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

Latest News

US & UK Universities – Parent Information Sessions

On Wednesday, March 31, the Guidance department is presenting the following two university information sessions. All interested parents are welcome to attend.

• 6:30 – 7:15 pm – American University Information Session
• 7:15 – 8:00 pm – UK University Information Session

Both sessions can be accessed through the following Zoom link:

https://havergal.zoom.us/j/93657012016?pwd=Sk81RFd5NnR6bzVudHVYTmV4ZU5Vdz09

Meeting ID: 936 5701 2016

Passcode: 074289

Remote & In-Person Learning

We ask that families and students review the criteria outlined below for remote learning. We appreciate your cooperation and support of these protocols.

• Students who must self isolate should connect with their teachers and make arrangements to Zoom into class on a temporary basis. 
• Students who will be remote for longer than 2 weeks must complete the Remote Registration. 
• Only students who must be absent for COVID/screening-related reasons or those who are registered as remote students should ask to Zoom into classes. All other students are expected to attend in person.
• Students who are not registered as remote learners are expected to complete all assessments in person.

Conversations with the Head of School – Recordings & Feedback Form

Thank you for joining us for the parent sessions over the past few weeks. Below you will find the recordings and the slide deck for each session. Unfortunately, the Grade 12 session ran into technical difficulties and the recording did not work – our apologies. If you were able to attend, we would appreciate you taking a few moments to provide feedback through this Google Form.

Grade 7 & 8 – Slideshow & Recording

Grade 9 & 10 – Slideshow & Recording

Grade 11 – Slideshow & Recording

Grade 12 – Slideshow

Latest News

School Break

• Havergal is closed from Monday, March 8 until Friday, March 12.
• Havergal families are reminded to continue to follow all Toronto Public Health directives to ensure our community remains safe.
• Daily screening will resume on Monday, March 15 and families are encouraged to read each of the questions carefully as Toronto Public Health continues to adjust the requirements for students attending school. Our updated Havergal COVID Screening and Return to School Protocol can always be found at the Havergal Return to Campus Webpage.
• Families are reminded that students who have participated in interprovincial or international travel are required to self isolate for 14 days once they return to Ontario. After international travel and following the 14-day self-isolation, students must provide a negative COVID test result. Please use this LINK to submit negative COVID test results prior to returning to school. 
• Any questions about daily screening or students’ ability to return to school should be directed to the Health Centre at covid@havergal.on.ca.

Student Attendance/Remote Students

• If a student is not able to attend school in person and is not registered as a remote student, families must notify the DSO of their absence and still complete the daily screening.
• Students physically absent from school must be marked as absent unless they are registered as a Remote student.
• Only students who are registered as remote or who have to be absent because of COVID protocols should expect to be able to Zoom into classes.  Teachers are not expected to be ready for these students immediately – there is a 24-48 hour lag period that is acceptable. 
• Students who wish to Zoom into classes for a temporary absence unrelated to COVID, need to discuss that with their teacher and be prepared for that request to be denied. As always, class material can be found on the course Veracross page.  For a teacher who already has a remote student, it may be easy for additional students to join in.  For a teacher who does not have a remote student, the teacher may need 24-48 hours to fulfill a request.  
• Students who are not registered as remote should not expect to do assessments remotely unless the teacher has agreed to that request. 
• Students who will be remote for longer than 2 weeks must complete the Remote Registration

Upper School Afternoon Pick-Up

• Dismissal in the Upper School happens between 3:30pm – 4:00pm. 
• Students are welcome to stay until 4 pm but must remain in their last-period classroom if they choose to stay in the building. 
• We recognize that there is increased traffic in the main driveway at this time. Families are encouraged to stagger their pick-up times and make use of this window of time. 
• Please review the drop-off and pick-up directions outlined here so that we can work together to ensure a safe experience for all students and families.

#1 Dress on Thursdays following March Break

• Starting the week of March 15, all students are asked to wear their #1 dress on Thursdays. This is the day when we participate in Prayers together.
•  The one exception to this is for students who have Physical Education during Semester 2 as they will need to wear their Physical Education clothing every day. 
• The Form Teachers and Cohort Advisors will speak to the students about this when we return to school on Monday, March 15. We look forward to seeing all students – and especially the Grads – in their blazers.

Grade 5 – 8 Parent Webinar with guest Phyllis Fagell

• Thank you to the parents who joined us on Tuesday, March 2 for the webinar with Phyllis Fagell. Her presentation was filled with current research and concrete strategies to help children develop resilience and the role parents can play. 
• We are thankful to the Grade 5 and 6 Core teachers and the Grade 7 and 8 Guidance Counsellors who deliver this content and introduce strategies such as those shared by Phyllis through the Wellbeing Program.
• To see a recording of the presentation, please visit this LINK.

Reminder: Upcoming Parent Conversations with the Heads of School

Please look forward to receiving an invitation to meet with the Head of Middle & Senior School (over Zoom). As we strive to continue to build on the strength of our community, we want to ensure our families are well informed, and have an opportunity to ask questions. We will also begin a conversation, which will continue through the Spring, about how we are supporting our students through this pandemic and will continue to do so as they navigate the world that exists when it is over.

Tuesday, March 16 

• 7:15 pm  – 7:45 pm, Grade 7 & 8 parents

Wednesday, March 17

• 6:30 pm – 7:00 pm, Grade 9 & 10 parents
• 7:15 pm -7:45 pm, Grade 11 parents

Pop-Up Covid-19 Testing Centre by SickKids

Havergal has been informed of another opportunity to access a pop-up COVID-19 testing location in our local community on Sunday, March 7 from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm at Bais Yaakov Elementary School, 15 Saranac Blvd, North York, ON M6A 2G4. For more details, please access this community letter from SickKids.

Latest News

Update from Toronto Public Health

Please see the update letter from Toronto Public Health here.

Pink Shirt Day

We are celebrating Pink Shirt Day on Monday, March 1st. It is a full dress down day for all students, faculty and staff and we encourage everyone to participate. For more information, please visit the Pink Shirt Day website. 

Latest News

Major Dates Calendar

Please see the updated Major Dates Calendar that reflects the changes to the March/April calendar.

Veracross Unavailable Feb 19 – 21, 2021

In order to reset the calendar/rotation schedule to coincide with the new calendar dates that will be adjusted due to the March break changes, Veracross will be unavailable to all employees, students, and parents from February 19 at 4pm to February 20 at 8 am and again from February 20 at noon to February 21 at 4pm. Faculty have prepared students for this by making sure students have what they need and that they know they will be unable to access their class websites for much of this upcoming weekend. Our apologies for the short notice but it is challenging to find the right time to do this necessary work. 

Report Cards – Update Regarding Attendance Data

When initially released, the Semester 1 final report cards included attendance data that was not meant to be included on the report. This has been corrected and you are encouraged to download the report card again in order to have the correct version saved for yourself. You will see that the attendance data has been removed.

Grade 11 & 12 Spares

The following information has been shared with students with regards to spares.

• Students have an assigned classroom for their spares and they must be in this classroom during their spare.
• Students who have 1st period or 4th period spare may arrive late or leave early for the day. 
• Students are expected to be on time for their first class of the day. 
• When they arrive after 9am they must enter through the Rotunda (to be screened by Security) and sign in outside the DSO (this is new).
• When students leave before 3:30pm because they have a spare they must sign out (outside the DSO).

Upper School Parent-Teacher Interviews Update

The second Upper School Parent/Teacher Conferences of the school year will take place virtually via Zoom on Friday, March 26 (original date). The appointment times are as follows: 

• 8:00am to 12:00pm 
• 1:00pm to   4:00pm 

The online conference booking system that Havergal College uses will open on Wednesday, March 17 at 6:00pm and will close on Wednesday, March 24 at 12:00pm. If you need to make any changes after this time, please contact the teacher directly to coordinate. 

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 Ms. Sally Danto, by Monday, March 22 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 pickAtime account with your password. If you do not have a pickAtime account, please create one in advance of the online opening. The Junior School will also be conducting Parent-Teacher interviews on the same day and to avoid confusion, please make sure to select the correct School in the drop down menu when making your selection. 

In preparation for Parent-Teacher Conferences, please sign in with your Zoom account and review the Zoom – Tips – Parents.pdf

For assistance with pickAtime, contact our Service Desk at servicedesk@havergal.on.ca or at 416-483-3843 ext.6663  between 6:00 and 6:30 PM on Monday, March 1, or during their usual  hours of operation from 7:30am – 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

Black History Month

Havergal is celebrating Black History Month throughout the month of February by recognizing the achievements and contributions of Black Canadians and their communities who have contributed significantly to Canada. In particular, initiatives have been led by the Black Student Alliance and it’s co-heads, Marley Melbourne and Jasmine Heath. During the month, students have identified ways to bring awareness to our community through open BSA meetings and spotlighting music, poetry and quotes by Black artists during Prayers. The Prefect led Swamp Talk and open BSA meetings drew large crowds of students and faculty, wanting to discuss issues that are prevalent in today’s Black community. Talking about anti-racism is top of mind in our community and our students are engaged in learning about this topic and how to become better informed. This year, Black culture prayers will be held on March 25th. This date was deliberately chosen to sit outside of BHM, as we continue to respect and recognize that contributions made by the Black community should be celebrated every month, not just one month during the year. 

Pride Week – February 22 – 26, 2021

Pride Week aims to educate, connect and acknowledge Havergal’s LGBTQ+ community and our commitment to the celebration of personal expression, diversity and inclusivity. Students on the Pride Committee have worked together with Caitlin Parsons, Upper School Social Worker and other faculty, to plan an engaging and celebratory week.

Highlights of the week include: 

• Flying the Pride flag. The Pride flag will be flown in the South Quad, as a symbol of our commitment to fostering an inclusive school environment where individual differences are recognized, embraced and valued. 
• Educational emails delivered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Each email to highlight various historical events and human rights leaders of the LGBTQ+ community, vocabulary and definitions, LGBTQ+ movie/book/music suggestions and some rainbow-friendly community resources. 
• Havergal Alumni and Trans Activist; Taylor Stocks (2007) will be delivering a presentation related to gender identity to students in Grade 7-9 and students in Grade 10-12 during their Wellbeing Program. To learn more about Taylor Stocks please click here.
• Pride week celebrations will conclude with a dress down day on Friday, February 26. To show support for our LGBTQ+ students and community, we encourage everyone to come dressed in rainbow colours or one solid colour of the rainbow. 
• During Prayers on Friday, February 26, we will discuss the significance of the Pride flag and its history and hear from a Grade 9 student who will speak about Heteronormativity and Sexuality. In closing, students will be reminded of ways they can continue to show and celebrate Pride at Havergal.

If you have any questions about HC Pride Week or any of the events, please reach out to Social Worker, Caitlin Parsons at cparsons@havergal.on.ca.

Save the Date – Conversations with the Head of  Middle & Senior School

Please look forward to receiving an invitation to meet with the Head of Middle & Senior School (over Zoom) on the following dates. As we strive to continue to build on the strength of our community, we want to ensure our families are well informed, having opportunities to ask questions and to deepen their understanding of our strategic direction. We will also begin a conversation, which will continue through the Spring, about how we are supporting our students through this pandemic and will continue to do so as they navigate the world that exists when it is over.

Thursday, March 4

• 7:15 pm – 7:45 pm, Grade 12 parents

Tuesday, March 16 

• 7:15 pm  – 7:45pm, Grade 7 & 8 parents

Wednesday, March 17

• 6:30 pm – 7:00 pm, Grade 9 & 10 parents
• 7:15 pm -7:45 pm, Grade 11 parents