Dear Junior School Parents,

As the saying goes “April showers bring May Flowers!” With this week’s weather in mind, and the forecast calling for more wet days ahead, I can only assume that the flowers will be beautiful this year!  As we head into the weekend, I hope that the rain subsides enough for you to spend some quality time outdoors! We will be speaking with the JS students in prayers next week about how important this is, as well as some tips for getting a good night’s rest.  Should you wish to join us, Prayers takes place on Mondays and Fridays between 3:00 pm and 3:20 pm. The link can be found on your child’s Seesaw page or on Google Classroom.

Sincerely,

Kate White

LATEST NEWS

Ramadan and Eid Prayers – Invitation for Photos

• The Junior School will be celebrating Ramadan during Prayers on Monday, May 10.
• If your family celebrates Ramadan, we would love to have some photos to include of your family to include for our walk-in video. Please submit these to Reverend Douglas (sdouglasbowman@havergal.on.ca) by Friday, May 7th.

Upcoming Reading Assessments

• Every Fall and Spring, we conduct one-on-one reading assessments with students. These assessments provide us with key information about each student as a reader, at the present moment and throughout her years as a JS student. They also enable us to monitor the overall effectiveness of our literacy instruction across the school and pinpoint areas for growth and development. We value what we learn from this data so we do not want to forego these assessments, even as we find ourselves in these extraordinary circumstances. 
• During the month of May, you may notice an increase in the number of asynchronous learning periods for your daughter. This is due to the fact that teachers will be working one on one with students to conduct these assessments. Teachers will still meet with students at the beginning of class to get them started on the learning for that period, but will then have students leave the zoom meeting in order to conduct an assessment with a student. Alternatively, a teacher may request to meet with your daughter outside of class time. 
• Students are very accustomed to these assessments and your child does not need to do anything extra in order to be prepared. Our goal is to accurately assess our students as readers – not to catch them out. Teachers will make adjustments as necessary while conducting these assessments to try and mitigate any additional challenges presented by them being remote in order to support your daughter in demonstrating her strongest reading skills. This assessment, while valuable, is one of many pieces we use to monitor and assess your daughter’s growth and achievement in reading.
• Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Nancy Tulli (ntulli@havergal.on.ca), JK – 6 Literacy Coordinator

REMINDERS

Co-Curricular Schedule in the JS  – This Week

• These activities invite House spirit, artistic exploration, exercise, skill-building, and connection with peers outside of the classroom.
  • Asynchronous Programming
    • This document has links for asynchronous activities, which students can access and engage in during your own time.  
  • Synchronous Programming
    • This document has links for synchronous activities, which will be led by a Havergal faculty member at regularly scheduled times.

Library News

• Please take a moment to explore the  JS Library Hub Website. 
• You can find information on the following:
  • Monthly Reading Lists
  • Sora and Overdrive Instructions (JK to 6 access to ebooks and audiobooks)
  • Tumblebooks (JK – 3 access to storybooks, read-alouds, ebooks)
  • Library Resources
  • A “Care Package” (recommendations for podcasts, arts/crafts, wellness tips, and recipes)

Green and Gold Shop 

• Due to the extended School Closure, the Green and Gold Shop is currently closed. At this time we are unable to offer appointments for order pick up or returns and exchanges. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
• For updates, please visit: https://greenandgold.havergal.on.ca

Dates on the Horizon

• Monday, May 3 (3:00 pm – 3:20 pm)
  • Prayers (The Importance of Good Sleep Hygiene)
  • Link can be found on Seesaw or Google Classroom

• Friday, May 7 (3:00 pm – 3:20 pm)
  • Prayers (The Importance of Physical Activity)
  • Link can be found on Seesaw or Google Classroom

• Monday, May 10 (3:00 pm – 3:20 pm)
  • Ramadan and Eid Prayers

• Tuesday, May 11 (6:30 pm – 7:15 pm) – JK & SK Parents
  • A Conversation with Julie Binmore Founder of Intentional Parenting: Nurturing Independence, Self-Confidence and Resilience 
    • JK and SK Zoom Link

• Wednesday, May 12 (10:00 am – 11:30 am)
  • JS Grade Rep Meeting – All Welcome!

• Tuesday, May 18 (6:30 pm – 7:15 pm) – Grade 1 & 2 Parents
  • A Conversation with Julie Binmore Founder of Intentional Parenting: Nurturing Independence, Self-Confidence and Resilience 
    • Grade 1 and 2 Link

• Monday, May 24
  • Victoria Day – School Closed

• Thursday, May 27  – An Evening with Dr. Robyne Hanley Dafoe 
  • Parents of students in Grade JK to 12 are invited to an informative session by Robyne Hanley Dafoe. Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe is a multi-award-winning psychology and education instructor who specializes in resiliency, navigating stress and change, and personal wellness in the workplace. 
  • Please visit the link to her Bio: https://www.speakers.ca/speakers/robyne-hanley-dafoe/

• Wednesday, June 16
  • JS Closing Ceremony