Curriculum Night, September Social, Photo Day, Visiting Guest, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation & More!
- JICS Office
- Sep 11
- 8 min read
JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
Curriculum Night: Wednesday, September 17, 6:00-8:00pm
September Social: Thursday September 25, 6:00-8:00pm
Registration links below!
Photo Day: Monday, September 29
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation & an announcement from Natural Curiosity
Robertson Program - Grade 3&4 Math Enrichment Opportunities
Moments from our first full week of the school year!
Topics covered in this post:
(Click to navigate straight to a section)
1. Curriculum Night - Wednesday, September 17, 6:00-8:00pm
We are looking forward to seeing all JICS Parents at Curriculum Night on Wednesday. This is a special and important evening designed for you to learn all about the exciting year ahead for your child. Our teachers have thoughtfully prepared to share what your child’s class will be exploring, learning, and accomplishing this year. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the curriculum and teaching methods. While this event isn’t meant for individual parent-teacher conferences (those will be held on November 5th and 7th), it will give you a comprehensive look at what is in store for your child, the teachers they will be learning from, and the expectations for their grade level.
What to Expect: The evening will begin with entry through 45 Walmer Road, starting at 5:45 PM. Below is the schedule to guide you through the night.
6:00 PM – 6:45 PM: Curriculum presentations for parents of children in Nursery, JK, SK, Grades 1 & 2. (Please note that these presentations will start promptly at 6:00 PM, so we encourage you to arrive on time.)
6:50 PM – 7:05 PM: All parents will gather in the school gym for a warm welcome and introductions of classroom and specialty teachers.
7:10 PM – 7:55 PM: Curriculum presentations for parents of children in Grades 3, 4, 5, & 6.
Time | Presentation | Grades | Location |
6:00pm (sharp) – 6:45pm (sharp) | Individual Grade Curriculum | Nursery, JK, SK, Grade 1, Grade 2 | Classrooms of: Nursery, JK, SK, Grade 1, Grade 2 |
6:50pm-7:05pm | Welcome, Introductions of staff | All Grades | Gym |
7:10pm (sharp) – 7:55pm (sharp) | Individual Grade Curriculum | Grade 3, Grade 4/5 Raadiyah, Grade 4/5 Audrey, Grade 6 | Classrooms of: Grade 3, Grade 4/5 Raadiyah, Grade 4/5 Audrey, Grade 6 |
Specialty Classes: Curious about subjects like French, Visual Arts, Drama, Phys Ed, Special Ed, Library, Music, STEM, and Land-Based Education? During Curriculum Night, a specialty teacher will join one of the classroom teachers to give a brief overview of their program. Plus, all specialty teachers will be introduced in the gym at 6:50 PM. A more detailed look at the specialty classes will also be included in a future POST.
As this is an adults-only event, please note that we are unfortunately unable to provide babysitting services.
2. Terry Fox Run - Friday September 19
Michael and the Grade 3 students are organizing a school assembly and an opportunity for each class (JK to Grade 6) to participate in the Terry Fox Run at Jean Sibelius Park on Kendal Avenue on September 19. Beautiful posters made by the students are throughout the school! The run will take place with a departure from the school at approximately 9:15am and we invite all parents to take part to cheer us on. Huge thanks to Grade 3 parent volunteers for helping with supervision along the route.
Each year, we ask everyone to bring “a toonie for Terry” or more to donate to cancer research. You can also donate directly to the Terry Fox Foundation “The Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study” Donation Page.
Terry Fox Run posters around the school - created by the Grade 3's!
3. September Social - Thursday, September 25
To kickstart our centennial year and our journey towards building a vibrant inter-connected community as described by PA President, Annie in her letter above, we are excited about our first PA event of the school year, the "September Social” on Thursday, September 25, from 6:00PM to 8:00PM, right here in our school gym.
The PA is thoughtfully providing free babysitting for your children (who currently attend the school), along with a pizza dinner for them. This will enable parents to connect in a relaxed, informal setting. It is a great opportunity for adults to come together, strengthen existing bonds, and forge new connections. Please note that registration deadline is September 22.
We sincerely hope that each and every JICS parent will join us for the September Social on September 25th. It promises to be an evening of camaraderie, where we can celebrate our shared vision and the wonderful community we are creating together. Please take a moment to register for the event. We can't wait to see you there! Please note that registration deadline is September 22.
4. Psychology Consent Questionnaire
On Monday, our new in-house child psychologist, Dr. Trina Epstein, sent an email to all parents with a link to an online consent form. Completing this form will allow her to best support your child’s development.
Thank you to those who have already submitted the form. If you have not yet done so, please complete it by September 12. Here is the link to the form. If you have questions, please refer to the email and/or contact Dr. Epstein directly: trina.epstein@utoronto.ca
5. Photo Day - Say Cheese! - Monday, September 29
On Monday, individual and class photos will be taken and to capture those wonderful smiles, we suggest that children come dressed in bright and vibrant colors. Every child will receive a unique online code which parents can use to view their child's photos and place orders. Once the orders are placed, the photos will be conveniently distributed to the children right here at school when they arrive.
6. Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting
Created by JICS parents for JICS parents, these meetings are designed for conversation and advocacy for families at JICS with BIPOC children. All parents of a BIPOC student at JICS are welcome.
The intention of this Group is to create a safe space where parents of BIPOC children can socialize, share community, identify issues, and be a sounding board for one another. We also discuss how the JICS BIPOC parents can support the teachers and help with the school's cultural celebrations.
Please reach out to Adrienne.chan@sunnybrook.ca, our WhatsApp Group administrator, if you would like to be added to the Parents of JICS BIPOC Kids WhatsApp group. We aim to be a resource for you.
Our meetings this term are scheduled for:
Thursday, Oct 23, 7:00-8:30 (zoom)
Wednesday, Nov 19, 7:00-8:30 (zoom)
RSVP information will be shared closer to the dates.
7. Visiting Guest: Dr. Yukiyasu Tsuda
This week, we were delighted to welcome Dr. Yukiyasu Tsuda, Director of the Sports Rhythm Training Association, who introduced children from JK to Grade 6 to the “rhythm jump” method. A former triple jump athlete and pop dance practitioner, Dr. Tsuda developed Sports Rhythmic Movement Training in 2015. His innovative program uses short, structured rhythm-jumping sessions to build physical ability, self-confidence, a sense of community, and active participation in a non-competitive setting.
Dr. Tsuda was joined by JICS Phys Ed teacher, Luke, who will continue to integrate rhythm jump into his program.
This initiative is especially meaningful in our centennial year, as it reflects our mission to:
offer innovative, research-informed educational experiences,
address challenges such as student inactivity, and
share our learning with public schools and the wider community.
At JICS Lab School, we believe arts education—including Physical Education, Drama, Music, and Visual Arts—is essential to students’ intellectual, social, physical, and emotional growth. Alongside weekly classes, we enrich learning through visiting artists and educators like Dr. Tsuda.
If you would like to support this type of enrichment, we invite you to contribute to the Patrick Harvie Arts Fund (PHA Fund). Established in 1999 by the Harvie family, the PHA Fund enhances arts education by connecting students with professional artists. Over the years, it has supported theatre performances, music and dance presentations, storytelling, and trips to local productions such as the Stratford Festival.
Donations can be made online via CanadaHelps (tax receipts will be issued). Learn more about visiting artists at JICS here: Enriching the Arts.
8. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - Tuesday, September 30
We will be honouring National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. More information will be shared in next week’s POST.
If you are thinking of purchasing an orange shirt for this day, please ensure that your money goes toward Indigenous businesses and artists.
The Cedar Basket Gift Shop, located just south of the school at the Native Canadian Center of Toronto, at 16 Spadina Road, has an online shop where orders can be placed. They have youth and adult sizes of the ‘Every Child Matters’ T-shirts.
We look forward to seeing a sea of Orange on September 30, honouring the truth and supporting residential school survivors and their families.
9. Natural Curiosity - Indigenous Learning Opportunity
The Natural Curiosity program plays a crucial role in advancing the Lab School’s public purpose by supporting educators with understanding the importance of Indigenous perspectives in environmental and all education.
Natural Curiosity has partnered with the Outdoor Learning School to offer Four Season of Indigenous Learning.
Sign-up by September 30 for this incredible Indigenous Learning Opportunity!
If you are just starting your Indigenous learning journey, we invite you to join us for:
What’s included:
🌳 5 hours of self-paced online learning (certificate provided)
☀️ 7 x 1 hours virtual presentations with incredible Indigenous presenters
🍂 Access to the presentation recordings until Sept 20, 2026
❄️ $25 towards accessing Indigenous learning resources
Want to hear what others think? Read the reviews from over 100 past participants.
Or, if you already have a strong foundation of knowledge, we invite you to join us for:
Learn more and sign-up by September 30, when Early Bird registration closes.
10. Robertson Program for Inquiry-based Teaching in Math and Science: Math Enrichment Opportunity for Grades 3-4 - Fall 2025
This Fall, the Robertson Program for Inquiry-based Teaching in Math and Science, located here at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study, is offering Online Playful Math — an extracurricular virtual math program for students in Grades 3 & 4 as of Sept 2025. Led by trained U of T educators, the program is designed to build math confidence and foundational skills through interactive games and small-group instruction.
Program details
Who: Students in Grades 3 & 4
What: 1-hour small-group, virtual playful math classes
When: Late September 2025 – December (10 weeks)
Cost: $250 per child
Click here to learn more and register. If you have any questions, email robertson@utoronto.ca.
Upcoming September Events
Fri 12 – School-wide lice check
Mon 15 to Fri 19 – JICS Safety Practice Week (fire drill, lock-down drill)
Wed 17 – Curriculum Night 6:00-9:00pm
Fri 19 – Terry Fox Run. JK to Gr 6
Mon 22 – Fall Equinox
Mon 22 to Wed 24 – Rosh Hashanah
Wed 24 – Rowan’s Day (Concussion Awareness)
Thur 25 – Principal for the Day “Cozy-dress Day”
Thur 25 – JICS “All Parent” September Social 6:00-8:00pm. Free babysitting - Register.
Mon 29 – Photo Day
Tues 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day. School assembly
NOTE: Parents’ Association “All Parents” Meeting 7:00pm - Rescheduled to October 8th
Comments