Friday, October 4, 2024

On By Havergal Upper School

A Message from the Heads: Cissy Goodridge & Deirdre Timusk

Dear Parents,

Thank you for your participation in Celebration Saturday and your support of our community partners! We’re excited to share a video that highlights the incredible work our students are doing alongside these partners: Community Partnerships at Celebration Saturday 2024.

This week, Havergal observed Truth and Reconciliation Week, starting with Orange Shirt Day on Monday, September 30. This important time encourages all Canadians to learn about the legacy of residential schools and their impact on Indigenous communities today. We were honored to collaborate with members of our Indigenous, First Nations, and Métis communities to deepen our understanding and commitment to meaningful reconciliation. We also celebrated Hispanic Heritage month in Prayers. Students celebrated the diversity of the Hispanic community, shared family traditions, highlighted significant contributions and raised awareness about the economic challenges faced by many communities in Latin America.

Each week our students amaze us with all of their accomplishments and this year, from time to time, we will highlight some of them in this publication. For example, last weekend we had five students compete at the Rotman School of Business. Congratulations to Angela, ShuYue, Megan, and Emily for making it to the top 5 at the Rotman School of Business Boardroom. Out of over 100 submissions, only 12 teams were selected to move forward, and our students impressed everyone in the final round with their presentation in front of a packed audience. Finally, for all those celebrating Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we wish you a Shana Tova and a meaningful Yom Kippur!

Cissy Goodridge, Head of Middle School

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School

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

UPPER SCHOOL (Gr. 7 – 12)

MIDDLE SCHOOL (Gr. 7 – 8)

SENIOR SCHOOL (Gr. 9 – 12)

HCPA

REMINDERS

NEXT WEEK IN THE UPPER SCHOOL

UPPER SCHOOL

Message of Support

As the school year progresses and its initial excitement ebbs and flows, the demands of classwork, co-curriculars and the pressure students place on themselves can feel daunting.

We also want to acknowledge that some students in our community may be carrying burdens beyond school. Family challenges, health and wellness concerns, local and world events, conflicts, and personal losses can weigh heavily upon them.

As a compassionate community built on trusted relationships, we want our students and their families to know that the following resources are available for support whenever needed. Havergal is invested in the growth, care and development of your children and we want to partner with you in times of need. Below please find a list of resources and contacts available:

Upper School:

Fostering Purpose in Our Kids

As part of our Parents as Partners Speaker Series,  on Tuesday, October 29, Havergal is delighted to welcome the authors of How to Navigate Life : Dr. Belle Liang & Tim Klein. Their research and talk will focus on helping our kids find purpose and its vital connection to their wellbeing, and ours. The talk will be from 7 – 8:30 pm in the Legacy Theatre and will have relevant takeaways for parents of students of all ages (Grades JK – 12). Registration for the event can be found here. 

Our guest speakers will also be working with our students from Grades 7 – 12 during the day and running professional development with our faculty. This commitment to fostering purpose in students at Havergal and embedding its principles in our programming is a part of a year-long partnership with Liang and Klein. We welcome your partnership on this key next step in our commitment to wellbeing.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MS GATOR GAMES

The Gator Games will take place on Thursday, October 24 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. This event is a great opportunity to play some low organizational games with your child and meet other families in the Middle School. After a brief warm-up and two fun games sessions, there will be some finger foods and drinks to enjoy with all participants. The event is organized by the Sports Prefects and Sports Council and promises to be an entertaining afternoon of friendly competition and laughter! The registration link will be in the next issue of The Weekly.

SENIOR SCHOOL

Sanctioned School Socials

Grade 9 and 10 parents may have heard of the “HC 9/10 Semi” at the Lux on Friday , October 18. This is not a sanctioned Havergal event with faculty supervision. For a list of supervised events for the Senior School (SS), please refer to this link. While we will do our best to keep you informed about unsanctioned events, we cannot guarantee awareness of all occurrences. If you’re unsure whether an event will have adult supervision from a recognized school, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for clarification. This list is a live document that may be updated over the course of the year as schools add events to their calendars.

Advanced Placement Program at Havergal

If you are interested in Havergal’s Advanced Placement program but were unable to attend the informational webinar last week, we invite you to view this recording. All students in Grades 11 and 12 have also been emailed this information along with directions on the next steps for those interested in Advanced Placement Exams. If you or your daughter have questions, please contact Jennifer Goldberg, Director of Academic Operations and HC’s Advanced Program Coordinator at jgoldberg@havergal.on.ca.

Duke, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Brown, and Dartmouth University Fair

On Monday, October 7, these universities will be having a fair in the Brenda Robson Hall from 7 – 8:30 pm. Limited spaces are available. Please register here.

University Visits

Individual University representatives will be visiting Havergal College to speak to the students during lunch and after school. This is a great opportunity to see what the universities offer.

University of Southern California (USC)
Date: Monday, October 7 
Time: 3:30 – 4:15 pm
Location: B16

Mini University Fair (St. Francis Xavier University, King’s University College, Bishop’s University, and Wake Forest University) 
Date: Tuesday, October 8
Time: 12:15 – 1:00 pm
Location: Ellen Knox Library

Global Learning Leading Diploma (GLLD)

The Forum for Change is now accepting applications for the GLLD program. Students in Grade 10 and 11 who see themselves as emerging global leaders can apply. The application deadline is Tuesday, October 15 at 5:00 pm. More information can be found here. Please contact Fatima Kaba at fkaba@havergal.on.ca if you have any further questions.

HCPA

Used Textbook Collections

Used Textbook Collections and Returns start on Monday, October 21 between 7:30 – 11:30 am in the Ellen Knox Library. More detailed instructions were sent out in the HCPA’s News You Can Use.

HCPA Coffee Mornings

Don’t forget to RSVP to this email for our last HCPA coffee morning, to be held on Wednesday, October 9  from 8 – 9:30 am in the Junior School Dining Hall. This is for the students in Grades 10 – 12. We hope you will be able to join us.

REMINDERS

Grade 7 Immunization Clinic on Friday, November 22

Consent forms are now due. The paper copies were sent home with your daughter. If you need to print a new form, please click here.

SS COSSOT Events – Action Required

Students who want to participate in any COSSOT social events this year are required to complete the registration form here. All parents are asked to complete the form, as this permits your child to participate in school dances, benchball, coffee houses, and other upcoming school events.

Tupperware, Everywhere!

Please pick up your Tupperware and other types of containers that were left behind from baking cookies for the Celebration Saturday event. There’s a table full of these items outside of B10. Please note: If there are still any left on the table by the end of Tuesday, October 8, they will be recycled.

NEXT WEEK IN THE UPPER SCHOOL

Monday, October 7       

  • Prayers 
  • University Fair in the Brenda Robson Hall at 7 pm

Wednesday, October 9      

  • Thanksgiving Prayers   

Friday, October 11        

  • No Classes

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