A Message From The Head of the Junior School – Friday, January 23, 2025

On By havergaljuniorschool

Dear Junior School Families,

The cold temperatures and heavy snow are not getting the Junior School down! Our second term is in full swing as students continue to dive deeply into their learning and the co-curricular life of the school. It has been an absolute pleasure visiting classrooms, and seeing our students so engaged in their core and specialist subjects. One of the things that strikes me most on these visits is the curiosity and confidence that our students demonstrate. From asking thoughtful questions, taking time to learn from errors, and making the choice  to persevere, in the face of challenges truly sets these exceptional students apart. 

With more heavy snow predicted over the weekend, rest assured that we will keep everyone posted on any changes to our schedule.

Warmly

Kate

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

Latest News

Reminders

LATEST NEWS

Hockey Day: Online Registration, Ticket Purchase, Transportation

What is Hockey Day?

Hockey Day, which happens annually, brings the BSS and Havergal Hockey teams (U20) together to face off in a battle for the Hewitt Cup. It is a celebration of women in sport, embodying camaraderie and tradition. Havergal students look forward to this event every year, and come decked out in their Green and Gold, to cheer on our Gators with pride. Our Junior School Gators hockey team will play the BSS Junior School team during the first intermission.

When and Where is Hockey Day?

  • Tuesday, February 10 
    • Students will depart HC at approximately 11:50 am, and will return to school in time for dismissal
      • Lunch will be eaten prior to students leave
  • Mattamy Athletic Centre (Formerly Maple Leaf Gardens) located at 50 Carlton St, Toronto.

Who Attends Hockey Day and How Do They Get to the Game?

  • Attendance is mandatory for students in Grades 4 – 6
    • They will be transported to the game via bus
  • Grade 1 – Grade 3 will come together in the JS Gym to see a live streaming of the game

Registration and Cost of Tickets:

  • Families of all attendees must complete online registration in order to attend.
  • Student accounts will be charged $25 to attend the event. This includes bus transportation and admission to the arena and admission to the arena.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN AND WILL CLOSE ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2nd AT NOON! To register your child, click below: HOCKEY DAY REGISTRATION – ACTION REQUIRED (Gr. 4 – 6) 

What Do to If My Child Cannot Attend:

Student-Led conferences: Friday, April 17th –  No Classes for Students

We are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting Student-Led Conferences in the Junior School again this year! This initiative offers a wonderful opportunity for our students to take center stage in sharing their learning journey with you.

What Are Student-Led Conferences?
These conferences will showcase what students are currently learning in the classroom and provide them with the chance to present their progress to you formally. The focus will be on the learning process and self-reflection, which aligns with our broader educational philosophy and strategic plan. The goal is to empower students to take ownership of their learning while fostering a meaningful dialogue between students and parents. This is part of our ongoing commitment to incorporate student voice and reflection into our parent-teacher conferences and formal reporting, a key initiative in our strategic plan.  Rather than the traditional teacher-run parent-teacher conferences, this approach shifts the focus to the students themselves, allowing them to actively engage in reflection, goal-setting, and metacognition.

We hope that these conferences will allow for rich, reflective conversations that highlight not only what your child has accomplished but also the ways in which they are thinking about and growing in their learning. We look forward to celebrating our students’ achievements and growth with you at the upcoming Student-Led Conferences.

Dressing Appropriately for the Weather

The winter weather is here, and we want our students to make the most of their time outdoors to play, engage with friends and to have fun. To do this, it is essential that they come to school with the appropriate outdoor clothing. Coats, snow pants or sweatpants, mitts, hats, and boots should all be brought to school so that students can fully participate at recess.

We also wanted to provide a reminder of Havergal’s Extreme Weather Guidelines.

Please note that in Cold Weather:

  • Environment Canada advises that wind chill temperatures of -28°C to -39°C pose a high risk of frostbite and hypothermia, and exposed skin can freeze in 10 to 30 minutes.  
  • When these conditions exist it is recommended that recess be shortened or that students are kept indoors for their recess period, consistent with many school boards in Ontario.

Havergal Babysitting List 

The Havergal Babysitting List is a resource to provide Senior School students with a way to indicate their interest in babysitting for Junior School families. It is also a resource for Junior School families to identify Senior School students who are looking for babysitting jobs.

Havergal is supporting this initiative by providing a list of Senior School students who are interested in babysitting on the Junior School parent portal. The list will be updated at the start of each academic year.  

To Learn More Visit the: HC Babysitting Information and List 

REMINDERS

Re-registration: January 27 – February 2, 2026

Re-registration for the 2026/27 school year opened on Tuesday January 27.  

Families will receive an email from the Board of Governors on that day with a link to reregistration and can also access reregistration through the Parent Portal Landing Page. Re-registration, which includes both completing the online forms and submitting the deposit,  is due on Tuesday February 2, 2026.  We cannot guarantee a place for students who re-register after this date.  

While we are certainly hoping to be welcoming all of our students back next year, we recognize that family situations change and relocations occur.  If you are aware that your daughter is not returning to Havergal, please let us know by emailing Maggie Houston-White (mhw@havergal.on.ca) as soon as possible so we can ensure we have a fulsome admission process at all necessary years. 

Student Entry

If your child is arriving at school, earlier than 8:00 am, a few reminders for the safety of our students.

  • Gator Care opens at 7:30 am. Please do not drop off your child prior to this.
  • For students coming to school early (7:00 am – 7:30 am) for clubs or athletics, please do not leave your child unattended until their coach meets them at the front door.

ATHLETIC and CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMMING 

Athletics:

  •  JS Athletics Schedule  
  • Don’t forget to Register your child for hockey day! See the hockey day message above. 
  • Athletics Questions?

Clubs:

WHAT’S ON THE JS MENU NEXT WEEK

JS Menu for Monday, January 26 – Friday, January 30 

NOTES FROM THE HCPA

Parent Evening Socials

Please save the date for the following evening parent socials:

  • Grades JK – 4: February 26, 7 – 9 pm (Bio Wall)

Preloved Uniform & Marketplace Sale 

Preloved Uniform & Marketplace mid-year sale is on Wednesday, February 4, 2:30 – 5:00 pm in the Junior School Learning Hub hallway.  Sizing is available from JK – grade 12.  

  • The teams are looking for parent volunteers to help before, during and after the events. Please click here to sign up.

The Bake Shop

The Bake Shop is open Wednesday, February 11, from 12:30 – 2:00 pm in the Gator Care room. All JS students will have the opportunity to visit the bake sale with their classes. We recommend bringing $10 cash to shop the sale. 

  • We’re looking for parent volunteers to bake or donate nut-free baked goods. Sign up here. Those who donate will have first dibs on volunteer time slots. 
  • Donations can be homemade or store-bought—all delicious contributions welcome!

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, January 26

  • Prayers (Holocaust Remembrance Day; 8:25 am – 8:55 am)

Wednesday, January 28

  • Prayers (House Cheer Presentations; 8:25 am – 8:55 am)

Monday, February 2

  • Prayers (New Circles – Learning About Community Partnerships; 8:25 am – 8:55 am)
  • Registration for Hockey Day CLOSES at 12:00 pm

Wednesday, February 4

  • Prayers (Black History Month; 8:25 am – 8:55 am; followed by a reception in the JS Library)

Monday, February 9 – Thursday, February 12

  • Spirit Week (dress down day details to come)

Friday, February 13 

  • Mid Term Break – School Closed

Monday, February 16

  • Mid Term Break – School Closed

Thursday, February 26 (7 – 9 pm at the Bio Wall)

  • JK – Grade 4 Parent Social

Friday, March 6

  • Last Day of Classes

Monday, March 9 – Monday, March 23

  • March Break

Tuesday, March 24

  • Classes Resume for Students

April 10th (9:30 am – 11:00 am)

  • Grandpals’ Day
    • More information about this day will be sent prior to the event.

Friday, April 17 

  • Student-Led Conferences
    • Families will be able to sign-up for 30 minute slots to see just some of what students are currently learning in the classroom, and present it to you formally.
    • Please note that there are NO SCHEDULED CLASSES on this day.
    • More information will be sent prior to the event.

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