Dear Junior School Parents,

Happy Friday! 

I hope that this week has been a positive and productive one. It has been such a pleasure to see our students and their teachers in the full swing of things at the Junior School! With just several more weeks to go before the holidays, we encourage all of our students to stay motivated, and put forward their best effort. It is not uncommon, especially at this time of year, for people to start lacking energy, and perhaps not feel like their best selves. We are eagerly anticipating “Thrive Week” next week, where we will be engaging in discussions with students about mental health, and ways to “Thrive.” More information about this can be found later in the blog.

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• Vaccinations for Children – Webinar Recording
• CrossWalk on Rosewell Ave
• Winter Arts and Athletics Co-curriculars: Before/After School
• Student Photographs & Retakes Available
• Chartwell’s Ordering Form
• New Circles Holiday Angels Gift Card and Clothing Collection 
• Thrive Week (November 22 – November 26)
• Hanukkah Prayers
• Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

Vaccinations for Children – Webinar Recording

• A huge thank you to Dr. Sheana Desson who led the Junior School Webinar on Wednesday. This session was a great opportunity to learn more about vaccinations for children ages 5 – 11. If you were unable to attend, here is the Webinar Recording 
• We will continue to keep you updated with any further information regarding vaccinations for children ages 5 – 11, as it becomes available.

CrossWalk on Rosewell Ave

• As many of you are aware, we have not had a Crossing Guard this week, and that the lights at the crosswalk are not functioning. We are actively trying to resolve this. Specifically, we have reached out to ASP security, the organization who arranges for the guards, and are hopeful to have someone back in place next week. In addition, we have contacted the City of Toronto, who have now been able to determine what the problem is with the lights. They are awaiting parts, and we are told it will be fixed as soon as possible.
• In the meantime, we implore you to practice extreme caution when crossing the street, and to come to a full and complete stop prior to exiting the Junior School property onto the road. 

Winter Arts and Athletics Co-curriculars: Before/After School

• Our before and after school winter athletics season will commence later this month; our winter Arts activities will commence in January.
• You will find a list of athletics options and registration information here
• You will find a list of arts options and registration information here

Student Photographs & Retakes Available

• This is a final reminder for parents to check their student photos, including re-takes, online at the following link: Echo Photography  
• The password required is your child’s student identification number.
• If you need help with identifying this number, please visit the Veracross portal and view your child’s profile carefully. 
• Deadline for ordering all photos has been extended to: December 15th
• Should you require further assistance please email: jsoffice@havergal.on.ca

REMINDERS

Chartwell’s Ordering Form

• This week’s Chartwell’s Order Form is due on Wednesday, November 24 by 12 noon for the week of November 29. 

New Circles Holiday Angels Gift Card and Clothing Collection 

• New Circles Community Services is a charitable organization that works to support families in need throughout Toronto. Today during Prayers, our students learned about the ways we will support New Circles leading up to the Holidays by supporting specific families and their needs.
• What JS families need to know:
  • JK – Grade 1:
    • Students are invited to support the Winter Accessories Drive by donating any of the following items for men (of particular need), women and children
      • Hats (new or gently worn)
      • Scarves  (new or gently worn)
      • Gloves/mittens (new or gently worn)
      • Underwear – long and short (new only)
      • Socks (new only)
  • Grade 2 – 6 
    • Students will be involved in sponsoring a family. 
    • Each student has received a gift card donation request slip which indicates a category of items and preferred stores. We ask you to choose a donation amount that works best for your family. 
    • Please note:
      • New Circles will provide a Charitable Tax Receipt for gift cards of at least $20 in value. In order to receive the receipt, please attach the store receipt along with this form. 
  • All donations (gift cards and clothing items) should be brought to the Junior School by Friday, November 26.

Thrive Week (November 22 – November 26)

• Our first Thrive Week (previously known as Mental Health Awareness week) is taking place next week! Thrive at HC is both a mindset and a week-long series of events aimed at building a culture of wellbeing within our community and promoting positive mental health for all!
• Please note that there is a DRESS-DOWN DAY on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26! Students are invited to wear grub clothes on this day.
• Please find an array of mental health and wellbeing resources for parents/students here.

Hanukkah Prayers

• Hanukkah Prayers is on Friday, November 26th. If you have photos or videos of you and your family celebrating Hanukkah over the years, we would love to include them in our Prayers. Please send your photos and videos to awhite@havergal.on.ca by Monday, November 22nd.

Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill

• With the November Mid-Term break  and the Winter Holidays coming up, we would like to remind families about the requirements around returning to school if you are travelling outside the country. If you and your unvaccinated child are travelling internationally, it is important to underscore that your child is unable to attend school for 14 days after their arrival back in Canada. Please note, there is no access to remote learning during this time; however, students have the option to follow along with instructions and class notes on Seesaw (JK – 3) or Google Classroom (Gr. 4 – 6) if they are not at school. If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• For additional guidance, please review our Student Return to School after Illness, Exposure or Travel procedure, which is included in the Family Handbook’s Return to Campus COVID-19 Protocols section. You may also reference the federal government travel advice for those travelling with unvaccinated children.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Monday, November 22 – Friday, November 26

• Thrive Week
• Friday, November 26 – GRUB DAY!

Monday, November 29 – Thursday, December

• Junior School Book Fair

Friday, December 3

• PD Day
  • No classes for students
  • JS Faculty and Staff participating in Professional Development

Thursday, December 9

• Report Cards available for online viewing

Tuesday, December 14

• 7:00 pm: hybrid Christmas concert 
• Grade 6 students and parents onsite (Brenda Robson Hall, Upper School)
• More details to come

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

• Last day of term

Christmas Break:

• Thursday, December 16. 2021 – Monday, January 3, 2022

Classes Resume:

• Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Dear Junior School Parents,

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Remembrance Day Poppy. In 1921, the poppy was adopted as the flower of remembrance, as poppies were a common sight, especially on the Western Front. A huge thank you to our Grade 3 classes who on Monday, led our Remembrance Day Service in Prayers. This provided us with the opportunity to learn about the importance of this day, as well to honour all those who have served our country both in times of war and peace. 

 I wish you peace over this long weekend, and look forward to seeing everyone next week.

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• Welcoming Visitors on Campus – Starting on November 16
• Winter Arts and Athletics Co-curriculars: Before/After School
• New Circles Holiday Angels Gift Card and Clothing Collection 
• Hanukkah Prayers
• Chartwell’s Ordering Form
• Vaccines for Children – A Junior School Parent Webinar
• Student Photographs
• COVID-19 Vaccination for Children 
•  Consultation About the COVID-19 Vaccine for Children
• Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

Welcoming Visitors on Campus – Starting on November 16

• Beginning on November 16 our campus will formally reopen to guests and visitors for certain indoor activities.  In our continued commitment to maintaining  a safe learning and working environment for all the Havergal College Visitor COVID-19 Health and Safety Policy outlines the expectations for all visitors to the campus.

Winter Arts and Athletics Co-curriculars: Before/After School

• Our before and after school winter athletics season will commence later this month; our winter Arts activities will commence in January.
• You will find all of the information for athletics options and registration information here; particulars about Arts activities will be provided in due course

New Circles Holiday Angels Gift Card and Clothing Collection 

• This November, Havergal College is once again participating in the New Circles Holiday Angels Program, a gift-giving program that serves individuals and families, many of whom are newcomers to Canada. To learn more, please take a look at the New Circles Website. 

• What Families Need to Know:
  • Friday, November 19 
    • Students will learn about what New Circles does, and the Holiday Angels Program, and the drives that will be held in JK – Grade 1, and Grade 2 – 6
  • November 22 to the 26th
    • Dates of the Collective Drive
  • JK – Grade 1 – “Winter Accessories Drive”
    • Families are asked to donate any of the following items (new, or gently used and clean) for men (of particular need), women and children
      • Hats 
      • Scarves 
      • Gloves/mittens
      • Underwear (new only)
      • Socks (new only)
  • Grade 2- 6 – “Family Sponsorship Program – Gift Card Drive” 
    • Each grade will receive a family’s profile indicating their particular needs and holiday wishes.  
    • Each HC student these grades will then receive a request indicating which retailers the families would like to receive gift cards for.

Hanukkah Prayers

• Hanukkah Prayers is on Friday, November 26th. If you have photos or videos of you and your family celebrating Hanukkah over the years, we would love to include them in our Prayers. Please send your photos and videos to awhite@havergal.on.ca by Monday, November 22nd.

REMINDERS

Chartwell’s Ordering Form

• This week’s Chartwell’s Order Form is due on Wednesday, November 17 by 12 noon for the week of November 22. 

Vaccines for Children – A Junior School Parent Webinar

• As part of our parents as partners education program, we are pleased to be hosting a webinar with our school doctor, Dr. Sheana Desson ‘95 and parent to two Junior School students to unpack questions families may have around the COVID-19 vaccine for students aged 5- 12.
  • When: Wednesday November 17, 2021 7:15pm – 8:00pm
  • Where:  Please click this link to join the webinar
    • Webinar ID: 893 7792 5571
    • Passcode: 714538
• In order to ensure we answer as many of your questions as possible, we encourage you to submit questions in advance. Please use this link submit your questions by November 17 at 12:00 pm

Student Photographs

• This is a final reminder for parents to check their student photos online at the following link: Echo Photography  
• The password required is your child’s student identification number, found on Veracross.
• Deadline for ordering student photos: November 20th
• Should you require further assistance please email: jsoffice@havergal.on.ca

COVID-19 Vaccination for Children 

• Please find below important information from Toronto Public Health with regard to COVID-19 vaccines for those age 5 to 11.
  • COVID-19 Vaccination for Children (Oct 29 2021)_EN.PDF  

 Consultation About the COVID-19 Vaccine for Children

• We invite our parents and member of our community to make use of this service should they have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for children

Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill

• With the November Mid-Term break  and the Winter Holidays coming up, we would like to remind families about the requirements around returning to school if you are travelling outside the country. If you and your unvaccinated child are travelling internationally, it is important to underscore that your child is unable to attend school for 14 days after their arrival back in Canada. Please note, there is no access to remote learning during this time; however, students have the option to follow along with instructions and class notes on Seesaw (JK – 3) or Google Classroom (Gr. 4 – 6) if they are not at school. If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• For additional guidance, please review our Student Return to School after Illness, Exposure or Travel procedure, which is included in the Family Handbook’s Return to Campus COVID-19 Protocols section. You may also reference the federal government travel advice for those travelling with unvaccinated children.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Thursday, November 11 – Monday, November 15

• Midterm break: no classes

Tuesday, November 16

• Submissions to postcard design contest due

Wednesday, November 17

• Vaccines for Children (5 – 11) Webinar 7:15 pm

Monday, November 29 – Thursday, December 2

• Junior School Book Fair

Friday, December 3

• PD Day
  • No classes for students
  • JS Faculty and Staff participating in Professional Development

Thursday, December 9

• Report Cards available for online viewing

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

• Last day of term

Christmas Break:

• Thursday, December 16. 2021 – Monday, January 3, 2022

Classes Resume:

• Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Dear Junior School Parents,

Happy Friday! The Junior School celebrated Diwali in prayers on Monday, led by our students in 5B. They shared the history of this festival of lights, as ways in which it is celebrated by millions of people all over the world. Then, today, our Grade 4 students delivered a message about what it means to belong and to be included. They read us a book called “The Big Umbrella” and reflected on ways in which we can include others in our play and in the classroom, as well as explaining how to use “I” statements to share feelings. 

We are looking forward to prayers on Monday, when students in Grade 3 will lead us in our Remembrance Day service. Please feel free to join online!

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• Vaccination Information Sessions for Families
• Cold and Flu Season
• Safety Campaign in the Junior School
• Book Fair – November 29 – 5 
• Fall Athletics
• Winter Athletics
• Chartwell’s Ordering Form
• Student Photographs
• Rapid Antigen Testing
• Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

Vaccination Information Sessions for Families

• We have been alerted to two vaccination information sessions that we wanted to pass along to you. Registration information can be found in the links below.
  • Toronto Public Health: COVID-19 Vaccines & Children- A Webinar for Parents & Guardians  (November 9 & 15)
  • The Mabin School: COVID Vaccines for Kids: Ask the Experts – Sickkids Panel (November 24)
  • We also invite our parents and member of our community to make use of this service should they have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for children
• Please also be sure to read this important information from Toronto Public Health with regard to COVID-19 vaccines for those age 5 to 11. COVID-19 Vaccination for Children (Oct 29 2021)_EN.PDF  

Cold & Flu Season

• In an ongoing effort to keep all members of our community in good health, we  thank you for keeping your child at home if they are unwell.
•  If a student comes to school with presentable symptoms (including those not associated with COVID-19) they will be required to be picked up and to go home until they are well.

Admissions Postcard Design Contest

• Our Admission team is keen to design a new postcard destined for prospective families. They would like to harness our students’ talents and perspectives as a means of sharing a little more about Havergal.
• Details:
  • Students are invited to submit a photo or drawing of their favourite spot on campus 
  • If they submit a photo, it should be of high resolution and either 5 x 7 or 6 x 4
  • a short quote explaining what makes that location special should also be submitted (max. 100 words)
  • all submissions due by Tuesday, November 16th to mhw@havergal.on.ca 

Safety Campaign in the Junior School

• Kudos to the Grade 6 team who have succeeded in raising awareness among the drivers in our community about the need to slow down, watch for pedestrians, and stop only in designated areas! 
• We  ask for ongoing support in keeping our community safe!

Book Fair: November 29 – 5 

• We are so excited to announce that we will once again be hosting a book fair this fall with our friends at Ella Minnow Children’s Bookstore. 
• Given the current environment, our book fair will be virtual, so all ordering will be done online.
• We will be hosting preview sessions for students so they can create wish lists to help guide your shopping.
• The book fair will run from November 29th to December 5th. 
• More information about ordering will be coming but for now, please mark your calendars!

Fall Athletics

• The students have had a wide range of athletic co-curricular opportunities scheduled during the school day and before/after school. 
• Congratulations to the 11 teams who have finished their season developing skills and enjoyed being competitive amongst each other. 
• Take a look at their team pictures here: Team Pictures 

Winter Athletics

• Please check next week’s blog for all information regarding Gr. 3-6 Winter Athletics. 

REMINDERS

Chartwell’s Ordering Form

• This week’s Chartwell’s Order Form is due on Wednesday, November 10 by 12 noon for the week of November 15. 

Student Photographs

• This is a final reminder for parents to check their student photos online at the following link: Echo Photography  
• The password required is your child’s student identification number.
• If you need help with identifying this number, please visit the Veracross portal and view your child’s profile carefully. 
• Deadline for ordering student photos: November 20th
• Should you require further assistance please email: jsoffice@havergal.on.ca

Rapid Antigen Testing Reminder 

• Thank you to everyone who has registered for the Thrive Health app and logged results for their child. 
• If you have not yet received an invite to set up your account, please send an email to covid@havergal.on.ca. You must set up your Thrive Health account from the email invitation, using the email address that the invitation was sent to. 
• For further assistance with account creation see the Thrive Account Setup Instructions. If you require any changes to your account, such as a name or email change after registration, or have difficulty setting up your account, please contact support@thrive.health for further assistance. 
• If you have not yet started, please commence testing next week, uploading test  results into Thrive Health for your child by the end of the day on Mondays and Thursdays. For info on how to upload a test result see here. Please isolate your child, arrange for PCR testing and notify covid@havergal.on.ca if there is ever a positive Rapid Antigen Screening result. 
• As students are required to complete a self-assessment through SchoolPass on each school day at Havergal, they do not need to complete the detailed self-assessment feature of Thrive Health. Going forward, the self-assessment questionnaire within Thrive is just a confirmation that you have completed the SchoolPass wellness screen. Please complete this confirmation with each test result that you upload for your child.
• Our Health Centre is underway with contacting families to provide confirmation that results are being logged correctly and provide instructions for families that have not yet logged results. See our Rapid Antigen Screening Guidance document here for any further questions about testing for COVID-19.

Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill

• With the November Mid-Term break  and the Winter Holidays coming up, we would like to remind families about the requirements around returning to school if you are travelling outside the country. If you and your unvaccinated child are travelling internationally, it is important to underscore that your child is unable to attend school for 14 days after their arrival back in Canada. Please note, there is no access to remote learning during this time; however, students have the option to follow along with instructions and class notes on Seesaw (JK – 3) or Google Classroom (Gr. 4 – 6) if they are not at school. If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• For additional guidance, please review our Student Return to School after Illness, Exposure or Travel procedure, which is included in the Family Handbook’s Return to Campus COVID-19 Protocols section. You may also reference the federal government travel advice for those travelling with unvaccinated children.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Thursday, November 11 – Monday, November 15

• Midterm break: no classes

Tuesday, November 16

• Submissions to postcard design contest due

Monday, November 29 – Thursday, December 2

• Junior School Book Fair

Friday, December 3

• PD Day
  • No classes for students
  • JS Faculty and Staff participating in Professional Development

Thursday, December 9

• Report Cards available for online viewing

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

• Last day of term

Christmas Break:

• Thursday, December 16. 2021 – Monday, January 3, 2022

Classes Resume:

• Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Dear Junior School Parents,

It was such a pleasure to see our Junior School students in their costumes today, as they get ready for the Halloween weekend. They had the opportunity to attend an assembly organized by Tomisin, our JS prefect and her council, as well as participate in a variety of Halloween themed activities in their classes. Everyone went all out again this year in our annual door decorating contest, and it was amazing to see how creative they all got! Be sure to check out Havergal’s social media pages for pictures!

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Halloween.

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• COVID-19 Vaccination for Children (5 -11) 
•  Consultation About the COVID-19 Vaccine for Children
• Diwali
• Lost and Found
• Launch of Junior School Safety Campaign 
• Chartwell’s Ordering Form
• Swimming Lessons Available at Havergal with Frank’s Swim School
• Student Photographs
• Rapid Antigen Testing Reminder
• Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

COVID-19 Vaccination for Children (5 – 11)

• Please find below important information from Toronto Public Health with regard to COVID-19 vaccines for those age 5 to 11.
  • COVID-19 Vaccination for Children (Oct 29 2021)_EN.PDF

Consultation About the COVID-19 Vaccine for Children

• We invite our parents and member of our community to make use of this service should they have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for children

Diwali

• Diwali, or Dipawali, is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. To learn more about Diwali, watch this VIDEO. 
• This year Diwali begins on Thursday, November 4th, and lasts for five days. Students will have an opportunity to learn more about this important holiday in prayers on Monday, November 1.
• Students wishing to wear their Diwali outfits are invited to do so.

Lost and Found

• We currently have several lost and found items: please take a careful look at this picture. 
• We would like to draw particular attention to these glasses.

Launch of Junior School Safety Campaign 

• Did you know that the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) found that children aged 14 and under are the most at-risk pedestrian group? While the number of pedestrian deaths and injuries decreased in 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions, 10 pedestrians [have been] killed and 47 seriously injured in Toronto so far this year. That compares with 21 pedestrian deaths one year ago.
• Join us in ensuring that our Junior School remains a consistently safe environment for everyone in our community. In particular, we have concerns about traffic safety.  We would ask everyone to observe the following:
  • Use designated stopping areas only
  • Always obey the crossing guard
  • Avoid using the school parking lot if at all possible 
  • Watch for pedestrians in unexpected places
  • Take extreme caution when turning left out of the driveway
  • Drive very slowly
  • Follow the road signs 
  • Take care to have students exit cars on the right side near the sidewalk
  • At the edge of each driveway, look all ways before crossing  
• Our Grade 6 leaders will be providing  reminders during the morning drop-off next week.

REMINDERS

Chartwell’s Ordering Form

• This week’s Chartwell’s Order Form is due on Wednesday, October 25 by 12 noon for the week of November 1. 
• Please note that Chartwell’s has included several simpler menu items starting the week of November 1 for families to choose from. 

Swimming Lessons Available at Havergal with Frank’s Swim School

• Frank’s Swim School will now be running the swimming lessons at Havergal. For more information, you can  go to:  Frank’s Swim School. Please direct inquiries to:  info@franksswimschool.com or call 416-636-5023.

Student Photographs

• This is a final reminder for parents to check their student photos online at the following link: Echo Photography  
• The password required is your child’s student identification number.
• If you need help with identifying this number, please visit the Veracross portal and view your child’s profile carefully. 
• Retakes are only being held on one date: Friday, November 5
• Deadline for ordering student photos: November 20th
• Should you require further assistance or wish to have your child’s name added to our list, please email: jsoffice@havergal.on.ca

Rapid Antigen Testing Reminder

• Thank you to everyone who has registered for the Thrive Health app and logged results for their child. 
• If you have not yet received an invite to set up your account, please send an email to covid@havergal.on.ca. You must set up your Thrive Health account from the email invitation, using the email address that the invitation was sent to. 
• For further assistance with account creation see the Thrive Account Setup Instructions. If you require any changes to your account, such as a name or email change after registration, or have difficulty setting up your account, please contact support@thrive.health for further assistance. 
• If you have not yet started, please commence testing next week, uploading test  results into Thrive Health for your child by the end of the day on Mondays and Thursdays. For info on how to upload a test result see here. Please isolate your child, arrange for PCR testing and notify covid@havergal.on.ca if there is ever a positive Rapid Antigen Screening result. 
• As students are required to complete a self-assessment through SchoolPass on each school day at Havergal, they do not need to complete the detailed self-assessment feature of Thrive Health. Therefore, next week you will see that the self-assessment questionnaire within Thrive is just a confirmation that you have completed the SchoolPass wellness screen. Please complete this confirmation with each test result that you upload for your child.
• Our Health Centre has been monitoring reports from Thrive Health and next week will begin to send follow-up emails to families to provide confirmation that results are being logged correctly, and provide instructions for families that have not yet logged results. See our Rapid Antigen Screening Guidance document here for any further questions.

Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill

• With the November Mid-Term break  and the Winter Holidays coming up, we would like to remind families about the requirements around returning to school if you are travelling outside the country. If you and your unvaccinated child are travelling internationally, it is important to underscore that your child is unable to attend school for 14 days after their arrival back in Canada. Please note, there is no access to remote learning during this time; however, students have the option to follow along with instructions and class notes on Seesaw (JK – 3) or Google Classroom (Gr. 4 – 6) if they are not at school. If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• For additional guidance, please review our Student Return to School after Illness, Exposure or Travel procedure, which is included in the Family Handbook’s Return to Campus COVID-19 Protocols section. You may also reference the federal government travel advice for those travelling with unvaccinated children.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Monday, November 1

• Diwali Prayers

Thursday, November 11 – Monday, November 15

• Midterm break: no classes

Monday, November 29 – Thursday, December 2

• Junior School Book Fair

Friday, December 3

• PD Day
  • No classes for students
  • JS Faculty and Staff participating in Professional Development

Thursday, December 9

• Report Cards available for online viewing

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

• Last day of term

Thursday, December 16. 2021 – Monday, January 3, 2022

• Christmas Break

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

• Classes Resume

Dear Junior School Parents,

Thank you Thank you so much for attending JS Parent-Teacher Conferences this week.

These important conversations provide an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, to see the areas in which she is thriving, and to discuss targeted plans for continued growth. Moreover, they allow us to further strengthen the relationship between home and school.  It is important to remember, however, that while the conferences provide an overview of your child’s academic and social-emotional development, ongoing feedback throughout the year is paramount.  Should you ever have questions or concerns, we invite you to contact us and be assured that we will do the same.

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• Launch of Take-Home PCR Saliva Test Kit Program 
• Student Photos – Ready for Ordering
• Terry Fox Video 
• Feedback: PT Conference 
• Swimming Lessons Available at Havergal with Franks Swim School
• Hallowe’en
• Chartwell’s Ordering Form
• Reminder About Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill
• Diwali Prayers – Last Call for Submissions
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

Launch of Take-Home PCR Saliva Test Kit Program 

• This week we have launched our Take Home PCR Saliva Test Kit Program, in partnership with Sick Kids Hospital. These kits are available to any students, or household members who have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, have a risk/close contact identified by TPH or who are part of an identified cohort or outbreak. 
• Please contact the Junior School nurse at ext. 6516 or covid@havergal.on.ca if you would like to pick up or drop off a kit. Kits are to be dropped off to a Health Centre nurse at the Junior School Main Entrance and then the sample is sent by courier to Sick Kids for testing. 
• Please see this document for details on the program: Take Home COVID-19 PCR Saliva Testing Program. The Take Home PCR Saliva Testing Program is only for individuals who are symptomatic, ill or have an identified COVID-19 risk. It is different from the Rapid Antigen Testing Program completed at home on Mondays and Thursdays, which is only to be used by well, asymptomatic individuals. For further information on testing types see this helpful TPH Resource on Testing Types for School Students. 

Student Photos – Ready for Ordering

• We are pleased to share that student photos are now available for families to review and order, via the following link: Echo Photography  
• The password required is your child’s student identification number.
• If you need help with identifying this number, please visit the Veracross portal and view your child’s profile carefully. Should you require further assistance please email: jsoffice@havergal.on.ca 

Terry Fox Video 

• Please take time to enjoy a video commemorating our Terry Fox Run on Thursday, October 7 put together by Ms. Bartlett and Mr. MacLean.

Feedback: PT Conference

• We were so pleased to have had the opportunity for our teachers to connect with you. With the ongoing goal of continual improvement, we would appreciate your feedback. Should you have anything you would like to share, we invite you to complete this Google form before Friday, October 29. 

Swimming Lessons Available at Havergal with Frank’s Swim School

• Frank’s Swim School will now be running the swimming lessons at Havergal. For more information, you can  go to:  Frank’s Swim School. Please direct inquiries to:  info@franksswimschool.com or call 416-636-5023.

Hallowe’en

• Halloween is just over a week away, and we hope our students have a “spook-tac-lar” time on the 31st! 
• Students are invited to come to school dressed in their costumes on Friday, October 29. A couple of reminders:
  • Costumes, face paint welcome
  • COVID masks only, no costume masks, please
  • No toy weapons
• Students will be participating in a variety of fun-filled activities throughout the day. Each class will have the opportunity to participate in a “Door Decorating Contest” throughout the week. They are encouraged to bring materials from home. 
• Here are some Tips & Tricks for Halloween Bedtime Success for some of our younger students! 

REMINDERS

Chartwell’s Ordering Form

• This week’s Chartwell’s Order Form is due on Wednesday, October 25 by 12 noon for the week of November 1. 
• Please note that Chartwell’s has included several simpler menu items starting the week of November 1 for families to choose from. 

Reminder About Travel Outside of Canada and What to do if your Child is Ill

• With the November Mid-Term break  and the Winter Holidays coming up, we would like to remind families about the requirements around returning to school if you are travelling outside the country. If you and your unvaccinated child are travelling internationally, it is important to underscore that your child is unable to attend school for 14 days after their arrival back in Canada. Please note, there is no access to remote learning during this time; however, students have the option to follow along with instructions and class notes on Seesaw (JK – 3) or Google Classroom (Gr. 4 – 6) if they are not at school. If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• For additional guidance, please review our Student Return to School after Illness, Exposure or Travel procedure, which is included in the Family Handbook’s Return to Campus COVID-19 Protocols section. You may also reference the federal government travel advice for those travelling with unvaccinated children.

Diwali Prayers – Last Call for Submissions

• The Junior School will be celebrating Diwali on Monday, November 1 during Prayers. If your family celebrates Diwali, we would love to have some photos to include of your family to include for our walk-in video. Please submit these to Stephanie Iannarella (siannarella@havergal.on.ca) by Monday, October 25, so that they can be included.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Friday, October 29

• JS Halloween Celebration 

Monday, November 1

• Diwali Prayers

Thursday, November 11 – Monday, November 15

• Midterm break: no classes

Monday, November 29 – Thursday, December 2

• Junior School Book Fair

Friday, December 3

• PD Day
  • No classes for students
  • JS Faculty and Staff participating in Professional Development

Dear Junior School Parents,

It was a pleasure to welcome Tomisin, our Junior School Prefect to Prayers, alongside some of our House Leaders in Grades 10 – 12 to prayers this morning. They, along with Ms. Charlton shared the purpose of House, the history behind it as well as some fun facts.For example, did you know that each of the ten houses is named after women who have made outstanding contributions to the life of the school. Some have been Principals of the school, some have been much loved staff members and others have influenced the growth of the school. 

They finished by inviting all students in JK to 6 to show their House spirit on Wednesday, October 20th, which is our first House Colour Day. 

Please note that this week’s Junior School Blog contains information on the following:

• COVID-19 Protocol Updates: Rapid Antigen Screening and Take Home PCR Saliva Kits
• Outdoor Play – Dressing for the Weather
• Reminder about Travel Outside of Canada and What to Do If Your Child is Ill
• JS Parent Teacher Conferences
• Diwali Prayers – Last Call for Submissions
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

COVID-19 Protocol updates: Rapid Antigen Screening and Take Home PCR Saliva Kits

• Thank you to everyone in the Rapid Antigen Testing program who has registered and begun to log their child’s test results in Thrive Health. If you have still not received an invite to register for Thrive Health please reach out to covid@havergal.on.ca. 
• As a reminder, the Rapid Antigen Testing Program is a screening program that is to be used twice weekly (Mondays and Thursdays) for asymptomatic students, you are encouraged to complete testing for your child even on PD days or holiday weekends. If a student has symptoms associated with COVID-19  or a known COVID-19 exposure, they must have PCR testing done at an assessment centre, or with a take home PCR Saliva Kit. Beginning next week, we will have PCR Saliva Kits available from Sick Kids Hospital for symptomatic students, if needed. Please get in contact with our Junior School Nurse at ext. 6516 or covid@havergal.on.ca for more information about take home kits. For further information on testing types see this helpful TPH Resource on Testing Types for School Students. 
• Lastly, thank you to everyone for completing daily screening for your child on SchoolPass and for following our COVID-19 protocols. As we want to decrease the risk of any illness transmission at school, please remember that any student who is sick, or has symptoms of illness, including those not listed in our SchoolPass question, should still stay home from school. It is only symptoms listed on SchoolPass screening that require PCR testing, however even if PCR testing is not required we still want all children who are unwell to remain home from school until the illness is improving for 24 hours. Please get in touch with our Junior School health centre at ext. 6516 or covid@havergal.on.ca if you have any questions about testing, isolation or returning to school. 

. 

Outdoor Play – Dressing for the Weather

• While we have been enjoying the unseasonably warm weather over the last several weeks, we are mindful that there are chillier days ahead. Please ensure that your child has all of the appropriate outdoor gear required, so that they can fully engage in outdoor play at recess. In particular, rain boots or other waterproof boots are recommended at this time of year.

REMINDERS

Reminder About Travel Outside of Canada 

• With the November Mid-Term break  and the Winter Holidays coming up, we would like to remind families about the requirements around returning to school if you are travelling outside the country. If you and your unvaccinated child are travelling internationally, it is important to underscore that your child is unable to attend school for 14 days after their arrival back in Canada. Please note, there is no access to remote learning during this time; however, students have the option to follow along with instructions and class notes on Seesaw (JK – 3) or Google Classroom (Gr. 4 – 6) if they are not at school. If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School. 
• For additional guidance, please review our Student Return to School after Illness, Exposure or Travel procedure, which is included in the Family Handbook’s Return to Campus COVID-19 Protocols section. You may also reference the federal government travel advice for those travelling with unvaccinated children.

Junior School Parent-Teacher Conferences  

When do they take place?

• Thursday October 21 from 10:00 am – 7:00 pm 
• Friday October 22 from 8:00 am – 3:00 pm 

Registration

• Opens: Wednesday, Oct. 13th at 6 pm. 
• Closes: Tuesday, Oct. 19th at 8pm.  

Will Parent-Teacher Conference be held at school, or on Zoom?

• All Parent-Teacher Interviews will be held over Zoom.
• ZOOM LINKS for October 2021 PT Interviews

How to sign up:

• In order to sign-up, please go to Pick-A-Time 
  • Please note that this link will only allow you to register when registration opens on Wednesday, October 13 @ 6pm..
  • A ‘Forgot Password’ link is available on the Pick-a-time website if needed.

Assistance:

• For assistance with Pick-a-time, contact our Service Desk at 416-483-3843 ext.6663 between the hours of 7:30am -5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
• PickAtime does not permit the scheduling of back-to-back appointments. However, if you are the parent of two or more students, with the same teacher (e.g., Specialist Teachers),please contact Mrs. Walker (cwalker@havergal.on.ca) by Friday, October 15 before noon and she will help you to book the appointments.

Diwali Prayers – Last Call for Submissions

• The Junior School will be celebrating Diwali on Monday, November 1 during Prayers. If your family celebrates Diwali, we would love to have some photos to include of your family to include for our walk-in video. Please submit these to Stephanie Iannarella (siannarella@havergal.on.ca) by Monday, October 25, so that they can be included.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Wednesday, October 20

• House Colours Day: students are invited to wear their House colours rather than their uniforms

Thursday, October 22 & Friday, October 22

• No classes due to PT Conferences

Friday, October 29

• Virtual Hallowe’en Assembly 
  • Costumes, face paint welcome
  • COVID masks only, no costume masks, please
  • No toy weapons

Monday, November 1

• Diwali Prayers

Thursday, November 11 – Monday, November 15

• Midterm break: no classes

Dear Junior School Parents,

Yesterday’s Harvest Festival was a wonderful way to lead into the Thanksgiving Long Weekend. This service is a long-standing tradition in the Junior School, which people  look forward to year after year. It provides us with the opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate all that we have to be grateful for before we head into the Thanksgiving weekend. Equally as important, it gives us a chance to pause, and to reflect. A huge thank you to our Grade 6 leaders for once again organizing this year’s food drive.  Our Junior School community’s collective generosity has provided an historic degree of support to the North York Harvest Food Bank this year by donating approximately 2720lbs of food – this is more than double our average annual contribution. Thank you to all of you who set aside time and resources to make this happen.

As part of our service, we talked about how while it certainly feels good to give, it is really important that we also understand what happens to the donations once they leave Havergal. We were so pleased to welcome Mr. Harry Chiu, the Director of the North York Harvest Food Bank, to our service. He shared with us about work that they do, the people that they support, the impact of the pandemic on  and why these donations matter. 

To learn more about the North York Harvest Food Bank please visit their website.

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• Terry Fox Run
• Rapid Antigen Testing Program
• Diwali Prayers
• Finding Special Schedules
• Wellness Check and School Pass
• Reminder About Travel Outside of Canada
• Junior School Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

UPDATES

Terry Fox Run

• We would like to extend a big “congratulations” to our community for putting forth a terrific effort, align with flexibility, to make the Terry Fox Run a success this week
• As of this point, Havergal’s Junior School has raised $3500 for the Terry Fox Foundation – see the results here
  • Fun Fact: 
    • In order to prepare for the Terry Fox run, the Phys-Ed Department set up a kilometre challenge. 
    • Every grade in the junior school ran for 10 – 20 minutes and they collected popsicle sticks along the way. 
    • Each student represented their house and their results can be found on this website. Congratulations to all of the students for participating!. 

Rapid Antigen Testing Program

• Thank you to everyone for your patience with the Rapid Antigen Testing Program roll-out. Most parents have now successfully registered for the Thrive Health app and many have begun to log results for their child. If you have not yet received an invite to set up your account please send an email to covid@havergal.on.ca. You must set up your Thrive Health account from the email invite, using the email address that the invite was sent to. 
• For further assistance with account creation see the Thrive Account Setup Instructions. If you require any changes to your account or have difficulty setting up your account please contact support@thrive.health for further assistance. Please commence testing next week, logging your results on Mondays and Thursdays. Please isolate your child, arrange for PCR testing and notify covid@havergal.on.ca if there is ever a positive Rapid Antigen Screening result. 
• See our Rapid Antigen Screening Guidance document here for any further questions.  

Diwali Prayers – Call for Submissions

• The Junior School will be celebrating Diwali on Monday, November 1 during Prayers. If your family celebrates Diwali, we would love to have some photos to include of your family to include for our walk-in video. Please submit these to Stephanie Iannarella (siannarella@havergal.on.ca) by Monday, October 25, so that they can be included.

Finding Special Schedules

• As of Tuesday, October 12, all swimming lessons and before/after school co-curricular schedules will be reflected on “My Calendar” on your Veracross portal.

REMINDERS

Wellness Checks on SchoolPass

• Parents are asked to ensure they complete the wellness check for their children for each school day. This needs to be done even if a child is not able to attend school on a particular date.

Reminder About Travel Outside of Canada

• With the November Mid-Term break coming up, we would like to remind families about the requirements around returning to school if you are travelling outside the country. If you and your unvaccinated child are travelling internationally, it is important to underscore that your child is unable to attend school for 14 days after their arrival back in Canada. Please note, there is no access to synchronous remote  learning; however, students have the option to follow along with instructions and class notes on Seesaw or Google Classroom if they are not at school. If you have any specific requests, please contact the Head of the Junior School.
• For additional guidance, please review our Student Return to School after Illness, Exposure or Travel procedure, which is included in the Family Handbook’s Return to Campus COVID-19 Protocols section. You may also reference the federal government travel advice for those travelling with unvaccinated children.

Junior School Parent-Teacher Conferences 

When do they take place?

• Thursday October 21 from 10:00 am – 7:00 pm 
• Friday October 22 from 8:00 am – 3:00 pm 

Registration

• Opens: Wednesday, Oct. 13th at 6 pm. 
• Closes: Tuesday, Oct. 19th at 8pm.  

Will Parent-Teacher Conference be held at school, or on Zoom?

• All Parent-Teacher Interviews will be held over Zoom.
• ZOOM LINKS for October 2021 PT Interviews

How to sign up:

• In order to sign-up, please go to Pick-A-Time 
  • Please note that this link will only allow you to register when registration opens on Wednesday, Oct. 13th at 6pm..) 
  • A ‘Forgot Password’ link is available on the Pick-a-time website if needed.

Assistance:

• For assistance with Pick-a-time, contact our Service Desk at 416-483-3843 ext.6663 between the hours of 7:30am -5:00pm, Monday to Friday.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Monday, October 11

• Thanksgiving Monday – No classes

Thursday, October 22 & Friday, October 22

• No classes due to PT Conferences

Friday, October 29

• Virtual Hallowe’en Assembly 
  • Costumes, face paint welcome
  • COVID masks only, no costume masks, please
  • No toy weapons

Thursday, November 11 – Monday, November 15

• Midterm break: no classes

Dear Junior School Parents,

This week Havergal observed Truth and Reconciliation Week. Occurring from Monday, September 27 to Friday, October 1, this is a time for Canadians to learn more about residential schools, their impact on Indigenous peoples today, and how to participate in meaningful reconciliation. Students in the Junior School started the week with a Prayers where we learned about residential schools, as well as the story behind Orange Shirt Day. 

We were honoured to have Ms. Kathleen Padulo join us as a guest speaker. A member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames, and from the wolf Clan, she is  the Environment Director at the Chiefs of Ontario, and  has focused her education on Indigenous and Environmental Studies and works with First Nation communities. Ms. Padulo lives in Toronto with her husband and two children, one of whom is a student in the Upper School.

Ms. Padulo shared her family’s story with us, as well as helping us to further understand what the terms truth and reconciliation mean. Students were then invited to reflect upon the phrase “Every Child Matters.” Each child was provided with an outline of a shirt, where they expressed their thoughts on what it looks, sounds, and feels like to matter. In addition, students engaged in numerous conversations and reflective activities in their classrooms throughout the week. 

To learn more, please visit National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: NCTR or watch this short video from CBC Kids News What is reconciliation? 

This week’s blog contains information on the following:

• Rapid Antigen Testing in the JS
• Parent-Teacher Conferences Information
• A Message From the Library
• Photo Retakes – Friday, November 5
• Havergal’s Policy on Returning after Illness, Exposure or Travel
• Use SchoolPass to Manage Early Dismissals and Late Arrivals
• Independent Dismissal
• Arts Co-Curriculars Before and After School – Schedule
• Lunch Services New Order Form
• Harvest Festival and Terry Fox Run Information – Thursday, October 7
• Food Donations for the North York Harvest Food Bank
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

Latest News

Rapid Antigen Testing in the JS – Commences on Tuesday, October 5

• As you are aware, Havergal recently instituted a vaccination policy and we are quickly approaching a vaccination rate of 100% for employees. Building upon this important layer of protection, we are rolling out a Rapid Antigen Screening program as another valuable tool to help keep our community members safe, particularly those in the Junior School who are most vulnerable to COVID-19. 
• Rapid Antigen Screening is an effective way to detect infection before the onset of symptoms. As a result, it can help us avoid bringing asymptomatic, yet infectious individuals, on-campus and aid in preventing the virus from being introduced into the school setting. 
• Due to government changes, Havergal has independently opted to proceed with Rapid Antigen Screening as a pilot for the next three months, as we believe this added health and safety measure is an important step in safeguarding our youngest learners. These at-home tests are lower-nasal swabs, which are more comfortable for children, and are easily administered at home. 
• To learn more about this program, please visit: JS Rapid Antigen Testing Information

Parent/Teacher Conferences on October 21 & 22 

The first Junior School Parent/Teacher Conferences of the school year will take place virtually via Zoom on:

• Thursday October 21 from 10:00 am – 7:00 pm 
• Friday October 22 from 8:00am – 3:00pm 

The online conference booking system used by Havergal College is called pickAtime. 

Here is some useful information to help with booking your conference:

• JS pickAtime scheduler will open on  Wednesday, Oct. 13th at 6pm
• JS pickAtime scheduler will close on  Tuesday, Oct. 19th at 8pm
• Please contact the JSO 416-483-3843 ext. 6608 to coordinate any changes.
• PickAtime does not permit the scheduling of back-to-back appointments. 
• Learning Support team members will join homeroom teachers for as many of these interviews as possible.

For more information about how to use Pick-A-Time and Zoom, please use this Information Document.

A Message from the Library

Over the past few weeks, Erica Rodd has been thrilled to be able to welcome students back into the library to borrow books. She would like to share a few reminders:

• There are no due dates, but she asks that books be returned before we break in December
• Students may have up to 10 books at home: please help your child keep track of her library books and return them as needed.
• If you have library books from last year (or earlier) please return them as soon as possible 

If you have any questions please feel free to email her at erodd@havergal.on.ca

She looks forward to a book-filled year ahead!

Photo Retakes

• Our photographer will be back on campus on Friday, November 5 to retake photos; if your child was away on their original photo day (please refer to the Veracross calendar to verify dates), or if the original image is problematic, please plan for your child to wear Number One Dress that day and email your child’s homeroom teacher so they can be added to the list
• Proofs will be forwarded to families ahead of that date.

REMINDERS

Havergal’s Policy on Students Returning to School after Illness, Exposure, or Travel

• Here is a link to the procedure that outlines Student Return to School after illness, exposure or travel. Embedded in it is the link upon which this advice was designed, stating that students cannot return to school during the 14 day period.  Government of Canada Unvaccinated Children Travel Advice. 
• Please note that there is no access to remote learning when a child is only away for a few days. Permission for access to remote learning must go through the Head of School, in the event of medical or religious accomodations. 

Use of School Pass to Manage Early Dismissals and Late Arrivals

• Parents are asked to log all early dismissals and late arrivals via the SchoolPass app: entries can be made up until 2 p.m. for the date in question.
• When entering an absence, early dismissal, or late arrival in the SchoolPass app, it is important to use the ‘Notes’ field to provide a reason. This information is critical for our school records.  
• If you need to have the person designated as “Parent 1” in your SchoolPass account changed, please email jsoffice@havergal.on.ca to make this request

Independent Dismissal

If you have a child in Grades 4 – 6 and would like them to be granted permission to leave the school independently at the end of the day, please email jsoffice@havergal.on.ca so that a green bag tag can be issued accordingly: it lets our teachers know who can leave on their own

Arts Co-curriculars Before and After School

These activities commence next week. Please feel free to verify the schedule here.

Lunch Services New Order Form

• We would like to remind everyone that lunches prepared by Chartwells can now be order via the link found HERE. Please note that the order form is best accessed using Google Chrome as your browser.

Harvest Festival and Terry Fox Run Information – Thursday, October 7

• Harvest Festival and the Terry Fox Run will both be held on Thursday, October 7
• The run will take place AFTER the Harvest Festival, as such, we would like to adjust expectations for student dress:  

• Only those performing in the Harvest Festival should wear Number One Dress to school on Thursday, October 7. 
• Everyone else can wear their regular uniform.
• Students will change into their gym uniforms before running but do not need to change back into their uniforms for the remainder of the day.. 

• Thank you for your generosity – Havergal’s Junior School has almost raised $1600 at this point. 
• Parents who are interested in making donations are asked to do so via the Havergal College Junior School Fundraising link.

Food Donations for the North York Harvest Food Bank

• We will once again be collecting perishable food donations which will go to the North York Harvest Food Bank. A huge thank you to our Grade 6 Leaders who have been working with Ms. Charlton to organize this important initiative.
• We have been advised that the following items are especially in need:
  • cooking oil
  • canned fish (i.e. tuna, salmon)
  • canned tomatoes (whole or diced)
  • dry pasta
  • canned vegetables
  • canned legumes (i.e. kidney/black beans)
  • baby formula
• Bins will be placed outside the Library to collect the donations. The last day for donations is Thursday, October 7.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Thursday, September 30 – Thursday, October 7

• Food drive in support of North York Food Bank

Thursday, October 7 

• Virtual Harvest Festival – 8:30 am 
  • Harvest Festival Zoom Link
    • Meeting ID: 848 4585 8848
    • Passcode: 003712
• Terry Fox Run

Friday, October 8

• No classes
• PD day for faculty and staff

Monday, October 11

• Thanksgiving Monday – No classes

Wednesday, October 13

• Pick-A-Time OPENS for Parents to sign up for Parent-Teacher Conferences (6:00 pm)

Tuesday, October 19

• Pick-A-Time CLOSES for Parents to sign up for Parent-Teacher Conferences (8:00 am)

Thursday, October 21

• Parent-Teacher Interviews All Day
• No classes for JS Students

Friday, October 22

• Parent-Teacher Interviews All Day
• No classes for JS Students

Dear Junior School Parents,

It’s hard to believe, but Wednesday, September 22 marked the first day of fall! The air has turned crisp, and the leaves are starting to turn, and it is lovely to see our students making use of the beautiful Havergal grounds at recess, in Phys Ed, and other parts of the day. As we finish the second full week of school, I am happy to report that our students are continuing to form meaningful relationships with their teachers and classmates, which is such an important foundation to a positive school environment. We are off to a great start!

A quick word of thanks to all of our Junior School Grade Reps who gathered together for the first time this year. As ambassadors of the school, we are appreciative of your positive and enthusiastic support, and your commitment to understanding school routines, protocols and events. Please note that Grade Rep meetings are open to all JS families, and you are welcome to join us at the next meeting on October 20.

This blog contains information on the subjects below. Please note that you can click on these links to take you directly to the section you wish to see, rather than having to scroll down.

• Truth and Reconciliation Week and Orange Shirt Day
• Dashboard Signs for Pick-Up
• Harvest Festival and Terry Fox Run
• Use SchoolPass to Manage Early Dismissals and Late Arrivals
• JS Food Services
• Gator Care Pick-Up Routine
• Before/After School Co-curriculars
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate

Latest News

Truth and Reconciliation Week and Orange Shirt Day

• Students from JK to Grade 12 will be acknowledging Truth and Reconciliation week from Monday, September 27 – Friday, October 1. 
• Orange Shirt Day falls within this week, and will be observed on Thursday, September 30. This is a day when we come together as a community in the spirit of reconciliation and hope because every child matters.  In preparation for this, prayers on Monday will focus on the story of how Orange Shirt Day came to be, and reflecting on what it looks, sounds and feels like to matter.  As part of this, we are pleased to welcome Havergal parent Kathleen Padulo to prayers on Monday as a guest speaker. Ms. Padulo will share how she honours Orange Shirt Day, as well as how she connects with her Indigenous culture.
• Thursday, September 30th is a non-uniform day. All students are invited to wear an orange shirt with grub clothing.

Dashboard Signs

• Earlier this week, we issued dashboard signs to the households of our Grade 1 – 6 students as well as “authorized pick-up” cards (wallet-sized”) to the households of our kindergarten students. 
• This streamlined means of affirming that we can, indeed, release your children to specific adults. The orange cards include the crucial “carpool” number associated with your children. 

Thursday, October 7: Harvest Festival and Terry Fox Run

Harvest Festival and Non- Perishable Food Donations (8:30 am – 9:00 am)

• Harvest Festival is a much beloved service that takes place in the Junior School before the Thanksgiving Weekend. It is an opportunity to give thanks as a community and to share our many blessings. 
• Students are to wear their Number One Dress for the service, and will then change into their Phys Ed Uniform for the afternoon when they participate in the Terry Fox Run.
• This year, we will once again be collecting non-perishable food items. All will be donated to the North York Harvest Food Bank, a long-standing Community Partner. We have connect with the organization, and they have indicated an urgent need for the for the following:
  • cooking oil
  • canned fish (i.e. tuna, salmon)
  • canned tomatoes (whole or diced)
  • dry pasta
  • canned vegetables
  • canned legumes (i.e. kidney/black beans)
  • baby formula
• Students will not be making baskets this year, as they have in the past, as this generated a huge amount of waste, and was not aligned with Havergal’s commitment to sustainability. Instead, boxes will be placed near the Learning Hub and Ms. Walker’s office: students are invited to drop off their donations as they arrive each morning. The Food Drive will start on Thursday, September 30 – Thursday, October 7
• Our Grade 6 Leaders will be sharing more information about this at our first house meeting next week.  
• Families are welcome to join us for the service. A link will be provided next week.

Terry Fox Run 

• We are thrilled to once again be participating in the Terry Fox Run this year!
• Cohorts will run at different times throughout the day in a manner consistent with our COVID protocols. 
• Parents who are interested in making donations are asked to do so via the Havergal College Junior School Fundraising link, at the Terry Fox Foundation’s website, rather than sending in cash donations; this site is a helpful resource for those not yet familiar with Terry Fox’s story.

REMINDERS

Use SchoolPass to Manage Early Dismissals and Late Arrivals

Parents are asked to log all early dismissals and late arrivals via the SchoolPass app: entries can be made up until 2 p.m. for the date in question

JS Food Services

• Lunch orders for the week of Monday, October 4 – Friday, October 8 must be placed by Wednesday, September 29, using the online Junior School Ordering Form
• Please use the same link every week, the menus within the link will update on a weekly basis. It is helpful to save the link as a favourite in your browser (Chrome is best).
• Ordering deadlines will be Wednesdays at 12 noon every week
• Please direct any questions to chartwellsfood@havergal.on.ca

Gator Care Pick-Up Routine

• For after-school care, we ask that families register their children by sending an email to gatorcare@havergal.on.ca and that they communicate their plans to their children.
• All students being picked up from Gator Care after 4 pm are to be collected by an adult from the Gator Care entrance as demarcated on this map. Siblings can pick up from Gator Care until 4 pm.

Before/After School Co-curriculars

• Please review the table which starts on Page 3 in this document to ensure you are clear when your child has before/after school activities
• For Arts activities, if your child is on a wait list for an Arts activity, Ms. Goodridge will be in touch should another child drop out and adequate space is made available.

DATES ON THE HORIZON

Thursday, September 30 – Thursday, October 7

• Food drive in support of the North York Food Bank

Thursday, September 30

• Orange Shirt Day 
  • This is a non-uniform day, and all students JK – 12 are invited to wear an orange shirt on this day.

Thursday, October 7 

• Virtual Harvest Festival – 8:30 am (link to come)
• Terry Fox Run

Friday, October 8

• No classes
• PD day for faculty and staff

Monday, October 11

• Thanksgiving Monday – No classes

Dear Junior School Parents,

We’ve done it! Today marks the end of our first week back at school! It has been such a pleasure to see our students back in the building, learning and playing together. We are excited for the year ahead and look forward to what is to come.

I would also like to say thank you all for your continued patience and support as we have launched both School Pass and our Food Services Program. Your feedback has been invaluable in our efforts to continually improve. As always, do not hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have.

This week’s blog contains information on topics below. Each of these have been included as anchor links, so that you can jump ahead to each section.

• Your Carpool Number – Dashboard Signs
• Lunch Services – Update 
• Rapid Antigen Screening- Update
• Athletics and Performing Arts Registration Information 
• People and Program Night Recordings and Feedback Form
• Terry Fox Run Information
• Reminder to wear #1 Dress on Fridays in the JS
• Gator Care Information
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

Kate. White

Your Carpool Number! – Dashboard Signs

• Starting next week, we will be issuing dashboard signs, much like the signs we used last year, so that parents can display their “carpool numbers” in order to make our routine more efficient.
• Until then, please have your “Carpool Number” ready on the SchoolPass app, so that your child’s teacher can be alerted to your arrival promptly
  • Here is a screenshot of where this can be located:

Lunch Services Update

Further to our message from Wednesday, September 15, we are pleased to announce that we have made some important changes to our ordering process for the Food Services program.

Effective immediately, the CaterTrax platform will be disabled and will no longer be in use. Any orders that were placed on CaterTrax for the coming weeks will be cancelled. Today we are launching a simpler, less time-consuming method of ordering. You will need to reorder using the new ordering form going forward. Our new order form is intuitive, easy to use, accessible on mobile and can be found HERE. Please note that the order form is best accessed using Google Chrome as your browser.

Your feedback this week has helped us to better shape our offering and process. Below are the key changes to the Food Services program:

• We are starting the program with a simplified menu of options. We will continue to revise our menus, keeping both seasonality and your feedback in mind. 
• Menu items are now offered at a fixed price: $6.50 per meal for JK to Grade 2 students; $8.50 per meal for Grades 3 to 6 students.
• Lunch consists of an entrée, drink and snack.
• Orders can be placed one week at a time on a single order form per child. You will receive an email confirmation once your order has been placed. 
• The deadline to order for next week (September 20 to 24) is Sunday, September 19 at noon.
• Ordering deadlines for subsequent weeks will be on Wednesdays at noon.
• For order cancellations, please use the email address at the bottom of the order form in the Contact Us section.

Thank you again for your patience this week. Your support is appreciated as we make the necessary adjustments to our process and system. We will share further updates with you as they arise, as we strive to continually improve our Food Services program at Havergal in collaboration with our partner, Chartwells.

• If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Chartwells, who would be happy to assist: chartwellsfood@havergal.on.ca

Rapid Antigen Screening

Due to government changes, Havergal needs to pause the rapid antigen screening pilot in the Junior School. We are hopeful that we will get more clarity in the coming week and that we can continue, as planned, with this added health and safety measure for our youngest learners.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work out the details of the pilot program.

Athletics and Performing Arts Registration Information 

• We are reintroducing before and after school athletics and arts co-curriculars: please review the options and how to register here.

People and Program Night Recordings and Feedback Form

• Thank you for your participation in People and Program Night. This is always such a wonderful opportunity for us to gather as a community, and learn about the year ahead. We really value your feedback, and would love the opportunity to hear from you about this night. Please use the  JS People and Program Night Parent Feedback form to share your thoughts with us!
• If you were not able to attend, please feel free to watch the Opening Webinar by a member of the SLT, as well as the recordings of the homeroom presentations, which can be found on your child’s class website.

Terry Fox Run – Thursday, October 7

This year, the Junior School will be conducting the Terry Fox Run on Thursday, October 7.  Cohorts will run at different times throughout the day in a manner consistent with our COVID protocols. Parents who are interested in making donations are asked to do so via the Havergal College Junior School Fundraising link, at the Terry Fox Foundation’s website, rather than sending in cash donations; this site is a helpful resource for those not yet familiar with Terry Fox’s story.

Number One Dress on Fridays

• We would like to remind families that students in Grades 1 – 6 should be wearing their Number One Dress uniform each Friday. This aligns with Friday Prayers.

Gator Care is Open! 

• Please note that entry to and exit from Gator Care is via the dining doors which face the ravine, as illustrated by this map; we have changed this arrangement for safety reasons
• Morning Gator Care 
  • No Charge
  • Registration required by 8 pm the evening before (gatorcare@havergal.on.ca)
  • Hours of operation: 7:30 am – 8:00 am
• Afternoon Gator Care
  • $15/hr; this will be charged to your Havergal account
  • Registration required by 9 am the day you would like your child to attend  (gatorcare@havergal.on.ca)
  • Open until 6:00pm
  • Children are to be picked up after 4:00 p.m.

Dates on the Horizon

Thursday, September 30

• Orange Shirt Day (All students JK – 12 are invited to wear an orange shirt on this day.
• To learn more about this day, or to order a shirt, visit: Orange Shirt Day

Thursday, October 7 

• Virtual Harvest Festival – 8:30 am (link to come)
• Terry Fox Run

Friday, October 8

• No classes
• PD day for faculty and staff

Monday, October 11

• Thanksgiving Monday – No classes