Dear Upper School Families:

We are excited to have our entire Senior School out on trips last week and our Grade 7s returning from Kilcoo today. It has been such a pleasure to hear the stories from the trip and get feedback from the students. 

Today’s edition contains updates on the following: 

• Please update your child’s health information in our new system
• Online Graduation Requirement
• Celebration Saturday 
• Truth and Reconciliation Week
• MS Gator Games
• Unsanctioned Semis 
• Class of 2023 – Grad Family Breakfast
• Athletics – Schedule Information 
• Performing Arts
• Health Centre Update
• University Counselling 
• Forum for Change Updates
• HCPA Updates 
• Request from our Neighbours  
• Next Week at a Glance

Best regards,

Cissy Goodridge, Head of Middle School 

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School 

Latest News and Updates

Magnus Health – Updating Your Child’s Health Information

This is a reminder to have parents complete updating their child’s health information in Magnus Health by TODAY, September 23, 2022 so that we can ensure that we have the most up-to-date information for our athletic teams, excursions, food services etc. You can access Magnus Health from the Parent Portal by clicking on the Update My Child’s Health Information button  located on all of the landing pages, or under the My Household menu in the navigation bar. 

Important News about Online Learning Graduation Requirement

Havergal has opted out of the government requirement for mandatory online learning for our students. Please learn more about what this means by clicking on the letter from Dr. Samson below. If you would like your child to opt in to mandatory online learning credits you will find the “opt in” link at the top of the Parent Portal (note that this link will only be available to Parents with students in Grades 9-12). The link is live until October 7th. . PPM 167 Communication to Parents

Celebration Saturday, September 24, 2022

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Celebration Saturday – a fundraiser for our wonderful Community Partners.  Join us on Saturday, September 24 from 9:00am – 1:00pm for House and Grade games, House Stalls, a Junior School midway, BBQ, Marketplace, a Silent Auction and more.  We hope to see you there!

Truth and Reconciliation Week, September 26 – September 30, 2022

The Havergal community is invited to recognize Truth and Reconciliation Week and Orange Shirt Day during the week of September 26. Orange Shirt Day is designed to promote understanding that every child matters and to commemorate the residential school tragedy, honour the journey of survivors and their families, and commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. We will be sharing the purpose of the day, in developmentally appropriate ways, both in class and through other venues throughout the week. Students are invited to wear orange shirts on Friday, September 30. The following are Orange Shirt Day Retailers. When purchasing a shirt from one of these, the proceeds directly support Indigenous organisations and communities. Activities for the week will be published in the weekly announcements and will include: Meet the Student TRC council, Leadership Workshop with Mr. Nichols, Faceless Dolls Project with Mme. De Cecco, and more to come. On Thursday, we will have an Upper School Assembly with Riley Yesno, an Anishinaabe scholar (UofT), writer and advocate. Interested students are invited to sign up in advance to take part in a deeper discussion with Riley Yesno. Student sign up is available in the weekly announcements.

MS Gator Games

The Middle School Gator Games will take place on Thursday, September 29 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. This event is a great opportunity to play some low organisational games with your child and meet other families in the Middle School. After a warm-up and two 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! A registration email was sent on Wednesday, September 21st from Carla Di Filippo. The registration link can also be found HERE. If you have any questions please email Carla Di Filippo.

Unsanctioned Semis

It has recently come to our attention that there is a grade 9 unsanctioned semi-formal dance taking place this weekend at the Luxy Club in Vaughan. Please note that this is not a Havergal College sanctioned event. There will be no Havergal College staff supervision. We encourage you to speak to your child regarding safe partying and the possible risks of attending an unsupervised event. We are not able to vouch for any procedures or measures that may be in place at that event.

These events happen throughout the year and we can not guarantee that we will be able to let you know about each unsanctioned event. Havergal College will be hosting a Middle School dance on Friday, November 4, a COSSOT event (TBD) for Grade 9 and 10 students on Friday, November 18, a Grade 11/12 semi formal on Friday, January 27 and our Grade 12 Formal on Friday, May 26. 

Class of 2023 Grad Family Breakfast – RSVP Tonight!

Grade 12 students and their parents or guardians are invited to the Class of 2023 Grad Family Breakfast on Friday, September 30 at 7:30 am. This is a celebration that signifies the beginning of a special year for both the Grads and their families. If one or both parents/guardians are unable to attend, students may invite another significant adult in their life. Students are asked to wear #1 Dress for the breakfast and may change into their orange shirts for Orange Shirt Day after the event. Deadline to RSVP is midnight tonight!

Athletics Updates – Schedule Information

Fall sports have started! Team rosters will be set by Sept. 26. You can find the fall athletics schedule on Veracross (click on the “Athletics Calendar”). As well, once rosters are made, the team and its schedule will appear on students’ Veracross home page. As always, you can use THIS SCHEDULE as well (I highly suggest to “favourite” this document). We welcome spectators to home games. Come support your Gators! 

Performing Arts Updates

Registration for all Upper School Performing Arts will be closing at the end of today. The director will be in touch with the participants soon about their first rehearsal.

Health Centre Updates

Please be advised that after illness or testing positive for COVID, students are able to return 24 hours after symptoms have improved (48 hours if symptoms are Gastro-Intestinal – GI – related). Students and employees are advised to wear a mask for 10 days after the onset of symptoms, and try to maintain distance when taking masks off and eating.

University Counselling Updates

University Visits: Universities have already started their visits to our school this week as both Notre Dame and UBC came to talk to our senior students. Please make sure you check out the University Visits page on the Guidance Portal to keep up to date on all of the upcoming visits.

International University Fair: Please join us in the BRH on Thursday, September 29th from 6:30 – 8:30 pm to meet with schools from the UK and USA. 

The Art and Design Schools Portfolio Day: Appleby College: Thursday, September 29th – 6:30 – 8:30 pm

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about university portfolio requirements and share with university admissions professionals examples of their work for feedback. 

Special Recordings & Presentations: As promised on People & Program Night, here are some resources that are helpful regarding university applications:

• Applying to American Colleges
• Applying to UK Universities
• Applying to Canadian Universities

Forum for Change Updates

Earth Prize

The Earth Prize is an annual $200,000 environmental sustainability competition for students around the world between the ages of 13 and 19 that rewards the teams whose projects and ideas have the most potential to address environmental issues. As part of the competition, participants get access to mentorship by university students from top universities around the world and exclusive learning content covering key environmental sustainability concepts and featuring young environmental change-makers from around the world. 

Interested students can create a team and come to the Forum for Change to help register. 

Duke of Edinburgh

Have you heard about the Duke of Edinburgh awards? It is an international award program for participants ages 14-24 that aids in building confidence, gaining teamwork skills, and developing resilience and problem solving abilities.

There will be a Duke of Edinburgh Information Session for students on Monday October 3rd during lunch (12-1pm) in the Ellen Knox library. If you think this would be a good opportunity for your child please encourage them to attend. All students are welcome. Registration for Duke of Edinburgh will close on October 10th. We hope to see your child(ren) there!

HCPA Updates

We still need volunteers for Celebration Saturday!  Click HERE to sign up.

The Silent Auction is Live!  Sign up in advance and bid now! We have some great items on the block such as HC Front Row Seats, tickets, and more.

Shop for litterless lunch bags at  Colibri – select Havergal College in drop down. Deadline Oct 3rd. 

Don’t forget the Gator Games Tug of War between the Grads and their parents at 11:10am on Saturday!!

Request from our Neighbours

Some of our neighbours have contacted us with concerns that members of our community are making illegal and dangerous u-turns on our surrounding streets; as well as mounting the sidewalks and driving on lawns. Traffic on Avenue Road and surrounding residential streets is exceptionally busy, especially at drop-off and pick-up. Please drive safely and courteously. Thank you!

Next Week at a Glance

Mon. Sept. 26 Boarder Prayers

Tue. Sept. 27 InterHouse Games in morning

Wed. Sept 28 MS and SS Club-Affinity-Alliance-Community Partners Fair

Thu. Sept 29 Truth & Reconciliation Assembly

Fri. Sept 30 Orange Shirt Dress Down Day

Fri. Sept 30 Grad/Family Breakfast @ 7:30 am 

Dear Havergal Parents,

This week in the Upper School, we welcomed Middle School parents to the People and Program Evening where, in addition to meeting their children’s teachers, they attended information sessions on Middle School Exchange opportunities, and the upcoming Camp Kilcoo and St. Donat Trips. The week continued with the entire Senior School (Grades 9 – 12) departing for grade trips to numerous camps located in the Muskoka area. Students arrived home smiling, happy, and exhausted: clear indicators that the trips were a resounding success.  We look forward to hosting our first Prayers parent reception of the year on Monday September 19th, to recognize the Jewish High Holidays. Next Saturday, September 24th, marks the return of Celebration Saturday, a treasured school event.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Today’s edition contains updates on the following: 

• National Day of Mourning
• High Holidays Prayers and Parent Reception
• Truth and Reconciliation
• Celebration Saturday
• Grad Family Breakfast
• Updating Your Child’s Health Information – Important Change
• HCPA Reminders

Best regards,

Cissy Goodridge, Head of Middle School 

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School 

Latest News

National Day of Mourning – September 19, 2022

The Government of Ontario has mandated that all schools take time on Monday Sept 19 to observe a moment of reflection on or around 1:00 pm in honour of Queen Elizabeth’s legacy of service to the people of Canada and the Commonwealth. Havergal will be marking this occasion from JK to Grade 12, in age appropriate ways.

High Holidays Prayers & Parent Reception

Parents are invited to attend the Upper School High Holidays Prayers on Monday, September 19 from 8:40 to 9:20 am in the Brenda Robson Hall, and afterwards for a reception of coffee, tea and snacks in the Temerty Commons from 9:20 to 9:50 am.

Truth & Reconciliation Week & Orange Shirt Day – September 25 – 30, 2022

Havergal is committed to Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous communities. We will acknowledge our commitment together as a school, through age-appropriate messaging, resources and activities leading up to Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30. This year’s Truth and Reconciliation Day will have week-long programming from September 25 to 30, culminating with Orange Shirt Day on Friday, September 30. Havergal students, faculty and staff are invited to acknowledge and validate Indigenous ways of knowing and learning, learn about the history of residential schools through books, speakers and discussions, as well as honour residential school survivors. On Thursday, September 29, Upper School Prayers will welcome guest speaker Riley Yesno, Anishinaabe scholar, writer and advocate, to address students, faculty and staff. Following Prayers, students who applied in advance, are invited to remain and speak in more depth with Riley Yesno.

Celebration Saturday – You’re invited!

We’re excited to welcome you to Celebration Saturday which is an event that raises funds to support Havergal’s Community Partners and brings together students, parents, Old Girls/Alum, faculty and staff for activities and games. Attendees will also have the opportunity to peruse our Silent Auction, purchase from Marketplace vendors and visit with fellow Old Girls/Alum in our dedicated Hava Java space. Bring your extended family and friends–everyone is welcome!

 Activity Wristband and Food Tickets

The HCPA is still accepting donations and looking for volunteers.  Please see the HCPA section below for more information.

• Essential Information for Families
  • Attendance
    • Celebration Saturday is a community event for any and all that would like to attend!  Attendance is mandatory for students in Grades 7 – 12. 
  • Timing
    • 8:45 am – Students in Grades 7 – 12 go to Ratcliffe Field for attendance
    • 9:10 am – Opening Ceremonies on the South Quad
    • 9:15 am – Festivities begin!
    • 1:00 pm – Celebration Saturday concludes.
      • Students check out with their House Advisor
  • What to Wear
    • Students are asked to wear House Colours. 
    • Parents are encouraged to dress casually and comfortably

• Parking
  • There is limited parking available at the school on this day.  Families are encouraged to walk, carpool, take the TTC, Taxi or alternate form of transportation.

Class of 2023 Grad Family Breakfast

Grade 12 students and parents/guardians are invited to the Class of 2023 Grad Family Breakfast on Friday, September 30 at 7:30 am. Parents/guardians and senior year students will be celebrated at this breakfast, as it signifies the beginning of a special year for both the Grads and their families. If one or both parents/guardians are unable to attend, students may invite another significant adult in their life. Please RSVP by Thursday, September 22.

Updating Your Child’s Health Information – Important Change

• Havergal is implementing Magnus Health to manage our student records. This will mean a more efficient process for parents to manage their children’s information, while ensuring accurate and up to date information is accessible to the appropriate employees at our school.
• You can now access Magnus Health from the Parent Portal by clicking on the Update My Child’s Health Information button located on all of the landing pages, or under the My Household menu in the navigation bar.  Please reserve 20-30 minutes per child to complete this process.

Reminders

HCPA Reminders

Celebration Saturday is coming soon!

Silent Auction donations needed. Click HERE to donate.

Havergal parents, alumni, and students invited to be a vendor at Marketplace. Click HERE to apply.

Volunteers needed – Click HERE to volunteer

Coffee Mornings  – Save the Date! (More details to follow)

We are looking forward to welcoming parents into the school for grade Coffee Mornings this fall.  Join members of our SLT for coffee and conversation on the following days:

Sept 29 Grades 7 & 8 7:30am – 8:30am

Oct 4 Grades 9 – 11 7:30am – 8:30am  

Parking on campus 

We have limited parking available for parents during school hours.  We encourage you to walk to campus whenever possible or park on surrounding streets.  Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Dear Parent,

It was a busy week at Havergal in the Upper School. Our new and returning Middle School students were greeted energetically by our Prefects with lots of cheering and a party rocker. They met their Form Teachers, got acquainted with their locker area (the center of their universe), their classrooms and classmates, and took part in games and a scavenger hunt led by our Prefects.

New and returning Senior School students struck a pose for photographs, spent time with their TAs learning about what to expect this year and contributed to discussions about how they would like to see the year shape up. Grads are sporting their white blazers proudly and their hoodies with joy.

Today’s edition contains updates on the following: 

• Camp Kilcoo permission form and waiver due today
• Updating your child’s health information – Magnus Health 
• Sending medication to camp
• Middle School People & Program Evening – Monday, September 12 @ 6pm
• Celebration Saturday – September 24
• Jewish High Holiday Prayers and Reception
• Truth and Reconciliation Week
• Havergal College Parents Association: volunteers needed
• Havergal College Parents Association: used uniform sale
• Grad Hoodies
• Space Camp Information Session
• Online Graduation Requirement
• Athletics Registration Reminder
• Performing Arts Registration Reminders
• Reporting Attendance Reminder
• Week at a Glance

Best regards,

Cissy Goodridge, Head of Middle School 

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School 

Latest News

Camp Kilcoo Grade 7 Camp – permission forms due today!

The Grade 7 overnight excursion to Camp Kilcoo will run from September 21 – 23. Camp Kilcoo is located on Highway 25, just south of Minden.  This excursion is a wonderful way for the Grade 7s to get to know  each other through unique camp activities.They create memories with their peers, and bond with the Grade 12 student leaders who will be accompanying them. Below, you will find an information letter which contains the registration link to the excursion. Please join us in the Brenda Robson Hall, for the Kilcoo Parent Information evening, on September 12, following the People & Program event.

 Kilcoo Parent Letter Fall 2022 including link to registration and camp waiver

Important Change – Updating Your Child’s Health Information

Havergal is implementing Magnus Health to manage our student records. This will mean a more efficient process for parents to manage their children’s information, while ensuring accurate and up to date information is accessible to the appropriate employees at our school.

You can now access Magnus Health from the Parent Portal by clicking on the Update My Child’s Health Information button located on all of the landing pages, or under the My Household menu in the navigation bar.  Please reserve 20-30 minutes per child to complete this process.

Sending medication to camp?

If your child takes prescription medication and is going on a Senior School excursion next week, we are anticipating that they will handle their own prescription medication administration. If your child would like assistance with medication administration or reminders about taking medication, please get in touch with your child’s trip leader.  Please be sure to send the medication in a tamper proof, pharmacy labeled container with the dose, frequency and medication name, so that our trip leaders can appropriately assist and identify what medication is being taken. As a reminder, information about what type of prescription medications your child is taking was provided at registration for the trips and is used in the case of emergencies. If there have been changes to your child’s medication list since registration please email your child’s trip leader and healthcentre@havergal.on.ca so we can update our emergency information. 

Middle School People & Program Evening

Monday, September 12, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Please join us in the Brenda Robson Hall for light refreshments at 5:30pm. Opening remarks by our Principal, Katrina Samson begin at 6:00pm. At 6:20pm, you will follow your child’s schedule, meet their teachers and hear about the grade curriculum. Afterwards, there will be presentations about the Grade 7 Kilcoo Excursion in the Brenda Robson Hall, and the Grade 8 Winter Excursion in the Legacy Theatre.

It’s not just an alumni event…it’s a fundraiser for our Community Partnerships…it’s Celebration Saturday!

Each fall our Havergal Community raises money for our community partnerships. We have established long-term relationships with these organizations. Our student volunteers work with those outside the Ivy Walls, and learn invaluable lessons about service and sacrifice, while growing as individuals.  We currently support nine different organizations; you can learn more about them here. The purchase of a $30 wristband entitles the wearer to a free popcorn, cotton candy, cookie decorating and access to all the midway and House room events such as a bead station, Haunted House, mini golf and more! All the money goes directly to our community partners. You may also purchase additional tickets, both in advance and at the event, for the BBQ, art sale and bake sale. 

Jewish High Holidays Prayers and Reception

The Upper School will be acknowledging Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur during Prayers on Monday, September 19. Parents and grandparents are warmly invited to join us for this event, following which there will be a reception for those families in attendance. 

Truth and Reconciliation Week – Orange Shirt Day – Friday, September 30

The Havergal community is invited to recognize Truth and Reconciliation Week and Orange Shirt Day during the week of September 26. The week, including Orange Shirt Day, is designed to promote understanding that every child matters and to commemorate the residential school experience, honour the journey of survivors and their families, and commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. We will be sharing the purpose of the day, in developmentally appropriate ways, both in class and through other venues throughout the week. Students will wear their orange shirts on Friday, September 30th. The following are Orange Shirt Day Retailers. When purchasing a shirt from one of these, the proceeds directly support Indigenous organizations and communities.

HCPA News: Celebration Saturday Volunteers Needed!

Volunteers are needed to help at our CelSat event throughout the day. Please see this LINK to sign up. Even 1 hour of your time is greatly appreciated!

HCPA News: Used Uniform Sales

Used Uniform Sales will be held  from 5 – 8pm on People & Program nights on Sept. 12 (MS), and Sept. 13 (JS).  Stop by to pick up back-up uniform pieces including kilts, skirts, tunics, blazers, and pants. Charges will be applied to your student account. Middle School sales will be in Ellen Knox and Junior School sales will be in the JS main hallway.

Does your Grad need another hoodie?

If you wish to purchase another hoodie for your Grad, please complete this form by Monday, September 19th. 

Space Camp: November 2022

This past Thursday, your child heard about the exciting opportunity to participate in Space Academy (Grade 7 & 8) and Advanced Space Academy (Grade 9-12) in Huntsville, Tennessee. This is a highly engaging STEM experience that requires no previous experience or expertise in STEM. It is a fun program emphasizing learning and leadership. Read more about the program and application HERE.

We will be hosting an information session on Zoom  Monday, September 12th at 4PM. If you are interested, but cannot attend, please contact Andrea Loyola.

Important News About Online Learning Graduation Requirement

Please click on this link to learn more about opting in to online learning for graduation. 

PPM 167 Communication to Parents

Reminders

Athletics Registration Reminder

Only parents can register their children for fall sports. Registration for these programs closes on Monday, September 12 at 12:00 pm. The athletics tryout schedule is available on the Veracross parent portal under “My Calendar” or can be viewed by clicking THIS LINK. Tryouts take place over a  two week period: September 12 – 16th and 19 – 23rd. If you have any questions, please contact Carla Di Filippo, Director of Athletics, at cdifilippo@havergal.on.ca. 

Performing Arts Reminder

The sign-up for the senior school show, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, are on the Drama board outside of B17. Auditions will be held on Sept 20, 21, 22. 

Reporting Student Attendance Reminders

• A link for reporting attendance is available directly on the Parent Portal homepage. We recommend you bookmark the link.
• Instructions for using Veracross can be found here. It is important to review these instructions and be familiar with how to report a student absence through Veracross.

Week at a Glance

Monday, September 12

• 12 pm Registration closes for athletics registration, tryouts begin after school
• 4 pm Arts Tryouts begin
• 4 pm Space Camp Information Session on Zoom 
• 5 pm – 8 pm  Used Uniform Sales
• 6 pm – 9 pm  Middle School People & Program Evening
• 8:30 pm Kilcoo and St. Donat Parent Information Sessions

Tuesday, September 13

Wednesday, September 14

• Senior School Trips Depart from Junior & Upper School

Thursday September 15

• Middle School Assembly

Friday, September 16 

• Senior School Trips Return approximately 12:30 pm

Dear Parents,

Welcome to your weekly Havergal College Upper School newsletter, appropriately called “The Weekly.” You will receive this every Friday afternoon and we recommend that you bookmark this page using this updated link. In it you will find news – and reminders – about upcoming events in the Havergal Community. Please read it each week in order to stay up-to-date with registrations for excursions, co-curriculars and student social events. You will be able to easily access previous editions of this newsletter in our Parent Portal.

We are very excited to welcome all of our returning families and students back to school and we extend a warm welcome to our new families who are joining us.

We look forward to seeing you back on campus in the coming weeks at our People & Program evenings and at Celebration Saturday on Saturday, September 24. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. 

Today’s edition contains updates on the following: 

• COVID-19 Update
• Reporting Student Attendance – Change in Procedure 
• People & Program Evenings
• Senior School (Grade 9-12) Trip Information
• Grade 7 Excursion to Kilcoo Trip Information & Registration
• Space Camp
• Athletics Registration
• Arts Registration
• Celebration Saturday
• Wellbeing – Supporting Your Child’s Transition Back to School
• Chartwells Update
• Dates on the Horizon

Best regards,

Cissy Goodridge, Head of Middle School 

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School 

Latest News

COVID-19 Update

We are looking forward to a full return to school and programs. A couple of key highlights as we head into the 2022-2023 school year:

•  Vaccination Policy – All students (age 5 and older as of July 1, 2022) and employees are required to meet the Ontario Health definition of fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Please note, booster shots are not included in the government’s definition of full vaccination.
• Mask Friendly – Havergal continues to be a mask friendly environment. However, unless directed by Ministry of Health guidelines, students or employees are not required to wear masks.
• As you may be aware the Chief Medical Officer of Health made changes to the isolation requirements for COVID-19. The focus has shifted from just COVID-19 symptoms to address considerations for other respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses that are likely to circulate over the coming months.
• Anyone who is feeling sick or has any new or worsening symptoms of illness, including those not listed in this screening tool, should stay home until their symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours for nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea) and they do not have a fever, and seek assessment from their health care provider if needed. The presence of symptoms, particularly respiratory symptoms, increases the risk of transmitting to others.

Reporting Student Attendance – Change in Procedure

We introduced SchoolPass last year as an all-in-one resource including attendance reporting. Unfortunately, this integration did not work effectively. Instead, we will be using Veracross for reporting student attendance for all students in JK to 12. This system provides an easy way for parents to directly report student absences, lates or early dismissals with no need for phone calls or emails.

• A link for reporting attendance is available directly on the Parent Portal homepage. We recommend you bookmark the link.
• If a student will be arriving late, leaving early or absent for the day, parents must notify the school in advance using the link above in Veracross. If a student is absent from school and there is no record in Veracross, the Junior School Office or the Day School Office will be in touch with parents by email and/or phone.

Instructions for using Veracross can be found here. It is important to review these instructions and be familiar with how to report a student absence through Veracross.

People & Program Evenings

Senior School – Thursday, September 8, 6:00 – 8:15 PM, light refreshments at 5:30pm

• Grade 12 parents have a meeting with the Head of Guidance, Heather Johnstone and Grade 11/12 Guidance Counselor Jennifer Mandala from 8:20 pm to 9:00 pm about Post Secondary Planning & the University Admission Process.

Middle School – Monday, September 12, 6:00 – 8:15 PM

• Grade 7 parents have a meeting with the Head of Middle School, Cissy Goodridge, to learn about the upcoming overnight excursion to Camp Kilcoo from September 21 – 23.
• Grade 8 parents have a meeting with Languages Teacher, Alex Denis, to learn about the winter excursion to St. Donat.

Senior School (Grades 9-12) Trip Information: Wednesday, September 14 – Friday, September 16

Students will depart from both the Junior School and the Senior School as per the schedule below. On Friday, September 16, you will receive an email once the buses have departed the camps, with their anticipated arrival time. Please find a packing list here. If you have any questions please contact Deirdre Timusk.
If your child is in Grade 9, please complete and submit this waiver for Camp New Moon. If your child is in Grade 12, please complete and submit this waiver for Campfire Circle Camp. These should be returned to Ms. Danto’s office in B10 as soon as possible.

Grade 7 Excursion to Kilcoo

The Grade 7 overnight excursion to Camp Kilcoo will run from September 21 – 23. Camp Kilcoo is located on Highway 25, just south of Minden.  This excursion is a wonderful way for the Grade 7s to get to know  each other through unique camp activities.They create memories with their peers, and bond with the Grade 12 student leaders who will be accompanying them. Below, you will find an information letter which contains the registration link to the excursion. Please join us in the Brenda Robson Hall, for the Kilcoo Parent Information evening, on September 12, following the People & Program event.

Kilcoo Parent Letter Fall 2022 including link to registration and camp waiver

Space Camp 2022 – 2023

An opportunity for students to participate in Space Academy (Grades 7 & 8) and Advanced Space Academy (Grade 9 – 12). This is a highly engaging STEM experience that requires no previous experience or expertise in STEM. It is a fun program emphasizing learning and leadership. Read more about the program and application HERE.

Athletics Registration

On Wednesday, September 7, you and your child will receive an email from Carla Di Filippo with the fall sports registration details. Only parents can register their children for fall sports. Registration for these programs closes on Monday, September 12 at 12:00 pm. The athletics tryout schedule is available on the Veracross parent portal under “My Calendar” or can be viewed by clicking THIS LINK. Tryouts take place over a  two week period: September 12 – 16th and 19 – 23rd. If you have any questions, please contact Carla Di Filippo, Director of Athletics, at cdifilippo@havergal.on.ca. 

Arts Registration

Arts registration and auditions will be held during the weeks of September 12 – 16 and September 19 – 23. A registration link will open on Monday September 12 and close on Friday September 23. Sign-up information for Choir and Drama can be found outside of room B03 and the Theatre, respectively.

Celebration Saturday, September 24, 2022

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Celebration Saturday – a fundraiser for our wonderful community partners.  Join us on Saturday, September 24 from 9:00am – 1:00pm for House and Grade games, House Stalls, a Junior School midway, BBQ, Marketplace, a Silent Auction and more.  Watch for a communication with more details the week of September 12.  We hope to see you there!/

Wellbeing – Supporting your children with back-to-school transitions

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of going back to school. It’s a time of excitement and transition – a new grade, new friendships, new concepts, maybe even a new milestone. As parents, getting the new school year off to a good start is something we all want: It impacts our kids’ attitude, confidence, and performance both socially and academically. There are lots of reasons to look forward to the upcoming school year and we have a few suggestions below to help promote a happy and successful school experience for all. 

Plan ahead – It’s important to ensure that your child has a balance between school, study, extracurricular activities, family time, and their other interests. Decide with your child what their priorities are, dedicate time to them, and then map out time for them to spend how they like. 

Provide structure and predictability – Develop and stick to healthy weekday routines. Having a specific morning, evening and sleep routine during the school year can help ease worries and uncertainties. If possible, provide consistent after-school activities that they can look forward to. Practicing and role modelling these routines yourself will also help reinforce consistency and what is expected of your child.

Talk with your kids – Asking kids about what they are looking forward to about the upcoming school year, or what they think might be different than previous years, can offer clues about how they’re feeling. Should your child identify things they are anxious about, talk about ways to address the issue and practice coping strategies to manage their anxiety, such as taking pauses, deep breathing, or finding opportunities to take a break. Try to remember to keep your own anxieties or opinions about the school year out of the conversation.

Take care of your physical and mental health – Promote healthy eating habits, fun physical activities, family time, and relaxation. Consider journaling as it’s been found to positively impact our mental health and wellbeing. 

Here is an article written by Dr. Lisa Damour, Executive Director of Laurel School’s Center of Research on Girls for the New York Times, on 

How to Support Teenagers as They Head Back to School

Our Middle School families might be interested in reading this article on What to Expect in Middle School: Strategies for Parents from Dr. Lisa Damour

We are looking forward to an exciting new year.

Dr Yarmey

Director of Wellbeing

Chartwells Update

Our food provider, Chartwells, will begin using reusable containers for meals taken out of the dining hall, and china plates for meals eaten in the dining hall, both with silverware. There will be drop-off stations available, where students can return their containers anytime during the day.

Dates on the Horizon

Tuesday September 6

• Professional Development Day for Employees
• Boarding Students arrive and move in
• No school for students

Wednesday, September 7

• Orientation Day Grade 7 and new students all day
• Opening day Grade 8-12 in the afternoon
• Photo Day for all Upper School students
• #1 Dress (Uniform)

Thursday, September 8

• #1 Dress (Uniform)
• First Day of Classes: Day 1, 8:30 am 
• Parents: People and Program Night – 5:30 pm, refreshments; 6 pm, presentations

Friday, September 9

• Late Start: 9:30 am 
• Day 2

Dear Parents,

Today marks the final blog entry of the 2021-2023 school year. The last day of classes in the Upper School is Wednesday, June 15.  We look forward to celebrating with our Grade 8 families on Wednesday, June 15, hosting the Candlelight Ceremony for Grade 11 and 12 students on Thursday, June 16, and celebrating the Class of 2022 and their families on Friday, June 17 at Graduation.

You will receive your next communication from Havergal on Wednesday, July 6. It will be the first of two summer mailings about the 2022-2023 school year.

We would like to thank you for your ongoing support and partnership throughout this school year. We hope you and your family enjoy some much deserved down time this summer.

The Upper School College Blog contains information and updates on the following: 

• Senior School (Gr 9-12) Trips Registration Links – due Monday, June 13
• Graduation News
• Candlelight Ceremony for Grade 11 and 12 students
• Celebrate Grade 8
• Report Cards Available Thursday, June 23 at 9:00 am
• Leadership Training for all Grade 11 Students
• Uniform Reminder & Updating – order before June 17
• HCPA Used Uniform Drop-off Reminder
• HCPA Used Textbook Collection Reminder
• School Supply Drive for Afghan Newcomers
• Locker Clean-out, June 15
• Waterloo Math Contest Results – Grades 9–12
• A Moment in Time Art Installation
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

JJ Patterson, Head of Middle School

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School

Latest News

Senior School (9-12) Trips – Registration Links – Due Monday, June 13

Please find below the registration links to each of the fall trips.

Grade Level in Sept 2022	Registration Link	Location Specific Waiver
9	Gr 9 Registration	Link to the PDF of the waiver
10	Gr 10 Registration	N/A
11	Gr 11 Registration	N/A
12	Gr 12 Registration	Link to the PDF of the waiver

Graduation News

Please check your inbox for an email from Lindsay Norberg with all the relevant information about graduation. We are very excited to be celebrating the Class of 2022! 

Candlelight Ceremony for Grade 11 & 12 Students

As some of you may know, each year we celebrate the ‘passing of the torch’ from Grads to the Grade 11s, in our traditional Candlelight Ceremony. Our evening event is for all Grade 11 and 12 students only. Students are to wear a white dress/pantsuit/pants and top, and sensible shoes.  They are required to be at school on Thursday, June 16 at 11 am for a rehearsal and then return at 5:45 pm for the ceremony. 

Celebrate Grade 8

On Wednesday, June 15 at 1:30 – 3:00 pm we will celebrate our Grade 8 students in the Brenda Robson Hall. Thank you to all of the parents who have RSVP’ed and registered to attend. Parents are reminded that it is a regular school day with classes in session and therefore there will be no parking on campus. We encourage you to leave plenty of time to park off campus or find an alternate mode of transportation. Students will be in #1 dress uniform and are dismissed for the day following the ceremony. If you have any questions, please contact Abi Vigneswaran.

Report Cards Available Thursday, June 23 at 9 am

Please see this letter to learn more about the final report card which will be available to parents and students on Thursday, June 23 at 9:00 am.

Leadership Training for all Grade 11 Students

On Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15 all Grade 11 students are expected to attend leadership training. We are excited to welcome the Ontario Education Centre for Leadership on campus to help run this fun and exciting program for our students. Students do not have to wear a uniform and should come in sneakers and comfortable clothing, ready to be active and have fun. 

Uniform Reminder & Updating – order before June 17

• Students have grown over the past two years and we have found that their uniforms have not grown along with them and some items are in need of replacement. 
• Here is the link for the list of uniform requirements for your review. In addition, please find here the Online Store Information and a link to the website to order new pieces for your child. 
• Please note that the Green & Gold store is closed from June 17 – August 8. 

HCPA Used Uniform Drop-off Reminder

The HCPA will be collecting your preloved skirts, kilts, tunics, dress pants and blazers. Curbside drop-off will be available in the parking lot of the Junior School and the North Parking Lot of the Upper School on June 15 from 7:30 to 9:30 am.

In addition, drop-off bins will be located in the Junior School Lobby on June 15 and 16 and the Upper School Rotunda on June 15, 16, 20, and 21 until 5:30 pm each of these days.

Donations should:

• be clean and in good repair;
• not be stained or ripped;
• have been purchased from the Green & Gold shop as an official uniform item; and
• have your child’s name removed, where possible.

A Used Uniform Fundraising Sale is being planned for the fall. It will be a great way to stock up on backup pieces for those inevitable lost uniforms items. More details about the sale will be shared at a later date.

In addition to supporting the HCPA’s fundraising efforts, it’s a great way to reduce, reuse and recycle!

HCPA Used Textbook Collection Reminder

It’s that time of the year once again! The HCPA has arranged for the Canadian School Book Exchange (CSBE) to be at Havergal on Wednesday, June 15 from 7:30 to 11:30 am to accept your donations. Families can drop off their used textbooks directly into the CSBE truck, which will be parked in the North Parking Lot of the Upper School.

When your book is sold through the CSBE, a percentage of the sale will go back to you and a percentage will go toward the HCPA’s fundraising efforts. It’s a win-win!

Detailed instructions can be found HERE.

School Supply Drive for Afghan Newcomers

Students will be cleaning out their lockers over the next few days. Please encourage your child to donate to the school supplies drive and make an impact on the life of Afghan newcomers today.  The donations will go to the North York Community House, which will then distribute the school supplies to the Afghan newcomers that had to flee from their country due to the turmoil they experienced. The Afghan children left their valuable items such as toys and school supplies in their country and by donating spare or new school supplies, we can help Afghan newcomers to feel welcomed and provide the necessary resources for them to thrive. Drop-off locations are in the Temerty and North Quad entrances, and the library.

Locker Clean-out on June 15

All lockers need to be clean and empty by the afternoon of June 15. Please encourage your child to bring home things from their locker on Monday and Tuesday, to ensure that Wednesday afternoon goes smoothly for them, and they aren’t lugging the entire contents of their locker home in one day.

Waterloo Math Contest Results – Grades 9 – 12

Havergal’s Math and Computer Science Department was pleased to be able to celebrate (in person) the achievements of students on several University of Waterloo math contests grades 9 – 12 from the past several years in Prayers on Thursday, June 2nd. The collective and individual performance of our students helped the school once again secure impressive rankings on several contests:

ONTARIO

• Pascal grade 9 in 2020 3rd in province & top all-girls school 
• Cayley grade 10 in 2021 7th in province & top all-girls school

INDIVIDUAL TOP SCORES

PASCAL (Grade 9)

• 2020 Kristie HO 144pts = 8th of 8870 top 0.1%
• 2021 (gr7) Sophie ZHANG 144pts = 55th of 4741 top 1.1%
• 2022 (gr8) Sophie ZHANG 136pts = 184th of 7103 top 2.5%
  

FERMAT (Grade 11)

• 2021 Penelope PARK 126pts = 332nd of 3952 top 8.4%
• 2022 Claire RADIN 114pts = 981st of 5642 top 17%

CAYLEY (Grade 10)

• 2020 Adrianna NERETLIS 128pts = 375th of 7759 top 4.8%
• 2021 Kristin CHO 144pts = 22nd of 3592 top 0.6%
• 2022 Annie WU 130pts = 257th of 5870 top 4.4%
  

EUCLID (Grade 12)

• 2022 Annie WU (gr10) 70pts = 890th of 7556 top 12%

CERTIFICATES OF DISTINCTION
The University of Waterloo also offers Certificates of Distinction for students whose scores would place them in the top 25% in each contest. Certificates for this year will be presented to students in their math class or in their Teacher-Advisor group or form. A list of recipients can be found HERE.

MIDDLE SCHOOL
Results from our Gauss contest were shared on Wednesday morning at the Middle School assembly.

THANK YOU
We would like to thank all our students for their effort both on these contests and for their hard work on a daily basis in class. Their inquisitive, engaged and dedicated approach to learning continues to be remarkable. Thank you to all our math teachers for their mentorship, inspiration and encouragement; to our colleagues for their steadfast support and flexibility and for parents for their ongoing enthusiasm for excellence in mathematics at our school.   

A Moment in Time Art Installation

Thank you very much to Grade 9 students, Isabella J and Tessa G, who have worked throughout the year to produce the art installation currently in the hallways of the school, called ‘A Moment in Time.’ In the words of Isabelle and Tessa, “the goal of this art installation was to offer the Havergal community the opportunity to share with others their experiences throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Students from grades 7-12 decorated masks to share their emotions and insights during this challenging time. The pandemic may have brought fear, isolation, and uncertainty, but we persevered and became more resilient, and aware. We hope you find this installation thought-provoking.”  

Dates on the Horizon

Grade 11 Leadership Training

• June 14 and 15, 8:30 am  – 3:30 pm
• Should come in sneakers and comfortable clothing, ready to be active and have fun. 

Celebrate Grade 8

• Wednesday, June 15, 1:30 – 3:00 pm, Grade 8 students are dismissed at 3 pm following the ceremony and reception, students in #1 dress. 

Last Day of Classes

• Wednesday, June 15, dismissal at 3:30 pm

Candlelight (Gr 11/12)

• Thursday, June 16: 
  • Rehearsal: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm (casual clothing)
  • Ceremony: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm (dress in white)

Class of 2022 Graduation & Reception

• Friday, June 17, 1:00 – 5:00 pm 

Report Cards Available on Veracross

• Thursday, June 23, 9:00 am

Dear Parents,

It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the recent horrific mass killings in both Buffalo, NY, and Uvalde, Texas, as well as the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. As parents, it can be difficult to determine how to best discuss these kinds of tragedies with our children, if at all, depending on their age and stage. As such, we wanted to provide you with several resources to support you in determining how to potentially engage in this discussion within your family.

• Talking to Children about Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers
• Tips for How to Talk to Children about Tragedies – World Vision Canada 
• How to Support Your Child’s Resilience in a Time of Crisis

As a school, Havergal remains committed to supporting all of our students in all aspects of their wellbeing. In the Upper School, there are many people here for students to reach out to including their Form Teacher or Teacher Advisor, their Guidance Counselor and/or Caitlin Parsons, our School Social Worker. 

The Havergal campus has been a buzz of energy this past week while hundreds of students compete in the CISAA championships. All of our teams worked hard and produced amazing results with the following teams coming away as CISAA champions: U20 Softball, U16 Softball, U14 Tennis, and U16 Tennis, and U20 Ultimate. Good luck to our OFSAA qualifiers for Track & Field and the Ultimate team. Go Gators!

On Thursday morning at Connection Prayers, we celebrated the Marguerites, who have been Havergal students since JK-Grade 1, and honoured siblings of students who are members of the Class of 2022. This is certainly one of the most cherished Prayers for many of our students and it was wonderful to be able to host this in person with many parents in attendance after two years of having to be online. Finally, our Middle School Music Night was on Thursday and it was a standing-room only event where the audience enjoyed the musical talents of our students.

The US Blog contains information and updates on the following: 

• Reminder to Update Your Child’s Uniform
• End of Year Library Book Return Date: June 6
• Ontario Leadership Training for all Grade 11 students
• Grade-Wide Fall Trips Virtual Parent Information Evenings are Next Week
• Celebration Saturday is Back! Save the Date- Saturday September 24
• Relaunching the Forum for Change: The Global Heartbeat of Havergal College
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

JJ Patterson, Head of Middle School

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School

Latest News

Reminder to Update Your Child’s Uniform

As we approach the end of the school year and look ahead to the fall, we wanted to connect with you regarding the Havergal uniform. Havergal chooses to have a uniform to denote pride in membership in our community. In addition, the uniform signals that we expect that our students will distinguish themselves in intellectual, artistic and athletic achievements, in service to others, and in leadership to the community, rather than in dress.  

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have shifted the uniform requirements to adapt to the needs of our students due to the COVID-19 guidelines that had to be put in place. Additionally, students have grown over the past two years and we have found that their uniforms have not grown along with them and some items are in need of replacement. 

As we plan ahead, we are writing to seek your assistance and partnership to ensure that your child has all of the necessary uniform items for September 2022. Here is the link for the list of uniform requirements for your review. In addition, please find here the Online Store Information and a link to the website to order new pieces for your child. 

Please note that the Green & Gold store is closed from June 17 – August 8. In order to ensure the necessary items are available prior to the start of the year, please place orders for new items before June 17.

End of the Year Library Book Return Date: June 6

All loaned library books are due back on Monday June 6th. If you need any borrowed material past June 6th for academic or assessment purposes, please let one of the library staff know so that we can extend the borrowing deadline for this material.

Ontario Leadership Training for All Grade 11 Students

Further to our earlier information regarding the two-day leadership training for all the grade 11 students, please note that you will be billed approximately $140. Please complete the financial assistance form if you require any support. 

Grade-Wide Fall Trips Virtual Parent Information Evening

Grade in Sept 2022	2022-23 Grade Excursion	Parent Information Night	Zoom Link
7	Kilcoo Camp Sept 21-23	Sept 2022	N/A
8	St Donat End of January	Sept 2022	N/A
9	Camp New Moon Sept 14-16	June 1  7 pm	https://havergal.zoom.us/j/84580764306?pwd=Y1MwbHk0N21teFBXaG5oTXdmY1plUT09 Passcode: 589038
10	Pine Crest Camp Sept 14-16	June 1  7 pm	https://havergal.zoom.us/j/83943592502?pwd=WXAvMjF6dXRNK1F2azYwV3BSNmt2UT09 Passcode: 293987 This link was updated on May 31, 2022.
11	OELC Camp  Sept 14-16	June 2 7 pm	https://havergal.zoom.us/j/84092959636?pwd=V3JBMWZKZFVRTzZGcmRGenVDMWdrQT09 Passcode: 271965
12	Campfire Camp (Camp Ooch/Trillium) Sept 14-16	June 2  7 pm	https://havergal.zoom.us/j/89661082164?pwd=a1I0NFRsSHp4MFptd0xsOW1EcVhLUT09 Passcode: 841795 This link was updated on May 31, 2022.

Celebration Saturday is Back! Save the Date: Saturday, September 24, 2022

We are excited to announce that Celebration Saturday, our community event and fundraiser for our community partnerships is back! All students JK – 12  participate in this special day and we hope families, friends, and neighbours will join us for fun, food and festivity as we gather as a whole school community to celebrate our mission in action. We will be  looking for volunteers to help with the stalls, bbq, ticket sales and of course,. our famous silent auction!  Stay tuned for details and mark your calendars for this event – you won’t want to miss it!

Relaunching The Forum for Change: The Global Heartbeat of Havergal College

Message from Garth Nichols, Vice Principal, Strategic Innovation & Design

I am thrilled to announce that in September of 2022, we will be formally relaunching our Forum for Change (F4C). The Forum for Change has been a part of the Havergal Experience for over 12 years as the hub of global learning and community partnership programming. It has supported students in learning service approaches to making a difference in their world. We know that preparing young women to make a difference is happening every day at Havergal College, and now students can level up through the F4C. Students will be provided with local and global learning experiences that will further Havergal’s purpose and develop in our students attributes of Havergal’s Portrait of a Grad. 

As the Global Heartbeat of the school, the F4C has extensive global networks and partnerships upon which to draw including, but not limited to, UNESCO Associated Schools, the Independent Schools Experiential Educators Network, and are applying to become a member of Round Square. With and through these partnerships, the F4C will provide experiential learning opportunities with a focus on learning service: “Learning service consists of humble, thoughtful action designed to do no harm…where learning and service interact in an ongoing cycle, with each depending on each other. This loop is fueled by self-reflection and applying learning to future action.” (“Learning Service” Bennet, Hechsher, Collins & Papi-Thornton, 2018)

As we emerge from the pandemic, there is a strong call from parents, faculty and students for Havergal to reestablish this third space of learning that stretches and challenges our students in ways that support their academic learning, development of identity and sense of self. Global Exchanges, International Learning Service trips, our Community Partnership program and the Global Learning & Leading Diploma, equip students to make a positive difference in the world with a focus on global mindedness; these programs provoke students to broaden their cultural fluency, and make an impact through these deep and meaningful learning experiences.

For questions about upcoming opportunities, or about the F4C in general, please contact me, Garth Nichols, Vice Principal of Strategic Innovation and Design.

Dates on the Horizon

Prom

• Friday, May 27, 2022 @ Berkeley Church 

Kilcoo Camp Overnight Excursion

• Grade 8: May 30 (7:10 am drop off) – June 1 (approx. 1 pm pick up at Havergal)
• Grade 7: June 1 (7:10 am drop off) – 3 (approx. noon pick up at Havergal)
  • Parents and students received an email with the final details and instructions on Thursday, May 26. 

Celebrate Grade 8

• Wednesday, June 15, 1:30 – 3:00 pm, Grade 8 students are dismissed at 3 pm following the ceremony and reception, students in #1 dress. 

Grade 11 Leadership Training

• June 14 and 15, 8:30 am  – 3:30 pm

Last Day of Classes

• Wednesday, June 15

Candlelight (Gr 11/12 students only)

• Thursday, June 16,  6:00 pm – 8:00 pm 

Class of 2022 Graduation & Reception

• Friday, June 17, 1:00 – 5:00 pm

Dear Parents,

Thank you for taking the time to read this bi-weekly publication which is designed to help keep you up-to-date with the important events here in the Upper School. Please think of it as your go-to place for information and details related to school life. We do this to help keep our emails to you to a minimum, and so that all the information you need is in one place, easily found through the blog website. We suggest that you bookmark this link for future reference. 

The Middle School Gator Games were held on Wednesday evening and it was an incredible evening of fun and laughter with a drop of competitiveness, too. The Middle School parents and students participated in a fantastic Just Dance warm up and a variety of games such as spikeball, benchball, stones, ultimate chicken, and a campus wide scavenger hunt. A massive thank you to Ms. Di Filippo and the Sports Council who organised and led the games. Please take a look at the photos at the bottom of the blog entry for some highlights!

Today’s Blog contains information and updates on the following: 

• Student Wellbeing Survey – Feedback and Next Steps
• Grade-Wide Trips for 2022-2023. Please read me! 
• Middle School Musical Theatre – Thursday, May 19 @ 7 pm
• Middle School Music Night – Thursday, May 26 @ 7 pm
• Grade 12 Families: Prom Permission Form
• Grade 12 Families: Graduation Reminders
• Pride Week
• NEDIC Webinar
• Socks 4 Souls – Sock Drive Starts Next Week
• HC-X Digital Microcredentials sign up and information 
• GO-VAXX Vaccination Clinic On-site – May 21
• Dates on the Horizon
• Photos from the Week

Sincerely,

JJ Patterson, Head of Middle School

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School

Latest News

Student Wellbeing Survey – Feedback and Next Steps

On May 3, students in Grades 2 to 5, 6 to 8 and 7 to 12 participated in three separate wellbeing surveys – known as the School Resilience Survey – designed to collect information to help us assess the future needs of our wellbeing programming. 

Thank you to those parents who reached out to engage in conversations and share feedback on the survey. We sincerely appreciate your feedback and will bring these key learnings forward for future initiatives.

Purpose of the Survey

The goal of the survey was to: 

• Assess student perceptions and experiences 
• Identify strengths and weaknesses of key grade-level wellbeing indicators 
• Better understand the concerns of children growing up in our community
• Learn how best to continue promoting positive development among our students

To help support us in our journey, we worked with an independent third-party team of industry-leading scientists, clinicians and consultants at Authentic Connections, who are committed to helping high achieving schools measure, track and improve wellbeing and resilience. 

Authentic Connections and Survey Measures 

The School Resilience Survey is an extension of the work of Dr. Suniya Luthar – Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer of Authentic Connections – to study and promote positive youth development. Dr. Luthar is Professor Emerita at Columbia University’s Teachers College, where she served as professor and senior advisor to the Provost. She was also previously on the faculty at Yale University’s School of Medicine. 

The Authentic Connections surveys (Children’s Resilience Survey and High Achieving Schools Survey) measured how our students are doing on important indicators of mental health, learning efficacy, sense of community connectedness, risk-taking behaviours and relationships such as student-parent, peer to peer and student-teacher. 

All individual responses were entirely anonymous; no identifying information – including IP addresses – were sent to the Authentic Connections research team or to Havergal. We are not able to share a copy of the surveys due to the fact that we do not own the rights to share or distribute the survey.

Survey Findings

The survey findings will provide us with a list of next steps to drive meaningful improvements at Havergal and help us determine programming that will meet the specific needs of our students. We intend to share the themes that emerge from the survey with students and parents. We believe the themes will offer valuable insights to both parents and teachers when identifying and addressing issues and concerns.

If you have any further questions please reach out to Dr. Meagan Yarmey, Director of Wellbeing.

Senior School Grade-Wide Fall Trips, 2022-2023

We recognize that students have not been able to participate in the variety of school related trips and experiences over the past two years. With this in mind, we have built a program that is unique for the 2022-2023 school year as we begin to build back the social and relationship experiences that help build a great community here at Havergal.  We will be taking each grade level to a different camp location for two nights in September to facilitate new friendships and strengthen relationships between students in each grade. In addition, leadership skills will be developed in an age appropriate manner. Learn more at the grade-specific virtual parent information nights. Dates are outlined in the chart below.

The approximate cost of each trip will vary and more details will follow. We recognize this is an additional cost. Havergal College is commited to financial assistance; please be assured that families receiving bursaries will be able to apply for assistance for these trips because this is a key part of our program. Please reach out to Deirdre Timusk if you have any questions.

Middle School Musical Theatre

On Thursday, May 19 the inaugural Middle School Musical Review, We’re All In This Together, will take place at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm in The Legacy Theatre. Parents can reserve their tickets for the 7:00pm show by using this link. 

Middle School Music Night

On Thursday, May 26, the Grade 7 students and the Middle School Choir will perform at 7:00 pm, in the Brenda Robson Hall. Students have been preparing for this event all semester and the music promises to delight all those in attendance. Reservations are not required.

Grade 12 Families: Prom Permission Form Information

If your child is attending Prom, please, click this link to register. If your child is bringing a guest you will need to provide us with the information below:

• Full name of child’s guest
• Name of guest’s school  (Please note, if the guest does not attend a school their guest application must still be signed by a parent/guardian of the guest.)
• Name of guest’s Parent/Guardian
• Contact phone number for guest’s Parent/Guardian

All Havergal students bringing a guest will be required to submit a Prom 2022 Guest Application to Ms. Danto no later than May 20th.  All guests are subject to approval by the Havergal Administration.

Grade 12 Families: Graduation Events Information Session

On Wednesday, May 4th, the Grade 12 students were informed about important details regarding their graduation ceremony and the exciting events leading up to it. Grads were informed about their responsibilities regarding grad comments, awards voting, what to wear on the big day, and important dates. Grads are reminded to complete their grad comments which are due on Friday, May 27th. Grads are encouraged to review the slideshow that was emailed to them on Wednesday.

Pride Week

Pride Week will take place next week at Havergal. The Pride Committee has organized a variety of activities scheduled at lunch and afterschool for interested students. They will kick off the week with Prayers on Monday where students on the Pride Committee will be talking about the history of Pride, sharing their experiences of being a part of the LGBTQ2AI+ community, and celebrating the diversity of our school. If you have any questions, please reach out to Cissy Goodridge. 

NEDIC Webinar

The National Eating disorder information centre is offering a free webinar on the connection between Social media and eating disorders.  If you are interested, more information on the webinar can be found here. 

‘Socks for Souls’ Drive

May is National Foot Health Month and, in honour of that, this May 17th to the 29th Havergal will be running a sock drive in support of Socks 4 Souls Canada. Socks 4 Souls is a non-profit charity that is run by emergency room doctors, who have first-hand experience seeing increasing amounts of homeless people across the GTA coming in due to foot-related injuries. Last year, during the pandemic, Havergal managed to donate over 300 pairs of socks to Socks 4 Souls’ partners across the GTA, and we are aiming to beat that this year! Starting next week, there will be designated boxes located at each of the grade entrances for students to drop off their donations of new socks. 

HC-X Launching Digital Microcredentials

HC-X is launching this pilot of new learning experiences to students beginning in September. Working with partners from our community as well as elite post-secondary institutions, HC-X is bringing unique learning experiences to our students. Registration is open now to gauge interest. To register click the links to the programs of interest below.

Working with Convergence.Tech, a leader in this space, HC-X believes that micro-credentials offer lots of potential for our students. They are verifiable, shareable and validated learning experiences that signal to authentic audiences that anyone who completes it, has gained a depth of knowledge and experience in these areas.

Benefits to an HC-X microcredential:

• Learn from experts: We are partnering with Harvard Student Agencies, Inspirit AI who bring MIT and Stanford Professors, and Old Girls who are working and leading in these spaces
• Getting Experience: learn about things that you don’t know about but may love, with little risk and just a little bit of your time, and build networks while they are at it.
• Show off your Interests, Passions and Experiences: HC-X Digital Credentials are shareable on socials, like LinkedIn, and are verifiable on Blockchain.
• Deepen and Extend Learning: For example:

1. If a student is really interested in business and are part of DECA, CEO club, Investment / Finance Club, and are even taking courses in these areas, you may want to extend your learning into crypto and ESG investing.  
2. If students are into BioScience and Medicine, they may be members of our HOSA club, and want to do more learning, you could take the Pre-Med micro credential offered by Harvard Student Agencies
3. Or if a Student has completed the Digital Wisdom course, or a Comm Tech, are part of Coding Club, and are interested in Artificial Intelligence and coding they can take the AI credential with Inspirit AI and learn with and from professors from Stanford and MIT

To register, and for more information on these learning experiences please see below:

(1) Microcredential in: Contemporary Finance

(2) Microcredential in: Pre-Med

(3) Microcredential in: Artificial Intelligence
Or contact Garth Nichols, Vice Principal of Strategic Innovation & Design, or Adam Caplan, Director of HC-X.

GO-VAXX Mobile Vaccine Clinic at Havergal on May 21

On Saturday, May 21, GO-VAXX mobile vaccine bus will return to Havergal’s Upper School parking lot (1451 Avenue Road) from 10 am to 6 pm to provide Pfizer first, second, third and booster doses for those ages 12 and up, as well as paediatric Pfizer vaccines for children ages five to 11. Vaccinations are available to everyone—students, parents, faculty and staff, Old Girls/Alums—as well as friends, neighbours and beyond. All are welcome!

Walk-ins are available, while supplies last. To book an appointment, visit the COVID-19 vaccination portal or call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900. Bookings are available starting Friday, May 20. Visit Ontario.ca/vaccinebus for more information.

Dates on the Horizon

Pride Week

• Monday – Friday, May 16-20

Havercrest Coffee House

• Friday, May 20, Grade 11/12 students 

Victoria Day Weekend

• Monday, May 23 –  No School

House Shout!  House Colour Dress Down Day

• Tuesday, May 24,  1 pm, regular classes in the morning.

Virtual Fall Grade Trips Parent Information Nights (zoom links in next blog)

• Wed June 1 7 pm: Grade 9 Fall Trip
• Wed June 1 7 pm: Grade 10 Fall Trip
• Thur June 2 7 pm: Grade 11 Fall Trip
• Thur June 2 7 pm: Grade 12 Fall Trip 

Kilcoo Camp Overnight Excursion

• Grade 8: May 30 (7:10 am drop off) – June 1 (approx. 1 pm pick up at Havergal)
• Grade 7: June 1 (7:10 am drop off) – 3 (approx. noon pick up at Havergal)
  • Parents and students will receive an email with the final details and instructions on Thursday, May 26.

Celebrate Grade 8

• Wednesday, June 15, 1:30 – 3:00 pm, Grade 8 students are dismissed at 3 pm following the ceremony and reception

Class of 2022 Graduation & Reception

• Friday, June 17, 1:00 – 5:00 pm

Photos

Middle School Gator Games

Snapshots from Middle School Prayers on Thursday

Dear Parents,

The springtime is always a busy time of year for Havergal, but with many events starting back up after a two year hiatus, it is especially true this spring. One event that our students eagerly signed up for was the COSSOT (Coalition of Single-Sex Schools of Toronto) Relay for Life held at UCC on Thursday. Over 200 Havergal students participated and the event raised more than $185,000 for The Canadian Cancer Society. Our students worked together and had fun while raising funds for a worthy cause. Another eagerly anticipated event is the Havercrest Middle School Social being held at Crescent School this afternoon, where 130 Havergal students are signed up for fun and games while making new friends.

We’re thrilled to see our students joining in on these opportunities and are incredibly thankful for the work that our faculty, staff, and student leaders have put into organizing these initiatives. Please enjoy all of the photos at the bottom of this blog that highlight some of the events that have taken place over the past two weeks. 

The US Blog contains information and updates on the following: 

• Upper School Trips this Fall
• Graduation Update – Graduate Comments
• Havergal Welcomes a new Executive Director, Advancement
• Ramadan – Food Drive
• Report Cards for Semester 2 – update
• Dates on the Horizon
• The Last Few Weeks in Photos 

Sincerely,

JJ Patterson, Head of Middle School

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School

Latest News

Upper School Fall Trips

We recognize that students have not been able to participate in school-related trips and experiences over the past two years. With this in mind, we have built a program that is unique for the 2022-2023 school year as we begin to build back the social and relationship experiences that help build a great experience here at Havergal. 

The aim of these trips is to facilitate new friendships and strengthen relationships between students in each grade. In addition, leadership skills will be developed in an age appropriate manner. Please click on this link to learn more.

Graduation Updates – Grad Comments – Advisory Time May 4, 2022

On Wednesday, May 4th during Advisory time with Ms. Johnstone and Ms. Mandala, grads will hear important information regarding the graduation ceremony and their grad comments. Grad comments are read during the Graduation Ceremony in June. Grads are to reflect on their experience at Havergal College and write their comments. It is very important that all grads attend this session next Wednesday at 8:30 am in the Brenda Robson Hall.

Grads must submit their comments by Friday, May 27th via the Google Form. 

Havergal Welcomes a new Executive Director, Advancement

We are pleased to announce that Havergal will welcome Annette Paul as our new Executive Director, Advancement. Ms. Paul will lead the strategic and operational functions of the Advancement Department including philanthropy and alumni relations, in addition to serving as a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Ms. Paul  is an experienced fundraising and development executive with over 22 years of experience in the not for profit and education sectors. She is currently the Director, Advancement at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto’s newest faculty, where she has been working closely with the Dean to meet the faculty’s $75M capital campaign target. While at the University of Toronto, Ms. Paul also co-chaired two university-level committees on stewardship and on equity with senior university leadership. Prior to her role at U of T, Ms. Paul held senior roles in a variety of educational and not for profit sectors including the United Way (Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington), Queen’s University and the Daily Bread Food Bank. Ms. Paul will join Havergal on May 9th , 2022 and parents can expect to meet her over the course of the spring and early fall.

Ramadan – Food Drive

For the month of Ramadan, Muslim communities often act charitably to give to those in need. This special act represents thankfulness to God for helping them complete their month of fasting. Sunday marks the end of Ramadan and Eid will be celebrated on May 2nd. You can wish an “Eid Mubarak” to your friends and colleagues who have fasted during this holy month.

This year, the Muslim Student Affinity group (MSA) has set up boxes around the school for a school food drive. Please contribute with dry or canned goods. The last date to bring food is Wednesday, May 4. 

Report Cards from Semester 2

Please note that the incorrect attendance data on the second semester report cards has been removed from the report cards. Thank you for bringing this to our attention and we apologize for the error. Please reach out to Ms. Seonaid Davis if you have any further questions.

Dates on the Horizon

Student Leadership Announcements

• May 2

AP (Advanced Placement) Exams

• May 2 – 20

PD Day

• Friday, May 6 – No School for Students

Middle School Gator Games

• May 10, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
• Email from Ms. Di Filippo with details, Registration Link (deadline to register is May 5)

Beatstock

• May 13

Victoria Day Weekend

• Monday, May 23 –  No School

House Shout – House Colour Dress Down Day

• Tuesday, May 24 @ 1 pm, regular classes in the morning.

Connections Prayer (new date)

• Thursday, May 26

Kilcoo Camp Overnight Excursion

• Grade 8: May 30 (7:10 am drop off) – June 1 (approx. 1 pm pick up at Havergal)
• Grade 7: June 1 (7:10 am drop off) – 3 (approx. noon pick up at Havergal)

Celebrate Grade 8

• Wednesday, June 15, 1:30 – 3:00 pm 

Photos from the Last Few Weeks

Earth Week, Sustainability Prayers with Earth Prize, Thrift Store and Advisign Activity

Sports, Founders’ Day, Music Night and Elections kept us busy!

Arts Week: Bracelet making, Just Dance at lunch, Bob Ross art, and the Dance Show

Arts Week Salon

Dear Parents,

It’s been busy at the Upper School this week with a lot happening in sports, music and personal growth.

Teams are practicing and preparing for their upcoming season, enjoying the warmer weather that has finally arrived. Students and coaches alike are excited to be back on the courts, field, and track again.

The Senior School Music Night was a highlight made extra special because we were able to welcome parents on campus for a live audience experience. The multiple ensembles performed beautifully! Thank you the Music department for all of their effort and dedication over the course of the year. We invite you to view the performances through the Havergal YouTube Channel linked HERE. 

We hosted Dr. Alex Russell for a faculty professional development session after school on Wednesday, followed by an in-person and virtual session for parents in the evening. His topic of supporting teenage children during challenging times addressed many pertinent issues such as anxiety, the importance of the parent-teacher-student triangle, how ‘flow’ is a true marker for happiness and engagement, and when, as parents, we need to sit on the park bench and not step into their experience, even when that experience involves a non-catastrophic, painful failure. We encourage you to view the recording of the session through this LINK.

As we head into this long weekend, we wish you a Happy Easter, Happy Passover and Ramadan Mubarak. We hope you’re able to safely spend time with those you love on the weekend.

The US Blog contains information and updates on the following: 

• Principal & HCPA Updates
• Recording of Dr Alex Russell’s presentation on Supporting Teenage Children
• Founders’ Day – Community Event on Campus
• Founders’ Day – Registration Reminder
• Earth Week (April 14-22, 2022)
• Grade 11: OELC Leadership Training 
• Learn to Golf
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

JJ Patterson, Head of Middle School

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School

Latest News

Principal & HCPA Updates

Dear Havergal Families:

We would like to thank all who participated in our survey regarding the Father Daughter Dance, Mother Daughter Breakfasts, Grade 12 Mother Daughter Brunch and Junior School A-Mazing Race. We had very strong participation from both our parent and our Upper School student community. Your feedback is important to us and we thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and ideas with us.

We’ve shared information below on the responses to our parent and student survey. Overall, the vast majority of respondents (over 70%) were supportive of renaming the events to ensure that families of all shapes and sizes felt welcomed to participate. This is no doubt reflective of the variety of families represented within our school community. Given this insightful feedback from both students and parents, we will be making the following changes:

• The Father Daughter Dance will be renamed to Gator Gala and will take place on Thursday, June 9, 2022. Students attending can invite one significant adult of their choosing.
• The Mother Daughter Breakfasts will now be called Havergal Family Breakfasts. Students attending from our major entry years (Grades 1, 5, 7 and 9) can invite one significant adult of their choosing. 
• The Grade 12 Mother Daughter Brunch will now be known as Grad Family Brunch. Grade 12 students will be encouraged to bring up to two significant adults to the event, which takes place in the fall.
• The Junior School A-Mazing Race will retain its name and students can bring one significant adult of their choosing.This event will take place on Sunday, May 15, 2022.

Tickets for the Gator Gala will go on sale Monday, April 18 and the planning committee is creating a great evening that honours tradition and celebrates this special one-on-one time with your daughter. There will be dinner, dancing, games, prizes, a silent auction and opportunities to participate in time-honoured traditions between parents and students. As per the Ontario College of Teachers guidelines, any school-sanctioned event where students attend as guests will not have alcohol served. A wide selection of signature mocktails, non-alcoholic beers and beverages will be served alongside a delicious dinner. Please watch for the Gator Gala invitation to arrive via email on April 18. 

Once again, thank you to everyone who shared feedback with us. We are looking forward to a wonderful series of community events this spring and fall.

Sincerely,

Dr Alex Russell’s Presentation

If you were not able to tune in on the evening, here, again, is the link to Dr Russell’s presentation.

Founders’ Day – Community Event on Campus

This year, our Founders’ Day theme, Strong Foundations: Bright Future compels us to celebrate our history while focusing on what we, as individuals and as a community, will do to help create a bright future as we move through this pandemic.

To mark this historic time and honour the strength of our collective community, each student and family member will be given a stone upon which they can write their name and, for students, their graduating year as well. These stones will be collected and made onto an art installation, similar to what is pictured below.

This installation will live in the Simpson Family Quilted Garden, bordering on both the Junior and Upper School and be a reminder of our community’s strength, perseverance.

We look forward to welcoming our families to campus and to building together a bright future for the Havergal community. Parents are invited to join their child(ren) for an opportunity to tour the school with their child(ren), to participate in our Strong Foundations, Strong Future community activity and to take a family photo at our photo booth. 

At 2:30 pm, students will meet their parents at a reception hosted by the HCPA:

• Grade 7 & 8 Parents – Brenda Robson Hall
• Grade 9 & 10 Parents – Student Commons
• Grade 11 & 12 Parents – Temerty Commons

Founders’ Day Registration Reminder

As was communicated last week, we are thrilled that our Upper School Students will once again be returning to St. Paul’s Cathedral for Founders’ Day next Thursday, April 21.

If you have not already done so, please complete this permission form and confirm your child’s participation in this event. Forms must be completed by noon on Tuesday April 19. Please note that registration for this event is not required for members of the Middle and Senior School Choirs.

If your child will not be attending, please email dso@havergal.on.ca before the 3:30 pm on Wednesday, April 20th and let them know the details of their absence and be sure to indicate if they will be absent all day or attending classes in the afternoon.

Earth Week (April 19 – 22, 2022)

Earth Week begins next week! This year’s Sustainability Council has planned many fun and educational events around various sustainability themes. Please check this schedule for a description of the week’s events.

Grade 11: OELC Leadership Training

With the understanding that each and every student at Havergal has the potential to be a leader, this June we will be holding leadership training for every student in the Class of 2023 to prepare them to lead, whatever their role, during their final year at Havergal. 

Students will be on-campus and the experience will be led by the Ontario Education Leadership Centre and will take place all day on Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15 in place of classes. The Candlelight Ceremony, in which all Grade 11 students participate, will take place on June 16.

In the past, a leadership retreat was held in August for the Prefects, House Captains and Senior Year Presidents. Muskoka Woods is no longer able to accommodate us in August due to the changes they have made to their summer program. These students will be on campus in August to spend time preparing for their portfolios. The June leadership training will be focussed on the entire Class of 2023 to enable all students to have the greatest amount of growth, and impact on the school community. More information will follow. Please reach out to Deirdre Timusk, Head of the Senior School, if you have any questions.

Learn to Golf

Havergal is excited to offer a Learn to Golf Program this spring. This program is for students who want to learn more about golf and who do not have as much experience as those on the golf team. This program is not for students who are on the Havergal golf team, or who are playing another spring sport.

The sessions will be run by Lindsay Knowlton from Iron Lady Golf and will take place at Havergal College. To participate in the program, students will need to provide their own golf clubs. If your child would like to participate in this program, please sign up here. Parents may sign up on behalf of their children.

Dates on the Horizon

Easter Weekend

• Friday, April 15 – No School
• Monday, April 18 – No School

Global Exchange Program – In-Person Mandatory Meeting

• Wednesday, April 20 – 6:30 pm

Founders’ Day

• Thursday, April 21 
• Please note all students will be meeting at St. Paul’s at 8:50 am (Gr. 12) or 9:00 am (Gr. 7-11) and the Upper School building does not open until 11:15 am. 

Senior School Dance Troupe Performance

• Thursday, April 21 – Legacy Theatre – 4 pm 
• Friday, April 22 – Legacy Theatre – 7 pm 

PD Day

• Friday, May 6 – No School for Students

Victoria Day Weekend

• Monday, May 23 –  No School

House Shout – House Colour Dress Down Day

• Tuesday, May 24 @ 1 pm, regular classes in the morning.

Connections Prayer (new date)

• Thursday, May 26

Dear Parents,

Although we were not scheduled to send a blog today, we have some important updates that we wanted to share with you. 

The US Blog contains information and updates on the following: 

• Principal’s Updates
  • Wishing a Fond Farewell to Tony diCosmo, Executive Director, Advancement & Community Relations
  • Seeking Your Input: Havergal’s Next Steps in Supporting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • Founder’s Day – Parents Welcome on Campus
  • The Power of Girls’ Education

• Head of Middle School Announcement
• Upper School Global Exchange Program for 2022-2023
• Student Resilience Survey – Parent Consent
• COVID Reporting
• Absence Reporting
• Connection Prayers Date Change
• Founders’ Day Reminder
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

JJ Patterson, Head of Middle School

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School

Principal’s Updates

Wishing a Fond Farewell to Tony diCosmo, Executive Director, Advancement & Community Relations

After almost six years in his role, Tony diCosmo has resigned as Executive Director of Advancement and Community Relations. His last day with Havergal is Friday, April 8th.

After leading the school through the successful completion of the Limitless Campaign, and as the school looks to the future as it emerges from the pandemic, Tony felt it was the right time to step away and pursue other opportunities.

I would like to thank Tony for his significant contributions to Havergal, specifically his leadership of the Limitless Campaign and the great work he has done with both our alumni and parent communities. His warmth and professionalism have made him a pleasure to work with and he will be missed by faculty, staff, parents, and alumni. 

Please join me in wishing Tony all the very best in his future endeavors. We’ll miss his warm and compassionate nature and are grateful for the significant contribution he has made to the Havergal community.

Seeking Your Input: Havergal’s Next Steps in Supporting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Havergal College is moving ahead with the recruitment of the new Executive Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). This is an important role in fulfilling Havergal’s commitment to fostering an inclusive culture for its community. We have engaged the executive search firm KBRS to support the recruitment process which will be led by Amorell Saunders N’Daw, Partner and EDI Lead. A brief overview of the consulting firm and the lead Partner is included below.

For this inaugural role at the College, we value input from students, faculty, staff, as well as Havergal College’s other stakeholders, such as families, and this feedback will be important for informing the position profile and priorities for the role. It will also be helpful in providing guidance and direction to the Search Advisory Committee. Given this, we want to hear from you about what you think the ideal skills, characteristics and competencies should be by offering you the opportunity to provide input on priorities for the role by participating in the attached survey.

KBRS will administer the survey and will provide the results to the Search Advisory Committee for consideration.  Rest assured that your privacy will be respected and the collection of information will be conducted in a confidential manner.

Please click on the link below to participate in the survey process:

http://surveys.verticalresponse.com/t/show/255082/5e2d06410b/0

We look forward to hearing from you and thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts with us.

About KBRS: www.kbrs.ca

Amorell Saunders N’Daw, BAA, M.Ed.

Partner & EDI Lead | asaundersndaw@kbrs.ca

Amorell uses her unique combination of corporate communications, governance and diversity and inclusion skills and experience to assist organizations in the search and recruitment process. Amorell has provided search and recruitment leadership and support to academic institutions and not-for-profit organizations. During a 12-year career at the University of Toronto Scarborough, Amorell served on hiring committees across multiple departments, providing advice about making the recruitment process more inclusive and diverse. A trained journalist who speaks English and French, Amorell completed her Master of Education degree at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, with a focus on adult education and community development.

Founders’ Day – Parents Welcome on Campus – April 21

As previously communicated, we will be celebrating Founders’ Day on April 21, 2022. This annual event marks the anniversary of the cornerstone being laid in 1926 at Havergal’s “New School” on Avenue Road. It holds special meaning because it provides an opportunity to reflect on the values and traditions established at Havergal since its founding in 1894.

You will have received grade-specific information earlier about how you can join your daughters on campus for part of this special day. Please check your inbox and mark the date on your calendar!

The Power of Girls’ Education

From time to time, I like to share articles and information with parents that support our mission and core values.  While you have made the conscious choice to invest in a girls’-centred education for your child, it’s good to have the facts about why education for girls and women must continue to be a priority across the globe.  In February, the World Bank updated their Girls Education Overview with statistics showing the impact of COVID-19 on girls education globally.  It’s a quick read and a great reminder that the investment we make in girls and women supports shared prosperity for all.  As a UNESCO School we are called to foster positive social change, and reminding ourselves about the importance of investing in our girls is an important way to live Havergal’s mission to prepare young women to make a difference. 

Latest News & Reminders

Head of Middle School Announcement

We are delighted to share that after an extensive search, Cissy Goodridge has been offered and accepted the position of Head of Middle School. Cissy is a passionate educator and leader who is focussed on providing Middle School students with opportunities that allow them to develop their unique identities, connect with their classmates and extend beyond their communities. 

The Havergal community is well aware of the success she has had both as a music teacher and Director of Performing Arts. She has played a key role in supporting students and planning Prayers for the Upper School. In addition, she supported the grade 7 admissions process this year and provided leadership to the Upper School Affinity groups as the Coordinator of Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.

We know you will join us in congratulating Cissy. We are grateful for the leadership that JJ Patterson has provided to the Middle School, and Cissy looks forward to collaborating with her to ensure a seamless transition for our students.

Upper School Global Exchange Program for 2022-2023

We are excited to announce that Havergal will offer a global exchange program in the 2022-2023 academic year for Grade 8 and Grade 10 students. If your child(ren) is currently in Grade 7 or 9, this opportunity is for them.

For more information, please CLICK HERE. There are important dates/requirements that are coming up quickly, so please don’t delay. For any questions, please contact Garth Nichols.

Student Resilience Survey – Parent Consent

As part of the school’s ongoing commitment to wellbeing as outlined in the Strategic Direction 2020+, we are conducting a School Resilience Survey. The pandemic has triggered unique and dynamic issues that can affect our students’ wellbeing and sense of connectedness to the school. To keep our community healthy, we are committed to taking proactive steps to ensure a positive school climate where students are able to flourish. 

Resilience is defined as the maintenance of positive adjustment in the context of exposure to significant adversity. A resilience survey can help us gather actionable data about our students’ mental health and wellbeing as well as their sense of connection with peers and adults at school. Results from the survey will enable us to make the most impactful changes to our programming as it relates to wellbeing by being thoughtful and responsive to our students’ needs, as well as helping to monitor progress.

To help support us in this important work, we have hired Authentic Connections. The questionnaires were developed from several standard measures that ask youth questions about their feelings and behaviours. No identifying information – including IP addresses – will be collected. Your child’s name will not appear anywhere on their responses, and questionnaires are all stored according to random ID numbers, specially allotted for this survey. The survey will be administered on May 3, 2022.

• Students in Grade 2 to 5 will be invited to complete the Children’s Resilience Survey (CRS), which is designed to take between 10 and 15 minutes, online during class time. 
• Students in Grades 6 through to 12 will be invited to complete the High Achieving Schools Survey (HASS), which is designed to take approximately 40 minutes, online during Homeroom/Form/Advisory time. 
• Participation is voluntary and students can skip questions they do not want to answer. 

If you do not want your child to participate, please complete this google form and submit by April 22, 2022. 

Sincerely,

Meagan Yarmey

PhD, Director of Wellbeing

COVID-19 Reporting

We have been receiving queries regarding COVID-19 and ‘what to do when,’ so we would like to remind you of the following:

• If your child is unwell for any reason, they should stay home.
• If your child is unwell and any experiencing Covid-19 symptoms, please refer to the TPH Screening and Isolation guidelines to determine if testing is needed prior to returning to school, and if household members must also isolate. 
  • For specific details on testing options available through Havergal consult the Testing Options for Individuals with Symptoms at Havergal.
  • Please reach out directly to the Havergal Health Centre at covid@havergal.on.ca if you have any questions related to your Covid-19 scenario. 

If your child has tested positive on a covid-19 test, please contact covid@havergal.on.ca.

Reporting Absences

• If your child will be absent from school for any reason, please input the absence into SchoolPass and be sure to include the reason for the absence in the notes field. Helpful instructions on using SchoolPass.
• If your child is isolating due to Covid-19, please be sure to enter ‘isolating’ in the notes field. Only students who are isolating for covid reasons will be permitted to join Zoom.
• If your child will be absent for multiple days, you can select all the days in the SchoolPass app. We recommend and ask that you do this if your child is going to be absent for multiple days due to isolation or for an extended absence.
  • Please do not select one day for an absence and then use the notes section to report they will be away for multiple days. Instead, please select all of the dates on the SchoolPass calendar and then put the reason in the notes field.

Connection Prayers

Just a quick note to let you know that Connection Prayers has been rescheduled and will be held on Thursday, May 26. 

Founders’ Day Reminder

For reasons of health and safety, students who do not attend the Founders’ Day service at St. Paul’s Church, may not enter the school building until 11:15 AM. There will be no faculty or staff on the premises to provide proper supervision. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Dates on the Horizon

Upper School Update Report Card

• Monday, April 11 – 4 pm – Update report cards are available to parents and students through Veracross (click here for instructions on how to access)

Senior School Music Night

• Tuesday, April 12th – 7:00 pm 

Dr. Alex Russell Parent Presentation 

• Wednesday, April 13th – 6:30 – 8:00 pm (in-person or virtual)

Easter Weekend

• Friday, April 15 – No School
• Monday, April 18 – No School

Global Exchange Program – In-Person Mandatory Meeting

• Wednesday, April 20 – 6:30 pm

Founders’ Day

• Thursday, April 21 
• Please note all students will be meeting at St. Paul’s at 8:50 am (Gr. 12) or 9:00 am (Gr. 7-11) and the Upper School building does not open until 11:15 am. 

Senior School Dance Troupe Performance

• Thursday, April 21 – Legacy Theatre – 4 pm 
• Friday, April 22 – Legacy Theatre – 7 pm 

PD Day

• Friday, May 6 – No School for Students

Victoria Day Weekend

• Monday, May 23 –  No School

House Shout

• Tuesday, May 24 @ 1 pm, regular classes in the morning.

Connections Prayer (new date)

• Thursday, May 26