Latest News

Covid-19 Updates

Christmas Break

Havergal College will close on Tuesday, December 15 at 4 pm for the Christmas holidays and reopen on Monday, January 4 at 8 am for in-person learning. Havergal will continue to follow directions from the Ministry of Education and will make adjustments to our plans if required. Students who are required to quarantine are able to learn remotely on a temporary basis. Families should notify the DSO of the student’s absence and the student should let their teachers know to expect them on Zoom.

Havergal continues to support the public health requirements as directed by the Ontario Government to limit indoor public social gatherings to members of your household and outdoor gatherings to 10 people while maintaining physical distancing. Students who have not followed the requirements are asked to learn from home for 14 days.

Importance of Cleaning Electronics – Phones and Laptops

The College has been advised by TPH that students should be cleaning electronics and laptops upon arrival at school every day. After arriving at school in the morning, each student should use a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe, Clorox Disinfecting Wipe, or disinfectant spray on a paper towel (provided in each classroom), gently cleaning the hard, non-porous surfaces of the phone or laptop such as the display, keyboard or other exterior surfaces. See here for further information on how to clean your Apple products. 

3-Ply Masks

A three-layered mask is now recommended by the Public Health Agency of Canada to improve protection from COVID-19. 

With increased time indoors as the weather gets colder, we are updating the Havergal mask policy to align with the latest Public Health Agency of Canada recommendations. Please see specific directions for mask use linked here.

The Return to Campus Handbook has been updated to align with changes to health recommendations. The Daily Screening letter is provided here as well for your reference.

Daily Screening

Students must enter the building at their designated time in order to complete the daily screening. If a student is late for school they must enter through the Rotunda Doors and complete their screening with Security. Please remind your child if they are arriving late to school that they must be screened before entry.

Wellbeing from the Guidance Department

Upper School students meet once every four days as a grade with their guidance counsellor and Form Teacher/Cohort Advisor for delivery of the Guidance and Wellbeing curriculum. We have been speaking with students and gathering feedback about their experience thus far and they identify that the material is important and supports their academic success although we all struggle with the COVID restrictions and the need to deliver this program over Zoom at times. Students and parents are able to reference details about these sessions through the Guidance Veracross page, however, we wanted to provide you with an update to let you know what has been accomplished thus far and what is upcoming.

Grades 7 and 8

• Grade 7 and 8 Wellbeing sessions have focused on the development of executive functioning skills as they pertain to planning, organization and time management; discussing our College values with a focus on both self-respect and respect for others; and learning about resilience, stress and the brain, stress management techniques, mindfulness and growth mindset. 
• Most recently, we had a guest speaker from the Youth Wellness Network who spoke about the importance of building confidence, courage, and resilience in order to meet challenges and support our mental health. 
• Next, we will be addressing communication skills, empathy and compassion, course selection for the grade 8s, and revisiting executive functioning and learning skills with the grade 7s. 

Grade 9

• Grade 9 Wellbeing sessions have explored strategies to get to know new peers, building a weekly planner and breaking tasks into chunks and using music as a tool for stress-relief. Students are each contributing to a cohort playlist with a song they find particularly calming. 
• Most recently, we had a speaker from the Youth Wellness Network who spoke about the need to be our “authentic selves.” Students completed a guided meditation and learned other wellbeing strategies such as “noting the good.”
• In the coming weeks, we will be having a “Myth Busting” session on course selection and university admissions. As well, we will be doing an empathic listening activity in cohort groups (on the theme of Covid).

Grade 10

•  Grade 10 Wellbeing sessions have helped students reconnect as a grade after the extended school shut down. Time has been spent exploring the concept of resiliency and how positive social connections, expressing gratitude, and practicing mindfulness can enhance one’s levels of resilience during challenging times.
• Moving forward into December, students will participate in a “Myth Busting” session to clarify questions that they have about university planning, summer school options and planning future pathways.

Grade 11

• Grade 11 Wellbeing sessions began with the review strategies and techniques for managing the increased workload of senior level courses and adjusting to the new pace of the semester system. 
• Moving forward our meetings will continue to review best practices for maintaining mental health throughout the school year. We will  introduce concepts, resources  and information designed to help the students begin to think about their post secondary options. We will be looking at university vocabulary – What is a bachelor’s degree? What is a major/minor? How do I navigate a university website? We will also take a look at the most common misconceptions that surround university admissions policies and practices.

Grade 12

• Grade 12  Wellbeing sessions have been focussed on organizing grads for their university applications. Topics have included how to match interests with programs, how to research admission requirements and averages, what programs are out there, scholarships, application deadlines, special workshops on the UBC application process.
• For the remainder of November and December, workshop topics will include the Queen’s Supplemental Applications for Engineering and Commerce, University of Toronto supplemental information, and The Ivey School of Business application. In January we will shift our focus to transition skills, managing stress, tips on maintaining physical and mental health and how to compare options of university programs.

New Circles Holiday Angels Initiative

Havergal College is extending it’s Community Partnership with New Circles by participating in the Holiday Angels Program, an anonymous gift giving program. New Circles is a not-for-profit agency that builds strong and caring communities by providing basic necessities, employment training, and settlement support to government-assisted refugees and to those living with lower-incomes. All services provided by New Circles operate to promote equity and dignity through their programming. 

The recipients of the Holiday Angels Program range from single individuals to households of up to ten people; many are newcomers to Canada and all are facing multiple challenges.

This year, to prioritize safety, we are asking our community to purchase gift cards for our New Circles families. New Circles will distribute gift cards to families that require extra support this holiday season.  There is no set limit for the gift card amounts, however, a tax receipt is available for all donations above $20 and with an original purchase receipt.

Suggested retailers:

Walmart

Best Buy/Source

Shoppers Drug Mart

President’s Choice

Toys R’ US

Gift cards can be dropped at each Grade Entrance until December 3rd and will be delivered to New Circles on December 4th.

Reminders

Grade 7 Students Applying for Reach Ahead Math

The first of two placement tests will take place during Form on Monday, November 23rd at 12:45 pm. This 40-minute test* is focused on each applicant’s ability to solve problems (in both familiar and unfamiliar contexts) by applying problem-solving strategies that they have already learned and practised in class. No additional studying or practice is required nor will any practice placement test or practice material be provided.

To maintain the comparability and integrity of the placement test, no other time or alternate version will be offered. This placement test is among several assessment criteria that will be examined by the selection committee, e.g., math contests, placement tests, in-class observations and in-class assessments, etc. The selection committee relies on multiple pieces of data so that an application could still be considered in the event that they are unable to complete all of the assessments. Nonetheless, it is recommended that all applicants try their best to complete all assessments to provide as complete a profile as possible.

*Students with learning needs defined within an Individual Education Plan (IEP) such as extra time will be provided with additional time.

School Photographs in Time for The Holidays

If you haven’t had a chance to order your child’s school portraits yet, and would like them for the holiday season, please order them as soon as possible as Canada Post deliveries are taking a little longer than usual. Use this LINK and know that your child’s student number is the password.

Latest News

Report Cards

The November Update Report Card will be available on Tuesday, November 17 through a link on your Parent Portal. The reports were intended to be available today but due to a technical error with Veracross they will not be available until November 17. Please see the linked information about how to access your child’s report and key points about the reporting cycle. Your child has access to their marks in all courses through the Gradebook program.

New Build

We are thrilled to announce that we have received occupancy of the Upper School new build. A number of Forms and Cohorts will be moving into the classrooms in the new build on Tuesday, November 17 when we return from the November Break.

Students whose cohorts are moving learned about the move from their Form Teachers/Cohort Advisors on Thursday, November 5 and they will be able to see their new Form/Cohort space on Monday and Tuesday November 9 & 10. 

Remembrance Day & Poppies – November 9th

On Monday, November 9th, we will be having our Remembrance Day Prayers and as per usual, we will be distributing poppies to all students during first period (Grade 7-9) and Flexblock (Grade 10-12). Students are not required to, but are invited to donate money to the Canadian Legion at the time of poppy distribution. Extra poppies are currently available in the rotunda.

Mental Health Awareness Week

We are looking forward to Mental Health Awareness Week (November 17-20). Ms. Parsons, the Upper School Social Worker has been working with the Prefects, Jack.org community partnership, and Guidance counselors to plan an engaging week for all Upper School students.

To kick the week off, students will receive a daily email with an article and linked resources that focus on different aspects of mental wellbeing. These articles explore topics such as sleep, stress, and anxiety, and will provide students with strategies and tools to help them cope and add to their Mental Health Toolkit. 

Students will be invited to take part in daily lunch time activities, organized by the Prefects. Highlights from the week: 

Wednesday, November 18

• Grades 7-9 will hear from (virtual) guest speaker Anastasia Virginillo from Youth Wellness Network who will address self awareness, how to build confidence from within and how to harness one’s internal strength. 
• Grades 10-12 will hear from (virtual) guest speaker Kaitlyn Axelrod from Sheena’s Place. Students will learn about body image and how it relates to mental health and our relationship with food. 

Thursday, November 19

• Grade 9-12 students are invited to join the first Periscope of the year on the importance of mental health. Periscope is a cafe-style forum that takes place after school, where students share their stories, experiences, and thoughts in front of a student audience.

Friday, November 20 

• In Prayers, students will listen in to a panel discussion exploring mental health through the lens of adolescents and mental health professionals. Joining us on this panel will be our Jack.org student lead Ella Lee, our school captain Emma McCurdy-Franks, Ms. Parsons School Social Worker and Adolescent Medicine Physician and Havergal Board member, Dr. Ian Chen. 
• Students, staff and faculty will also be invited to participate in a dress down day with the theme of “Comfy Clothes.”

Invitation to Join ‘Parenting In Place’ 8-Week Masterclass Series (beginning November 17, 2020):

We’ve received an invitation from one of our parent speakers, author of Middle School Matters, Phyllis Fagell, to join the Masterclass Parent Speaker Series that she is helping to organize and will be participating in. Please see below for the details and the link to join.

Are you burned out, concerned about your child’s well-being and wondering how your family will manage during the holiday and flu seasons? There’s a SPECIAL LIVE MASTERCLASS SERIES designed to help you this fall: Parenting in Place: Helping Families Thrive in Challenging Times, featuring 8 live, interactive, weekly masterclasses with parenting experts including Tina Payne Bryson, Mona Delahooke, Tiffany Dufu, Devorah Heitner, Rosetta Lee, Cornelius Minor, Laura Vanderkam, Katie Hurley, Phyllis Fagell and more. Registration for the entire series— including access to replays, a bundle of more than two dozen bonus downloadable resources from our speakers, and a closed moderated Facebook group for the event — is only $39 US. See the whole line up and register here:

Parenting in Place Masterclass

Operational Items

Winter Boots and Coats

Over the past number of weeks, we have been evaluating different approaches to the storage of students’ winter boots and coats. Unfortunately, due to the current state of Covid-19 spread in Toronto, we cannot use lockers as a storage space because it will lead to additional congregation and gathering in the hallways. Our plan for boot and coat storage is laid out for you below. Students have been informed of this plan by their Form Teacher/Cohort Advisor. As is always the case, it is critical that all boots and shoes be clearly labelled with the student’s name prior to bringing them to school. To aid in sharing this message with the students, some student leaders have created the following video.

Boots: 

• Boot mats will be laid out near the Grade-specific entry doors and labelled according to cohort. Each student will be required to remove their boots upon entry and walk to their assigned mat where they will neatly organize their boots and leave them there for the day. 
• Students may choose to leave their school shoes on the mat overnight. If they do this, they will pick up their shoes when depositing their boots and proceed to their first classroom of the day and put their shoes on there. 
• We do not want people gathering at the boot mats and we will encourage students to do a quick drop-off and pick-up.
• The process of removing boots at the door and leaving them on an assigned mat is not new to the students in the Upper School as it’s been common practice for many years. 

Coats: Without lockers, we are asking students to keep their coats with them for the day and simply put them on the back of their chairs.

Middle School Study Buddy Program

It is with great excitement that on Tuesday, Nov. 3rd, the Study Buddy co-heads and Grade 12 students, Tori McCarvell and Hannah Tahami, and a team of extremely talented Senior School peer mentors (from grades 10-12), launched the reimagined Study Buddies program for students in the Middle School. 

The Study Buddies program is an opportunity for students in the Middle School to access support from a Senior School student mentor across various subject areas. This year’s virtual approach offers a personalized, on demand, homework and study skills support program for your child. It does not replace the extra help provided by their own subject teachers, but offers peer academic support when they need it outside of school hours. Senior student peer mentors are available Monday – Thursday from 4:30 – 8:30 pm for drop-in sessions and by appointment at other times. 

The Middle School students were introduced to the Study Buddies program during their Wellbeing time on October 27th and have been given access to three separate links that allow them to reach out to a peer mentor/tutor of their choice in a specific subject area (posted on their Guidance page and sent to them via email).