Upper School Update: Friday, October 9, 2020

On By Havergal Upper School

Dear Parent,

We are grateful for the time we have had together on campus so far this fall. It is another beautiful day and the air is filled with the sound of students enjoying being together.

Please take the time to read through this latest blog post.  It is filled with news, operational items of interest, and reminders.

Warmly,

Lindsay Norberg  (Associate Head & Head of Senior School) and JJ Patterson (Head of Middle School)

Latest News

Adjustments to the Semester 1 School Calendar

As we continue with a successful start to the school year we have identified a need for Professional Development time in order for faculty to continue to deliver a high quality program. As we move forward, we will continue to reflect and adjust the calendar as required. We thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate this unique school year.

Please note the following adjustments in the Upper School Calendar. 

  • Monday, November 2, 2020 
    • Teachers will be engaging in Professional Development 
    • Students (Grade 7-12) are not at school and will have an independent study day.
  • Wednesday, December 2, 2020
    • Teachers will be engaging in Professional Development
    • Students (JK – Grade 12) are not at school
    • Students in Grade 7-12 will have an independent study day.
  • Wednesday, December 16, 2020  
    • The Christmas Break will now begin on this date. 
    • The last day of classes before the break will be Tuesday, December 15
  • Thursday, January 28 & Friday, January 29, 2021
    • Teachers will be engaging in Professional Development on these days.
    • Semester 1 will end on Wednesday, January 27, 2021. 
    • Students (Grade 7-12) are not required on campus. They will not have any work as the Semester will be complete and this will be a good time for them to rest and re-energize before starting Semester 2 on Monday, February 1, 2021.  

Daily Screening Update

As you are aware, Toronto Public Health made changes to our daily screening this week. Thank you for attending to these screening questions carefully and completing this prior to your child’s arrival to campus. It is important to note that even if your child is absent, regardless of the reason for the absence, you must still complete the daily screening. Finally, once the screening is complete you are sent detailed instructions with next steps should any of the answers have been yes. 

Over the past four weeks, our families have supported the safety and health of our school remarkably well through our Veracross process. In consultation with our Return to Campus taskforce, we have determined that we will not be moving forward with Edusafe. Also, because of the success, and the routines families have developed around the screening process, we feel that to introduce a new procedure at this time is not in the best interest of the College. 

Toronto Public Health Suspends In-School Grade 7 Vaccination Program

The College has received word that the Toronto Public Health Grade 7 in-school vaccination clinics (Hep B, HPV, Menatcra) are suspended this year. Starting later in October, families can book an appointment to have their child vaccinated at a Toronto Public Health clinic. Click HERE for the bulletin from Toronto Public Health. 

Digital Academic Support for Grade 10-12 Students

  • It is with great excitement that Havergal is launching a pilot in Grade 10, 11 and 12 for digital academic support and skill building. Introducing “Paper”, a digital education support system. Click here for more information from Mr. Nichols about “Paper”.

Reminders

Parent Teacher Conferences

  • Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, October 15th. The sign-up closes on Tuesday, October 13th at noon. For additional details related to the sign-up process, please refer to the previous blog post dated October 5th.

Attendance

  • It is critical that you continue to email the DSO if your child’s attendance differs from the designated hours of the school day. Specifically, if your child is arriving later than 8:30 am (Grade 7-9) or 9:00 am (Grade 10-12), the DSO must be informed before the start of the day. The same is true if your child needs to be dismissed early. It is essential that our attendance records are accurate and we need your help in ensuring this.

Green & Gold

  • There are a number of uniform items that need to be picked up in the Green & Gold. Please remind your child to go at their designated grade time to pick up these items as soon as possible.

Operational Items

Upper School Awards Ceremony

  • The Upper School Academic, Character and Leadership Awards Ceremony will be held virtually on Friday, October 23 from 10:30-11:15 am. This ceremony celebrates awards from the 2019- 2020 school year as well as the entrance scholarships for the 2020-2021 school year. Families of students who are being presented with an award will receive an invitation by email to attend the virtual ceremony on Friday, October 16.

Grade 12 Parent University Information Evening

  • Grade 12 Parents are invited to a virtual university application information session on Thursday October 22 at 7pm. The session is led by Heather Johnstone, Head of Guidance, and Jennifer Mandala and will include key information about the university application process. Grade 12 parents will receive an invitation with a Zoom link from the Guidance department.

Middle School Update from the Math Department

Student Photos Available

Your child’s school photos are now ready to be viewed and are available for purchase. Go HERE to view your child’s photos at your convenience. (Your child’s student ID number, which can be found in Veracross, will be your password.)

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