Boarding Life: Learning for Life

Academic success is crucial for preparing young people for higher education, but the Pickering College Boarding Program understands that other skills need to be developed along the way.

“Being a boarding student certainly helps to prepare students socially and emotionally in a home-like, caring environment and better equips them to manage themselves when they continue their education journey beyond secondary school,” said Laura Mason, Executive Director, Boarding and Health Services.

For more than 100 students, the boarding program is their home away from home. To support that, the students are divided into small family groups, led by staff members. Not only are the students nurtured by their family head, but they also develop strong bonds and a network of support among their peers.

Throughout the year, the families enjoy weekly dinners together and engage in friendly competitions for the Proctor Cup, earned through participation in various games and community events.

Beyond emotional support, boarding at Pickering College instills essential life skills to help students in their futures. Students are responsible for managing their own schedules, doing laundry and keeping their spaces clean, developing interpersonal relationships and living with others, as well as keeping up with their schoolwork and balancing co-curriculars. This approach encourages independence, effective communication, and the ability to collaborate and compromise—skills that prove invaluable throughout their lives.

The various evening activities offered each night and weekend excursions further prepare students for post-secondary school and beyond. Many of the activities involve basic skills, such as cooking and baking or daily physical activity.

Students also have an opportunity to push themselves further and apply for leadership positions as Proctors within the boarding community. They plan and lead events, contributing to their development as confident leaders.

“Our boarding students often return for visits and talk about how well prepared they were for their post-secondary education because they could already manage themselves and their time,” said Mason. “It is our goal to assist each boarding student to be an individual and to develop to their fullest potential so that when they leave through the pillars for the last time as a student, they are prepared for the future.”