Frequently Asked Questions
To support students in the learning process, Richland offers a supervised homework and reflection sessions after school, from 3:30-4:00 pm Monday to Friday. Students can remain in their classroom with their homeroom teachers, or receive support from a Specialist Teacher at this time. This extra support is at no additional cost, and allows our older students to get a head start on homework, minimize daily workload, and enjoy more quality family time at home. This reflection time for our younger students provides them with opportunities to revisit activities they enjoyed during the day, and to collaborate with friends.
Small class sizes are one of Richland’s strongest features, as the low teacher-to-student ratio allows for differentiated instruction and individual attention that is simply not possible in larger classrooms. The teacher-to-student ratios at Richland are: JK-SK – 1:12 and in Grades 1-8 – 1:20.
International students are welcome to apply to Richland Academy. Our teachers work closely with parents and the student to integrate them into the school and the classroom. Richland Academy does not offer a formal ESL program for students, but teachers and staff will provide additional personal support and offer recommendations for additional parental and private tutoring, where we feel it would benefit the child most and allow them to reach their full potential at the school.
For our Kindergarten children, 2 snacks and lunch are included in the program fee. The snacks are prepared by Richland’s in-school Meal Coordinator.
For Grades 1-8, families have the option of bringing their own packed lunches or registering for our full-year catering plan. The lunches are prepared fresh each day and our students will enjoy warm homestyle meals in the Globe Cafe. There is a four-week rotating menu and families will have the choice of two different meal options each day.
The Kindergarten and Grade 1 to 8 lunches are prepared by Kids Catering. Kids Catering is a family-run catering company that has been providing hot nutritious lunches to childcare centers and schools in and around the GTA for over 15 years.
Our instructional hours are 8:50 am – 3:30 pm, Monday to Friday. We open our doors to welcome students at 8:20 am and classes start promptly at 8:50 am. There is an optional supervised reflection and homework period in the child’s classroom held from 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
The morning before care program hours are from 7:30-8:20 am in the morning. The after-school program hours are from 4:00-6:00 pm. Students have the opportunity to do arts and crafts, read books, complete homework, play games, and play outside on the playground or field if weather permits.
There are several co-curricular programs offered by the school. The programs usually run 6-8 weeks in length and are one hour in duration from 4:00-5:00 pm daily. There are three co-curricular sessions per academic year. There are some co-curricular activities run by our teaching staff or Athletics Director that take place during the lunch hour. Click here to see more details.
The Specialty subjects at Richland include French, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Health and Physical Education and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Each specialty subject teaches important subject related skills and knowledge, engages students in active learning, instills confidence, allows them to express themselves and take risks, encourages collaboration and develops valuable life skills (thinking skills, communication skills, social skills, self-management skills, research skills). Specialty subjects are offered from Kindergarten to Grade 8.
Students enjoy a rich Health and Physical Education program as well as lunchtime intramural programs, after school co-curricular sports as well the option to participate and compete on a variety of sports teams Richland is a member of the SSAF (Small Schools Athletic Federation), participating in local track and field meets and soccer, basketball, badminton and volleyball tournaments or exhibition games several times a year.
Applying to Richland is a fairly simple process. Please see the Applying is Easy page on our website for all the details.
A student’s application information is first reviewed by a member of our Admissions Team. Students entering the school from SK and up are scheduled to come in for a Day Visit at Richland Academy. The prospective student spends the day with peers of the same age group. During their Day Visit at Richland prospective students will also complete an academic skills assessment. Our Admissions team will also review teachers’ evaluations, additional report cards, and other materials that are submitted with the Application for Enrollment. All of these aspects are taken into consideration when determining which applicants will flourish in our collaborative school environment.
Richland Academy attempts to place students who will fit into the culture of our school, reflect our school’s core values, and who we feel will be successful and thrive academically and socially within our school
The success of Richland graduates speaks for itself. Our former students enjoy a 100% acceptance rate at the schools of their choice, including Holy Trinity School, Country Day School, Pickering College, Upper Canada College, St. Michael’s College School, DeLaSalle School, St. Thomas of Villanova College School, and several quality International Baccalaureate (IB) local Public and Catholic Schools.
The Leadership opportunities our students have at Richland equip them with the skills and confidence necessary to thrive in new environments. All of our receiving schools express that Richland students make natural leaders in their schools. The commitment to learning Richland students develop throughout their elementary education prepares them for social and academic achievement.
Parent engagement is a key part of life at Richland. There are several ways that parents can become involved; guest speakers in the classrooms or at assemblies, attending excursions, within your child’s classroom, assisting with school events, sharing knowledge and skills through parent-led workshops and joining our supportive group of Parent Ambassadors. If a parent has a special skill or connection in the community, we always welcome professional support and collaboration with our students, which helps to support the ‘authentic learning’ that goes on every day.
The parent Ambassadors consists of parent volunteers, and two Richland Administrators. Parent Ambassadors meet approximately once a month at a mutually-convenient time for members. Meetings are normally about one hour in length and cover a wide range of topics affecting the Richland community.
We communicate with our families frequently via email, the Richland website, our secure online Parent Portal and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). On occasion hard copy letters may be sent home and telephone calls home. Parents are welcome to e-mail their child’s homeroom teacher and request a private meeting or phone conversation – with advance notice. Richland Academy’s blog, Inquiring Minds, is an excellent way to stay on top of all the learning that is happening at the school; learning of our students, teachers and staff.
