Southridge’s Senior School Advisory System ensures that every student has a faculty advisor who knows him or her well. Each advisory group contains 10 to 12 students in a cross-grade grouping. The advisor has daily contact with the students in his or her group and takes attendance each morning. The advisor also meets with the group and/or individual students to discuss issues, assist with academic planning, and listen to concerns.

The advisor also acts as a liaison among students, teachers, parents, counsellors, and administration. Students are assigned to an advisor as they enter high school and stay with their advisor through Grade 12. Each advisor group is associated with one of the four student houses (Hurricane, Blizzard, Lightning, Thunder) and encourages students to participate in school spirit activities.

In keeping with Southridge’s guiding principles that emphasize personal responsibility and commitment to contributing to community, advisor groups facilitate and encourage students to become more involved in service opportunities. These may include serving at the “soup kitchen,” creating a Christmas hamper as a donation for an underprivileged young mother in our community, or raising funds for heart research through “Hoops for Heart".

Advisors also encourage students to celebrate their accomplishments, reflect on their challenges, and set goals. Once a year students are required to lead a conference between their advisor, parents, and themselves to update all parties on his or her academic and personal progress.