be sure to check on our website under “Staff” to see the changes. If you are aware of any new families moving into our neighbourhood please be sure to send them to the school office at 65 Hester to register their children.  For the first day students in grades 1-8 will gather on the playground and school staff will assist with helping students find their class lines. Students in JK will have scheduled interviews on Tuesday Sept 3 so will not be here for the full day but will begin the full day on Wednesday Sept 4th.  Sks will not attend on Tues Sept 3 but will attend for the full day on Wed Sept 4th.  Please contact the school office if you were not contacted for an interview for your JK student.

Please also be sure to inform and update teachers regarding your children (i.e., medical, allergies, special education needs, parent/guardian changes, address / phone) and to complete the Student Package of forms that will be sent home during the first few days of school.  If your child will need to have medication administered at school, there are mandatory forms to be completed and signed by the treating physicians so please request these forms from the office and have them completed as soon as possible. (NOTE: WE CANNOT ADMINISTER ANY FORM OF MEDICATION INCLUDING OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK COMPLETED).

If you require assistance or have any questions about completing these forms please contact your child’s teacher or the school office ( 905 575 1535).  Accurate and updated completion of these forms helps us to communicate better with you and to stay updated.

A reminder that playground supervision begins at 8:30 am and goes until the bell at 8:45am. Do not leave students unattended before this time please.  Supervision is also provided from 3:05-3:20pm so be sure that all students are picked up by 3:20pm. Kindergarten families will pick up their children just outside of the Kindergarten Area.

We ask that parents and guardians avoid entering the building during the first week of school unless you have made an appointment or need to speak to a staff member. Please come by the office and we will do our best to accommodate you.  This ensures the safety of all students and allows our staff to successfully carry on their responsibilities with as little disruption as possible.  We understand that many of our Year 1 Kindergarten students will have a difficult time with parents/guardians leaving and we will ensure that we have extra staff and support on hand to deal with these situations, but we do ask that you try to avoid remaining in the classrooms or halls for extended periods.

Our busing situation will be an ongoing one for the first few days. We will need to ensure that the Transportation Department has all the information required to allow students to ride the bus. It will take us the first week or so to determine how many buses we need and how much space is on each bus. Families may request a Courtesy Transportation form from the office but there is no guarantee that this will be provided.  If your child has been granted busing but you have not heard anything from the Transportation Dept. please contact them at 905 523 2318.

In order to ensure the safety of everyone at Ridgemount please adhere to the traffic / parking signs posted around the school premises. There are designated parking spots and areas that must be kept clear for our buses. Our buses stop on Hester Street and on Ronaldshay Avenue so please keep these areas clear at all times. There is parking/stopping on the East side of Ronaldshay and further up Ronaldshay adjacent the staff parking lot. We ask that parents/guardians not enter the school parking lot during entry and dismissal as we also have our students with special needs loading and unloading buses in the parking lot.  The City By Law officers do monitor our school and will ticket so please be diligent in abiding by these rules.

Be sure to subscribe to our school website at:  www.hwdsb.on.ca/ridgemount (under the school photo is the link to “Subscribe”) to keep updated on upcoming school events and news!! Follow us on Twitter at

A reminder that if you need to stop by the school you will need to enter at the front entrance on Hester St. As we are a secure facility you will need to push the doorbell button and wait for an office staff to identify you and then open the door.  If you are dropping off lunches for your child you can place it on the lunch cart outside the office labelled “Student Lunches”. Be sure to prearrange this with your child so that they know to come to the office at the Nutrition Break to pick up their lunch as we are unable to keep lunches in the office area.

Our school day schedule is as follows:

8:30-8:45am – Supervision begins on playground

8:45-9:45am – Period 1

9:45-10:25am – Period 2

10:25-10:45am – Lunch in classrooms / 10:45-11:05am – Recess outside

11:05-12:05pm – Period 3

12:05-12:45pm – Period  4

12:45-1:05pm – Lunch in classroom / 1:05-1:25pm – Recess outside

1:25-2:25pm – Period 5

2:25-3:05pm – Period 6

3:05-3:20pm – Dismissal and supervision provided on playground

A reminder to all Grade 7 and 8’s – Students MUST complete the form that is being sent home to be granted permission from parents/guardians to go off the school premises for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays during the Second Nutrition Break ONLY (12:45-1:25pm). Students are reminded to follow the school code of behaviour while off school grounds. Phone calls and notes will not be accepted as permission. PARENTS MUST COMPLETE THE PERMISSION TO GO OUT FOR LUNCH FORMS AND RETURN TO THE SCHOOL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR US TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO LEAVE. 

Thank you and we look forward to a Spectacular September and a great 2019-2020 school year!! If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child,  please see your child’s teacher.

Mr. G. Carey – Principal

Mme. N.  Kucic – Vice Principal