Weekday Routines and Leaves

Daily Schedule

Students living in Boarding have a unique set of needs. Living and studying away from home requires determination, resilience and independence, which we seek to foster through mentoring, programming and establishing clear boundaries.

Students are responsible for waking themselves up in a timely fashion.

Students in Grades 7–9 will leave the Boarding Houses by 7:45 a.m.  

Students in Grades 10–11 may have to leave the houses at 8:45 a.m. if they have morning spares. This privilege will be extended to students who demonstrate strong self-regulation skills, and keep the Boarding team informed of their timetable.

Students in Grade 12 may leave the houses at 8:45 a.m. if they have morning spares, and return to the Boarding houses at 3:00 p.m. if they have afternoon spares. This privilege will be extended to students who demonstrate strong self-regulation skills, and keep the Boarding team informed of their timetable.

On Wednesday mornings, all students have a late start morning, and will leave the houses by 8:45 a.m.

If students need to return to the houses during the day, they must text the Assistant Director of Boarding for permission.

Leaving Campus During the School Day

Parents or guardians should contact the Assistant Director of Boarding or the Senior Boarding Advisor to notify of any upcoming expected absences (e.g., medical or dental appointments) for their child.

Notifications should be submitted a week in advance (or a minimum of 24 hours) as a Boarding staff member is required to accompany the student to the appointment (Grades 7–10). Parents, guardians or a Boarding Staff member must accompany any Grades 7–10 student to off-campus appointments. Grades 11–12 may be permitted to attend off-campus appointments unsupervised.

Lunch

All meal costs are included in the Boarding fees. Hot lunch options will be provided to students in the AWC, or they can pick up a Grab and Go option in The Hub in the Senior School. The lunch menu can be found on the Portal. Boarding students are not permitted to purchase additional food items for day students. Students in Grades 9–12 may leave campus for lunch.

Students who require a packed lunch must inform a member of the Boarding Team 48 hours in advance.

3:40 p.m. (Grade 7 students have homeroom 3:30–3:40 p.m.)

Classes End / Boarding Houses Open For All Boarding Students / Free Time

• Students return to the Boarding House and check in by 4:00 p.m. If students are attending on-campus, after-school co-curricular activities, they must check-in with their Boarding Advisor by FaceTime before 4:00 p.m.

4:00–5:15 p.m.

Free time

• Students in Grades 7–8 must be accompanied off-campus by either a parent or guardian, a Boarding staff member, or two DP students.
• Students in Grade 9 may leave campus with two friends (group of three), provided they sign out on REACH and verbally let staff know where they are going and when they will return. Grade 9 students may leave for 1.5 hour intervals. Excursions lasting longer than 1.5 hours must be approved by a member of the Boarding team.
• Students in Grades 10–11 may leave campus with a friend (group of two), provided they sign out on REACH and verbally let staff know where they are going and when they will return. Grades 10–11 students may leave for two-hour intervals. Excursions lasting longer than two hours must be approved by a member of the Boarding team.
• Students in Grade 12 may leave campus unaccompanied, provided they sign out on REACH and verbally let staff know where they are going and when they will return. Grade 12 students may leave for three-hour intervals. Excursions lasting longer than three hours must be approved by a member of the Boarding team.
• Boarding students are welcome to have guests visit the houses during free time. All guests must check in with the Boarding Advisor, and sign the guest book. Members of the Branksome Hall day student community are permitted on the upper floors of the houses with the permission of roommates (if applicable). Doors must be left open during visits.  Non-members of the Branksome community are permitted to visit the common areas. All guests must be accompanied by their host in Boarding at all times.

5:45–6:45 p.m.

Dinner in the Christie-Pepall Dining Hall (in the Athletics and Wellness Centre)

• Dinner is an opportunity for our community to connect. It is when Boarding staff make announcements and when we celebrate different occasions. Attendance at dinner is mandatory.
• Students are expected to dine together until 6:45 p.m. as they cannot be unsupervised in the Boarding Houses. No outside activities (e.g. music lessons, tutoring, yoga, clubs, meetings, etc.) may be scheduled during dinner time.
• If a student has to miss dinner, they need to have permission from a member of the Boarding Leadership Team.
• Students to be on time and to be properly attired.
• Technology use at dinner is permitted at the discretion of the Boarding team.
• Students may invite guests to dinner at the discretion of the Boarding team.
• Students may not order in food from outside of campus from Monday to Thursday. (Ordering food from outside of campus is permitted on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only.)

Follow the link here to learn more about Boarding Meals.

7:00–9:00 p.m.

Study time (Monday to Thursday)

• Students study quietly in their own room with the door open.
• Distractions such as social media, YouTube, and cell phones are not permitted during study time.
• Individual or group study may be permitted in the common room at the discretion of the Boarding staff.
• Students should not shower during study time.

A supervised homework club each evening for those Boarders who wish to have additional support in their studies. Mandatory attendance at homework club may be required at the discretion of the Boarding team.

If Grades 7 and 8 students do not have homework, they can make a plan with their Boarding Advisor on how they will spend their time.

Evening Routine - Grades 7–8

• Students in Grades 7–8 get ready for bed at 9:30 p.m.
• Students in Grades 7-8 must hand in their technology to the Boarding Advisor by 10:00 p.m. at the latest.
• Lights-out for students in Grades 7–8 at 10:30 p.m.

Evening Routine - Grades 9–10

• Students in Grades 9–10 get ready for bed at 10:00 p.m.
• Students in Grades 9–10 have in-room time from 10:00–11:00 p.m.
• Lights out for students in Grades 9–10 at 11:00 p.m.

Evening Routine - DP Students

• Students in DP need to be in their rooms by 11:00 p.m. 

Note: If a student in any grade is not meeting school expectations, the removal of personal technology devices and/or an earlier bedtime will be considered. The Boarding staff will work with students to promote positive self-management skills around technology.