Egerton Ryerson, the founder of Ontario's public education system, founded Ryerson Community School in 1877. Ryerson studied various education systems in the U.S., England, and Europe and combined the best of these to develop his own system in Ontario. Today, Ryerson Community School is a vibrant and diverse K to 8 school, both culturally and linguistically. We are the 1999 recipients of the Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award for excellence in community based programming. In 2008, Ryerson received the prestigious Anne Hope Award for our commitment to promoting social justice, human rights, and anti-racist education. We celebrated our 125th Anniversary Celebration in 2002. Our motto is "Ryerson Community School...Where you belong."

Vocal Music Academy (VMA)

Students will develop musical knowledge, creativity and confidence through choral singing and the creation of their own music. Students will have numerous opportunities to participate in a variety of glee clubs, large ensemble singing groups, musical theatre, small groups, chamber ensembles and solo performances in the school and their community across the GTA. Students will be part of a culture that balances academic excellence with personal leadership, character development and innovation.

Interesting Feature

Mission Statement

Ryerson Community School, together with families and communities, strives to provide a safe, caring, and inclusive learning environment that empowers and challenges our diverse school population to reach its full academic "Ryerson Community School...Where you belong" Egerton Ryerson, the founder of Ontario's public education system, founded Ryerson Community School in 1877. Ryerson studied various education systems in the U.S., England, and Europe and combined the best of these to develop his own system in Ontario. Today, Ryerson Community School is a vibrant and diverse K to 8 school, both culturally and linguistically. We are the 1999 recipients of the Ruth Atkinson Hindmarsh Award for excellence in community based programming. In 2008, Ryerson received the prestigious Anne Hope Award for our commitment to promoting social justice, human rights, and anti-racist education. We celebrated our 125th Anniversary Celebration in 2002. Our motto is "Ryerson Community School...Where you belong." and social potential. Every Ryerson student is valued, respected, and has opportunities to succeed and become a responsible, contributing member of our society.

More Information about Ryerson Community School

Literacy / Numeracy

We will continue this year to improve student achievement in literacy through Teaching Learning Critical Pathways, Professional Learning Communities, and innovative co-teaching. This year we invested in brand new literacy resources for the Kindergarten and Primary grades.

Parenting and Family Literacy Centre

Our Parenting and Family Literacy Centre helps parents and grandparents prepare their youngsters for school through reading, stories, playing, and singing. 

George Brown Fashion District and Jing Bao Daycare

This daycare, a lab school, offers a new toddler program, an enriched Pre-school/Kindergarten program for 2 -1/2 to 5 year olds, and an exciting before and after school program. All programs develop a love of learning. The play-based curriculum offers many opportunities for problem-solving, seeing patterns, making predictions, testing them, and evaluating the results. 

Integrated International Languages Program

We have an integrated International Languages Program with students enrolled in one of the following languages: Mandarin, Spanish, Swahili/African Heritage, and Arabic. We also have a Saturday School International Languages program with over 600 students attending. 

Additional Features

• Model School for Inner Cities
• Music - choir, band, steel pans
• Eco-School - Silver Certification
• LEAP & ESL Support for Newcomers
• Many Extra-Curricular Activities
• Sister Schools - Shanghai & Kenya
• Breakfast, Snack & Lunch Programs
• Parent Network resource room

Student Life - Where You Belong

We encourage student leadership in many of our activities (e.g., the Family of Schools Math Olympics Event) and many of our students participate in Student Cabinet. Currently, the Student Cabinet and other intermediate students are involved in a "Ribbons for Haiti" fundraising campaign. Their ongoing participation in other charitable causes such as the "M.S. Read-a-thon," "Terry Fox," and "Jump Rope for Heart," helps to build character development and equity into the curriculum and foster an appreciation for good citizenship in our students. "Speak up", Youth Talk, Boys 2 Men, Dare to Dream, the Newcomer Club, Dare Arts, Kids Now, One to One, the Saturday U of T tutor/mentoring program, Central Commerce Connections, the Regency Dental Oral Literacy program, Eco-schools initiatives, ballroom dance, and film club are offered. Some participate in our nutrition program; others play a variety of sports such as badminton, cross country, soccer, track and field, basketball, volleyball, etc. All students have music and many of the older students participate in choir, recorder, band, or steel band programs. Students also attend the library or community centre programs after school. 

What Sets Us Apart

We are a community school in every sense of the word. Over the years we have had an All Day Experience Kindergarten program, and we have established partnerships with local community centres, high schools, universities, hospitals,child care centres, arts organizations, a dental school, a law firm, a bank, and others. We are proud of our recent sister school partnerships with Huaping Elementary School in Shanghai, China, and Kimugui FYM school in Kenya, Africa. We have 2 to 3 yearly video-conferences with Shanghai to exchange best teaching practices; and our school recently donated funds to support the "Pencils & Educational Supplies for Kids at Kimugui School" initiative. Our integrated international languages classes help to develop students' literacy skills, and our Settlement worker, LEAP programs, and ESL support helps newcomers.

Parent and Community Engagement

School Advisory Council meetings; Community partnerships - Scadding Court, Alexandra Park, Alexandra Park Community Centre, St. Felix Centre, St. Stephen's Community House, Sanderson Library, George Brown College Daycare, Toronto Western Hospital, CATCH-CAMH partnership, BLG Reads to Kids (Lawyers), Regency Dental Reading Partnership, Scotiabank Nutrition Program volunteers, Ryerson University, Royal St. George "Mentorship with Literacy Program," Student Teachers at U of T, York, Niagara University, many others.