A Message From The Head of the Junior School – Friday, September 22, 2023

On By havergaljuniorschool

Dear Junior School Families,

The learning and depth of thought that occurs in the Junior School, never ceases to amaze me! 

I wanted to share a message with you, on behalf of our fabulous Grade 5 Team, who launched the first of five full days of programming throughout the year, centred on developing our Digital Wisdom. 

“Our first Digital Wisdom Day was an exciting and thought-provoking experience for all involved. The day was filled with activities and provocations that encouraged critical thinking and reflection. 

One of the highlights was the interactive session with Spot, the robot dog, where students marvelled at the possibilities of robotics today and in the future. They also engaged in mindset work through “Ozbot” coding, learning not only about programming but also the importance of adaptability, creative problem-solving and growth mindset. The students thought about their “third spaces” as digital communities, considering the impact of their online interactions on their own well-being and the well-being of others. In the Upper School, we conducted observations of digital habits, leading to valuable insights that prompted meaningful discussions about the role of technology in our lives. It was a day of exploration, self-discovery, and digital enlightenment, setting the tone to continue considering our overarching question, How can we thrive today and tomorrow in digital spaces?“

We look forward to our next Digital Wisdom day on November 22, 2023!” 

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible tomorrow, at Celebration Saturday.

Sincerely,

Kate

Today’s edition of “The Weekly” contains information on the following:

LATEST NEWS

Truth and Reconciliation Week in the Junior School

Havergal College will honour Truth and Reconciliation Week between September 25 – 29th with in-school programming throughout the week. We are honoured to have members of our Indigenous community work alongside us and our students to guide us through our theme, Celebrating our reciprocal relationship with the land. Madeleine Alderson, Herbie Barnes, Theresa Kutknife, and the dance troupe ‘Vision Dance’ will support our continued learning about residential schools and support us as we do our part to honour the Truth and Reconciliations Calls to Action.

The week will culminate on Friday, September 29th with Orange Shirt Day. 

In honour of the experiences of Indigenous Peoples and to promote the message that “Every Child Matters”, students are invited to wear orange t-shirts on Friday, September 29th over their uniforms. Please note that this will not be considered a “grub” day.

Harvest Festival and Terry Fox Run – Thursday, October 5 

Please note that parking is extremely limited for both these events! We encourage you to find alternative arrangements to come to the school, or to find alternative legal parking spaces using Spot Angels.

Harvest Festival (9:00 am – 9:30 am in the Brenda Robson Hall)

The Junior School annual Harvest Festival takes place on Friday, October 5 at 9:00 am in the Brenda Robson Hall (Upper School). This formal service is an ideal and heart-warming start to the Thanksgiving long weekend, and a wonderful way for our community to gather and celebrate all that we have to be thankful for, as well as to support our community partners at the North York Harvest Food Bank. We look forward to welcoming you and your family members!

Donations to the North York Harvest Food Bank (September 25 – October 5)

The Junior School will be running a food drive in support of the North York Harvest Food Bank, between Monday, September 25 and Thursday, October 5. Students in JK to Grade 6 are asked to bring in non-perishable food items for donation.

The following items are urgently needed:

  • Pasta, Rice, Grains
  • Canned Tomatoes
  • Canned Vegetables
  • Cooking Oil
  • Canned Fish

Please send your donations to school with your daughter.  She can place them in the bins, which are organized by house, outside the Junior School Library. 

Terry Fox Run (1:45 pm – 2:45 pm on the Lower Pitch) 

The 2023 Terry Fox School Run is set for the afternoon of October 5th and we are so excited to be taking part! Every year Havergal makes a huge difference with our donations to fund cancer research, while also building incredible school spirit. This year we will be selling t-shirts to boost our fundraising efforts (please look out for an order form in your daughter’s backpack in the coming days). These t-shirts can be worn for the whole month of October in HPE classes!  Don’t delay, let’s start fundraising today!

When:

  • Thursday, October 5th (1:45 pm – 2:45 pm)

Who can participate:

  • Students in JK to Grade 6 will all take part!
  • This is very much a community event, so all families are invited to join in! Please meet us down at the Lower Pitch at 1:45 pm.
  • We kindly ask, however, that your furry friends stay at home. 

What students need to bring:

  • Each student will need to change into their Phys Ed uniform for the afternoon, as Harvest Festival takes place in the morning.
  • A water bottle 
  • A hat if it’s a sunny day
  • Please dress appropriately for the weather 

How to donate:

  • Havergal has raised over $275,000 in support of The Terry Fox Foundation, to date!
  • Please support our school’s fundraising efforts once again this year through our  Havergal College Terry Fox Donation Page
  • Receipts are issued immediately to donors by email from the Terry Fox Foundation

REMINDERS

Celebration Saturday Essential Information

We are so excited to see everyone at Celebration Saturday, which takes place on Saturday, September 23 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. This event not only raises funds to support our Community Partners, but also brings together students, parents, Old Girls/Alum, faculty and staff for activities and games. All are welcome to attend and to contribute.

Map boards will be up around the school and there will be a QR Code to scan to download the map to your phone so you can find all of the fun games, events and activities taking place.  Feel free to preview the map here!

Attendance

  • Celebration Saturday is a community event for any and all that would like to attend!  While attendance is mandatory for students in Grades 4 – 12, students in JK – Grade 3 are highly encouraged to join in the fun! The more the merrier!
  • Students and their families are asked to come directly to the Ratcliffe field at 9am, rather than meeting at the Junior School, as has been done in the past.

Purchasing Wristbands and Tickets 

  • Wristbands and tickets will be available to purchase in person on September 23, if you have not pre-ordered them. Pre-ordered wristbands and tickets were distributed to students on Wednesday. If there was an issue with your purchase, please go to one of the ticket tables on Saturday, and we would be happy to assist!
  • Where to buy tickets on Saturday:
    • The Upper School Rotunda, 
    • The South Quad 
    • The Old Girls Bio Wall 
  • Please note that this will primarily be a CASHLESS EVENT but some vendors and food trucks will accept cash.

Schedule

  • 9:00 AM Opening Ceremonies on Ratcliffe Field 
  • 9:15 AM House Stalls, JS Activities, Inflatables, The Bazaar, Silent Auction open  (The fabulous hand painted Muskoka chairs that each Junior School grade created are sure to be hot items!)
  • 9:15 AM Gator Games begin
  • 10:00 AM Food trucks open for business
  • 11:00 AM HCPA Hotdog Hut starts serving
  • 11:30 AM Silent Auction closes
  • 12:45 PM Closing Ceremony on Ratcliffe Field
    •  Please note there is no official dismissal. Students will leave with parents.

What to Wear

  • Students are asked to come dressed in House Colours
  • Parents are encouraged to dress casually and comfortably

Supervision of Students

  • Primary girls (JK to Grade 3) must be accompanied by their parents.

Parking

  • There is EXTREMELY limited parking available at the school on this day.
  • We highly encourage everyone to explore alternative transportation options on this day, such as walking, biking, or taking public transit.
  • Should you wish to drive, you may consider checking out Spot Angels which can assist in finding legal parking spots. 

Neighbourly Traffic Request

We have had some of our neighbours reach out with concerns that members of our community are making illegal and dangerous u-turns on our surrounding streets, as well as mounting the sidewalks and driving on lawns. Traffic on Rosewell Ave and surrounding streets is exceptionally busy, especially at drop-off and pick-up. Please drive safely and courteously.

FALL CO-CURRICULARS

Athletics 

Good Luck to our Gr. 5’s in their first Swim meet and Soccer Game this week. Our Gr. 4 & 5’s will also be running in their first XCountry meet of the season this week. Go Gators! 

Clubs and Arts

We had a wonderful start to our Clubs and Arts programming this week! Please remind your daughter what club she is signed up for, to make for an easy transition from class to their co-curricular.

Questions? 

NOTES FROM THE HCPA

The Silent Auction is LIVE!

Sign up in advance and BID NOW! From Raptors tickets to Front of the Line Dining Hall Passes, there is something for everyone.

HC Spirit Wear – NEW!

Click here to purchase HC spirit wear: green and white fleece jackets, baseball hats and sideline coats! The deadline to purchase is September 30 so don’t delay.

Ivy Market

The Ivy Market is back! Save the date—Tuesday, November 21.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU NEXT WEEK

YOUR CHILD’S PERSONALIZED CALENDAR

Use this link to see a personalized summary of your child’s activities next week, on the Parent Portal.

KEY DATES ON THE HORIZON 

Saturday, September 23

  • Celebration Saturday (9:00 am – 1:00 pm) 

Monday, September 25 – Friday, September 29

  • Acknowledgment of Truth and Reconciliation Week 
  • Friday, September 29 – Orange Shirt Day (students are invited to wear an orange shirt over their uniform)

Thursday, October 5

  • Harvest Festival (9:00 am – 9:30 am)
  • Terry Fox Run (1:45 pm – 2:45 pm) (everyone is welcome to join us for a walk/run)

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