Welcome back to the 2016-2017 school year! I am so delighted to see everyone back refreshed and ready to be at school. Thank you to the many families who came out to support our second annual Back to School BBQ. The BBQ was a wonderful way to gather as a community and spend valuable time together. A special shout-out to the JS Grade Reps who were instrumental in making the get together so successful. Our Food Services Director - Rauni Whiteley said, "We couldn't do it without your help! Your time and efforts were greatly appreciated!"
This is a long message with a lot of information you will want to know, so I ask that you read it in it's entirety.
Warmly,
Leslie Anne Dexter
JS DISMISSAL - PERMISSION TO WALK HOME
If you want your daughter to leave the school and walk home or take public transit by herself on a regular basis, we must have written permission. We must also have written permission if your child takes a school bus that you have arranged through an outside vendor. Understandably, on occasion there are special circumstances whereby you may not be able to collect your daughter and, on short notice, you would like for her to walk home. In these one-off situations, your daughter is required to sign-out in the Main Office before leaving campus.
PEOPLE AND PROGRAM EVENING
Parents are invited and encouraged to attend the JS People and Program Evening on Wednesday, September 14 starting at 6:30 pm. This evening is designed for you to meet your daughter's teacher and to learn about the year ahead. A brief outline of the evening is as follows:
Grades JK-3:
6:30-7:15 pm - Primary Division classroom curriculum presentations in the classroom
7:20-7:35 pm - "Havergal Experience" presentation in the JS gym with Principal - Helen-Kay Davy, Head of Junior School - Leslie Anne Dexter & Vice Principal, Teaching and Learning - Seonaid Davis
7:40-8:25 pm - Primary Specialist presentations in the Learning Hub, come meet the specialty teachers and learn about their programs
Grades 4-6:
6:30-7:15 pm - Junior Specialist presentations in the Learning Hub, come meet the specialty teachers and learn about their programs
7:20-7:35 pm - "Havergal Experience" presentation in the JS gym with Principal - Helen-Kay Davy, Head of Junior School - Leslie Anne Dexter & Vice Principal, Teaching and Learning - Seonaid Davis
7:40-8:25 pm - Junior Division classroom curriculum presentations in the classroom
8:25-8:55 pm - Grade 6 Only - parents of grade 6 students are strongly encouraged to attend an excursion information session regarding the Grade 6 overnight trip to Beausoleil Island, which takes place from Wednesday, September 21 - Friday, September 23.
Limited parking is available in both the Junior School parking lot and the Upper School north parking lot. A pedestrian bridge is located between the JS and US. Please enter through the main doors off Rosewell Avenue. Refreshments are available at 5:30 pm and throughout the evening.
A MESSAGE FROM SEONAID DAVIS, VICE PRINCIPAL - TEACHING & LEARNING - USING DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL
Assessment and Evaluation are two sides of the same coin, measuring student learning. Assessment is measuring student learning in order to improve it; evaluation is measuring student learning in order to make a judgment about what a student knows, understands and can do at set points in time on particular tasks. Diagnostic assessment is designed to help answer the first of three critical questions teachers ask themselves:
- Where are my students now?
- Where do they need to be?
- How are they going to get there?
- BAS: Benchmark Assessment System (Reading)
- ONAP: Ontario Numeracy Assessment Package (Math)
- School Wide Writing Assignment
- WTW: Words Their Way (Spelling)
The school uses the results of these assessments to measure student growth during a grade level and across grade levels, and to measure the impact of instructional strategies. The results of the diagnostic assessments alone do not determine the report card grade for a student and the results do not form any part of the official record for a student.
In the coming weeks, your daughter's teachers will be conducting a variety of diagnostic assessments with her. There is no special preparation she needs to do, other than a good night's sleep and healthy breakfast. Parent Teacher conferences in October will be an opportunity for your daughter's teachers to share with you their assessment of her achievement and progress based on a variety of assessment tools and opportunities.
If you have any general questions regarding the diagnostic assessments used by Havergal, please contact Seonaid Davis at sdavis@havergal.on.ca (Math), or Nancy Tulli at ntulli@havergal.on.ca (Literacy).
A MESSAGE FROM JS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR - ANNA BARTLETT
- Grade 4 - Cross Country Team (only)
- Grade 5 - Cross Country, Swim, Basketball, Soccer Teams
- Grade 6 - Cross Country, Swim, Basketball, Soccer Teams
Students in Grades 5&6 can participate in either the Cross Country Team or the Swim Team. They can also try out for both the Basketball Team or Soccer Team, but she can only play on either the Basketball or Soccer Team. For example, the girls can choose one of these combinations: Swim & Basketball, Swim & Soccer, Cross Country & Basketball, or Cross Country & Swim.
Students in Grades 1-6 are encouraged to come to Cross Country practice on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 7:30-8:00 am. Our first practice is Wednesday, September 14 at 7:30 am. While girls in grades 4-6 are asked to sign up online, girls in grades 1-3 should sign in with the coach upon arrival. Going forward, if Cross Country is something she shows an interest in and will commit to, she will receive a schedule of the meets.
DATES YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Wednesday, September 14: JS Grade Rep Meeting @ 8:30 am in the Learning Hub
Wednesday, September 14: Introduction to House for New Students - Assembly @ 8:30 am in the Learning Hub
Wednesday, September 14: JS People & Program Evening, @ 6:30 pm starting in the JS Gym
Thursday, September 15: JS Photo Day - students in #1 Dress
Tuesday, September 20: Grade 5/6 Parent Coffee Morning @ 8:30-9:30 am in the Learning Hub
Wednesday, September 21: Grade 6 Overnight Trip to Beausoleil Island, students leave @
Wednesday, September 21: Grade 3/4 Parent Coffee Morning @ 8:30-9:30 am in the Learning Hub
Friday, September 23: Grade 6 Students return from Beausoleil Island
Monday, September 26 - Friday, September 30: JS Clubs start
Tuesday, September 27: Grade JK/SK Parent Coffee Morning @ 8:30-9:30 am in the Learning Hub
Wednesday, September 28: Grade1/2 Parent Coffee Morning @ 8:30-9:30 am in the Learning Hub
