Friday, November 1, 2024

On By Havergal Upper School

A Message from the Heads: Cissy Goodridge & Deirdre Timusk

Dear Parents,

What a vibrant week it has been at our school! We kicked off the festivities on Monday by celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights. Our Upper School students shared their experiences of Diwali with the school and were even joined by 14 Junior School students in a final dance to end our prayers. Afterwards, it was heartwarming to see all the parents and students together at our Diwali Reception held in the Ellen Knox library.

On Tuesday, we welcomed Dr. Belle Liang and Mr. Tim Klein from Boston College, who shared insights from their book, How To Navigate Life. They explored the distinction between performance and passion mindsets and encouraged our students to pursue, instead, a purpose mindset. Their advice of “meet interesting people, do interesting things, and be interested” resonated with many as did their research about its importance in overall wellbeing and academic success. For those who want to delve deeper, their work with students and parents are linked:

As the week drew to a close, we fully embraced the Halloween spirit with pumpkin carving, costume contests, door decorating, candy, and games—making it a Halloween to remember!

Thank you for being an integral part of our community. We look forward to more exciting experiences in the coming weeks!

Warm regards,

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

Photo Retake Day and Form Photos on Wednesday, November 6

Form photos will take place on Wednesday, November 6 during Form Time (before Period 1). Our photographer will remain in the Ellen Knox library from 10:30 am – 1 pm for any student who would like a retake. Number 1 Dress is required. Please have your daughter complete this Google form to set up her appointment.

Winter Athletics Tryout Registration is Open!

Please click HERE to register for Winter Athletics tryouts. This link will take you to the Parent Portal, which contains the registration link (look for the green box labelled “Winter Athletics”). The registration link will remain open until midnight on Tuesday, November 5. 

Please note the following:

  • Students may attend tryouts/practices only if permission has been given during this registration period via Veracross. 
  • Students may register to try out for TWO teams only (this does not include Coach Mentor, Yoga, or Rugby Training) – please consult with your child/children to confirm the two teams that they would like to try out for before you complete the online registration.
  • Winter Tryout Schedule: The tryout schedule is linked here and can be found on Veracross. The season schedule will be finalized on Wednesday, November 20. When you click on the link below, make sure you are looking at the second tab: “WINTER 2024 – 2025.” 
  • There is no confirmation email or email reminder about when and where tryouts take place. Families must look at the schedules and students attend their specific tryout. 
  • There is no fee associated with the tryout process. Team fees are applied after rosters are finalized. 

If you are having trouble with the registration process or have additional questions, please email Carla Di Filippo, Director of Athletics.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Form Photos

On Wednesday, November 6, the school photographer will be onsite to take Form Photos in the Ellen Knox Library during regular Form Time (8:40 – 9:10 am).  Number 1 Dress is required.

Peer Tutoring Offered

Peer Tutoring is an opportunity for anyone in Grades 7 – 9 to get paired with an older student here at Havergal for one-on-one tutoring sessions. Through Peer Tutoring, students can learn in a supportive environment, build connections, and thrive in the classroom.

For more information, please have your child reach out to their guidance counsellor, Camille Prince, Carrie Steele or Jordy Winograd.

In Morning Programming This Week

This week, students in Grade 7 and 8 will be guided through a lesson with their Form teacher under the umbrella of Friendship. The lesson for Grade 7 is titled Navigating Friendships, and the lesson for Grade 8 will help students reflect on how they might handle difficult conversations with friends.

SENIOR SCHOOL

Sneaker Design Workshop – November 14 & 15 (Grades 10 – 12)

On Thursday, November 14 & Friday, November 15 during Parent-Teacher Interviews, students in Grades 10 – 12 can sign up for the Sneaker Design Workshop at DesignWith, a Social Innovation Lab located in the Eaton Centre. This workshop is run through HC-X. 

Throughout this 2-day workshop, students  will: 

  • Craft their own personalized sneaker
  • Deepen their understanding of the circular economy’s role in footwear design
  • Explore eco-friendly materials & ethical production
  • Gain hands-on experience
  • Design strategies that reduce waste and extend product life
  • Learn sustainable alternatives like using recycled materials, designing for disassembly, and incorporating repairability.
  • Cost is approximately $400 per person
  • Workshop Timing:
    • 1:30 – 8:30 pm on Thursday, November 14
    • 9:30 am – 4:30 pm on Friday, November 15
  • Interested? Fill out this Google doc by Monday, November 4.

Please reach out to Allison Campbell-Rogers with any questions.

Global Experiences 2024-2025 – Opportunities Still Open: Visit Beijing

There is still an opportunity to express your interest in Global Experiences for the two week Beijing Summer Camp, which takes place in late June 2025 just after exams. Please see the information video here. It is a language and cultural experience not to be missed!

University Visits

Individual University Reps will be visiting Havergal College on Tuesday, November 5 to speak to Grade 9 to 12 students during the lunch hour from 12:15 – 1 pm in the Ellen Knox library. This is a great opportunity to see what the universities offer.

  • University of New Brunswick
  • Huron University 
  • Carleton University

In Morning Programming This Week

This week students in Grade 9 will reveal their Community Agreements, which will be displayed in the Grade 9 hallway later this week. The OSSLT Practice session will take place for all Grade 10 students. Grade 11 students will take part in a Leading In Action session run by the Director of Student Leadership, Fiona Marshall. Finally, there will be a University Counselling session for our Grads.

HCPA

Ivy Market Details

Ivy Market is coming on Thursday, November 21!  Please click HERE to learn more and pre-order custom Havergal gifts from a curated list of vendors.

  • Pre-order Robyn’s cookie dough HERE.  
  • Please click HERE to volunteer for Ivy Market. 

The HCPA Holiday Marketplace is now online on our new shopify website!  

  • Click HERE to get your holiday shopping done early.  
  • Password: hcpa2024

REMINDERS

Rowing Parent Information Session: Monday, November 4

Is your child interested in rowing at Havergal? Please join us on Monday, November 4 from 7 – 8 pm via Zoom for an information session led by head coach, Micheal Greig. During the session you will learn everything there is to know about rowing, including information about coaching staff, practice commitments, regattas, Tennessee training camp, and the cost of the program.

Learning Skills Report Card Available: Tuesday, November 5

Your child’s Learning Skills Report Card will be available next week. Beginning Tuesday, November 5 at 4 pm, you can view the report card by logging into the Parent Portal and following the provided link. We hope this snapshot of progress so far provides helpful insights into learning skills and transition to the new school year. For complete instructions, please click here.

Grade 10 Parents – Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test: Tuesday, November 12

During morning Grade Time on Tuesday, November 5, Grade 10 students will attend a session guiding them through downloading and testing the software required by EQAO to write the OSSLT. During this session, students will also review the format of the test and have the opportunity to begin a full-length practice. 

The test itself is written on Tuesday, November 12. Attendance on both of these dates is critical for students to set themselves up for success in completing this graduation requirement.Contact the Director of Academic Operations, Jennifer Goldberg, with questions.

Parent-Teacher Conferences – Portal Now Open until Wednesday, November 13

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 is open now and will close on Wednesday, November 13 at noon.
  • After Pick-A-Time closes, the only way to book or change appointments is by emailing teachers directly; only they will be able to add to or change 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.

School Photos Available for Ordering

We’re delighted to announce that your daughter’s school pictures are now available online for viewing and ordering. To access your photos, visit Echo Photography. When prompted for a password, enter your student’s unique Person ID.  If you have any questions or special requests, please get in touch with Cameron Hubbs at cameron@echophotography.ca or by text at 905-3557.

Take Your Kid to Work Day

If your grade 9 student will miss classes on Wednesday, November 6 for this event, please let the Day School Office (DSO) know by excusing their absence. Thank you!

NEXT WEEK IN THE UPPER SCHOOL

Monday, November 4

  • Remembrance Day Prayers 
  • Rowing Virtual Information Session, 7 pm

Tuesday, November 5  

  • Learning Skills Report Cards Available on the Parent Portal, 4 pm
  • Winter Athletic Registration Closes, 12 am (midnight)

Wednesday, November 6 

  • Form Photos and Photo Retake Day 
  • Take Your Kid to Work Day (Grade 9)
  • Boarding School closes, 6 pm
  • Last Day of Classes

Thursday, November 7   

  • No Classes (November Break: November 7 – 11)
  • Professional Development for Faculty

Friday, November 8   

  • No Classes (November Break: November 7 – 11)

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