Topics covered in this post:
Arrival
Dismissal
COVID-19 Screening
Nursery Program
Message from Parents' Association
Upcoming September Events
Please carefully read the important information below collected from observing our two morning “start days” (Sept 8 & 9). Following these procedures is vital to help the school day run as smoothly and safely as possible.
1. Arrival
If you are using the Kiss and Drive in front of 45 Walmer Road, please note:
Parents are not to exit the vehicle. A staff member will assist your child if necessary. If you are driving and would like to escort your child to the entry, please DO NOT PARK in front of the school as this creates a dangerous drop off situation for others.
2. Dismissal
Parents please queue in a socially distant way at the appropriate exits: Yard–North Gate, Yard–South Gate, 56 Spadina. Once you have your child/ren, please depart ASAP so that we can minimize contact between grades.
Gr 1 and 2 parents please remain on the Walmer sidewalk (off school property) until 3:10 in order to allow the JK parents to pick up their child/ren at the Yard-North Gate.
Gr 3 parents, please do not line up on the sidewalk until the SK children are picked up from Yard-South Gate.
NEW: Gr 4-6 children who have “permission to leave on their own” (SFO form) will now be dismissed each day at 3:00. If parents will be picking up their child, please be at 56 Spadina at 3:00 and depart promptly to allow safe social distancing for the 3:15 Gr 4-6 parent pick-up.
Full Day Dismissal Information
Please refer to the Parent Handbook (dismissal section) in the www.JICSfamily.com website for more information: https://www.jicsfamily.com/parenthandbook
3. COVID-19 Screening
We have worked hard and continue to examine ways to make the school safe for all. The health, safety and well-being of students and staff remains our top priority. IT MUST ALSO BE THE TOP PRIORITY OF ALL JICS PARENTS.
WE REQUIRE THAT YOU SCREEN YOUR CHILD AND ALL MEMBERS OF YOUR HOME PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR SCHOOL. Please use the SFO (School Forms Online) Daily Parent Screening Form to identify symptoms and other criteria to determine whether your child/ren will come to school. A copy of this form can be found under the documents section of our school website: https://www.jicsfamily.com/covid-19-screening
Children must have their temperature taking each morning at home prior to departing. If their temperature is 37.8°C or greater, they must remain at home.
If any member of your household has a COVID-19 symptom, you must exclude all of your children from school (even if they are asymptomatic), and your children will not attend the school until a minimum period of 14 days has passed after the positive test results or the children receive a medical report that they can return to school. If the member of the household receives negative test results, the children can return to school if they are or have been asymptomatic for 24 hours.
Contact Toronto Public Health 416-338-7600 if you have questions.
The JICS Lab School appreciates and requires your cooperation for the safety of every member of our community and their families.
4. Nursery Program
On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we welcome the Nursery children to JICS! Nursery East children enter from 56 Spadina (wood door) and Nursery West enter from the coach house door at 45 Walmer, 8:30-9:00am. Pick-up is at 11:45am at entry doors.
Nursery (pick up at 3:00 or 3:15pm):
Nursery children with siblings in Kindergarten will be escorted outside at 3:00pm by Daycare staff who will remain in the yard for supervision. These children will line up in the yard with their sibling/s and await their parent to arrive at Yard-North Gate (for JK and their Nursery siblings) or Yard-South Gate (for SK and their Nursery siblings).
Nursery children with siblings in Gr 1-3 will be escorted outside at 3:15pm by Daycare staff who will remain in the yard for supervision. These children will line up in the yard with their sibling/s and await their parent to arrive at Yard-North Gate (for Gr 1 and their Nursery siblings) or Yard-South Gate (for Gr 2 or Gr 3 and their Nursery siblings).
After School Daycare (pick up between 3:30 and 6:00pm):
Parents are required to call the ICS Daycare cell number 647-518-6887 upon arrival at the Yard-North Gate. Parents are not allowed into the school yard. Daycare staff will dress (if help is needed) and escort the child/ren to the Yard-North Gate. If the children are outside in the yard, the Daycare staff will enter the school with the child/ren to collect personal belongings before escorting the child/ren to the Yard-North Gate.
5. Message from JICS Parents' Association
Dear JICS Parents,
On behalf of the JICS Parents’ Association (PA), welcome to the first week of school! As a parent or guardian, you are automatically members of the JICS PA.
The JICS PA Executive is a group of volunteers that work with Richard, Chriss, and class representatives to enrich the life of our children. Through our efforts, we aim to support the values that are important to our laboratory school, support the learning and well-being of our children and create a strong community that includes parent engagement. The special partnership between parent volunteers and JICS is fundamental to building a strong community and a foundation for success for our children.
While this year will be different due to health and safety reasons, we hope to find ways to engage with you throughout the year. In the coming days and weeks, you’ll hear more about PA fees, donations, and virtual engagements, including the Fall Social, PA meeting, and Parent Education events.
I’m excited for the months ahead and look forward to seeing all of you soon (virtually, of course)!
Deepta Rayner
JICS PA President
5. Upcoming September Events
Thur 10 – Daycare begins; Day 2 for all students JK to Gr 6 (3:00-3:15 dismissal)
Mon 14 – Wed 16 – Nursery staggered start days
Mon 14 – Hot Lunch Program begins
Fri 18 – Rosh Hashanah (begins at sundown)
Sat 19 – Sun 20 – Rosh Hashanah
Mon 21 – Fri 25 – Terry Fox Run Week (details coming soon)
Tues 22 – Photo Day (details coming soon)
Tues 22 – PA September Social (details coming soon)
Thurs 24 – School-wide Lice Check (details coming soon)
Sun 27 – Yom Kippur (begins at sunset)
Mon 28 – Yom Kippur, start of MA internships/practicum
Wed 30 – Orange Shirt Day (details coming soon)
Photos from the first days!
