Friday, October 18, 2024

On By Havergal Upper School

A Message from the Heads: Cissy Goodridge & Deirdre Timusk

Dear Parents,

The school is in full swing, with athletics and rehearsals well underway. As I write this, our music department is away on retreat, preparing for the upcoming festive season.

This past week, we were delighted to have you join us for High Holiday Prayers and the parent reception. Parent participation in school events is a wonderful way to connect with familiar faces and build new friendships within our community.

Looking ahead, there are several opportunities for parents to visit the school, and we hope you’ll join us whenever your schedule allows. In October, we will explore Islamic Heritage Month and Diwali through student presentations during Prayers. On Thursday, October 24, we’ll celebrate our students’ academic achievements at the awards ceremony, and on Tuesday, October 29, we invite you to attend the Parents as Partners Speaker Series, featuring Dr. Belle Liang and Tim Klein, who will share insights from their book How to Navigate Life.

Below you will see two dates of note. On Wednesday, October 30, the Parent Teacher Conferences booking system will open and this coming Thursday, October 24, we welcome our parents to our beloved Middle School Gator Games.

Whether you join us for Prayers, cheer from the sidelines at a game, or attend a concert, your presence means the world to our students. We look forward to seeing you soon and appreciate your continued support.

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

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held virtually on Thursday, November 14 at 3 – 8 pm and Friday, November 15 at 8 am – 4 pm. 

  • The Pick-A-Time booking system will open on Wednesday, October 30 at noon and will close on Wednesday, November 13 at noon.
  • After Pick-A-Time closes, the only way to book appointments is by emailing teachers directly; only they will be able to add to their schedules.
  • Please ensure your Zoom account is up-to-date.  See Zoom Instructions.

If you have questions or concerns about Parent-Teacher Conferences, please contact Jennifer Goldberg, Director of Academic Operations.

Parent Speaker Series: Tuesday, October 29

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 by 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. 

Generative AI Update

Havergal’s Generative AI Framework is moving to Version 1.1. We are introducing FlintK12 to our Grade 7 – 12 students. This will be a 2-year pilot program designed to explore AI-powered learning in a secure environment. This initiative will provide students access to Generative AI tools that support their learning while ensuring data security and privacy.

What Makes FlintK12 Different?

FlintK12 operates entirely within our school’s network. No data generated by students or teachers is used to train the AI model, nor does any data go beyond the school’s secure environment. We are confident this approach prioritizes both safety and effectiveness in learning.

The platform offers two main functions:

  • Flint AI Chatbot: A chat-based GPT-4-mini agent to assist students in real-time learning tasks. This tool is designed to offer educational support tailored to the specific needs of each student.
  • Teacher-built Activities: Teachers can create customized activities aligning support with classroom instruction and enhancing individual learning experiences.

Havergal’s AI Learning Team, composed of educators across grade levels, will be working together to design, test, and refine the use of these tools. This collaborative effort helps ensure that the platform will evolve to meet the needs of our students. HC-X Leadership is also working closely with other schools, allowing us to build on the collective experience and ensure best practices.

Students will be oriented to the platform through a Prayers presentation and through Form and TA sessions. Faculty will be working with students in classes as well.If you have any questions or concerns about FlintK12, please don’t hesitate to contact Seonaid Davis or Garth Nichols.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Register for Middle School Gator Games

Registration: Middle School Gator Games 

Date: Thursday, October 24 at 5:30 – 7:30 pm 

* Registration will close on Tuesday, October 22 at 12 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 run by the Sports Prefects and Sports Council and promises to be an entertaining afternoon of friendly competition and laughter!

If you have any questions please email Carla Di Filippo.

Round Square Regional Conference: Milton Abbey, UK

We are excited to announce that applications are open for our Round Square Regional Conference to Hilton Abbey in May.

  • Milton Abbey School, United Kingdom
  • Monday, May 26, 2025 – Saturday, May 31, 2025
  • Suitable for ages 12 to 14
  • Cost: approximately $3500
  • Contact Mr. Adams or Ms. Kaba for more information 

You can learn more HERE, or speak with anyone in the Forum for Change. 

Applications are OPEN NOW.  Students must select the appropriate conference for 2024-2025.

* Applications will close on Friday, November 1.

We will have an information session on Tuesday, October 22 at 12:15 pm via Zoom.

  • Join Zoom Meeting HERE
  • Meeting ID: 846 6293 0505
  • Passcode: 397850

The meeting will be recorded and distributed in The Weekly.

SENIOR SCHOOL

Round Square Regional Conference: Buenos Aires, Argentina

We are excited to announce that applications are open for our Round Square Regional Conference to Michael Ham Memorial College

You can learn more HERE, or speak with anyone in the Forum for Change.

Applications are OPEN NOW. Students must select the appropriate conference for 2024-2025.

* Applications will close on Friday, November 1.

We will have an information session Tuesday, October 22 at 12:30 pm via Zoom.

  •  Join Zoom Meeting HERE
  • Meeting ID: 846 6293 0505
  • Passcode: 397850

 The meeting will be recorded and distributed in The Weekly.

University Visit: Monday, October 21

King’s College London will be visiting Havergal College on Monday, October 21 from 12:15 – 1 pm in Room B63.

In Grade Programming This Week

Students in grade 9-11 will be working in TA groups to learn more about themselves and their values. This is in preparation for our visit from Dr. Belle Liang and Mr. Tim Klein authors of How to Navigate Life. Our Grads have already done work on discovering and leaning into their values when working with others via the Core Strengths Program. They will continue to work through their Core Strengths this week.

HCPA

Ivy Market (Reminder)

Save the date for Ivy Market on Thursday, November 21.

Used Textbook Collection & Returns (Reminder)

Used Textbook Collection and Textbook Returns:  Monday, October 21 at 8 – 11:30 am in the Ellen Knox Library. More detailed instructions were sent out in the HCPA’s October News You Can Use.

REMINDERS

Half Day and Early Dismissal: Tuesday, October 29

We are thrilled that our teachers will have the opportunity to engage in professional development with Dr. Belle Liang & Tim Klein on Tuesday, October 29, prior to their presentation with our families. Students will be dismissed at 12:20 pm on this day. Blocks B and A will take place in the morning.  See Special Schedule.

Take Our Kids to Work Day

On Wednesday, November 6, it is Take Our Kids to Work Day for Grade 9 students.  Please use the Parent Portal if your child will not be at school that day.

NEXT WEEK IN THE UPPER SCHOOL

Monday, October 21

  • Islamic Heritage Prayers

Wednesday, October 23

  • Upper School Open House,  #1 Dress

Thursday, October 24

  • Awards Ceremony and Parents Reception: 8:40 am in the BRH
  • Middle School Gator Games: 5 pm in the Gym

Friday, October 25

  • MS RSGC Dance: 7 – 9pm, @RSGC

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