Friday, October 11, 2024

On By havergaljuniorschool

Dear Junior School Families,

As we welcome Thanksgiving weekend, I want to thank you for your engagement during the first month of the year. We know that sending your daughter to Havergal takes commitment on several fronts. Your support of the girls, our program, and our community makes providing an exceptional student experience possible. Whether attending games, performances and events like Celebration Saturday or the Harvest Festival , sharing your constructive feedback, supporting our philanthropic initiatives, or dedicating your time and talent, your contributions are deeply valued and positively impact our community.

As a learning organization, we endeavour to build empathy in our students for the challenges within our local and global community contexts. As we approach Thanksgiving weekend in the Junior School, we have taken time to learn, reflect and pray for the pain and suffering of others – those who are living in fear for their safety, subject to discrimination, hate and isolation, and those in our community who will not have enough to eat, even during this time where we celebrate the bountiful harvest. As we celebrate this Thanksgiving weekend and give thanks for our blessings, I ask we hold those in our community who are impacted by conflict or hate, who are isolated or lonely, and those who are struggling here in our local community close in our hearts and minds. 

We wish you and your family a safe and joyful Thanksgiving and to those observing, a meaningful Yom Kippur.

Dr. Katrina Samson

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

LATEST NEWS

Getting Ready for Halloween – Choosing Appropriate Costumes

Choosing a Halloween costume is something that our students look forward to each year, many starting their planning well in advance of October 31st! We are excited to see all of the creative costumes that they come up with!

As we get closer to the big day, we are asking for your help in ensuring that all costumes are appropriate.

Here are some questions that can assist when making a selection:

  • Does this costume include any cultural or religious symbols that are not part of my child’s experience?
  • Does this costume appropriate a significant item or hairstyle from a culture or race different from my child’s? 
  • Does this costume trivialize or mock a marginalized community or promote a stereotype? 

If you aren’t able to answer these questions, or are uncertain in any way, it is best to make a different costume choice.  Thank you so much for taking the time to ensure that our school community is inclusive and respectful.

REMINDERS

Fostering Purpose in Our Kids – Tuesday, October 29 (7:00 pm – 8:30 pm)

As part of our Parents as Partners Speaker Series, Havergal is delighted to welcome Dr. Belle Liang & Tim Klein on Tuesday, October 29, authors of ‘How to Navigate Life’.   Their research and talk will focus on helping our kids find purpose and its vital connection to their wellbeing (and ours). The talk will be from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm in the Legacy Theatre and will have relevant takeaways for parents of students of all ages (JK-12). Registration for the event can be found here. 

Our guest speakers will also be working with our students from Grades 7 – 12 during their day and running professional development with our faculty. This commitment to fostering purpose in students at Havergal and embedding its principles in our programming is a part of a year-long partnership with Liang and Klein and we welcome your partnership on this key next step in our commitment to wellbeing.

Half-Day on Tuesday, October 29 – Early Dismissal Times

We are thrilled that our teachers will have the opportunity to engage in professional development with Dr. Belle Liang & Tim Klein on Tuesday, October 29, prior to their presentation with our families.

Please note the following:

  • Students will remain at school for lunch and lunch recess.
  • 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm  Staggered dismissal 
    • Kindergarten to Grade 3
      • 12:30 pm – 12:45 pm
    • Grade 4 – Grade 6
      • 12:45 pm – 1:00 pm 
  • Gator Care
    • Is available, at the regular fee, from 12:30 pm – 6:00 pm;
    • Registration is mandatory, so that we are able to plan accordingly;
    • To register, please complete THIS FORM , by Friday, October 25.

CO-CURRICULARS

Athletics

  • Students were kicking, running, swimming and dribbling their way to success last week!  Good luck to our U10 soccer team who have their first game on Thursday and to our Gr. 1-3 Cross Country team who are participating on campus at the Havergal Fun Run on Friday, Oct. 18th from 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm.
  • Please check the JS Athletics Schedule and Veracross Calendar for upcoming games and meets. 

Clubs

  • Due to the holiday on Monday, when the school is closed, clubs will reconvene on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

NOTES FROM THE HCPA

Ivy Market

Save the date for Ivy Market – Tuesday, November 21. 

Grade 1 & 5 Breakfasts

Reminder to RSVP for the Grade 1 and Grade 5 breakfasts. 

  • Grade 1 Breakfast RSVP Link (Wednesday, October 16 @ 7:30 am)
  • Grade 5 Breakfast RSVP Link (Thursday, October 17 @ 7:30 am)

WHAT’S ON THE MENU NEXT WEEK

YOUR CHILD’S PERSONALIZED CALENDAR

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

KEY DATES ON THE HORIZON

Tuesday, October 29 

  • Early Dismissal for Teacher Professional Development
  • Parents as Partners Speaker Series (7:00 pm – 8:30 pm in the Legacy Theatre)

Thursday, October 31

  • Halloween – Students come dressed in their costumes

Thursday, November 7 – Monday, November 11

  • School Closed for November Mid-term Break

Thursday, November 7 – Monday, November 11

  • School Closed for November Mid-term Break

Tuesday, November 12

  • Classes resume

Tuesday, November 21

  • Save the date for Ivy Market

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