Ohio’s oldest co-educational, non-sectarian independent day school.
Student Life
Ridgewood Community
As important to Ridgewood as its pedagogy is its community. We believe that a strong community of learners is one in which students learn and grow with each other and from each other, building a strong appreciation for teamwork and collaboration. We expect the same sense of collaboration from our staff, families, and alumni. Our community not only honors, but celebrates its diversity, and strongly values social justice and community service. In these ways we are growing students who not only take ownership of their own education, but are prepared to be the next generation of citizens and leaders.
The Ridgewood experience reaches far beyond the classroom. Engaging the whole child means providing opportunities for students to find success in each of their unique ways. The Ridgewood experience includes:
Mentorship: Upper Level students each mentor at least one Lower Level student, developing friendships outside of their grade level, and passing on the qualities of success at Ridgewood.
Community Service: Ridgewood students must complete a minimum of 30 hours of community service as part of the graduation requirements, yet most students far exceed that minimum, volunteering in the community and fundraising for the Student Council’s Charity of the Month.
Leadership: Ridgewood students have many opportunities to develop leadership skills. Student Council and other clubs and organizations give students the opportunity to lead their fellow students.
Performance: Ridgewood students have many opportunities throughout the year to perform, in music, dance, drama, or public speaking. Our Multicultural Night and Winter Programs are long-standing Ridgewood performance traditions.
Family: Ridgewood’s families are committed to strong education, to parental involvement, and to the development of the whole Ridgewood community.
Extracurricular Activities
Ridgewood School offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities. Extra-curricular activities include:
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Intramural sports, such as tennis, soccer, football, and basketball
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Open Gym
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Ice Skating
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Computers
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Student Government (grades 5 through 8)
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Chess Club
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Makerspace Club
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Science Club
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Ping Pong League (grades 4 through 8)
Ridgewood students also independently participate in activities through:
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The Springfield Youth Symphony
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The Clark State Performing Arts Center
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The Springfield Children’s Chorus
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The Ohio Performing Arts Institute [OPAI]
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The Ohio Federation of Music Clubs (regional and state competitions)
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National Parks and Trail & Recreation sports leagues
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Catholic Youth Organization sports leagues [CYO]
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YMCA sports leagues
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Various martial arts and gymnastics programs
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Various community dance programs
Student Council
The Ridgewood Student Council is open to students in grades 5-8. Each fall, students are elected to treasurer, vice president, president, and secretary. Student Council members and committees plan and execute a variety of events throughout the year, much of which focuses on community service. Annual events include the Waffle Breakfast, Toy Drive, Gals and Gamers, Fall Fest, and more!
Community Service
One of Ridgewood’s core values is citizenship. Our students are citizens in our classrooms, our school community, as well as the greater Springfield community. And as citizens, we teach our students to be actively involved, giving back to their communities in time, talent, and treasure.
Ridgewood’s Student Council, for students in grades 5-8, is primarily a community service organization, giving of their time to organizations such as the Second Harvest Food Bank, and sponsoring fund-raising activities for the Charities of the Month. All social events planned by Student Council benefit local non-profit organization.
Ridgewood is unique in that one of our 8th grade graduation requirements is a minimum community service participation. Students are required to commit 10 hours a year between 6th-8th grades, for a total of 30 hours by graduation. But most of our students exceed this minimum, with many students donating over 100 hours of their time to their community. Now those are active and involved citizens!
Zero Waste Store
Ridgewood students are at the Zero Waste store every First Friday at the Hatch Studios. Entrepreneurship, marketing, business, and financial skills are all at work while students promote products that reduce, reuse, and recycle. Each month, a different grade makes something out of recyclable materials to sell at the store. The store is student run and operated!
Hours:
Open 2:15-3:30 on Early Release Days
If you'd like to prepurchase items from the Zero Waste Store, click here. Pick up days will be the first and third Fridays of each month.
Extended Day
Ridgewood School is committed to helping parents with those sometimes-challenging hours before and after school through our Extended Day program. Morning drop-off begins at 7:30am, with supervised gym time until the school day begins at 7:55 a.m., at no additional cost to parents, and until 5:30 p.m. at a cost of $6 per hour per child.
The After-School Care Program at Ridgewood is a convenient option for working parents, as well as a fun, relaxing place students can go to when the school day is over. After-Care is provided for children in Preschool through 8th grade. Our staff is experienced, and many are parents themselves. Students are excited about After-Care where they can socialize, relax, or study in a cheerful environment or participate in a variety of creative projects and indoor and outdoor play. Snacks are available for purchase.
Intramural Sports
While Ridgewood School does not participate in interscholastic athletics, there are a number of intramural sports options available for students. Past intramural offerings have included:
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Tennis
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Basketball
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Football
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Soccer
In addition, through new regulations of the OHSAA, 7th and 8th grade students at private schools such as Ridgewood may participate in interscholastic athletics through their district of residence, even when enrolled in private schools.
Summer Enrichment
Ridgewood’s Summer Enrichment Prek-9 program has been designed to offer students enrichment in academics, arts, and physical fitness. Although open to all Springfield students, we view our summer day camp as an extension of our school year. We not only want our students to shine academically, but to discover and explore their other talents as well.
2024 Summer Enrichment Weeks
Week 1: June 17-21
Week 2: June 24-28
Week 3: July 8-July 12