Dear Junior School Parents,

A huge thank you to our incredible Thrive Team Committee members in the Junior School for an amazing week (Laura Logaridis, Sarah Szolopiak, Tatiana Bidiak, Julia Barrett, Holly Beth Lievonen, Akira Nezirevic, Anna Bartlett, Jodi McGeown, Rosa Mastri, Andrea Charlton, and Calen Walker). Please be sure to ask your child(ren) about the THRIVE FIVE, and take a moment enjoy this wonderful video made by Ms. Barrett and Ms. Lievonen, helping us to remember some of what we learned this week.

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• Vaccinations for Children Aged 5 – 11
• Visitors to Campus
• Preparation for the Christmas Concert
• Lost and Found
• Chartwell’s Food Ordering
• New Circles’ Donations
• Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures 
• Book Fair Information
• Winter Arts and Athletics Co-curriculars: Before/After School
• Student Photographs & Retakes Available
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

Vaccinations for Children aged 5 – 11

• The Ontario government has announced that appointments for this age group will be available as of 8am Tuesday November 23 2021. Appointments can be booked through the COVID-19 vaccination portal and contact centre, through the TPH COVID-19: Children and Vaccines Webpage, as well as through participating pharmacies. These can be located by visiting Ontario’s Pharmacy Locator.
• For more information on the COVID-19 vaccination in Toronto in this age group, please visit the TPH COVID-19: Children and Vaccines Webpage.
• We also wanted to share a message from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, which addresses concerns regarding fertility and reproductive health COVID 19 – Myths and Facts.  

Visitors to Campus 

• Visitors may enter the College for the reasons below:
  • A Scheduled Appointment – If you have been invited on campus for a meeting, upon arrival you will need to check in with Security, complete a wellness screening, and show proof of vaccination (with valid ID).
  • Athletics Event at the Upper School – If you are attending athletics you will need to check in at the Athletic Centre doors by completing an online Wellness screening and show proof of vaccination (with ID).  Please note that spectators are only permitted into the building 30 minutes before the athletic event.
  • Havergal Group Event – If you are attending a Havergal Group event, you will receive instructions from your event organizer regarding entry, screening, and proof of vaccination requirements as they may vary depending on the size of the event.

• Resources
  • Havergal College Visitor COVID-19 Health and Safety Policy 
  • Athletics COVID-19 Spectator Guidelines 
  • Proof of Vaccination Guidance

Preparation for the Christmas Concert

• On Tuesday, December 7, students in JK, SK, and Grades 1 and 4, are required to wear Number 1 dress, including green tights, as they will be recording their performances.
• On Wednesday, December 8, we would ask that JK – Grade 5 students wear their Number One Dress and winter tights.
• Can you please also ensure that your children’s hair is pinned back so we can see their faces in the video?
• Families of JK – Grade 5 students are invited to join us remotely on Tuesday, December 14 as of 7:00 p.m. via the link (also to be posted to Veracross calendar and class websites)
• Concert Zoom link
  • JS Christmas Concert 
    • Meeting ID: 895 5113 2642
    • Passcode: 225165
• Families of Grade 6 students will receive instructions for the evening directly from Ms. Goodridge, Director of Performing Arts
  • Please note that Ontario-approved proof of vaccination and identification will be requested upon entry

Lost and Found

• With the end of term approaching, we are keen to ensure families have an opportunity to view our current lost and found collection.  
• Please take a careful look and ask your child or homeroom teacher to retrieve something you recognize.

REMINDERS

Chartwell’s Ordering Form

• This week’s Chartwell’s Order Form is due on Wednesday, December 1 by 12 noon for the week of December 6. 

New Circles’ Donations

• Thank you for all of the donations that have come in so far in support of New Circles. 
• A reminder that Monday is the last day to drop off gift cards, or clothing donations.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures 

• The safety of all of our community members is our top priority.
• It is essential that drivers go SLOWLY when they enter/exit the driveway. 
• To ensure that dismissal goes as efficiently as possible, it is critical that you arrive at your child’s designated dismissal time. 
• If your children have different pick-up times, you are asked to come when your older child is dismissed
• As a reminder dismissal times are as follows:
  • 3:00 pm: Junior Kindergarten
  • 3:15 pm: Senior Kindergarten
  • 3:20 pm: Grades 1 – 3
  • 3:40 pm: Grades 4 – 6
  • 4:15 pm onwards:
• Those who are reliant upon Gator Care are asked to pick up their children from 4:15 pm onwards to ensure safety, alleviate congestion, and provide time for snack.

Book Fair Information 

• It’s Book Fair time!! We’re so excited to be hosting our fall book fair in partnership with independent bookstore, Ella Minnow Children’s Bookstore. All purchases you make between November 29 – December 5 will support our school library.
• For more information CLICK HERE.

Winter Arts and Athletics Co-curriculars: Before/After School

• Our before and after school winter athletics season has started; our winter Arts activities will commence in January.
• You will find a list of athletics options and registration information here
• You will find a list of arts options and registration information here

Student Photographs & Retakes Available

• This is a final reminder for parents to check their children’s photos online at the following link: Echo Photography  
• The password required is your child’s student identification number.
• Deadline for ordering all photos has been extended to: December 15th
• Should you require further assistance please email: jsoffice@havergal.on.ca

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Friday, December 3

• PD Day
  • No classes for students
  • JS Faculty and Staff participating in Professional Development

Tuesday, December 7 

• Christmas concert recording day. Students in JK, SK, and Grades 1 and 4, are required to wear Number 1 dress, including green tights. 

Wednesday, December 8

• Christmas concert recording day. Students in Grades 2, 3 and 5 are required to wear Number 1 dress, including green tights. 

Thursday, December 9

• Report Cards available for online viewing

Tuesday, December 14

• 7:00 pm: hybrid Christmas concert: more details on December 3rd
• Concert Zoom link:
  •  JS Christmas Concert Zoom Link

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

• Pajama Day! Students are invited to wear their PJs on this day
• Last day of term

Christmas Break:

• Thursday, December 16. 2021 – Monday, January 3, 2022

Classes Resume:

• Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Dear Junior School Parents,

Happy Friday! 

I hope that this week has been a positive and productive one. It has been such a pleasure to see our students and their teachers in the full swing of things at the Junior School! With just several more weeks to go before the holidays, we encourage all of our students to stay motivated, and put forward their best effort. It is not uncommon, especially at this time of year, for people to start lacking energy, and perhaps not feel like their best selves. We are eagerly anticipating “Thrive Week” next week, where we will be engaging in discussions with students about mental health, and ways to “Thrive.” More information about this can be found later in the blog.

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• Vaccinations for Children – Webinar Recording
• CrossWalk on Rosewell Ave
• Winter Arts and Athletics Co-curriculars: Before/After School
• Student Photographs & Retakes Available
• Chartwell’s Ordering Form
• New Circles Holiday Angels Gift Card and Clothing Collection 
• Thrive Week (November 22 – November 26)
• Hanukkah Prayers
• Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

Vaccinations for Children – Webinar Recording

• A huge thank you to Dr. Sheana Desson who led the Junior School Webinar on Wednesday. This session was a great opportunity to learn more about vaccinations for children ages 5 – 11. If you were unable to attend, here is the Webinar Recording 
• We will continue to keep you updated with any further information regarding vaccinations for children ages 5 – 11, as it becomes available.

CrossWalk on Rosewell Ave

• As many of you are aware, we have not had a Crossing Guard this week, and that the lights at the crosswalk are not functioning. We are actively trying to resolve this. Specifically, we have reached out to ASP security, the organization who arranges for the guards, and are hopeful to have someone back in place next week. In addition, we have contacted the City of Toronto, who have now been able to determine what the problem is with the lights. They are awaiting parts, and we are told it will be fixed as soon as possible.
• In the meantime, we implore you to practice extreme caution when crossing the street, and to come to a full and complete stop prior to exiting the Junior School property onto the road. 

Winter Arts and Athletics Co-curriculars: Before/After School

• Our before and after school winter athletics season will commence later this month; our winter Arts activities will commence in January.
• You will find a list of athletics options and registration information here
• You will find a list of arts options and registration information here

Student Photographs & Retakes Available

• This is a final reminder for parents to check their student photos, including re-takes, online at the following link: Echo Photography  
• The password required is your child’s student identification number.
• If you need help with identifying this number, please visit the Veracross portal and view your child’s profile carefully. 
• Deadline for ordering all photos has been extended to: December 15th
• Should you require further assistance please email: jsoffice@havergal.on.ca

REMINDERS

Chartwell’s Ordering Form

• This week’s Chartwell’s Order Form is due on Wednesday, November 24 by 12 noon for the week of November 29. 

New Circles Holiday Angels Gift Card and Clothing Collection 

• New Circles Community Services is a charitable organization that works to support families in need throughout Toronto. Today during Prayers, our students learned about the ways we will support New Circles leading up to the Holidays by supporting specific families and their needs.
• What JS families need to know:
  • JK – Grade 1:
    • Students are invited to support the Winter Accessories Drive by donating any of the following items for men (of particular need), women and children
      • Hats (new or gently worn)
      • Scarves  (new or gently worn)
      • Gloves/mittens (new or gently worn)
      • Underwear – long and short (new only)
      • Socks (new only)
  • Grade 2 – 6 
    • Students will be involved in sponsoring a family. 
    • Each student has received a gift card donation request slip which indicates a category of items and preferred stores. We ask you to choose a donation amount that works best for your family. 
    • Please note:
      • New Circles will provide a Charitable Tax Receipt for gift cards of at least $20 in value. In order to receive the receipt, please attach the store receipt along with this form. 
  • All donations (gift cards and clothing items) should be brought to the Junior School by Friday, November 26.

Thrive Week (November 22 – November 26)

• Our first Thrive Week (previously known as Mental Health Awareness week) is taking place next week! Thrive at HC is both a mindset and a week-long series of events aimed at building a culture of wellbeing within our community and promoting positive mental health for all!
• Please note that there is a DRESS-DOWN DAY on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26! Students are invited to wear grub clothes on this day.
• Please find an array of mental health and wellbeing resources for parents/students here.

Hanukkah Prayers

• Hanukkah Prayers is on Friday, November 26th. If you have photos or videos of you and your family celebrating Hanukkah over the years, we would love to include them in our Prayers. Please send your photos and videos to awhite@havergal.on.ca by Monday, November 22nd.

Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill

• With the November Mid-Term break  and the Winter Holidays coming up, we would like to remind families about the requirements around returning to school if you are travelling outside the country. If you and your unvaccinated child are travelling internationally, it is important to underscore that your child is unable to attend school for 14 days after their arrival back in Canada. Please note, there is no access to remote learning during this time; however, students have the option to follow along with instructions and class notes on Seesaw (JK – 3) or Google Classroom (Gr. 4 – 6) if they are not at school. If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• For additional guidance, please review our Student Return to School after Illness, Exposure or Travel procedure, which is included in the Family Handbook’s Return to Campus COVID-19 Protocols section. You may also reference the federal government travel advice for those travelling with unvaccinated children.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Monday, November 22 – Friday, November 26

• Thrive Week
• Friday, November 26 – GRUB DAY!

Monday, November 29 – Thursday, December

• Junior School Book Fair

Friday, December 3

• PD Day
  • No classes for students
  • JS Faculty and Staff participating in Professional Development

Thursday, December 9

• Report Cards available for online viewing

Tuesday, December 14

• 7:00 pm: hybrid Christmas concert 
• Grade 6 students and parents onsite (Brenda Robson Hall, Upper School)
• More details to come

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

• Last day of term

Christmas Break:

• Thursday, December 16. 2021 – Monday, January 3, 2022

Classes Resume:

• Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Dear Junior School Parents,

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Remembrance Day Poppy. In 1921, the poppy was adopted as the flower of remembrance, as poppies were a common sight, especially on the Western Front. A huge thank you to our Grade 3 classes who on Monday, led our Remembrance Day Service in Prayers. This provided us with the opportunity to learn about the importance of this day, as well to honour all those who have served our country both in times of war and peace. 

 I wish you peace over this long weekend, and look forward to seeing everyone next week.

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• Welcoming Visitors on Campus – Starting on November 16
• Winter Arts and Athletics Co-curriculars: Before/After School
• New Circles Holiday Angels Gift Card and Clothing Collection 
• Hanukkah Prayers
• Chartwell’s Ordering Form
• Vaccines for Children – A Junior School Parent Webinar
• Student Photographs
• COVID-19 Vaccination for Children 
•  Consultation About the COVID-19 Vaccine for Children
• Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

Welcoming Visitors on Campus – Starting on November 16

• Beginning on November 16 our campus will formally reopen to guests and visitors for certain indoor activities.  In our continued commitment to maintaining  a safe learning and working environment for all the Havergal College Visitor COVID-19 Health and Safety Policy outlines the expectations for all visitors to the campus.

Winter Arts and Athletics Co-curriculars: Before/After School

• Our before and after school winter athletics season will commence later this month; our winter Arts activities will commence in January.
• You will find all of the information for athletics options and registration information here; particulars about Arts activities will be provided in due course

New Circles Holiday Angels Gift Card and Clothing Collection 

• This November, Havergal College is once again participating in the New Circles Holiday Angels Program, a gift-giving program that serves individuals and families, many of whom are newcomers to Canada. To learn more, please take a look at the New Circles Website. 

• What Families Need to Know:
  • Friday, November 19 
    • Students will learn about what New Circles does, and the Holiday Angels Program, and the drives that will be held in JK – Grade 1, and Grade 2 – 6
  • November 22 to the 26th
    • Dates of the Collective Drive
  • JK – Grade 1 – “Winter Accessories Drive”
    • Families are asked to donate any of the following items (new, or gently used and clean) for men (of particular need), women and children
      • Hats 
      • Scarves 
      • Gloves/mittens
      • Underwear (new only)
      • Socks (new only)
  • Grade 2- 6 – “Family Sponsorship Program – Gift Card Drive” 
    • Each grade will receive a family’s profile indicating their particular needs and holiday wishes.  
    • Each HC student these grades will then receive a request indicating which retailers the families would like to receive gift cards for.

Hanukkah Prayers

• Hanukkah Prayers is on Friday, November 26th. If you have photos or videos of you and your family celebrating Hanukkah over the years, we would love to include them in our Prayers. Please send your photos and videos to awhite@havergal.on.ca by Monday, November 22nd.

REMINDERS

Chartwell’s Ordering Form

• This week’s Chartwell’s Order Form is due on Wednesday, November 17 by 12 noon for the week of November 22. 

Vaccines for Children – A Junior School Parent Webinar

• As part of our parents as partners education program, we are pleased to be hosting a webinar with our school doctor, Dr. Sheana Desson ‘95 and parent to two Junior School students to unpack questions families may have around the COVID-19 vaccine for students aged 5- 12.
  • When: Wednesday November 17, 2021 7:15pm – 8:00pm
  • Where:  Please click this link to join the webinar
    • Webinar ID: 893 7792 5571
    • Passcode: 714538
• In order to ensure we answer as many of your questions as possible, we encourage you to submit questions in advance. Please use this link submit your questions by November 17 at 12:00 pm

Student Photographs

• This is a final reminder for parents to check their student photos online at the following link: Echo Photography  
• The password required is your child’s student identification number, found on Veracross.
• Deadline for ordering student photos: November 20th
• Should you require further assistance please email: jsoffice@havergal.on.ca

COVID-19 Vaccination for Children 

• Please find below important information from Toronto Public Health with regard to COVID-19 vaccines for those age 5 to 11.
  • COVID-19 Vaccination for Children (Oct 29 2021)_EN.PDF  

 Consultation About the COVID-19 Vaccine for Children

• We invite our parents and member of our community to make use of this service should they have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for children

Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill

• With the November Mid-Term break  and the Winter Holidays coming up, we would like to remind families about the requirements around returning to school if you are travelling outside the country. If you and your unvaccinated child are travelling internationally, it is important to underscore that your child is unable to attend school for 14 days after their arrival back in Canada. Please note, there is no access to remote learning during this time; however, students have the option to follow along with instructions and class notes on Seesaw (JK – 3) or Google Classroom (Gr. 4 – 6) if they are not at school. If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• For additional guidance, please review our Student Return to School after Illness, Exposure or Travel procedure, which is included in the Family Handbook’s Return to Campus COVID-19 Protocols section. You may also reference the federal government travel advice for those travelling with unvaccinated children.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Thursday, November 11 – Monday, November 15

• Midterm break: no classes

Tuesday, November 16

• Submissions to postcard design contest due

Wednesday, November 17

• Vaccines for Children (5 – 11) Webinar 7:15 pm

Monday, November 29 – Thursday, December 2

• Junior School Book Fair

Friday, December 3

• PD Day
  • No classes for students
  • JS Faculty and Staff participating in Professional Development

Thursday, December 9

• Report Cards available for online viewing

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

• Last day of term

Christmas Break:

• Thursday, December 16. 2021 – Monday, January 3, 2022

Classes Resume:

• Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Dear Junior School Parents,

Happy Friday! The Junior School celebrated Diwali in prayers on Monday, led by our students in 5B. They shared the history of this festival of lights, as ways in which it is celebrated by millions of people all over the world. Then, today, our Grade 4 students delivered a message about what it means to belong and to be included. They read us a book called “The Big Umbrella” and reflected on ways in which we can include others in our play and in the classroom, as well as explaining how to use “I” statements to share feelings. 

We are looking forward to prayers on Monday, when students in Grade 3 will lead us in our Remembrance Day service. Please feel free to join online!

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• Vaccination Information Sessions for Families
• Cold and Flu Season
• Safety Campaign in the Junior School
• Book Fair – November 29 – 5 
• Fall Athletics
• Winter Athletics
• Chartwell’s Ordering Form
• Student Photographs
• Rapid Antigen Testing
• Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

Vaccination Information Sessions for Families

• We have been alerted to two vaccination information sessions that we wanted to pass along to you. Registration information can be found in the links below.
  • Toronto Public Health: COVID-19 Vaccines & Children- A Webinar for Parents & Guardians  (November 9 & 15)
  • The Mabin School: COVID Vaccines for Kids: Ask the Experts – Sickkids Panel (November 24)
  • We also invite our parents and member of our community to make use of this service should they have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for children
• Please also be sure to read this important information from Toronto Public Health with regard to COVID-19 vaccines for those age 5 to 11. COVID-19 Vaccination for Children (Oct 29 2021)_EN.PDF  

Cold & Flu Season

• In an ongoing effort to keep all members of our community in good health, we  thank you for keeping your child at home if they are unwell.
•  If a student comes to school with presentable symptoms (including those not associated with COVID-19) they will be required to be picked up and to go home until they are well.

Admissions Postcard Design Contest

• Our Admission team is keen to design a new postcard destined for prospective families. They would like to harness our students’ talents and perspectives as a means of sharing a little more about Havergal.
• Details:
  • Students are invited to submit a photo or drawing of their favourite spot on campus 
  • If they submit a photo, it should be of high resolution and either 5 x 7 or 6 x 4
  • a short quote explaining what makes that location special should also be submitted (max. 100 words)
  • all submissions due by Tuesday, November 16th to mhw@havergal.on.ca 

Safety Campaign in the Junior School

• Kudos to the Grade 6 team who have succeeded in raising awareness among the drivers in our community about the need to slow down, watch for pedestrians, and stop only in designated areas! 
• We  ask for ongoing support in keeping our community safe!

Book Fair: November 29 – 5 

• We are so excited to announce that we will once again be hosting a book fair this fall with our friends at Ella Minnow Children’s Bookstore. 
• Given the current environment, our book fair will be virtual, so all ordering will be done online.
• We will be hosting preview sessions for students so they can create wish lists to help guide your shopping.
• The book fair will run from November 29th to December 5th. 
• More information about ordering will be coming but for now, please mark your calendars!

Fall Athletics

• The students have had a wide range of athletic co-curricular opportunities scheduled during the school day and before/after school. 
• Congratulations to the 11 teams who have finished their season developing skills and enjoyed being competitive amongst each other. 
• Take a look at their team pictures here: Team Pictures 

Winter Athletics

• Please check next week’s blog for all information regarding Gr. 3-6 Winter Athletics. 

REMINDERS

Chartwell’s Ordering Form

• This week’s Chartwell’s Order Form is due on Wednesday, November 10 by 12 noon for the week of November 15. 

Student Photographs

• This is a final reminder for parents to check their student photos online at the following link: Echo Photography  
• The password required is your child’s student identification number.
• If you need help with identifying this number, please visit the Veracross portal and view your child’s profile carefully. 
• Deadline for ordering student photos: November 20th
• Should you require further assistance please email: jsoffice@havergal.on.ca

Rapid Antigen Testing Reminder 

• Thank you to everyone who has registered for the Thrive Health app and logged results for their child. 
• If you have not yet received an invite to set up your account, please send an email to covid@havergal.on.ca. You must set up your Thrive Health account from the email invitation, using the email address that the invitation was sent to. 
• For further assistance with account creation see the Thrive Account Setup Instructions. If you require any changes to your account, such as a name or email change after registration, or have difficulty setting up your account, please contact support@thrive.health for further assistance. 
• If you have not yet started, please commence testing next week, uploading test  results into Thrive Health for your child by the end of the day on Mondays and Thursdays. For info on how to upload a test result see here. Please isolate your child, arrange for PCR testing and notify covid@havergal.on.ca if there is ever a positive Rapid Antigen Screening result. 
• As students are required to complete a self-assessment through SchoolPass on each school day at Havergal, they do not need to complete the detailed self-assessment feature of Thrive Health. Going forward, the self-assessment questionnaire within Thrive is just a confirmation that you have completed the SchoolPass wellness screen. Please complete this confirmation with each test result that you upload for your child.
• Our Health Centre is underway with contacting families to provide confirmation that results are being logged correctly and provide instructions for families that have not yet logged results. See our Rapid Antigen Screening Guidance document here for any further questions about testing for COVID-19.

Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill

• With the November Mid-Term break  and the Winter Holidays coming up, we would like to remind families about the requirements around returning to school if you are travelling outside the country. If you and your unvaccinated child are travelling internationally, it is important to underscore that your child is unable to attend school for 14 days after their arrival back in Canada. Please note, there is no access to remote learning during this time; however, students have the option to follow along with instructions and class notes on Seesaw (JK – 3) or Google Classroom (Gr. 4 – 6) if they are not at school. If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• For additional guidance, please review our Student Return to School after Illness, Exposure or Travel procedure, which is included in the Family Handbook’s Return to Campus COVID-19 Protocols section. You may also reference the federal government travel advice for those travelling with unvaccinated children.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Thursday, November 11 – Monday, November 15

• Midterm break: no classes

Tuesday, November 16

• Submissions to postcard design contest due

Monday, November 29 – Thursday, December 2

• Junior School Book Fair

Friday, December 3

• PD Day
  • No classes for students
  • JS Faculty and Staff participating in Professional Development

Thursday, December 9

• Report Cards available for online viewing

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

• Last day of term

Christmas Break:

• Thursday, December 16. 2021 – Monday, January 3, 2022

Classes Resume:

• Tuesday, January 4, 2022