Dear Junior School Families,
Welcome to December! This season is full of joy, but let’s be honest—it is also incredibly full. Between holiday events, darker days, and endless to-do lists, it is natural for both students and parents to feel their batteries running low. While we want to make magic happen, remember that we cannot pour from an empty cup.
To help navigate the bustle, here are a few quick strategies to consider:
- Protect the Routine: Even amidst the excitement, consistent bedtimes help regulate everyone’s energy.
- Embrace “Good Enough”: Give yourself permission to do less. A simple night in is often better than a frantic outing.
- Schedule the “Nothing”: Deliberately block out time on your calendar for rest. Treat it as an appointment you cannot miss.
- Connection over Perfection: Ten minutes of reading together can reset a child’s nervous system better than any gift.
Wishing you all a peaceful and joyful slide into the winter break!
Warmly
Kate
Today’s edition of “The Weekly” contains information on the following:
- Registration for Gator Care is Open – Term 2
- Pizza Lunch is on Monday
- Health Centre Reminder – Viral Illness Season
- Kindergarten Christmas Concert – Friday, Dec 5
- Havergal Annual Grade 1 – 6 Christmas Concert – Wednesday, December 10, 3 pm
- Gator Care for JK/SK Students from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm on Wednesday, December 10
- New Circles Holiday Angel Program (Nov 18 – Dec 2)
- Support the Havergal Fund
- What is New in Gator Care?
- Athletic and Co-Curricular Programming
- What’s on the JS Menu Next Week
- Notes From the HCPA
- Your Child’s Personalized Calendar
- Key Dates on the Horizon
LATEST NEWS
Registration for Gator Care is Open – Term 2
- Opens: Friday, December. 5th
- Closes: Thursday. December 18th
Registration Options:
Registration for afternoon care is mandatory; drop-ins are NOT permitted.
- Option #1: Register by term (five days a week) (New!)
- Term 1 ($1580); Term 2 ($920); Term 3 ($1200)
- Term 1 Registration will be available on the Parent Portal on Wednesday, August 20.
- Option #2: Registration on an “as needed basis”
- Families who need to register for Gator Care on an “as needed basis” must email gatorcare@havergal.on.ca by 9 am on the day the service is required. If you know the days that you require in advance, we kindly ask that you register as soon as possible.
- Flat fee of $30/day — fees will be compiled and charged by term. (New!)
- Please note:
- Families that arrive after 6 pm will be charged an additional $25.
- Information About Before and After School Care (“Gator Care”) 2025-26
REMINDERS
Pizza Lunch is on Monday
Students are excited for Pizza lunch on Monday! Please note that there is no hot lunch on this day. Students who do not participate in Pizza lunch are asked to bring their own lunches from home.
Health Centre Reminder – Viral Illness Season
As we move further into the viral illness season, we are seeing an increase in common respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses. We kindly ask families to monitor their children for any signs of illness and to keep students home if they are unwell.
Symptoms that warrant staying home include:
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Cough and congestion
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- General fatigue or feeling unwell
Keeping students home when they are sick helps protect classmates, staff, and our broader school community. Students may return to school once they are feeling better and able to fully participate in the school day.
Please refer to the image below for a helpful visual reminder of when to stay home and when to return.
Thank you for your support in keeping our school community healthy!
The Health Centre
Kindergarten Christmas Concert – Friday, Dec 5
Kindergarten Christmas Concert – Friday, Dec 5 (9:15 am – 9:45 am Concert in the JS Dining Hall; 9:45 am – 10:15 am Reception in the JS Dining Hall)
- Location: Junior School Dining Room
- Date: Friday, December 5
- Time:
- Late Start Friday
- Students can arrive between 7:30 am and 8:05 am OR at 8:45 am
- 9:15 am – 9:45 am (Performance)
- 9:45 am – 10:15 am (Reception)
- Late Start Friday
- Parking:
- Please note that parking is extremely limited.
- Families are invited to visit Spot Angels for suggestions on nearby free and paid parking & garages.
- What Students Should Wear:
- Number 1 Concert Dress consists of:
- White long-sleeve dress shirt
- Tie
- Tunic
- Tights, not socks (if you do not have tights, please arrange with your family to order some from the Green and Gold shop)
- Black shoes
- Hair back from face with minimal hair accessories that are the same colour as your hair or the HC official hair accessories
- Number 1 Concert Dress consists of:
- Who can come? All kindergarten families are welcome to attend. This includes grandparents and caregivers.
Grade 1 – 6 Christmas Concert – Wednesday, December 10 (3pm – 4pm – St. Paul’s Bloor Street Church)
Acknowledgment and Assumption of Risk (AAR) – ACTION REQUIRED. All students, with the exception of those students in Primary and Junior Choir, are required to fill out the AAR Form to be Completed by Wednesday, December 3
Please note the following:
- Date:
- Wednesday, December 10, 2025
- Time:
- 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (doors open at 2:30 pm)
- Families will not be permitted into the Church until 2:30 pm.
- 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (doors open at 2:30 pm)
- Location:
- St. Paul’s Bloor Street Anglican Church, 227 Bloor St. East
- Parking:
- Families are invited to visit Spot Angels for suggestions on nearby free and paid parking & garages near the church.
- Tickets:
- Tickets are not required, all are welcome to attend. This includes grandparents and caregivers.
- Transportation to the Church
- Students in Grades 1 – 6 will travel to St. Paul’s, via chartered bus, (after lunch) for a rehearsal and then perform for their families at 3:00pm.
- There is no transportation back to the school, and there is no Gator Care available for students in Grades 1 – 6 after the concert.
- Lunch and Snacks:
- Grade 4-6 students eat in the dining room from 11:15-11:45am
- Grade 1-3 students eat in the dining room from 11:55-12:25 pm
- KG students will eat at the regular times and have their regular outdoor play
- Students who bring their own lunch from home are asked to leave their lunch bag at school overnight. Families can also consider using disposable lunch containers made from recycled materials if they do not wish to leave a lunch bag overnight.
- All students from grades 1-6 will be provided an afternoon snack and drink prior to the performance at St. Paul’s. All allergies have been taken into consideration.
- What to wear:
- Number 1 Concert Dress is expected for the full school day on December 10. This consists of:
- White long-sleeve dress shirt
- Tie
- Tunic (JK-Grade 4) and Kilt (grades 5 and 6)
- Tights, not socks (if you do not have tights, please arrange with your family to order some from the Green and Gold shop)
- Black shoes
- Hair back from face with minimal hair accessories that are the same colour as your hair or the HC official hair accessories
- Number 1 Concert Dress is expected for the full school day on December 10. This consists of:
- Dismissal from the Church
- Parents will be responsible for picking their daughter up from the following locations at the end of the concert and will be required to sign their daughter out with her homeroom teacher or class partner teacher.
- Primary students: The Great Hall
- Junior Students: Cody Hall
- Please note that students will need to come to school in their black shoes on Thursday, December 12, as their winter boots will have been left at school.
- Parents will be responsible for picking their daughter up from the following locations at the end of the concert and will be required to sign their daughter out with her homeroom teacher or class partner teacher.
Gator Care for JK/SK Students from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm on Wednesday, December 10
- Please note that Gator Care is available for JK/SK students from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm on Wednesday, December 10th, while students in Grades 1 – 6 are at the Christmas Concert at St. Paul’s Church.
- Gator Care remains available from 7:30 am – 8:00 am on this day, for ALL students.
New Circles Holiday Angel Program (Nov 17 – Dec 2)
This November, Havergal College is pleased to once again be collaborating with our long-time community partners, New Circles, in support of their Holiday Angels Program. Our Grade 5 students, as part of their Leadership Programming, have been working with their teachers to run this important initiative in the Junior School.
What is the Holiday Angels Program?
- The Holiday Angel Program matches generous donors with client families, many of whom face significant challenges and are newcomers to Canada, to help meet urgent needs and make holiday wishes come true.
Which Families From New Circles Will Havergal Be Supporting?
- The Junior School will be sponsoring five families this year. This week, each grade was “introduced” to their family. This included learning a little bit about each member of the family, what brought them to Canada, and what some of their most immediate needs are. These Family Profiles and grade assignments can be found below.
How Can You Help?
- Each family has made requests for specific gift cards. This allows them to purchase the items that they most need from specific stores, that they can easily access.
- Please note:
- Only gift cards can be accepted as donations. Cash donations cannot be accepted.
- To ensure that a gift card is valid, we ask that the activation receipt be attached to each gift card. Please also write the dollar amount purchased on each gift card.
What is the Recommended Donation Amount for Gift Cards?
- Ultimately, as a family, please decide on the donation amount that works best for you.
- To ensure that a gift card is valid, we ask that the activation receipt be attached to each gift card. New Circles and the Holiday Angel families are thankful for all donations that they receive!
When and How are Donations Being Accepted?
- Donations can be made anytime between now, and December 2nd.
- Students should bring their donations, in an envelope with their name on it, and give them to their homeroom teacher.
Am I able to get a Tax Receipt for the Donation?
- Yes! Tax receipts can only be issued by New Circles for donations above $25. Should you require a tax receipt:
- Print out and complete the Donor Tax Receipt Form 2025.pdf
- Be sure to add your HAP # (This is the family you are donating to. It is located on the family information page on the top right.)
- Attach the gift card, activation receipt and tax form together in an envelope and send them into school to your child’s homeroom teacher (s).
- Please note:
- Tax Receipts can only be issued by New Circles for donations above $25 that have all the necessary components attached.
On behalf of the Junior School and our Partners at New Circles thank you for your generosity! Every donation will go a long way in making the holiday season a little brighter this year.
For reasons of privacy, Information regarding the family that each Grade is supporting, will be sent to you separately via email.
Support the Havergal Fund
Starting in 2026, families will be invited to support the Havergal Fund during registration and re-registration, making it simpler than ever to participate. Every gift plays a vital role in enriching programs, supporting faculty excellence, and creating opportunities for our students to grow, thrive, and reach their potential. When families make Havergal one of their top philanthropic priorities, our girls feel the impact of that support in their everyday experience.
If you haven’t made your 2025 gift to the annual fund, you can do so now by clicking HERE. Gifts made before the end of the year may provide tax advantages while having an immediate impact.
WHAT IS NEW IN GATOR CARE?
Should your daughter attend Gator Care on a regular basis, we encourage you to read the Gator Care Monthly Blast.This will provide you with a high-level overview of what is happening, and some quick reminders.
ATHLETIC and CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMMING
Athletics:
- JS Athletics Schedule
- Good luck to the U12 Volleyball team, who have their first game on Thursday.
- Athletics Questions?
- Email JS Director of Athletics, Anna Bartlett
Clubs:
- Clubs have wrapped up for fall except Public Speaking which ends on December 4, 2025.
- Winter clubs start the week of January 12 and run until March Break with the exception of Primary and Junior Choir which continue until April.
- Please review your child’s personalized calendar with them to avoid students using the JSO’s phone which is intended for business purposes.
- Questions?
- Email Junior School Office Administrator, Sarah Robertson
WHAT’S ON THE JS MENU NEXT WEEK
JS Menu for Monday, December 1 – Friday, December 5
NOTES FROM THE HCPA
HCPA Staff Appreciation Donations
The last day to send your contribution is Monday, December 8. When you e-transfer your donation to hcpatreasurer@gmail.com, please include your daughter’s name and grade/cohort in the message field.
Please see last week’s edition of The Weekly for full details.
Thank you for your generosity and for joining us in showing appreciation for our outstanding faculty and staff.
Marketplace
The perfect gift does exist! Get your holiday shopping done early at the HCPA Holiday Marketplace. Visit our Shopify page today.
Preloved Uniforms: Volunteers Needed!
We are looking for volunteers to help once per year by collecting donations from the Junior and Upper School bins, sorting and washing uniforms, and returning items to the HCPA closet.
- If you can lend a hand, please contact us on hcpapreloveduniform@gmail.com.
YOUR CHILD’S PERSONALIZED CALENDAR
Use this linkto see a personalised summary of your child’s activities next week, on the Parent Portal.
KEY DATES ON THE HORIZON
Monday, December 1
- No Prayers – Grade 1 – 6 Christmas Concert Rehearsal
- Pizza Lunch
Wednesday, December 3
- Christmas Prayers (8:25 am – 8:55 am in the JS Gym)
Friday, December 5
- JK/SK Christmas Concert (Performance – 9:15 am – 9:45 am; Reception – 9:45 am – 10:15 am)
- Registration for Term 2 of Gator Care Opens
Wednesday, December 10
- Grade 1 – 6 Christmas Concert (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm at St. Paul’s Bloor Street)
Wednesday, December 17
- Report Cards Available for Viewing (4:00 pm)
Thursday, December 18
- Last Day of Classes before Winter Break
- Registration for Term 2 of Gator Care Closes
Monday, January 5
- PD Day for Faculty
- No Classes for Students
Tuesday, January 6
- Classes Resume
The Weekly: Junior School 