Dear JS Parent,

Today marks the end of another “spirited” Spirit Week!  It was an absolute pleasure seeing our students participate in our theme days, and attending the co-curricular activities, organized by the Junior School Prefects, Lindsay and Pyper. A huge thank you to them, for helping to remind us all of just what an enthusiastic community we have! I invite you to listen to the Havergal Spirit Week Song, which was written by some of our Grade 5 and 6s, along with singer-songwriter Craig Cardiff during co-curriculars.  In addition, I encourage you to take a look at all of the posts on social media this week, showcasing some of what this week looked like.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming students back to campus on Tuesday February 16. The blog contains many essential updates about our return and upcoming events. Please take time to review this material carefully.

Sincerely,

Kate White

LATEST NEWS

Important Updates for Return to Campus on Tuesday, February 16

The Ontario government announced that schools in Toronto will be permitted to reopen for in-person learning beginning on Tuesday, February 16. Given this news, Havergal’s campus will reopen, as planned and previously announced, on Tuesday, February 16. The government announcement can be viewed here. 

We are pleased to welcome our students back to the College for in-person learning. Returning to campus will allow them to gain a deeper level of engagement between their teachers and peers, helping to foster stronger connections and support cognitive, social and emotional learning and development.

As before, we have numerous safety measures in place to help minimize the infection and spread of COVID-19 on campus, which meet or exceed the requirements of both the Ontario Ministry of Health, Ontario Ministry of Education and Toronto Public Health. Havergal has made extensive efforts to ensure a high level of safety for our community. Some of our key safety measures include the investment in bipolar ionization technology and air purification devices, physical distancing, hand sanitizing and our updated masking protocol. Our health and safety protocols have been updated in the Return to Campus Parent & Student Handbook.

Screening Update – Action Required February 10 & 11

All parents must complete the daily online screening prior to students arriving on campus each day. Proof that the screening has been completed will be checked upon arrival at the College. We ask that parents complete screening on February 10 and 11 next week so we can stay informed of any pertinent COVID-19 related health concerns or travel prior to returning to on-campus learning. Parents will be asked to confirm they have read the updated parent agreement when screening is completed on February 10 and 11. 

Mask Update – Action Required Grades 4-12

In light of the emerging COVID-19 variants, we ask that all students in Grades 4 to 12 wear a medical mask (non-cloth) at all times indoors during the school day. All students must now wear masks while outdoors. A supply of masks will be available in the Junior and Upper Schools for students who may be without one. Students should change their mask when soiled or wet; this means students may need to bring two to three masks to school per day. 

Travel Requirements – Out of Province Travel

While the provincial lockdown order is in place, the Ontario government is recommending that individuals who travel domestically outside of the province self-isolate for 14 days upon their return to Ontario. Havergal College will be following this recommendation and students will be asked to learn from home until their 14-day quarantine period is complete. Questions related to inter-provincial travel and international travel will be part of the daily screening.

Arriving and Departing From School

Students must refrain from congregating as they arrive and depart from school. Parents are encouraged to remain in their cars, not to linger or gather outside the school. A reminder that we continue to ask parents to be masked on campus. 

While we have been permitted to re-open for in-person learning, the province encourages us to limit our contacts. We ask that families continue to follow all general public health guidelines and avoid congregation and socialization outside their own households.  

Remote Learning

We understand that some families may opt to continue with remote learning at this time. If you wish your child to continue as a remote learner for longer than 14 days, please register for remote learning

Remote Student Registration Form.

.  If your daughter is currently registered as a Remote Learner, but is returning to campus on February 16th, please email Maggie Houston-White at mhw@havergal.on.ca.

Toronto Public Health and COVID Testing

The Ontario Government announcement referenced the availability of targeted asymptomatic testing and rapid tests for students. These tests are to be distributed through local public health units. We will continue to engage with Toronto Public Health about access to these tests. Based on the availability of rapid-testing technology and current Ontario COVID-19 testing eligibility, we will not be offering widespread testing to our general community at present.

Student Wellbeing 

Caitlin Parsons, School Social Worker, presented at the US Grade Rep meeting earlier this week. She spoke about Student Wellbeing during the pandemic. A copy of the presentation can be found HERE.

Grade 5-8 Parent Webinar with Phyllis Fagell – Tuesday, March 2, 2021, 6:30-7:30 pm

Save the Date! Phyllis Fagell presented to parents in the spring of 2020 and we are fortunate to have her join us again in March. She will focus on presenting strategies from her book Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond — and How Parents Can Help in addition to addressing the challenges of parenting during the pandemic. Phyllis is the school counsellor at Sheridan School in Washington, DC, a therapist who works with kids and families in private practice, and an author and journalist. She’s a frequent contributor to the Washington Post and writes for Psychology Today, Working Mother, U.S. News & World Report and Your Teen. Her ideas have been shared in outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Yorker and NPR.

Rose Reisman – Hot Lunch Ordering

Lunch will be available starting on Tuesday, Feb 16th. Due to the long weekend, all orders for Tuesday, Feb 16th the cutoff will be Thursday, Feb 11th at midnight! 

Reminders

Black Heritage Month Prayers

On February 22, we will have our Black Heritage Month Prayers.  If your daughter is of African heritage and would like to participate in these Prayers, please email either Rev. Douglas or Ms. Abebe and they will be in touch.  Their emails are:  sdouglasbowman@havergal.on.ca and labebe@havergal.on.ca

Grade Rep Meetings

As a reminder, parents are welcome to attend the Grade Rep Meetings held periodically throughout the year. Your invitation to attend can be found in the Grade Rep emails. The next Grade Rep Meeting will be on Wednesday, March 31 from 10:00 am – 11:30 am. 

Lindsay Norberg, Associate Head, will be one of the guest speakers. She will introduce herself, share how we work together, and further explain her role in the Junior School. We hope you can make it.

Valentine’s Day

• Students will be invited to wear Valentine’s themed Grub wear on Thursday, February 11. 
• Teachers can, if they wish, have their students participate in some kind of Valentine themed activity (ies) on that day. 
• For safety reasons, students will not be permitted to bring in cards this year.