Friday, January 9

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Welcome Back!

On January 5, we welcomed all faculty back to school for a full day of professional learning focused on strengthening how we work together and on designing learning environments that help students thrive. It was an energizing and highly engaging day.

The day began with the faculty revisiting the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI), a tool we have used with employees and our Grade 12 students. This work deepens self-awareness and strengthens relationships across divisions—an essential foundation for strong teaching and learning and our commitment to wellbeing.

A central focus of the day was rethinking perfectionism. Faculty explored the difference between healthy striving—where high expectations are balanced with flexibility, reflection, and care—and unhelpful perfectionism, which can limit learning and wellbeing. Teachers reflected on how adult beliefs and behaviours shape classroom culture, influence student confidence, and either encourage or inhibit risk-taking and resilience.

In the afternoon, faculty engaged in hands-on learning on classroom risk-taking. Through shared activities and discussion, teachers examined instructional choices that invite students to think deeply, make mistakes safely, and persist through challenge. This work reinforces our commitment to learning environments where curiosity, creativity, and growth are valued as much as outcomes, which we know lead to student success.

Across the day, faculty were united by a shared goal: excellence grounded in healthy striving, strong relationships, and a deep commitment to student wellbeing. This professional learning directly informs our teaching practice and supports our ongoing work to ensure every Havergal student feels confident, challenged, and supported as a learner.

We hope you and your family had a lovely December break together, and we look forward to continuing our partnership to support your child in 2026.

Lindsay Norberg, Lam Nguyen, Kate White & Krista Koekkoek

Academic Leadership Team

Next Week In The Upper School 

Upper School (7-12)

Middle School (7-8)

Senior School (9-12) 

Boarding School

HCPA

Reminders 

Next Week In The Upper School

Tuesday, Jan 13

  • Prayers: Gratitude

Wednesday, Jan 14

  • HCPA General Meeting, Junior School Dining Hall, 9 am

Thursday, Jan 15

  • Prayers: Boarding

Friday, Jan 16

  • MS Social, Sterling Hall, 7 pm

Upper School

Save the Date: Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held virtually on Thursday, January 29, from 3 – 8 pm and Friday, January 30, from 8 am – 4 pm.

The Pick-A-Time booking system for making conference appointments will open on Monday, January 19, at noon and will close on Wednesday, January 28, at noon.

Re-registration for 2026-27

Re-registration for the 2026-27 school year will open on Tuesday, January 27.  

Families will receive an email from the Board of Governors on that day with a link to reregistration, and can also access reregistration through the Parent Portal Landing Page. Re-registration, which includes both completing the online forms and submitting the deposit, is due on Monday, February 2, 2026.  We cannot guarantee a place for students who re-register after this date.  While we are certainly hoping to welcome all of our students back next year, we recognize that family situations change and relocations occur.  If you are aware that your daughter is not returning to Havergal, please let us know by emailing Maggie Houston-White as soon as possible so we can ensure we have a fulsome admission process at all necessary years.

Leading by Example: Morning Programming Attendance

Our morning programming (Prayers, Grade Programming, House Time and Form & TA group meetings) is a crucial time for building community, receiving vital school announcements, and developing social-emotional, EDIB and leadership skills. It is also a time when students receive crucial academic guidance from their counsellors. We truly need your parental support and partnership to ensure your daughter arrives on time and can fully benefit from this important start to her day. Consistent attendance at these community events demonstrates the foundational skills required for effective leadership. 

We also want to make you aware of an important guideline: If a student misses more than 20% of our morning program sessions (i.e., attends less than 80%), they will become ineligible to run for any leadership positions, including formal council roles and club leadership. This is because we believe that our morning programming sessions are:

  • The primary spaces for intentional community-building activities and addressing school-wide issues. As a leader, students must demonstrate their commitment to fully participating in the community they wish to lead, and the first step is simply showing up. 
  • A space for students to learn leadership skills such as running meetings, organizing events, and mentoring others.
  • A place for students to set an example, especially in terms of consistent attendance. We expect our leaders to model the behaviour that we want the rest of the student body to follow.

If you wish to discuss this further, please reach out to Deirdre Timusk (SS) or Cissy Goodridge (MS).

Middle School

Form Programming This Week

This week in Form programming, students will continue their service learning work with the purpose of fostering compassion, inquiry, and authentic civic participation. On Monday, they will explore the differences between charity and justice and reflect on the actions they currently take in each area. On Wednesday, they will deepen their learning by researching the types of community service they are interested in and identifying the skills they would like to contribute.

COSSOT Dances

Middle School students are invited to register their interest in attending upcoming COSSOT dances. Below you will find the events scheduled between January and March. We encourage you to add these dates to your calendars and discuss with your child which dances they may want to attend. For each event, students will receive a registration link to indicate their interest.

Sterling Hall: Friday, January 16

St Clement’s: Friday, February 20

Senior School

Havergal Semi-Formal: A Night in New York!

Grade 11 and 12 students are invited to join us for A Night in New York — an elegant evening filled with dancing, great food, and exciting games. Students are welcome to purchase an additional ticket to bring a guest from another school. We have also extended invitations to our COSSOT school community. Sign up is on the student portal on Veracross. 

Date: Friday, January 23, 2026
Time: 7:00 – 10:00 pm
Ticket Price: $35 

Notes:

  • If your child does not see the form, it’s because a parent/guardian still needs to register for the COSSOT Permission Form at the following link.

Once students have registered, Ms. Russell will share all event details directly with participants. Confirmation of student registration will also be sent to parents. If your plans change, you must notify Ms. Russell at least 72 hours before the event in order to be refunded.

Grade Programming This Week

This week in Grade Programming, we are beginning to plan for next year, and students will be guided by the Guidance Counselling team in making decisions about their courses. 

Grade 9 & 10: Course Counselling Begins 

Grade 11: Grade Rep Activities 

Grade 12: Career Spotlight

Boarding School

Prefects in Boarding

This month, we look forward to welcoming Prefects into boarding, where they will have the opportunity to experience the warmth, spirit, and connections that make the Boarding School such a special part of Havergal. Through this experience, Prefects will gain first-hand insight into the many benefits of boarding, including evening study time, engaging weekly programming, and living and learning alongside their peers.

Upcoming Programming & Events

  • Friday, January 9: On-Campus Activity: Lego Flower Making
  • Saturday, January 10: Skiing and Tubing at Snow Valley
  • Sunday, January 11: On-Campus Activity: Art
  • Wednesday, January 14: Advisory Group Meeting & Wellbeing Activity

HCPA

Gator Gala 2026: Save the Date

Saturday, March 28, 2026, all Upper School students and an adult guest are invited to join us for an evening of elegance, dining and dancing at HAVERGAL & CO. — more details coming soon!

Evening Parent Socials

Please save the date for the following evening’s parent socials:

Grade 8: Thursday, January 15, 7- 9pm (EK Library)
Grade 12: Thursday, February 19, 7.30 – 10pm (EK Library)

Reminders

Major School Dates Calendar for 26-27

Our Major School Dates Calendar 2026-2027 has been set! We know that many families like to plan ahead, so we hope that this is helpful. Please note that dates are subject to change.

Save the date: Academic & Course Planning Evening

All parents of current Grade 8-11 students are invited to our inaugural Academic & Course Planning evening on Wednesday, January 21, at 7 pm. This will be an opportunity to hear about Havergal’s academic program and meet with Guidance Counsellors about your child’s course selection for 26-27. We hope you can join us.

Another academic planning resource that will be referred to that evening is Havergal’s 2026-2027 Course Calendar; it is now available on the Parent and Student Portals.

Boarding Advantage for Day Students

Havergal is excited to launch The Boarding Advantage, a suite of three new programs designed to support Day School families. Whether your daughter needs a distraction-free evening study space, a safe place to stay while you travel, or a “dry run” for university life, we have an option for her:

  • Evening Study: Focused academic routine and dinner for Grades 9–12.
  • Havergal Home Base: Short-term boarding stays (3 days to 2 weeks) for Grades 8–12.
  • First Year Advantage: A 4-week university-prep intensive in April 2026.

Click here to: Explore The Boarding Advantage Programs

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