Dear Parents,

This past week we have been preparing for Halloween here in the Upper School. You will be able to see some photos of the amazing doors the students put together in their form/advisory groups at the end of the blog and on our Instagram pages. 

While the doors are works of art, it is not only the finished product that is the purpose of the activity.  It is the process of planning and decorating which requires collaboration and communication between members of that form/advisory group that is truly at the centre. These moments make up part of our larger strategy to support your child as we move through this pandemic.  The community and friendships that are built in their form/advisory group will give students yet another place to find support and camaraderie.

The US Blog contains information and updates on the following: 

• Update Report Card – Monday, November 8 @ 4 PM
• Winter Athletics
• Take Home PCR COVID-19 Tests
• Sick Kids Hospital COVID-19 Consult Service
• Donation for Remembrance Day Poppy
• Students in the Building After School
• Middle School Study Buddies Program
• Parent-Teacher Interview Feedback
• Dates on the Horizon

Sincerely,

JJ Patterson, Head of Middle School

Deirdre Timusk, Head of Senior School

Update Report Card – Monday, November 8 @4 pm

Parents and students will be able to access the update report card on Monday, November 8 at 4 pm through Veracross. For details on the report card format and how to access the report, please click here.

Winter Athletics – Coming Soon!

Winter athletics registration will open on Tuesday, November 2 and will close on Monday, November 8th. If your child wishes to try out for a winter sports team, be sure to look for an email from Carla Di FIlippo, Athletics Director, with registration details. The registration link will open November 2 and parents are required to complete the registration. Tryouts will take place between Tuesday, November 16th and Tuesday, November 30th. Please reference either the Veracross Calendar or the Havergal 2021-2022 Schedule (tab 2: Winter 2021-2022) for tryout times and locations. The following winter sports will be offered:

• Alpine Skiing – U14, U16/U20
• Badminton – U13, U14, U16, U20
• Curling – U20
• Hockey – U14, U20 D1
• Nordic Skiing – U14, U20
• Rowing – U16, U20
• Rugby Training – U16, U20
• Swimming – U13/U14 and U16/U20
• Volleyball – U13D1, U13 D2, U14 D1, U14 D2, U16D1, U16D2, U20
• Yoga 

Take Home PCR COVID-19 Tests

This week we have launched our Take Home PCR Saliva Test Kit Program, in partnership with SickKids Hospital. These kits are available to any students, or household members who have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, have a risk/close contact identified by TPH or who are part of an identified cohort or outbreak. Please contact the Upper School nurse at ext. 4712 or covid@havergal.on.ca if you would like to pick up, or drop off a kit. Kits are to be dropped off to a Health Centre nurse, or at the Junior School Main Entrance; the sample is then sent by courier to SickKids for testing. Please see this document for details on the program: Take Home COVID-19 PCR Saliva Testing Program. 

SickKids Hospital COVID-19 Vaccine Consult Service

SickKids Hospital is offering a COVID-19 Vaccine consult service that is available to all children and families in Ontario. It is a by-appointment phone service that provides a safe, judgement-free space to have an open conversation. Please see their FLYER for additional details.

Donation for Remembrance Day Poppy

On Monday, November 8, Remembrance Day Prayers will honour all those who have served in Canada’s Armed Forces. The annual Poppy Drive is tirelessly administered and steered by older Canadian Veterans with whom Havergal has had a relationship for over a decade. We will be distributing poppies to all students in Grades 7 through 12 during Form and TA. Students are invited to donate money to the Canadian Legion at the time of poppy distribution. If you would like to learn about the ways in which the Poppy Fund Drive supports veterans and their families, please visit this link: Poppy Trust Fund.

Students in the Building after School

After school, students are welcome to remain in the school building should they need to remain until their pick-up time. They can work in the Resource Centre (RC) or their Form/Advisory room. At 6pm, there will be an announcement asking that any students who are still in the building report to the security desk in the front rotunda where they need to remain until departure.

The Middle School Study Buddies Program

The Study Buddies program is a student-led program where students in the Middle School can access academic support from a Senior School student mentor across various subject areas. Study Buddies provides time and space for students to work on homework and projects, and to get feedback, organizational, and study tips.  This is a mentorship program where students collaborate and learn from peers while making meaningful connections along the way.

Led by Ashley Tang and Madison Myers, the mentors are available Monday – Thursday from 3:45 pm – 5:00 pm for drop-in sessions at school and by Zoom appointment at other times. Middle School students have received the Study Buddy mentor schedule and slide show this week via email. Follow the Study Buddies Instagram account where we provide study tips, celebrate success stories, and offer updates @hcstudybuddies. If you have any questions regarding the program, please reach out Carrie Steele, Middle School Guidance Counsellor and Learning Support Specialist.

Parent-Teacher Interview Feedback Form

Thank you for attending the Parent-Teacher Interviews held last Thursday and Friday. We welcome your feedback in an effort to continuously improve our events and experiences for our parents. Please share your feedback through this Form. The form will remain open until Wednesday, November 3.

Dates on the Horizon

Nov 2 – 8 Winter Athletics Registration is Open 

Nov 8 @4 pm Report Cards available via Parent Portal on Veracross

Nov 10 @6 pm Boarding School closes for Mid-Term break

Nov 11 – 15 (inclusive) Mid-Term Break – school is closed

Latest News

Parent-Teacher Interviews

When do they take place?

• Thursday, October 21 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm 
• Friday, October 22 from 8:00 am – 3:00 pm 

Registration

• Opened: Tuesday, October 12 at 6:00 pm
• Closes: Tuesday, October 19 at 6:00 pm 

Will Parent-Teacher Conferences be held at school, or on Zoom?

• All Parent-Teacher Interviews will be held over Zoom.
• You will receive your Zoom links through the Pick-A-Time site once you are registered.
• All Zoom links for this event will have the same password: 1451

How to sign up:

• In order to sign-up, please go to Pick-A-Time 
• A ‘Forgot Password’ link is available on the Pick-A-time website if needed.

Assistance:

• For assistance with Pick-A-time, contact our Service Desk at 416-483-3843 ext.6663 between the hours of 7:30am -5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
• PickAtime does not permit the scheduling of back-to-back appointments. However, if you are the parent of two or more students that have the same teacher or if you are the parent of three or more Upper School students please contact Ms. Ladak (sladak@havergal.on.ca) by Friday, October 15 before noon and she will help you to book the appointments.
• If you wish to meet with your student’s Guidance Counsellor, please email them individually by Friday, October 15 to book an appointment.

Clubs are starting!

On Tuesday, October 19th, all Middle School (Grades 7-8) and Senior School (Grades 9-12) clubs will begin. Registration for clubs opened up following Club Fest where club leaders were given the opportunity to showcase their club to all students, and registration closed on Tuesday, Oct 12th. Middle School students are required to join a club and Senior School students are strongly encouraged. 

Getting to Know Our New Students

In order to welcome new students to the Havergal community and allow them to get to know the Head of School, the Grade 7 &  9 students, and any new students in other grades, will be invited to a 1:1 meeting over the next several weeks. These meetings help to grow and develop connections so that we are able to support your child as part of our circle of care. 

From the Green & Gold Shop

The long-awaited locker shelves and master locks are back in stock. Please let your child know these items are available to purchase to help organize and secure their belongings. The Green & Gold shop welcomes their visits before and after school, and during lunch. The hours are as follows:

8:00 AM to 8:30 AM

12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

3:30 PM to 4:00 PM

Terry Fox Run/Walk

News from Form & Advisory: Cultural Appropriation & Allyship

Over the next few weeks students will be taking part in interactive DEI lessons in their Form and Advisory classes on Cultural Appropriation and Allyship. These lessons will touch on what these concepts mean, how students’ identities are situated in relation to their understanding of these terms, what they look like societally and in our school environment, and what students can do to address issues related to these topics. As we work towards building a more equitable and inclusive school community, it is imperative that we learn how to be better allies and advocates to marginalized folks and the issues that impact them. Please reach out to Raagini Appadurai, Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at rappadurai@havergal.on.ca should you have any questions. 

Take Your Kid to Work Day

Traditionally, for our Grade 9 students, early November means a trip to the office with a parent or family friend to learn more about a career. This year the Grade 9s will be taking part in an online version of this day during their advisory period on November 10th and having small group discussions. 

School Photos

Your child’s school photograph is now available for purchase. The link where you can view and order your child’s photograph is www.echophotography.ca/havergal2021. Your password will be your child’s student ID number. If there are any issues with the link, or if you have any questions, our school photographer, Mr. Cameron Hubbs, at cameron@echophotography.ca and he will be more than happy to help. 

Dates on the Horizon

Oct 21, 6 – 8 pm, Parent Teacher Interviews

Oct 22, 8 am – 3 pm, Parent Teacher Interviews

Oct 22, No classes for students due to PT Interviews

Nov 10, 6 pm, Boarding School closes for break

Nov 11 – 15 (inclusive) Mid-Term Break – school is closed

Latest News

Parent/Teacher Conferences

The first Upper School Parent/Teacher Conferences of the school year will take place virtually via Zoom on:

Thursday, October 21     6:00pm – 8:00pm 

Friday, October 22        8:00am – 12:00 pm & 12:30 – 3:00pm 

The online conference booking system used by Havergal College is called pickAtime. To access or create a pickAtime account please CLICK HERE.  Please make sure to select the “Upper School” option in the drop down menu when making your selection.

• pickAtime sign-up will open on Tuesday, October 12, at 6:00pm 
• pickAtime sign-up will close on Tuesday, October 19, at 6:00pm
• If you need to make any changes after this time, please contact the teacher directly to coordinate. 
• pickAtime does not permit the scheduling of back-to-back appointments. However, if you are the parent of two or more students that have the same teacher or if you are the parent of three or more Upper School students please contact Ms. Ladak (sladak@havergal.on.ca) by Friday October 15 before noon and she will help you to book the appointments.
• If you wish to meet with your student’s Guidance Counsellor, please email them individually by Friday, October 15 to book an appointment. 

In order to have the best possible experience at the upcoming event, it is strongly recommended that your Zoom application be updated to the latest version. The following information and links have been provided by our IT department for your use:

• To sign up for a free Zoom account if you don’t have one already: https://zoom.us/signup
• To download Zoom for the first time: https://zoom.us/download

• To upgrade/update to the latest version: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362233-Upgrade- update-to-the-latest-version

For assistance with pickAtime, please contact the Service Desk at servicedesk@havergal.on.ca and they will assist you. Their hours of operation are from Monday – Friday 7:30 am to 5 pm.

Gentle Reminders re: SchoolPass & Morning Arrival Time

• When entering an absence, early dismissal, or late arrival in the SchoolPass app, it is important to use the ‘Notes’ field to provide a reason. This information is critical for our school records and it allows us to know how the school can best support your child.
• If your child is absent, their wellness screening must be completed for each day they are absent, regardless of the reason for absence. This is important so we have up-to-date wellness information for our community.
• Please leave a little extra time to get to school so your child is able to scan in before heading to class.

Finally, we wanted to let you know that we experienced a system error this morning with SchoolPass. You may have received an automated email from SchoolPass. Please disregard this email.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Truth and Reconciliation Week & Orange Shirt Day

Terry Fox Run

Food services reminder

Please submit your child’s food order by 12 pm every Wednesday for the following week using the online Upper School School Lunch Ordering Form. Use the same link each week and direct any questions to chartwellsfood

Library Resources

The Havergal Upper School library is in full swing to support our students’ reading and research needs. Upper School students are able to work in the library space before and after school, at lunch and during spare periods. In addition to monitoring the wearing of masks and ensuring students are physically distanced, our safety protocols include cleaning tables/chairs and library spaces regularly throughout the day. Our library program strives to meet the different needs and interests of our students and to develop lifelong, independent, and information literate learners who love to read! Students are able to browse and borrow print books. In addition, your Havergal library offers many fantastic digital resources. Our library website is accessible once you have logged into the Havergal Community Portal.  The Library Websites link on the side menu takes you to a page where you can choose to visit either the Junior or Upper School Library Website. Please contact Ms. Genevieve Shepherd, Head of Library (gshepherd@havergal.on.ca) if you have any questions.

Community Partnerships

Students in Grades 9 – 12 will have a chance to learn about our Community Partnerships at Club and Community Partnership Fest during House time on Tuesday, October 5. Sign-up for Partnerships will open later that day at 5 pm. Please note, we are working with our partners to identify how best to operate this year given COVID-19 safety protocols. For descriptions of our partnerships click here. For any questions, please contact Anastasia Wowk (awowk@havergal.on.ca).

Toronto Public Health Update re: Cancellation of In-School Immunization Clinics

Further to the US Blog update on Sept 17, Toronto Public Health has asked that we send this information along to parents regarding the cancellation of in-school immunization clinics for grades 7-12 students for: 

• Meningococcal-ACYW to prevent meningitis
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) to prevent cancers
• Hepatitis-B

People & Program Evening Feedback

Thank you for using the google form to provide your feedback on the People & Program evening. If you have missed any teacher presentations, please use Veracross to access the recordings located on each class page.

Reminder from the Green & Gold Shop

If you have been notified that your order is ready for pick-up, your child is welcome to visit the Green & Gold Shop before or after school, or during lunch to collect their items.

Upcoming Dates

October 8 PD Day, no school for students

October 11 School Closed – Thanksgiving Day

October 12-19 Sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences 

October 21, 22 Parent/Teacher ConferencesOctober 22 No school for students due to Parent/Teacher Conferences

Latest News

Ordering Student Lunches

Further to our message from Wednesday, September 15, we are pleased to announce that we have made some important changes to our ordering process for the Food Services program.

Effective immediately, the CaterTrax platform will be disabled and will no longer be in use. Any orders that were placed on CaterTrax for the coming weeks will be cancelled. Today we are launching a simpler, less time-consuming method of ordering. You will need to reorder using the new ordering form going forward. Our new order form is intuitive, easy to use and can be found HERE. Please note that the order form is best accessed using Google Chrome as your browser.

Your feedback this week has helped us to better shape our offering and process. Below are the key changes to the Food Services program:

• We are starting the program with a simplified menu of options. We will continue to revise our menus, keeping both seasonality and your feedback in mind. 
• Menu items are now offered at a fixed price: $10.00 per meal.
• Drinks are available for an additional $1.25.
• Orders can be placed one week at a time on a single order form per child. You will receive an email confirmation once your order has been placed. 
• The deadline to order for next week (September 20 to 24) is Sunday, September 19 at noon.
• Ordering deadlines for subsequent weeks will be on Wednesdays at noon.
• For order cancellations, please communicate via the email address at the bottom of the form.

Thank you again for your patience this week. Your support is appreciated as we make the necessary adjustments to our process and system. Please stay tuned for further updates as we strive to continually improve our Food Services program at Havergal, in collaboration with our partner, Chartwells.

If you have any questions about the lunch program, please contact chartwellsfood@havergal.on.ca.

SchoolPass Update

Thank you for diligently completing the student health screening each morning. Up until now, students have only been asked to ‘scan out’ at a kiosk located at their designated door at the end of the day. SchoolPass has found a way to accommodate our late start on Fridays,  so starting Monday, September 20, students will be required to ‘scan in’ upon their arrival in the morning and ‘scan out’ when they leave for the day.  Please remember to ensure your child’s wellness screen has been completed (either by you or your child) prior to coming onto campus so that the time spent scanning in remains at a minimum. Students learned of this update through an announcement in Prayers on Thursday and received additional information today via email from their Head of School, Mrs. Patterson or Ms. Timusk. As a reminder, wellness screens should be completed on every school day, even if your child is not coming to campus. 

Grade 7 Immunization Program Update (Hep B, HPV, Meningococcal)

Prior to the pandemic, Toronto Public Health (TPH) ran in-school immunization clinics for Grade 7 students for Hepatitis B, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and Meningococcal. TPH has begun hosting public clinics again, however they are no longer being run through schools. Families can book an appointment to have their child vaccinated at no cost at a Toronto Public Health clinic through this website. Students in Grade 8-12 who may be missing one or more of their doses of these immunizations should also refer to this site to book an appointment, or consult their primary care provider for more information. 

People & Program Feedback

Thank you to those of you who attended People & Program evening or have taken the time to view the recording posted to the class pages following the event. In an effort to continuously improve, we welcome your feedback through this google form.

Student Parking On Campus

Families are reminded that students are not permitted to park in any of the school parking lots. Parking spots are limited and reserved for faculty, staff, and visitors to the school. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Dropping Off Items for Students

Due to the pandemic, we cannot allow parents to enter the school and as a result, if you need to drop off an item for your child, please leave it in the bin just inside the front doors located in the vestibule before entering the rotunda. Please remember that if a student has forgotten an item and contacted you to bring it to school, there are plenty of helpful adults in the building who will help them troubleshoot and find other solutions. If your child contacts you for this reason, please direct them to their Form Teacher or Teacher Advisor who is more than happy to assist them. 

Athletics

Thank you to all participants and coaches for a successful first week of tryouts. It was a gift to watch young people playing sports again! If your child is trying out for more than one team, please take some time this weekend to discuss with your child their first and second choice for sports. Athletes can only participate on one school team (not including cross country and Learn to Row for US students). Athletes should be communicating their first and second preferences to their respective coaches to help them with team selections. 

Week 2 tryout schedule is available HERE and on the Veracross athletic calendar. Also on the linked (Google sheets) calendar are CISAA games for the fall season. This will not be finalized until Monday, September 20th. 

If you have any questions, you may contact the Upper School Athletic Director, Carla Di Filippo at cdifilippo@havergal.on.ca

Performing Arts

The week of September 20th marks audition week for the performing arts. Auditions will be held each day afterschool for the Havergal Youth Theatre, Senior School (SS) choir, Dance Troupe and the SS Play. Please ensure that your child has the required audition material and has confirmed the audition location. Results will be posted via email by Monday, September 27. Audition locations can be found HERE.

If you have any questions, you may contact the Director of Performing Arts, Cissy Goodridge at cgoodridge@havergal.on.ca

Truth & Reconciliation Week: September 27 – October 1

As part of our work towards Reconciliation, a student and employee group has been working hard to plan a week of educational activities for the US students. There will be screenings of documentaries at lunch, special speakers during Prayers, a focused advising period, among other activities. 

On Thursday, September 30, Havergal will recognize Orange Shirt Day and students will be invited to wear an orange shirt to school. Orange Shirt Day is designed to commemorate the residential school experience, honour the journey of survivors and their families, and commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. 

Subscribing to School Calendars via Veracross

Regular information about your child’s classes and the school calendar can be accessed through Veracross, please be sure to visit the parent portal. 

To learn how to subscribe to Havergal College calendars, so that they appear on your digital calendar please see the links below.

Calendar_Subscriptions_Parents_Google

Calendar_Subscriptions_Parents_Apple

Calendar_Subscriptions_Parents_Outlook

Reminders

Upcoming Dates

Tue  Sept 21 House Colour Dress Down Day

Sat   Sept 25 Grade 12 Mother-Daughter Luncheon 

Thu  Sept 30 Orange Shirt Day

Tue  Oct 5 Club Fest: Students will have an opportunity to learn about all the

clubs and students are able to register for clubs through Veracross 

Latest News

Final Blog

Today marks our final blog for the 2020-2021 school year. 

You will receive two key communications from Havergal over the summer. 

• The first mailing will come on July 7 and will provide information about ordering textbooks, BYOD and summer reading recommendations. 
• The second mailing will come on August 25 and will contain important information about the start-up of school, COVID protocols, orientation week and sharing vaccination information with Havergal. 
• Student timetables will be available on Tuesday September 7.

Report Cards

• Upper School Semester 2 Report Cards will be available on Thursday June 24 at 9am.
• For more information about this report card please click here.

Gator Buzz: History & Horizons Project

2020-2021 was a year like no other at Havergal and yet the spirit of the school never waivered.  Led by a group of Prefects, students have put together a time capsule of sorts to ensure we remember this moment in history and all that our remarkable students and faculty have accomplished this year.  The project, Gator Buzz: History & Horizons is now available for viewing and I hope you will take the time to enjoy it.  Many thanks to Sophia Pawliw, Emma McCurdy-Franks, Nadia Salem and Sydney Patterson for their leadership and commitment to this project. 

Student Vaccinations

Vaccination is one of our best tools for protection against COVID-19. We are strongly encouraging all students to get a full series of COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as they are eligible, to help maximize individual and collective safety in our community.

In late-August, instructions will be sent to you regarding how to share your child’s COVID -19 vaccination receipts with the Health Centre. In the meantime, please hold onto these records.

Our vaccination policies are currently being reviewed and may be updated over the summer as we await further direction from Toronto Public Health and the Ministry of Education regarding vaccinations

Athletic Awards

On Tuesday, June 8, the sports prefects hosted an athletic assembly where the Overall Contribution Award was announced along with other sport-specific awards. The Senior Athlete of the Year and Sportsmanship Cup were also announced. If you would like to view the awards winners they are linked HERE. Congratulations, athletes! 

Math Contest Results

Middle School Caribou Math Contest Results

Congratulations! The Caribou contest is a series of math contests written worldwide each year. This year, there were over 15,000 eligible participants.

Several of Havergal’s middle school students placed in the top 5% worldwide:

• Sophie Zhang placed 11^th in the world, top 1%
• Tiana Zhang and Isabelle Ho scored within the top 3%
• Amelia Dey scored within the top 4%

Writing contests is just one way of challenging yourself to think flexibly. Although the achievements of these particular students are extraordinary, so too are the many ways in which our students push themselves to tackle problem-solving during lessons and problem openers, on contests like the Caribou or Gauss, or on extensions, puzzles and assessments.

We applaud all those whose curiosity and persistence lead them to new learning.

Grade 11 & 12 University of Waterloo Euclid Math Contest Results

In April, students in grades 11 and 12 participated in the University of Waterloo Euclid mathematics contest. This contest is designed for students in their last year of high school, or highly motivated mathematics students, to challenge their problem-solving skills.

Our top three finishers were:

• Fei (Sophy) Wu, who ranked in the top 10% of the province; 
• Seeyeon (Stephanie) Oh, who ranked in the top 18% of the province; and 
• Jiayan (Jessica) Yu, who ranked in the top 30% of the province.

The Math Department would like to thank all of the students who participated in math contests during this unprecedented year. We are proud of your resilience and your accomplishments.

Latest News

Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Introducing Ms. Raagini Appadurai

The Upper School had the opportunity to meet Raagini Appadurai in Prayers on Thursday morning. She has an extensive background in both education and consulting in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and most recently worked as a consultant where she created customized workshops, training sessions and learning opportunities for both students and staff. Ms. Appadurai will be responsible for developing, coordinating and implementing programs which promote equity and inclusion for students, faculty and staff.

Timetabling Update for 2021-2022

Middle School:

Next year, Grade 7 and 8 students will have a hybrid timetable where some classes will be full-year and some classes will be semestered or half-year. The full-year courses are Math, English, French, and Health & Physical Education, and the half-year courses are Science, Social Science, Art/Drama/Digital Wisdom, and Music/Religious Education. Having this timetable model ensures that we are able to follow the Ministry of Education requirements about the number of contacts each Middle School student is able to have while providing a developmentally appropriate learning model for the full-year courses.

• Semester 1: Students will spend half the day with the same students for their full-year courses. A student’s Form group will be based on their full-year class groupings. For the other half of the day, students will be placed into a second class grouping and they will have their half-year classes together. Meaning, they will be in two class groupings for Semester 1: the full-year classes/Form group and the half-year classes group.
• Semester 2: The full-year courses and Form groups continue to be the same as Semester 1 for half of the day. Students will be placed in a third class grouping for the other half of the day. Meaning, they will be in two class groupings for Semester 2: the same full-year/Form group and a different half-year group from Semester 1.

Therefore, over the course of the year, all Grade 7 and 8 students will be in 3 different class groupings. Having said that, if the COVID-19 guidelines allow for more contacts, then an additional class group could be added to Semester 2 for a total of 3 different class groupings in Semester 2. 

Senior School:

Senior School timetables are developed based on student course requests. Senior School courses will be semestered next year to ensure we are able to follow any Ministry of Education requirements about the number of student contacts each student is able to have. Students may have up to four courses in each semester and these classes will have different groupings of students.

Students will be in an Advisory groups made up of the students in their grade that are in the same House. Havergal Houses play a significant role in building community and our goal is to return to using this structure for our Advisory program next year.

Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe

On Thursday, May 27 we were fortunate to host Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe for an engaging and informative parent webinar on resilience and wellbeing. To view the recording of the event, click HERE. 
We would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes and complete this survey to share your thoughts on the presentation and provide feedback for planning future events.

Senior Virtual Art Exhibit – June 10 – 30, 2021

You are invited to join us for the Senior Virtual Art Exhibit which you will be able to access from home. The link will be sent out on June 10th, please share it with friends and family. You will experience artwork from all Grade 12 Art & Design students. You can also access the show through Instagram @hc_artspace, where you can leave comments for the artists.

Math Contest Update – Grades 8 – 11

In February, students in grades 9, 10 and 11 participated in the University of Waterloo Pascal, Cayley and Fermat mathematics contest. The contests are open to students internationally, and are designed for students to have fun and challenge their problem solving skills.

The Pascal contest, designed for grade 9 students, had 4741 students write in Ontario. Our top finishers were:

• Sophie Zhang who ranked 55th in the province; and 
• Kelly Wang and Lillian Wei tied for 176th in the province.

The Cayley contest, designed for grade 10 students, had 3592 students write in Ontario. Our top finishers were:

• Kristin Cho who ranked 22nd in the province,
• Emma Ren who ranked 46th in the province; and
• Olivia Zhang and Yang Hu tied for 161st in the province.

 And the Fermat contest, designed for grade 11 students, had 3952 students write in Ontario. Our top finishers were:

• Penelope Park – ranked 332
• Rachel Kim -ranked 444
• Linda Gu – ranked 558

In April, our grade 8 students wrote the Gauss Contest, a challenging contest created for our middle school students. Our top three finishers were:

• Selena Wang
• Isabelle Ho
• Angelina Tseng

Latest News

Vaccination Updates for Children 12 and Over

• The COVID-19 vaccination roll-out is a government/public health directed initiative and currently there are several pop-up clinics for youth aged 12+ in public spaces such as community centres, arenas, public school spaces. As the vaccine roll-out progresses we will continue to collaborate with our public health unit to facilitate vaccination within our school community. 
• Beginning the week of May 31, youth between the ages of 12 and 17 who have not received a vaccine will be eligible to book an appointment to receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
• We encourage you to get your child vaccinated when available and continue to monitor updates about vaccination opportunities for individuals aged 12+ through Toronto Public Health and organizations such as Vaccine Hunters Canada. 

Please note that Toronto Public Health has asked that the following documents are shared with you:

• TPH Letter to Parents COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 12 and Older
• TPH Join our COVID-19 Vaccination Town Hall for Parents – May 25, 26, 29

Legacy Prayers May 28, 12:20 AM – 12:50 PM

The Upper School Legacy Prayers will be held on May 28 from 12:20 to 12:50 pm. For your reference, the zoom link is included below. Legacy Prayers will celebrate the long-standing relationship with the school between Old Girls who are current parents and their daughters. 

Guest speakers, Louise Stevenson 1985 and Allyson Whyte Nowak 1986 will share their experiences at Havergal College and reflect on the school values of integrity, inquiry, compassion and courage. 

Zoom Meeting:

https://havergal.zoom.us/j/93841485101?pwd=UHcxNVhQMTNkTmcwcVdCQ3lUc05sQT09 Meeting ID: 938 4148 5101 – Passcode: 570566

House Shout is now ‘House Whisper’ May 28, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM

This year House Whisper will be taking the place of House Shout. It promises to be a fun-filled afternoon of House challenges and photo scavenger hunts. This event for students in Grades 7-12 will take place on Friday, May 28 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. At 1:30 pm students will meet in their House Zoom and students will join activities they have signed up for such as: digital escape room, athletic challenge, cooking challenge, Jeopardy, Spelling Bee, and Scattergories. Following the activities, students will participate in a photo scavenger hunt and will upload their photos to their designated House folder. The House Captains have been hard at work organizing this and we are thankful for their creativity and dedication.

Grade 7/8 Immunization Update

As previously communicated, the Toronto Public Health (TPH) grade 7 and 8 school vaccination program was cancelled for the 2020/2021 academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this vaccination program TPH typically provides the meningococcal vaccine, the hepatitis B vaccination series, and the human papillomavirus vaccination series to students in Grade 7 and 8 in schools. With the cancellation of this program, many students have not received any of these vaccinations, or have only received one dose of their two dose Hep B or HPV vaccine series. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Toronto Public Health has not yet provided any information about when they will resume the grade 7 and 8 vaccination program and is not currently offering any catch-up clinics to administer the vaccines typically given in schools. 

Primary care providers and family doctors can order and administer the meningococcal, Hep B and HPV vaccinations from TPH for any students who have not already started or have not completed their Hep B, HPV or Meningococcal vaccines. Healthy individuals between the ages of 9 and 14 only require two doses of the HPV vaccine. When individuals are 15 years and older, they require a three dose schedule of the HPV vaccine series. Similarly, between the ages of 11 and 15, students may be given two doses of the Hep B vaccination series, whereas they require three doses over the age of 16. We encourage you to reach out to your child’s family doctor or primary care provider to obtain these immunizations to avoid delaying this essential health service while the school vaccination program is not running. 

Please keep in mind that the Ontario College of Family Physicians recommends that the COVID-19 vaccination not be given at the same time as other routine vaccinations, so that side effects from one vaccine are not confused with side effects of another vaccination. Other vaccinations should not be given within the 14 days before a COVID-19 vaccine, and individuals should also wait 28 days following the COVID-19 vaccination to receive any other immunizations.

If you are unable to have these immunizations administered by your family doctor or primary care provider at this time, rest assured that TPH will have some form of catch-up clinic in the future, however we do not have any information on what the structure of what these catch up immunization programs will be. 

Upcoming Parent Events

Thursday, May 27, 6:30 – 8:30 PM – An Evening with Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe

• Parents of students in Grade JK to 12 are invited to an informative session by Dr. Robyne Hanley Dafoe. She is a multi-award-winning psychology and education instructor who specializes in resiliency, navigating stress and change, and personal wellness in the workplace. 
• Dr. Hanley-Dafoe will also be speaking to Grade 7-12 students in the morning and she will share the insights learned through the student presentation with the parents in the evening. 
• Please visit the link to her Bio: https://www.speakers.ca/speakers/robyne-hanley-dafoe/
• Link to webinar is:  HERE    Webinar ID: 932 26675 2578     Passcode: 801982

Latest News

Toronto Public Health Update

Please see this update from Toronto Public Health regarding immunization clinics.

Major Dates Calendar 2020-2021

Please see the updated major dates calendar that reflects the newly-added Professional Development Days on May 7 and May 21. As we continue to navigate this prolonged remote learning period it is important to give teaching faculty time to review and adjust programming to ensure they are able to continue to deliver an exceptional academic program. As well, it is our hope that students will benefit from the opportunity to pause and step away from their screens.

Upcoming Parent Event

Thursday, May 27  – An Evening with Dr. Robyne Hanley Dafoe 

• Parents of students in Grade JK to 12 are invited to an informative session by Robyne Hanley Dafoe. Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe is a multi-award-winning psychology and education instructor who specializes in resiliency, navigating stress and change, and personal wellness in the workplace. 
• Please visit the link to her Bio: https://www.speakers.ca/speakers/robyne-hanley-dafoe/
• Link to webinar is:  HERE    Webinar ID: 932 26675 2578     Passcode: 801982

Latest News

Update to Community Time Programming

After discussion and feedback from student leaders and faculty, we are making a shift to our remote schedule starting on Monday, April 26. We would like to provide a longer, more consolidated break from the screen and school work midday and by shifting the timing below, we hope the students will be able to get outside or do something to look after themselves.

The class times will remain the same, however the following changes impact the time between periods 2 and 3. These changes are reflected in the Upper School Continuous Learning Plan document linked here. 

New Schedule starting April 26

11:20 – 11:30 am Form/Cohort Check-in

11:30 am-12:10 pm Community Time (Prayers, Wellbeing, House, Clubs, Brave Space, Co-curricular)

12:10 – 1:15pm Lunch Time

Dorothy Parker – Grade 12 One Act Plays – Tuesday, April 27 at 7:00 PM

Come and join us as we bring the theatre to the screen. Enjoy the Grade 12 Drama class performances of Dorothy Parker’s clever and poignant words as they bring them to life on Tuesday, April 27 at 7pm.  The Zoom link is below.

https://havergal.zoom.us/j/94484695465?pwd=TGsyTm0rNHVVQ3RSbm1QWDVFL3dtUT09

Meeting ID: 944 8469 5465 Passcode: Drama

Virtual Dance Show 2021 – Thursday, April 29 at 7:00 PM

Havergal’s Dance Troupe is proud to present its latest collection of dances entitled: Human Nature – Reviving Connections. This year, our HC dancers have transformed the Havergal campus and their homes into a stage. Explore the environmental challenges facing our world through a contemporary duet dedicated to sea turtles and reconnect with nature to the upbeat moves of an urban quartet, among other amazing dances. What better way to celebrate Arts Week, International Dance Day (April 29th) and Mother Earth than by joining us on the evening of April 29th for a hybrid performance featuring our HC dancers and their original eco-choreography! 

Showtime begins at 7:00pm. Here is the Zoom link to attend:

https://havergal.zoom.us/j/99624587751?pwd=a2VqelFQUEswcFRTVkg2VjJRUUdSdz09

Webinar ID: 996 2458 7751 Passcode: 695858

Please e-mail Stephanie Bryant (sbryant@havergal.on.ca) if you have any questions. 

How will you reconnect with nature? Why not join us on April 29th and find out!

Earth Week

This week, Havergal College celebrated Earth Week for the first time as an official member of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network. As a member, Havergal continues to amplify the values and opportunities to uphold our stewardship of the environment and further educate our community about sustainability. It is a call to action on individual, local and global scales. 

This week was punctuated with a series of student-initiated events to deepen our engagement and understanding. These events included a House-based Eco-Challenge, shared experiences of documentary screenings and panel discussions with experts in fields that intersect with sustainability.

Many thanks to Dr. Jacqueline Koerner (Havergal Old Girl, Co-Chair and Founder of Ecotrust Canada) for addressing us at Prayers and to past HC Sustainability Prefects Skylar Banks ‘19 and Emilie Lu ‘20, as well as Christine Ambre (Ontario Nature Conservation) and Sarah Margolius (Women for Nature) for also joining our student-led discussion.

Congratulations to everyone who participated in Earth Week 2021. This huge success was due to the hard work and leadership of Sophy Wu & the Sustainability Council, supported by Ms. Anastasia Wowk and Mr. Adam Caplan.

Upcoming Parent Events

Monday, April 26, 6:30 – 7:45 pm – Middle School Parent Invitation: Identity & Purpose Session with High Resolves 

• An integral part of the Middle School Wellbeing Program is supporting students in learning how to develop and cultivate authentic, respectful, and meaningful connections, with an explicit lens on learning related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• In support of this, Middle School parents are invited to a special evening on Monday, April 26 from 6:30 – 7:45 pm. 
• As a precursor to the Grade 7 and 8 student sessions, we’ve partnered with High Resolves who will be facilitating a parent workshop called Identity & Purpose, hosted by Cora-Lee Conway. 
  • We will explore ways in which identity and our lived experiences inform the way we see ourselves, each other, and the world around us, and the way these elements influence our blind spots. 
  • Within this framework, we will also create space to share strategies and tactics for connecting with youth and building communities of belonging, support, and empathy.
• Following the parent session, Grade 7 and 8 students will be participating in their own weekly sessions with High Resolves during Wellbeing time on April 28, May 5, and May 12.
• If you are unable to join us, please rest assured that the session will be recorded and shared with Middle School parents following the event. 

Date: Monday, April 26th (There is no RSVP necessary)

Time: 6:30 – 7:45 pm

Zoom Webinar link: https://havergal.zoom.us/s/93753093315?pwd=Y2NXRWppdGs1TW44R0szaWE1elJNdz09 (Passcode: 820870)

Thursday, May 27  – An Evening with Dr. Robyne Hanley Dafoe 

• Parents of students in Grade JK to 12 are invited to an informative session by Robyne Hanley Dafoe. Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe is a multi-award-winning psychology and education instructor who specializes in resiliency, navigating stress and change, and personal wellness in the workplace. 
• Please visit the link to her Bio: https://www.speakers.ca/speakers/robyne-hanley-dafoe/
• Zoom link and details to follow.

Latest News

Report Cards

Semester 2 Reports Cards are available at 4pm today. Please review the key information about these reports here.

Stay at Home Order – April Break

As you have likely heard, Ontario has issued a stay-at-home order. We continue to ask for your cooperation by adhering to these guidelines.

Toronto Public Health has issued an order closing schools in Toronto until April 19th. Should we receive information that impacts the return to in-person learning on April 19th, we will be in touch over the break.

Please be reminded of the following:

• If your child will not be returning to campus on April 19th due to travel quarantine or other reasons, please contact the Day School Office (dso@havergal.on.ca) directly.
• If your plans include international travel, please be reminded that you are required to quarantine for 14 days after your return to Canada, as per the Government of Canada Quarantine Act.
• Following your quarantine to meet the Ministry of Education guidelines, you must complete the following Back to School Confirmation Form and submit a negative Covid-19 test to the school by emailing the test results to the Havergal College Health Center at covid@havergal.on.ca. The test results must be received before the student is permitted on campus.
• The Ontario Government is recommending that individuals who travel domestically outside of the province self-isolate for 14 days upon their return to Ontario. Havergal College will be following this recommendation and students will be asked to learn from home until their 14-day quarantine period is complete. Questions related to inter-provincial travel and international travel will continue to be a part of the daily screening. Please contact the DSO@havergal.on.ca with the absence details. 

If your child will be away from school for more than 14 days but is able to learn online, please register them as a remote learner using this link.

Major Dates Calendar

Please note there has been a change to the 2021-2022 Major Dates Calendar to reflect the statutory holiday on January 3. January 4 will be the return to school day.  Please find the link to the updated Major Dates Calendar here.

Research Update

Havergal College has retained Elizabeth Lorenzin of Lorenzin Research to conduct in-depth qualitative sessions with students, parents, and faculty. The data collected will assist the Administration in understanding the student experience in the current academic year.

We would like to thank everyone who has agreed to participate in the research thus far and advise that sessions are on-going.  Members of the Havergal community have been very gracious with their time in sharing their insights.  

At this time, the quantitative portion of the research that was originally scheduled before the April break is postponed until the interviews are complete and a report of the key findings has been issued.

US & UK Universities – Parent Information Sessions

On Wednesday, March 31, the Guidance department hosted an American and UK University information session. 

To view the recording, please visit this LINK. 

To view the slide decks, please click below: 

• UK Information Session Slides
• American University Information Session Slides