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Guidance Department

For more about Lester B Pearson School Board Guidance Counsellors, click here for our board web site.

Mr. Ian Spencer – Guidance Counsellor

The Riverdale Guidance Counsellor's role is to provide support and information to students, parents and staff members in order to assist high school students on the road to a successful future. Here is some important information about Riverdale’s Guidance Department:

What is a Guidance Counsellor?

  • A specially trained professional who belongs to a Professional Order
  • A person who helps students in a variety of ways
  • A person who helps parents and staff members better understand students


What Does a Guidance Counsellor Do?

  • Deals with Personal Concerns: helps students deal with anxiety, depression, peer/family relationship problems, self-esteem issues, crisis intervention
  • Deals with Academic Concerns: helps students deal with school success, tutoring, course selection, CEGEP information, credit information
  • Deals with Vocational Information: helps students learn about the world of work, promotes career-exploration activities such as Career Cruising, vocational tours and Job Shadowing
  • Refers students to outside resources
  • Acts as a liaison between students, parents, teachers, CEGEP’s, and other professionals
  • Visits classes to offer important information to students about their future
  • Is a resource person for all emotional, academic or behavioral concerns


How Does A Student See a Guidance Counsellor?

  • Self-referral or drop-in
  • Request by a parent
  • Referral by a staff member
  • Request by a friend
  • Appointment made by the counsellor

Parents and prospective parents are welcome to contact the Guidance Counsellors at 514-684-9920 to discuss any of your child’s needs and his/her education at Riverdale High School.


Scholarships

Scholarships help worthy students cover some of the financial burden of post-secondary education and careers.  Through government programs, private companies, public institutions and the generosity of its own alumni and home & school association, Riverdale is able to offer its students are myriad of scholarship opportunities to assist them in their post-secondary years.

Many of these scholarships are tied to a specific career, academic direction, location or general characteristics of the applicant.  Students interested should see Mr. Ian Spencer in the Guidance Department.


The following scholarships are now available:

Scholarships for Girls

Zonta Club of Montreal has two scholarships for young women. First is the Young Women in Public Affairs Award, this award is for Sec V students who are committed to volunteer leadership activities and the advancement of the status of women.  The second award is the Jean M. Coon Humanitarian award, which is offered to sec IV or V students who have shown significant contribution to the service of others in the community.

More information can be found at the Zonta Club Website. If you are not sure you qualify, please see Mr. Spencer. So far there have been very few girls applying from our school board, and this means the chances of winning are much higher, if you do apply. Prizes range from $1000 to $3000 and just for doing a little paperwork.


Peer Tutoring

This program has been in place at Riverdale for over thirty years. It was established for the benefit of both the tutors and the students being tutored. Currently Ian Spencer is responsible for the organization and maintenance of the program. It is his job to match tutors with students who require help with any given subjects. In addition, this service is monitored to ascertain that it is effective and that the student being tutored is progressing satisfactorily. Having settled the particulars of the tutoring arrangement, including time, place, subject matter and level, all further arrangements are the responsibility of the two parties involved, i.e. tutors and tutored.

There is a cost for the tutoring of $10 per session. Click here for the tutoring application form.