Ridley St. Catharines, , Lower School Principal Start Date: July 1, 2019 www.ridleycollege.com OUR MISSION: We prepare meaningful and flourishing lives by teaching the habits of mind, body, and spirit, and the values needed to lead in a global society.

OUR VISION: We inspire flourishing lives to transform our globe.

OUR PROMISES: Student-centered, service, action, grit & flow, integrity, meaning, global, community.

Overview

Ridley College is an international, positive education, coeducational day and boarding school for students in Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12. With a student-centered approach to learning, the Ridley experience transforms lives. Students are empowered to embrace their individuality, pursue their passions, and hone their intellects. They develop the academic, physical, emotional, and social skills needed to succeed and to live flourishing lives.

The Ridley experience integrates a traditional liberal arts education with individual learning, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme, and a commitment of service to others. This unique combination creates students who are focused, interested, challenged, and engaged. In addition to preparing students for the finest universities around the world, Ridley’s unique advantage is in providing character education experiences that inspire each student to transform their world through service.

The next Lower School Principal (JK-Grade 8) will lead a dedicated, hard-working body of teachers and students who take great pride in the school, its rich history, and traditions. Ridley College’s future Lower School Principal will be a proven leader and an experienced educator who has the commitment and desire to work in a day and boarding environment, has international experience, and has familiarity with the IB Primary Years (PYP) and Middle Years (MYP) Programmes.

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Ridley was founded in 1889 by a group of Anglican clergy aiming to offer boys an education that valued equally strong academics and strong religious values. The school established a robust reputation in its early decades, developing traditions such as the first Ridley College Cross Country run in 1891, publishing its first yearbook that same year, and instituting the Ridley College Cadet Corps in 1907.

The school grew rapidly in the early 20th century, adding new buildings and opening the Lower School in 1927. In 1973, the school became coeducational, and by 1978, girls began boarding on the campus. The school introduced laptops to the classroom and curriculum, focusing on modern, 21st-century education, in 1999. In 2012, the school adopted the IB Diploma Programme, further enhancing a legacy built on an advanced academic program.

Today, Ridley is in the process of implementing its 2014 Strategic Plan, “Inspiring Flourishing Lives— Transforming Our Globe.” This program builds on the timeless aspects of the school’s 125-year legacy and helps launch it into a successful future by focusing on enhancing the student experience, mobilizing the school’s mission, and strengthening its sense of community.

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Ridley College enjoys a national and international reputation as one of Canada’s finest independent day and boarding schools. With a rich tradition of producing well-rounded students and global leaders since 1889, Ridley educates nearly 700 students who come from across Canada and around the world. The Lower School (JK-Grade 8) is currently comprised of 194 students, while the Upper School (Grade 9-12) enrollment is 495. Junior boarding begins in Grade 5.

The Ridley community is built on traditions from Great Britain, the United States, and Canada, and shaped by Canadian values. But it is enhanced by a global perspective provided by students from over 60 countries. Believing in the importance of having a world view, the campus culture embraces diversity and students are exposed to ideas and approaches to life that they cannot get anywhere else. As an IB World School, Ridley teaches the social literacy and competency students need to be leaders in a global society.

A community of devoted adults are committed to caring for the whole child. Day and boarding students alike are supported by a welcoming community where lifelong bonds are cultivated with both peers and adults. Teachers love what they do, and students appreciate the excitement and joy brought into the classrooms. Educators and leaders at the school are continually enrolled in professional development that enables them to understand and apply the science behind learning. Time is also devoted specifically for faculty collaboration so learning can bridge across disciplines and grade levels and teachers can learn from one another.

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As an IB World School, Ridley is the only independent boarding school in Canada and one of only three in North America authorized to offer the IB continuum of international education, which includes the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Diploma Programme (DP). In its efforts to inspire flourishing lives, the school leverages evidence-based research in positive psychology, Visible WellbeingTM, and the principles of the PERMA-V model of psychological well-being and happiness.

In the Lower School, students’ natural curiosity is nurtured from their earliest years on. Teaching students how to learn is just as important as teaching the curriculum, so teachers focus on developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Teachers instruct in an engaging, inquiry-based manner that promotes and values the development of mind, body, and spirit. Through the IB programmes, students develop attitudes and transferable skills with a focus on social, communication, thinking, research, and self-management skills. Teachers adopt a trans-disciplinary approach to education, preparing students for the real-world application of what they learn in school.

The Lower School IB PYP is for students in Junior Kindergarten through Grade 6. As the foundational programme in the IB continuum, the PYP prepares children for the challenges of schooling, life, and the future. Teachers are encouraged to bring local and global issues into the classroom and to examine them across subject areas.

Where the MYP is for students in Grades 7-10, in Lower School the MYP is offered to students in Grades 7 and 8. It provides an intellectually challenging blueprint for learning that encourages students to become creative, critical, and reflective thinkers. As an extension of PYP, the MYP

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 4 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com encourages students to connect their studies in traditional subjects with real world issues. It promotes the development of the skills and qualities that will help to shape the global leaders of tomorrow. it ensures students have a breadth and depth of understanding through study in eight subject groups. It also features the study of a second language.

Arts and Athletics

The visual arts program is designed to give students opportunities for creative outlets. All Lower School students have the opportunity to experiment with and grow their creativity using a variety of materials and media. Students work with art and design teachers who go beyond teaching techniques and art forms by helping students develop the confidence, open-mindedness, and risk-taking that will help them grow as artists and designers and mature into caring and capable young adults.

The Lower School also provides a rich and comprehensive musical environment that allows all students to explore their musical abilities. Classes begin in Kindergarten and continue to Grade 8. Students explore their abilities for musical expression by singing, playing Orff percussion, composing, dancing, learning an instrument, or recording. In Grades 4 and 5, students add recorder and ukulele to their learning experience. Grade 6 to 8 classes learn to play a musical instrument as part of a separate band or strings class.

Ridley’s physical education program focuses on fundamental skill development and builds competence and confidence in a wide range of activities. Students are given opportunities to develop their movement skills through purposeful play in the natural environment of the school’s playscape. In addition, physical literacy clubs are offered throughout the year to help improve overall athleticism

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The athletic program is structured to ensure essential daily physical activity takes place as part of the Long-Term Athlete Development model recommended by Sport for Life Canada. While healthy competition and striving for excellence are part of the program, it is structured to expose students to a variety of sports as a foundation for engaging in lifelong physical activity.

School Life

Ridley features 10 boarding houses, where friendships are formed and a friendly rivalry between houses is nurtured. All students—both boarding and day—are assigned to a house, and day students have study and storage spaces within their houses as well as opportunities for overnight stays, when necessary. A junior boarding option is available for Lower School students beginning in Grade 5 at Burgoyne House. Smaller than the Upper School residences, Burgoyne House has a more structured and home-like atmosphere for younger students. Living in Burgoyne House is like being part of a family with a dozen or more brothers and sisters.

The Lower School experience promotes the importance of community and service to others. Through the Creativity, Activity, and Service Program, students participate in weekly service and volunteer activities. They may help out at the local animal shelter or retirement home or engage in activities to help support the ‘Me to We’ program. Each activity allows them to learn about local and global charitable organizations and gain a greater understanding of the wider world in which they live.

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 6 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Another important part of Ridley’s holistic approach to learning includes weekly services in the Memorial Chapel. Chapel time is inclusive and embraces the religious and cultural diversities represented within the school’s international student body. Orchestrated by the School Chaplain, weekly services are fun and lively. Students and teachers are very involved in all of the activities that make up each service, and often guest speakers and guest musicians are featured. Parents and family members are always welcome in Chapel.

Campus

Ridley College’s 90-acre campus offers an idyllic setting for its learner-centered culture and campus community. Students live, learn, and play against a backdrop of mature trees nestled in the heart of the Niagara region. From its grand entrance to its sweeping playing fields and the stately architecture of its boarding houses, it is truly one of the most beautiful educational venues in North America.

The campus features stately colonial-style brick buildings and well-appointed, modern updates. The Lower School facilities include a design shop, an art room, a resource center, and a boys’ and girls’ residence. The Second Century Building (2CB) houses the school’s science labs, music rooms, art studios, and the Mandeville Theatre. Athletic facilities are plentiful and include the spectacular arena and fieldhouse complex. The Griffith Gymnasium and the Iggulden Gymnasium house three basketball courts, an athletic therapy studio, squash courts, a swimming pool, and fitness facilities. The Memorial Chapel, constructed in the 1920s, features the embossed-marble honor roll and unique stained-glass windows.

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Ridley is located in the Niagara Region of Ontario, bordered to the east by the Niagara River, to the north by Lake Ontario, and to the south by Lake Erie. The region’s beauty and unique landscapes make it a central location for Canadian viticulture. The Niagara Wine Route links dozens of wineries in the region, making the area a major tourist attraction. The presence of the lakes and the river ensure a more moderate climate, allowing for frost-free days and thaws in winter as well as warm summers.

The largest city in the Niagara Region, St. Catharines is known as “The Garden City” thanks to its 1,000 acres of parks, gardens, and trails. Well-situated as a hub of commerce and trade, the city’s main industries include auto manufacturing, and telecommunications. In recent years, the city has made substantial efforts to revitalize its downtown core, redesigning roads to mitigate traffic and positioning downtown St. Catharines as an attractive destination. A $54 million Performing Arts Centre—including concert, dance, and film venues—will open in October. The Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts of Brock University is housed in the same complex. The Meridien Center, home to the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs, opened in 2015.

The city features various museums, arts centers, galleries, and festivals, including the Art of Peace Festival, the SCENE Music Festival, and the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival.

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The consultants see the following as opportunities for the next Lower School Principal:

• As the first Visible WellbeingTM school in North America, character education is an integral part of the school’s culture and the Lower School Principal plays an important leadership role in continuing to define and shape Ridley’s unique positive education school experience for students in the Lower School; • Working collaboratively with a committed, hardworking faculty and administrative team who are proud of the school’s history and traditions at one of the more beautiful campuses in the world; • Becoming a leader in a school with a rich history and tradition of excellence; • Promoting the international outlook and inclusivity of the school.

Challenges for the next Lower School Principal will include:

• Articulating a vision for learning in the Lower School that positions Ridley well in the market; • Being a true learning leader for a high-performing, collegial, and committed faculty; • Identifying progressive approaches to providing learning support to students according to their needs; • Continuing to build enrollment as the campus itself grows; • Creative approaches to the best use of available space.

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• Experience in an environment; boarding school experience and international work experience are preferred; • Commitment to working and living in a boarding school environment as well as being a highly visible and positive leadership force on campus; • Skilled people leader who can energize and develop individuals and teams by taking a learner- centered approach that builds trust, encourages collaboration, and promotes a growth mindset; • Demonstrated knowledge of, and experience with, the IB PYP (MYP knowledge and experience would be an asset); • Proven track record as a pedagogical thought leader and change agent; • Superior communicator who can translate the school’s mission, vision and core promises into a reality in the Lower School; • Ability to build effective relationships with colleagues, students and parents and resolve problems constructively and nimbly; • Ability to successfully manage and deliver quality results against multiple competing deadlines.

To Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials:

• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position; • A current résumé; • A one-page statement of educational philosophy and practice; • A list of five professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:

John Chandler Senior Consultant [email protected]

Art Charles Managing Associate/International Search [email protected]

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