Student Life

Student life at Southridge is diverse, engaging, and fun! As we foster the spirit of being a lighthearted place of serious purpose, we ensure our students have a strong sense of community and connection.

At Southridge, we aim to ensure that every student feels seen and supported by the people around them. That our core values become more than just words – they become actions that lead to feelings of acceptance, belonging, freedom, and confidence. Because that’s when the real learning starts. That’s when students take the risks, have the adventures, and build the friendships that lifelong memories are made of.

We make sure that every student feels seen, heard, and known.

At Southridge, we believe that school spirit starts by creating a place where everyone can thrive. From our House system, to our Student Life coordinators, to our Senior School Advisory System, we provide layers of support so that no one feels alone, and every student has a trusted adult they can turn to who believes in them.

Our Student Life staff coordinators get to know each student as an individual, and communicate with other faculty and parents on discipline and student life issues. They understand the social dynamics of their groups, and work to steer peer-to-peer relationships in a healthy direction.

At Southridge, trust, respect, and joy abound!

When you walk the halls of Southridge, the first thing you’ll notice is that our lockers have no locks on them. Since we first opened in 1995, our unlocked lockers have been a sign of the culture of trust and respect that our students enjoy.

The second thing you’ll notice is that although our school is known for its academic rigour, laughter and joy are an integral part of our learning environment.

Alan Brown, our founding headmaster, described us as being a “lighthearted place of serious purpose” and that holds true to this day. Smiles are everywhere and the school hums with the energy of exploration, discovery, and connection.

Students are encouraged to join the many clubs, teams, and activities at Southridge – from academic clubs and arts groups, to sports teams, outdoor field trips, student exchanges, and travel. 

Through co-curricular activities, our students explore their interests, discover new passions, and gain new skills. The experience of performing, playing on a team, hiking in the wilderness, or competing against other budding academics and engineers, broadens their education, builds their confidence and leadership skills, and expands their sense of possibility. 

Service is another positive focus of student life at Southridge – our students participate in a range of service initiatives within the school, and with local and international organizations. 

We also provide leadership opportunities throughout Junior and Senior school in programs such as the Board of Stewards. We know that great leadership skills are learned, and our students are taught how to be accountable, build strong teams, listen, collaborate, and lead by example.

Every day, everywhere, Southridge students are encouraged to discover themselves and grow.

Our House system builds friendships across the school.

Every member of the Southridge community – students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents – belongs to one of four Houses: Blizzard, Hurricane, Lightning, and Thunder. Students sit with their Houses at full-school assemblies and, when we have a Sports or Spirit Day, team up for some friendly competition, dressing in House colours, and bonding with the friends they’ve made across grades for some friendly competition.

The House system at Southridge helps our students develop a network of friends across the school. The Houses compete for points throughout the year and, at the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the coveted Golden Boots Award!

Meet Sal! Our School Mascot

Country_Fair_2018

Sal is our beloved school mascot  - a splendid half orca and half eagle, whose name was inspired by combining 'Southridge' and our founding Headmaster's name 'Alan'. 

Sal can often be found singing our school song at assemblies, greeting guests at Open Houses, celebrating with students at House parties, or cheering on our athletics teams. Wherever you find Sal, you're sure to find groups of students, happily enjoying time together and making wonderful memories at Southridge.

Sal was the result of significant student input, which is another important element of the Southridge experience. Including the voices and opinions of students is highly-valued in our community, and Sal is the result of this collaborative mindset. 

Read the story of how Sal was created!

We put the Southridge spirit into everything we do

Although we sing out loud and proud at school events, Southridge school spirit is about so much more than cheering. It’s about the pride we take in our values, and in our reputation for service and courtesy in the larger community. It’s also about the joy we feel when we come together, share laughter, and support each other in doing our best.

We celebrate the Southridge spirit at events throughout the year, from the annual Country Fair, to athletic competitions and student performances, to fun days such as Twin Day, Wacky Hair Day, and Pajama Day, and at Senior School events such as the annual House Picnic.

Sal, Southridge’s half-orca, half-eagle mascot, can often be found singing our school song at events, celebrating with students at House parties, or cheering on our athletics teams. The school song, “Omnis Anima Volet” was written in 1995 for Southridge’s official opening ceremony by teacher Steve Burrage, and later updated to launch our 25th anniversary year.