Topics covered in this post:
Distance Education (JK to Grade 6) - Update
Parent Education Event - January 21
Re-enrollment for 2021-2022
Application Database
1% Donations to Support Economic Diversity
JICS Fall Edition Newsletter
Upcoming January Events
Upcoming February Events
PHOTOS: Teacher & Staff Work Stations
PHOTOS: Nursery children learning in the building
1. Distance Education (JK to Grade 6) - Update
A huge thank you to every JICS student, family, teacher, and staff member for making the transition to distance education so smooth.
Beginning today, the Ontario Government is implementing a province-wide state of emergency (stay-at-home order) and has extended remote-only learning to at least February 10. JICS JK to Grade 6 teachers will continue to provide distance-education. The Nursery Program will continue in the building as will daycare for Nursery students as per the ministerial order. The school office will remain open 8:00am-3:00pm. Read the press release here.
2. Parent Education Event - January 21
Powering down, a digital fog, or igniting curiosity? Ways to support children's use of technology
Join us on January 21st for a talk on technology, social media, and child development with Dr. Alexandra Makos, faculty member in the Applied Psychology and Human Development Department, OISE, University of Toronto. Read more about this event, Dr. Makos, and RSVP by visiting our events page.
3. Re-enrollment 2021-2022
Re-enrollment forms were emailed on December 10 for the 2021-2022 school year. The form and the non-refundable $5000 deposit are due in the office by Wednesday, January 20, 2021. The reception is open each day from 8:00am-3:00pm to receive cheques and forms. The tuition represents the usual 3% increase despite the significant new costs that are necessary for the health and safety of all. While we look forward to continuing our relationship with you, we ask that you take the time to review what the JICS Lab School stands for before making your decision:
• behaviour code
Showing respect and kindness in all interactions involving students, teachers, staff, and parents.
• deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Understanding that diversity is a moral imperative and is an invaluable aspect of a true education.
Intentionally creating a diverse community, giving voice and respect to people of different race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, family structure, socio-economic status, physical ability, health, ideology, religious and political affiliations.
Creating safe spaces for courageous conversations with input from all of our community.
Confronting racism and discrimination, inequities and disparities.
• responsibility as a lab school
Benefiting from a unique sense of teacher and administrative autonomy.
Serving our public purpose by sharing JICS’ expertise on how children learn, working with OISE teacher education programs, and conducting research with internal and external scholars and presenting findings at national and international educational conferences, in academic journal publications, and in JICS published material such as the book Natural Curiosity.
• philosophy
Creating a secure environment that allows self-expression, exploration, investigation, mistakes, and creativity to flourish (for children and staff).
Designing programming that reflects our belief that students have different needs at different developmental stages.
Using an educational approach that is both rigorous and flexible, a process of inquiry, driven by curiosity, discourse, assessment and reflection, in pursuit of idea improvement and purposeful innovation.
Balancing academic learning with social, psychological, and emotional growth to support the healthy development of the whole child, believing that schooling should be a joyful process.
Valuing outdoor playtime in all-weather as a vital part of the school day.
• approach to COVID-19
Trusting that the JICS Administration Team and Teachers will make program and design decisions balancing what is best for children’s wellbeing, cognitive, and social-emotional development with TPH health and safety measures.
4. Application Database
The admission team will begin to fill vacant spots on January 21, 2021. If you have a friend or relative who is interested in joining the JICS Lab School in the 2021-2022 school year, please ask them to complete an application and email Richard.
5. 1% Donations to Support Economic Diversity
Thank you to all who made financial donations to the JICS Diana Rankin Muncaster Family Tuition Support Fund. If you have not yet donated, the Tuition Support Committee is challenging you to donate $250 per child (or more) which represents 1% of the 2020-2021 tuition toward ensuring economic diversity at the Lab School.
6. Fall Edition Newsletter
If you haven’t had the chance to enjoy the Newsletter with your child, here is the link: https://www.jicsfamily.com/jicsnewsletter
Please use the password sent to you in the January 7, 2021 weekly post email.
7. Upcoming January Events
Fri 15 – Friday Parent Information Post Talks 9:30-10:00am (Zoom link)
Wed 20 – Reenrollment forms and deposits due for 2021-2022
Thurs 21 – Parent Education Event (Children's Use of Technology). 7:00-8:30 RSVP
Thurs 21 – Nursery 2021-2022 Virtual Open House
Fri 22 – Friday Parent Information Post Talks 9:30-10:00am (Zoom link)
Mon 25 – Parents’ Association General Meeting. 6:00-7:30pm
Fri 29 – Friday Parent Information Post Talks 9:30-10:00am (Zoom link)
8. Upcoming February Events
Fri 5 – CANCELLED Friday Parent Information Post Talks 9:30-10:00am
Fri 12 – Midterm Holiday – No school: Nursery to Grade 6
Fri 12 – Lunar New Year
Mon 15 – Family Day – No school: Nursery to Grade 6
Fri 19 – Friday Parent Information Post Talks 9:30-10:00am (Zoom link)
Tues 21 – Daycare Annual General Meeting. 6:00pm
Fri 26 – Friday Parent Information Post Talks 9:30-10:00am (Zoom link)
