Friday, April 4, 2025

On By Havergal Upper School

A Message from the Heads: Cissy Goodridge & Deirdre Timusk

Dear Parents & Students,

It’s been a busy week in the Senior School! Our Grads had the opportunity to hear from alumnae Anna Wellner ’18, Tasha Bartel ’98, and Rey Zhang ’18, who generously shared insights into their career journeys.

Our Ramadan & Eid Prayers brought the community together in a meaningful moment of reflection, with wonderful participation from Junior School students with many parents in attendance.

Amidst it all, we celebrated Arts Week! Our student leaders hosted engaging lunchtime activities, and we were thrilled to welcome parents to our vibrant art salon and fashion show.

We’ll end the week on a high note with Beatstock this evening—always a highlight—as our students take the stage to showcase their talents.

Wishing everyone a great weekend and those attending the Gator Gala a joyful and memorable evening!

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

Join Us for Senior School Spring Music Night: Thursday, April 10 at 7 – 8:30 pm

We invite you to Senior School Spring Music Night! Come celebrate our talented student musicians as they showcase their hard work and passion for music in an evening of outstanding performances. We look forward to seeing you there!

June Exam Schedule

Exams will take place at Havergal June 2 – 11 for Senior School students and June 9 – 11 for Middle School students: Please see the Full Exam Schedule for details.

  • If you are wondering, “How many exams might my child be writing in total over the exam period?”
    • Middle School students: 2 exams (Science and Math)
    • Grade 9 and 10 students: 4 exams 
    • Grade 11-12 students: variable depending on their elective course enrollment   
  • For more context, including suggestions for supporting students leading up to and during exams, here is an overview of Havergal’s purpose and process in approaching exams

Should you have questions about Havergal’s final exam planning or process, please don’t hesitate to contact the Director of Academic Operations, Jennifer Goldberg at jgoldberg@havergal.on.ca.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Save the Date for Celebrate Grade 8: Friday, June 6 at 2pm

Celebrate Grade 8 will be held on Friday, June 6 at 2 pm in the Brenda Robson Hall. Join us as we honour the time your children have spent in Middle School. More details will be made available in the coming weeks.

2025 – 2026 Grade 8 Global Exchange Applications

We have spots still available for our Middle School Grade 8 exchange for the 2025 – 2026 school year. We are inviting current Grade 7s to apply. This will be a second round of applications. Those already accepted into the program do not need to apply again. 

Interested applicants plus at least one parent/guardian must attend a Virtual Information Meeting.

Applications will be sent out to those in attendance. 

Important Dates:

  • Virtual Information Meeting: Wednesday, April 9 at 5:30 – 6:30 pm 
  • Applications Due: Tuesday, April 15
  • Interviews: April 16 – 18
  • Selections: Monday, April 28

Please contact Jenn Russell if you have any questions.

In Morning Program Next Week

Next week in Form Programming, students will revisit study skills and explore various strategies to help them prepare for their upcoming end-of-year assessments.

SENIOR SCHOOL

In Morning Programming Next Week

On Tuesday, April 8, Grade 9 students will hear from Kelly Beale, who leads Ontario’s Legal Support Program for Victims of Human Trafficking. Kelly’s talk will help students understand what human trafficking is, how it can happen in today’s digital world and social settings, and how to recognize potential warning signs. She will also share steps they can take if they, or a friend, ever feel at risk. 

Our Grade 10 students will be taking part in a session with our guidance team, and our Grade 11 student reps have designed activities for their classmates. Finally,  our Grads will be taking part in a session called “Ready, Set, Hire” with our HR team. Two courageous students have stepped forward to be interviewed by our HR team in front of their peers. This live demonstration will not only give them valuable feedback but will also serve as a learning opportunity for others to see effective interview strategies in action—and where there’s room for growth. It’s a brave and generous act that will benefit the whole group as we build confidence and skills for future interviews.

US and UK Information Night Slide Deck

On Tuesday, April 3, the Guidance Counsellors hosted a US and UK University Information Night. 

Here are the Slide Decks from the Session: 

Grade 11 University Application Workshop

On Monday, April 7 and Friday, April 11,  the Guidance Counsellors will be hosting a US and UK Application Workshop for Grade 11 students. This is a great opportunity for students applying to American and UK Universities. 

  • Monday, April 7:  US Application Workshop in Room B16 from 3:45 – 4:45 pm
  • Friday, April 11: UK Application Workshop in Room B16 from 8:20 – 9:20 am

HCPA

Bid Now! Gator Gala Silent Auction is Open

The Gator Gala is tomorrow! Whether you’re attending or not, the ‘not – so – silent’ Silent Auction is open to the entire school now. We’ve gathered incredible items, including exclusive tickets, behind-the-scenes tours, and more, thanks to generous donors.

BROWSE AND BID HERE!

HCPA Nominations 2025 – 2026: Due TODAY at 9 pm

HCPA nominations for the 2025 – 2026 school year are now open!  Please click HERE to submit your nomination. Forms are due today at 9 pm.

Pre-Loved Uniform Sale: Monday, April 28 at 2:30 – 5 pm

Pre-loved uniform sales will take place outside the Junior School Learning Hub at the end of this month. Mark your calendars!

Moms’ Night Out: Thursday, May 22

Mark your calendars for the HCPA’s Moms’ Night Out (MNO) at Taylors Landing on Thursday, May 22. Watch for the official invitation this month.

REMINDERS

Parent Speaker Invitation: A Conversation on Human Trafficking Awareness:  Tuesday, April 8 at 7 pm

On Tuesday, April 8, Grade 9 students will hear from Kelly Beale, who leads Ontario’s Legal Support Program for Victims of Human Trafficking. Kelly’s talk will help students understand what human trafficking is, how it can happen in today’s digital world and social settings, and how to recognize potential warning signs. She will also share steps they can take if they, or a friend, ever feel at risk. Our goal is to equip students with knowledge in a way that is empowering and age-appropriate.We also invite all parents to join us at 7 pm for a special session with Kelly. She will provide insights into how trafficking situations can develop—including online interactions and deceptive relationships—and offer strategies for fostering open, supportive conversations at home.

If you would like to attend, please complete this Registration Form.

ISM Parent Survey Is Now Open! Due Wednesday, April 16

On Wednesday you should have received an email from Independent School Management (ISM) with an invitation to complete our parent satisfaction survey. We are working with ISM to gain a better understanding of your experience with Havergal and would appreciate receiving your honest feedback. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete and is anonymous and confidential. The survey will close on Wednesday, April 16.

For more information, please review our Frequently Asked Questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

Join Us in Supporting Women in Sport! Saturday, April 19

Brenda Ha, a Havergal alumna, recently spoke to our students about her journey and the exciting launch of Toronto AFC, Toronto’s new professional women’s soccer club. She has generously offered our community discounted tickets to their Inaugural Match on April 19!

Check out the THIS PDF for ticket details.

All Parents – Register your Daughter for Founders’ Day: Tuesday, April 22

Please use this Registration Link to register your daughter for Founders’ Day. For full information and instructions for arrival and dismissal, please see The Weekly from March 28. This is a mandatory event for all Upper School students.

NEXT WEEK IN THE UPPER SCHOOL

Monday, April 7

  • Winter Athletic Assembly

Tuesday, April 8

  • Parent Speaker: A Conversation on Human Trafficking Awareness, 7 pm, EK Library

Wednesday, April 9

  • Middle School Exchange Parent Information Evening, 5:30 – 6:30 pm, Virtual Zoom Link HERE

Thursday, April 10

  • Senior School Music Night, 7 – 8:30 pm

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