A Message From The Head of the Junior School – Friday, November 21, 2025

On By havergaljuniorschool

Dear Junior School Families,

It is hard to believe that we are soon entering the last week of November, and that the winter holidays will soon be here!

This week’s edition of “The Weekly – Junior School” contains a lot of critical information as we start to head into the holiday season. I invite you to grab a cup of tea, put your feet up, and take some time to learn about all that is coming up!

Sincerely,

Kate

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

LATEST NEWS

Ella Minnow Book Fair – Thank you!

A very heartfelt thank you to our parent community for their support of the teacher wish lists at the book fair this year. It is with deep appreciation that we are able to share that the lists were almost completely cleared. Teachers are so excited to have these fresh books to share with students in the classroom. 

We had a very successful book fair which will also support many new additions of books and materials to the library as well!

If any items were back ordered for your child, Ella Minnow is expecting a 1 to 2 week turnaround. Please reach out to me if you notice a longer wait time – it will help me a lot if you could let me know if anything is missing. 

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)
  • 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  
  • 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)

We are very much looking forward to to our upcoming Christmas Concert for students in Grade 1 – Grade 6.

Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risk Form (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.
  • 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:
    • We have arranged to have an early lunch on this day, so that we can start to depart Havergal at 11:45 am.
    • 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  
  • Dismissal from the Church 
    • Students will be dismissed to their families after the concert is concluded. Primary students will be dismissed from a class pew inside the church. Pews will be designated to each Primary class (Ex. 2A, 3B etc). 
    • Junior students (Grades 4, 5 and 6) will be dismissed from Cody Hall. Families can exit the church from the interior doors on the eastern side of the church and proceed across the atrium to Cody Hall. Parents must pick their daughter up from their class pew/Cody Hall and sign them out with the homeroom teacher. 
    • If you have more than one student, we ask that you pick-up your youngest child in the church before collecting older students from Cody Hall. Instructions will also be given at the conclusion of the concert.
    • 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.

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.

REMINDERS

Daily Uniform Expectations

Wearing the school uniform well and with pride signals to our community that we distinguish ourselves by our commitment to our values and our everyday actions.

Students are expected to wear the school uniform correctly at all times. Shirts are to be tucked in and shoes polished. Kilts must be hemmed to an appropriate length (9 cm above the knee) and socks must be pulled up. Shoes must be tied. Non-uniform items may not be worn in the school during school hours. School uniforms must be clean and tidy.

We have been working closely with students at school this year, in support of this. 

Here are a few reminders that we would value your help with in the Junior School:

  • No makeup is permitted in the Junior School.
  • Nail polish is permitted (Junior and Upper Schools). No acrylic or “bio-gels” are permitted in the Junior School. Upper School students should keep manicures short so they are able to participate in physically active school activities.
  • A small stud or small ring may be worn in the nose and studs, small hoops (the size of a quarter) or small drop earrings may be worn in the ears. 
  • In the Junior School, wearing multiple bracelets and necklaces is not permitted.
  • Hair should be a natural colour for Junior School students (this includes coloured hair extensions).

ATHLETIC and CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMMING 

Athletics:

Clubs:

  • There is still some space available in the following clubs: JK & SK Lego; Active Games for gr. 1 – 3; Chess for gr. 1 and Circus & Acro for gr. 4 – 6. Use this link to register.
  • Please review your child’s personalized calendar with them to avoid students from using the JSO’s phone which is intended for business purposes.
  • Questions?

WHAT’S ON THE JS MENU NEXT WEEK

JS Menu for Monday, November 24 – Friday, November 28 

NOTES FROM THE HCPA

HCPA Staff Appreciation Donations

The HCPA is organizing a one-time collection of monetary donations for holiday and year-end gifts. This collective effort, made on behalf of all HC families, replaces the need for individual family gifts to our dedicated faculty and staff. In addition, a portion of the donations will support staff appreciation events in the Junior and Upper Schools at the end of May.

To help make these initiatives possible, we invite families to contribute $75+ per child. However, a donation of any amount is warmly appreciated.

Please send your contribution by 8 December 2025, via e-transfer to hcpatreasurer@gmail.com Please include your daughter’s name and grade/cohort in the message field.

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

KEY DATES ON THE HORIZON

November 24, 2025 

  • Prayers – Police Constable Tony Santeramo will be speaking to our community about the importance of evacuation drills and what to do during a lockdown
  • Photo Re-takes in the Morning

Wednesday, December 3

Friday, December 5

  • JK/SK Christmas Concert (Performance – 9:15 am – 9:45 am; Reception – 9:45 am – 10:15 am)

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

Monday, January 5

  • PD Day for Faculty
  • No Classes for Students

Tuesday, January 6 

  • Classes Resume

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