Latest News

Report Cards

The November Update Report Card will be available on Tuesday, November 17 through a link on your Parent Portal. The reports were intended to be available today but due to a technical error with Veracross they will not be available until November 17. Please see the linked information about how to access your child’s report and key points about the reporting cycle. Your child has access to their marks in all courses through the Gradebook program.

New Build

We are thrilled to announce that we have received occupancy of the Upper School new build. A number of Forms and Cohorts will be moving into the classrooms in the new build on Tuesday, November 17 when we return from the November Break.

Students whose cohorts are moving learned about the move from their Form Teachers/Cohort Advisors on Thursday, November 5 and they will be able to see their new Form/Cohort space on Monday and Tuesday November 9 & 10. 

Remembrance Day & Poppies – November 9th

On Monday, November 9th, we will be having our Remembrance Day Prayers and as per usual, we will be distributing poppies to all students during first period (Grade 7-9) and Flexblock (Grade 10-12). Students are not required to, but are invited to donate money to the Canadian Legion at the time of poppy distribution. Extra poppies are currently available in the rotunda.

Mental Health Awareness Week

We are looking forward to Mental Health Awareness Week (November 17-20). Ms. Parsons, the Upper School Social Worker has been working with the Prefects, Jack.org community partnership, and Guidance counselors to plan an engaging week for all Upper School students.

To kick the week off, students will receive a daily email with an article and linked resources that focus on different aspects of mental wellbeing. These articles explore topics such as sleep, stress, and anxiety, and will provide students with strategies and tools to help them cope and add to their Mental Health Toolkit. 

Students will be invited to take part in daily lunch time activities, organized by the Prefects. Highlights from the week: 

Wednesday, November 18

• Grades 7-9 will hear from (virtual) guest speaker Anastasia Virginillo from Youth Wellness Network who will address self awareness, how to build confidence from within and how to harness one’s internal strength. 
• Grades 10-12 will hear from (virtual) guest speaker Kaitlyn Axelrod from Sheena’s Place. Students will learn about body image and how it relates to mental health and our relationship with food. 

Thursday, November 19

• Grade 9-12 students are invited to join the first Periscope of the year on the importance of mental health. Periscope is a cafe-style forum that takes place after school, where students share their stories, experiences, and thoughts in front of a student audience.

Friday, November 20 

• In Prayers, students will listen in to a panel discussion exploring mental health through the lens of adolescents and mental health professionals. Joining us on this panel will be our Jack.org student lead Ella Lee, our school captain Emma McCurdy-Franks, Ms. Parsons School Social Worker and Adolescent Medicine Physician and Havergal Board member, Dr. Ian Chen. 
• Students, staff and faculty will also be invited to participate in a dress down day with the theme of “Comfy Clothes.”

Invitation to Join ‘Parenting In Place’ 8-Week Masterclass Series (beginning November 17, 2020):

We’ve received an invitation from one of our parent speakers, author of Middle School Matters, Phyllis Fagell, to join the Masterclass Parent Speaker Series that she is helping to organize and will be participating in. Please see below for the details and the link to join.

Are you burned out, concerned about your child’s well-being and wondering how your family will manage during the holiday and flu seasons? There’s a SPECIAL LIVE MASTERCLASS SERIES designed to help you this fall: Parenting in Place: Helping Families Thrive in Challenging Times, featuring 8 live, interactive, weekly masterclasses with parenting experts including Tina Payne Bryson, Mona Delahooke, Tiffany Dufu, Devorah Heitner, Rosetta Lee, Cornelius Minor, Laura Vanderkam, Katie Hurley, Phyllis Fagell and more. Registration for the entire series— including access to replays, a bundle of more than two dozen bonus downloadable resources from our speakers, and a closed moderated Facebook group for the event — is only $39 US. See the whole line up and register here:

Parenting in Place Masterclass

Operational Items

Winter Boots and Coats

Over the past number of weeks, we have been evaluating different approaches to the storage of students’ winter boots and coats. Unfortunately, due to the current state of Covid-19 spread in Toronto, we cannot use lockers as a storage space because it will lead to additional congregation and gathering in the hallways. Our plan for boot and coat storage is laid out for you below. Students have been informed of this plan by their Form Teacher/Cohort Advisor. As is always the case, it is critical that all boots and shoes be clearly labelled with the student’s name prior to bringing them to school. To aid in sharing this message with the students, some student leaders have created the following video.

Boots: 

• Boot mats will be laid out near the Grade-specific entry doors and labelled according to cohort. Each student will be required to remove their boots upon entry and walk to their assigned mat where they will neatly organize their boots and leave them there for the day. 
• Students may choose to leave their school shoes on the mat overnight. If they do this, they will pick up their shoes when depositing their boots and proceed to their first classroom of the day and put their shoes on there. 
• We do not want people gathering at the boot mats and we will encourage students to do a quick drop-off and pick-up.
• The process of removing boots at the door and leaving them on an assigned mat is not new to the students in the Upper School as it’s been common practice for many years. 

Coats: Without lockers, we are asking students to keep their coats with them for the day and simply put them on the back of their chairs.

Middle School Study Buddy Program

It is with great excitement that on Tuesday, Nov. 3rd, the Study Buddy co-heads and Grade 12 students, Tori McCarvell and Hannah Tahami, and a team of extremely talented Senior School peer mentors (from grades 10-12), launched the reimagined Study Buddies program for students in the Middle School. 

The Study Buddies program is an opportunity for students in the Middle School to access support from a Senior School student mentor across various subject areas. This year’s virtual approach offers a personalized, on demand, homework and study skills support program for your child. It does not replace the extra help provided by their own subject teachers, but offers peer academic support when they need it outside of school hours. Senior student peer mentors are available Monday – Thursday from 4:30 – 8:30 pm for drop-in sessions and by appointment at other times. 

The Middle School students were introduced to the Study Buddies program during their Wellbeing time on October 27th and have been given access to three separate links that allow them to reach out to a peer mentor/tutor of their choice in a specific subject area (posted on their Guidance page and sent to them via email). 

Latest News

Student Safety during Drop-off and Pick-up

We are asking for your help in creating a smooth and safe traffic flow in the front circle by adhering to the following:

• Please pull all the way up the driveway before stopping to allow your child to exit the car. Refrain from stopping at the first walkway as this causes traffic to back up all the way onto Avenue Road.
• Only drop off along the east curb (right side). Do not drop off in the middle or west curb. 
• Drivers are asked to remain patient and wait in the queue to drop off.
• Always signal your intentions when merging to pulling over during drop off. Approximately 80% of drivers do not do this and there have been many near misses.
• Havergal Security is outside to help with the process and facilitate a smooth and efficient drop-off — please follow their directions. 
• After dropping off your child, promptly move along and exit the driveway. 
• Drivers need to remain in the car and refrain from unloading items from the trunk. Please have your child do this. Exiting your car slows down the process for all. 
• When exiting, you can exit through the North Parking Lot as well as the main driveway exit.

Reminders

Ordering your child’s school photo

Your child’s school photos are now ready to be viewed and purchased.  You will need your child’s student ID number which can be found in Veracross. This number can be used to log in and is also the password to access the photos. Go HERE to view and order your child’s photos at your convenience.

Halloween Dress-up Day

On Friday, October 30, Havergal will be celebrating Halloween with a dress-up day for all students. Your child is encouraged to wear an appropriate costume to school on this day. The Grad Presidents are organizing a costume competition as well as a fun-filled student assembly.

Grade 7 Parents: Reach Ahead Math 8 Reminder

If your child in grade 7 is interested in applying for Reach Ahead Math 8 for our next school year (2021-22) and you did not have an opportunity to submit your application before today’s deadline (Fri., Oct 23^rd at 4pm), you can still apply by emailing ashum@havergal.on.ca with:

• your child’s name;
• your name and email address;
• optional parent #2 name and email address; and
• with the subject line: Reach Ahead.

For more information on the program, please click HERE.

If you submitted your application before the deadline, you should have received a confirmation email earlier today (Fri., Oct 23^rd) from Alex Shum, Head of Mathematics.

Operational Items

Grade 12 Canadian University Parent Event Recording

The Guidance Department hosted an information session for Grade 12 families focused on Navigating the Canadian University Applications and Admissions Cycle, on Thursday, October 22, from 7-8 pm.  Much like the session they hosted in the spring that covered the UK and US admissions process, this evening focused on the Canadian University landscape. They looked at the process, deadlines, factors to consider when choosing where to apply and navigating university websites. 

The recording of the presentation is linked HERE for families who were not able to attend the evening.

Dear Parent,

We are grateful for the time we have had together on campus so far this fall. It is another beautiful day and the air is filled with the sound of students enjoying being together.

Please take the time to read through this latest blog post.  It is filled with news, operational items of interest, and reminders.

Warmly,

Lindsay Norberg  (Associate Head & Head of Senior School) and JJ Patterson (Head of Middle School)

Latest News

Adjustments to the Semester 1 School Calendar

As we continue with a successful start to the school year we have identified a need for Professional Development time in order for faculty to continue to deliver a high quality program. As we move forward, we will continue to reflect and adjust the calendar as required. We thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate this unique school year.

Please note the following adjustments in the Upper School Calendar. 

• Monday, November 2, 2020 
  • Teachers will be engaging in Professional Development 
  • Students (Grade 7-12) are not at school and will have an independent study day.
• Wednesday, December 2, 2020
  • Teachers will be engaging in Professional Development
  • Students (JK – Grade 12) are not at school
  • Students in Grade 7-12 will have an independent study day.
• Wednesday, December 16, 2020  
  • The Christmas Break will now begin on this date. 
  • The last day of classes before the break will be Tuesday, December 15
• Thursday, January 28 & Friday, January 29, 2021
  • Teachers will be engaging in Professional Development on these days.
  • Semester 1 will end on Wednesday, January 27, 2021. 
  • Students (Grade 7-12) are not required on campus. They will not have any work as the Semester will be complete and this will be a good time for them to rest and re-energize before starting Semester 2 on Monday, February 1, 2021.  

Daily Screening Update

As you are aware, Toronto Public Health made changes to our daily screening this week. Thank you for attending to these screening questions carefully and completing this prior to your child’s arrival to campus. It is important to note that even if your child is absent, regardless of the reason for the absence, you must still complete the daily screening. Finally, once the screening is complete you are sent detailed instructions with next steps should any of the answers have been yes. 

Over the past four weeks, our families have supported the safety and health of our school remarkably well through our Veracross process. In consultation with our Return to Campus taskforce, we have determined that we will not be moving forward with Edusafe. Also, because of the success, and the routines families have developed around the screening process, we feel that to introduce a new procedure at this time is not in the best interest of the College. 

Toronto Public Health Suspends In-School Grade 7 Vaccination Program

The College has received word that the Toronto Public Health Grade 7 in-school vaccination clinics (Hep B, HPV, Menatcra) are suspended this year. Starting later in October, families can book an appointment to have their child vaccinated at a Toronto Public Health clinic. Click HERE for the bulletin from Toronto Public Health. 

Digital Academic Support for Grade 10-12 Students

• It is with great excitement that Havergal is launching a pilot in Grade 10, 11 and 12 for digital academic support and skill building. Introducing “Paper”, a digital education support system. Click here for more information from Mr. Nichols about “Paper”.

Reminders

Parent Teacher Conferences

• Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, October 15th. The sign-up closes on Tuesday, October 13th at noon. For additional details related to the sign-up process, please refer to the previous blog post dated October 5th.

Attendance

• It is critical that you continue to email the DSO if your child’s attendance differs from the designated hours of the school day. Specifically, if your child is arriving later than 8:30 am (Grade 7-9) or 9:00 am (Grade 10-12), the DSO must be informed before the start of the day. The same is true if your child needs to be dismissed early. It is essential that our attendance records are accurate and we need your help in ensuring this.

Green & Gold

• There are a number of uniform items that need to be picked up in the Green & Gold. Please remind your child to go at their designated grade time to pick up these items as soon as possible.

Operational Items

Upper School Awards Ceremony

• The Upper School Academic, Character and Leadership Awards Ceremony will be held virtually on Friday, October 23 from 10:30-11:15 am. This ceremony celebrates awards from the 2019- 2020 school year as well as the entrance scholarships for the 2020-2021 school year. Families of students who are being presented with an award will receive an invitation by email to attend the virtual ceremony on Friday, October 16.

Grade 12 Parent University Information Evening

• Grade 12 Parents are invited to a virtual university application information session on Thursday October 22 at 7pm. The session is led by Heather Johnstone, Head of Guidance, and Jennifer Mandala and will include key information about the university application process. Grade 12 parents will receive an invitation with a Zoom link from the Guidance department.

Middle School Update from the Math Department

• Please see the links below for an update from the Head of Mathematics, Alex Shum, regarding math contests, optional math resources, and the Reach Ahead application process for students currently in Grade 7.
  • Grade 7 Math Contests and Reach Ahead application 
  • Grade 8 Math Contests and Optional Resources

Student Photos Available

Your child’s school photos are now ready to be viewed and are available for purchase. Go HERE to view your child’s photos at your convenience. (Your child’s student ID number, which can be found in Veracross, will be your password.)

Dear Parent, 

We continue to enjoy being here on campus together and we are grateful for the multitude of spaces at Havergal. At the same time, we are being vigilant with our health and safety protocols to support the health of our community. We continue to reinforce these messages at school and appreciate your support in reinforcing at home the same messages about mask wearing, physical distancing and hand washing. 

We are monitoring the trends and regular communications from Toronto Public Health. In the event that schools are directed by the government to close and that teaching and learning must occur remotely, please be assured that the College is prepared to do this quickly, and as seamlessly as possible. We appreciate your support in ensuring your child is organized and has the necessary materials such as their laptops, textbooks, paper and pens at home to support this potential transition. 

The first Upper School Parent/Teacher Conferences of the school year will take place virtually via Zoom on Thursday, October 15.  The online conference booking system that Havergal College uses will open on Tuesday October 6 at 6:00 PM. Sign-up closes on Tuesday, October 13 at 12 noon.

Please note:

• Appointments are five minutes long and are booked on a first-come-first-served basis.
• The online booking system does not permit the scheduling of back-to-back appointments. However, if you are the parent of two or more daughters that have the same teacher or if you are the parent of three or more Upper School students please contact my assistant, Ms. Sally Danto, by Thursday, October 8 before noon by emailing: sdanto@havergal.on.ca.
• Should you wish to meet with your daughter’s Guidance Counsellor, or Havergal College Social Worker, Caitlin Parsons, please email them individually in advance to book an appointment.
• CLICK HERE to sign into your Pick A Time account with your password.
• New to Havergal parents will have to establish a Pick A Time account, which can be done in advance of the online opening.
• If you need help navigating the site, please contact Havergal Information Technology Service Desk at 416-483-3843 ext. 6663. It will be open between 6:00 and 6:30 PM on Tuesday, Oct. 6 when the Pick A Time sign-up goes live. IT support is also available from 7:30 AM to 5 PM Monday to Friday. 
• Online bookings close on Tuesday, October 13 at noon.
• Boarding School Parents: In order to help you plan a time that will work for you, and fits within the established conference time in Toronto, click on this time zone converter  to determine what time you need to establish a meeting in your own time zone.

We also invite you to email your daughter’s teachers or her guidance counsellor at any point in the year to ask for an update on her progress. 

With best wishes for continued good health,

Lindsay Norberg & JJ Patterson

Dear Parents,

We hope you and your children have adjusted to the new school year and the many new processes in place. It has been wonderful to be back on campus with students throughout the month of September. Their energy and enthusiasm to be at school reminds us all of why we are a strong community. Students have done an impressive job of adapting to new schedules.

In addition to their academic classes, students are also building on the independent learning skills they developed in the spring during their academic flex blocks. As we move further in the semester, students will benefit from dedicated time in their day to get support from their teachers and complete work where needed.

The Upper School College Blog will be sent out bi-weekly and will include the latest news from the Upper School as well as upcoming information and reminders. Regular information about your child’s classes or the school calendar can be accessed through the Veracross, please be sure to visit the parent portal: Veracross Login To learn how to subscribe to HC calendars, so that they appear on your digital calendar see the links below.

Calendar_Subscriptions_Parents_Google
Calendar_Subscriptions_Parents_Apple
Calendar_Subscriptions_Parents_Outlook

Sincerely,

Lindsay Norberg (Associate Head & Head of Senior School) and
JJ Patterson (Head of Middle School)

Latest News

Research Program

• We are excited to announce that Havergal College will embark on a research program for the current academic year to assist in planning and evaluation of the new learning environment.  Your participation in this research is critical to our continued success. Havergal is collaborating with Elizabeth Lorenzin, a market research consultant, to conduct the research using a mix of surveys and focus groups.  Throughout the research project, any data collected will be used only for the purpose of the study and it will remain confidential.
• A survey will be administered to students in grades 5 to 12 the week of October 5^th.  If you do not wish your daughter to participate in our research studies, please send an email to lorenzinresearch@gmail.com by no later than the end of day Wednesday, September 30^th  to ensure that you and/or your daughter are not contacted for research purposes.

Remote Students vs. Absent Students

• Please see the linked document that clearly outlines the distinction between remote learners and students who are absent, and identifies when temporary remote learning is possible.

Parent Teacher Interviews

• Thursday, October 15 is Parent/Teacher Interviews. It will be an independent learning day for all Upper School students; there will be no classes on campus. Students are expected to work from home on this day. Parent/Teacher interviews will be held virtually from 8am-11am, 1pm-4pm, and 6pm-8pm. Online booking opens for Parent/Teacher interviews on Tuesday, October 6, at 6pm.

Reminders

Orange Shirt Day

• On Wednesday September 30, Havergal is recognizing Orange Shirt Day in Prayers and by inviting students to wear an orange shirt to school on this day. 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.

Health and Safety Protocols

• We continue to review and support students to uphold the health and safety protocols that keep our community safe.
• If your child (or household) contacts has symptoms associated with COVID-19 identified on screening, you will receive an email from covid@havergal.on.ca that will outline the key next steps to take, and a safe return to school plan.
• If your child has a COVID test they may not return to school until the results are sent to covid@havergal.on.ca AND you have been cleared to return by the Health Centre.
• Students are now required to wear masks outside when they are in group settings (during break and co-curricular activities, sitting with friends, and after eating). We have asked repeatedly for students to maintain distance when they are outside and it is proving to be too challenging.

Operational Items

Student Leadership Opportunities

• On Thursday, September 24th during the Middle School Assembly, students learned of two leadership opportunities that are available to them: Form Representative and Study Buddy Ambassadors. The self-nomination process has begun for Grade 7 and 8 students to put their names forward for these positions. You are encouraged to talk to your child about these opportunities while recognizing that not all students are interested in holding a leadership position at this point in the year. Students will hold these positions until January 2021 at which point there will be another round of elections in February.

• Moving into October, Upper School Club Heads are beginning to plan for Club Fest on October 16. As a result of the split schedule, we are running clubs and House separately for students in Grades 7 to 9 and students in Grades 10 to 12.

• Grade 9 Leadership Opportunities: 
  • Grade 9 students have been invited by email to self-nominate for two different leadership positions: Club Leaders and Grade 9 House Representatives. Mme Denis will be in touch with students who have nominated themselves.
  • In the coming week, Grade 9 students will be invited by Ms. Buchanan to self-nominate to be a Grade 9 Grade Representative. Once the nomination process is complete, there will be a grade-wide election for this role.  

Green and Gold Shop

Students will be able to pick up pre-ordered clothing items at the following designated times. 

• Grade 7 Mondays at 3pm
• Grade 8 Tuesdays at 3pm
• Grade 9 Wednesdays at 3pm 
• Grade 10 Monday at 3:35 pm
• Grade 11 Tuesday at 3:35 pm
• Grade 12 Wednesday at 3:35p

People and Program Evening

Thank you to those of you who joined us virtually for People & Program evening. If you missed any of the sessions please visit your child’s class Veracross page for the recording or related information. Here is the link to the Upper School webinar that was held in the evening.