First Week of School, Tuition & Questionnaires, Wednesday Afternoon Program Updates, New Hot Lunch Program, Professional Development Week, & More!
- 5 hours ago
- 10 min read
JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
First Week of School:
Half Day - Tuesday September 8
Half Day - Wednesday September 9
Please ensure you have read and agreed to the JICS Parent Handbook
Tuition Balance deadline: Friday, September 4
Outstanding Questionnaires in your Parent Portal to be addressed without delay
Wednesday Afternoon Program registration: Monday, August 31 - Thursday, September 3
NEW Hot Lunch Program Information!
We can't wait for the kids to be back!
Topics covered in this post:
(Click to navigate straight to a section)
1. Welcome Back!
We hope this message finds you well and enjoying the final days of summer. We are eagerly looking forward to welcoming our students back and are especially excited to welcome our new families to the JICS community.
2. First Week of School
Please note the following schedule for the first week:
Tuesday, September 8 — First Day of School & Daycare: Classes will run from 8:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Families enrolled in Daycare may contact Anne Marie Bartoli (416-934-4522) to make arrangements for afternoon care. More information is also available through ICS After School Daycare.
Wednesday, September 9: Classes will run from 8:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Afternoon daycare for registered users.
Thursday, September 10: Classes will follow the regular full-day schedule, 8:45 a.m.–3:30 p.m. The Hot Lunch Program will also begin.
Friday, September 11: Shanah Tovah! Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown.
Nursery Students: staggered entry beginning Tuesday, September 8.
Arrival and Dismissal information: outlined in the Parent Handbook.
3. Parent Handbook
We have updated the JICS Parent Handbook for the 2026–2027 school year. This comprehensive guide outlines our plans, policies, and procedures and includes important new information with which all families should be familiar.
This year, we have revised sections addressing the School Food Policy, Class Gatherings, the Wednesday Afternoon Program, Parent Volunteer VSC, and street parking during drop-off and pick-up.
All JICS parents are required to read and acknowledge the Parent Handbook before the start of the school year and to refer to it throughout the year.
The strength of the JICS community comes from the shared commitment of our families and staff to providing a thoughtful, supportive, and enriching educational experience for every child. Our policies and procedures are designed to promote the holistic well-being of our students and to foster a community grounded in trust, care, compassion, and mutual respect.
Our commitment remains steadfast: to provide an exceptional education within an intentionally diverse and nurturing environment where every child feels secure, valued, and supported. At the JICS Lab School, learning is rooted in inquiry, developmental readiness, and current educational research, with the goal of cultivating a genuine and lasting love of learning.
4. Tuition Balance Payment Schedule
As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we kindly remind families of the tuition balance payment schedule.
Please remit your 2026–2027 tuition balance to Shama Joshi, School Office Administrator, at the school office, 45 Walmer Road. Payments may be made Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Payment deadline: Friday, September 4
Nursery
• 2026-2027 Tuition: $31,000
• Tuition balance remaining: $12,085
Full Day (JK to Grade 6)
• 2026-2027 Tuition: $32,830
• Tuition balance remaining: $13,915
5. Questionnaires
If you have not already done so, please complete your Annual Questionnaires this week. They are a record of vitally important information to help your child have a safe school year.
To complete your Annual Questionnaires:
Please log into your MySchool Parent Portal. Questionnaires are posted on the overview (main) page once you have logged in. Outstanding Questionnaires have a status of "incomplete".
Due date for your Annual Questionnaires is end of day August 30, 2026. This will give us the adequate time to compile and share details with your child/ren's teacher/s.
All Questionnaires must be submitted before your child's first day of school.
If you have any questions or have any hesitations about completing one or more of your Questionnaires, please let Richard or Chriss know.
Thank you for your partnership as we prepare for a wonderful new school year. We look forward to seeing our returning families and welcoming our new families to JICS!
6. New Hot Lunch Provider: Introducting Kids Cuisine Santé
We are pleased to introduce a new lunch and snack provider for the school: Kids Cuisine Santé. Popular at other many other schools, Kids Cuisine provides tasty, nutritious, and diverse meals for children. We tested them out during our JICS Lab Summer Camp in 2025 to rave reviews from children and camp staff. We look forward to working with the Kids Cuisine Santé team this year to provide healthy meals for your children.
The hot lunch program is optional for children in JK to Grade 6.
The school will provide lunch and two snacks for the Nursery children (as per license requirements) and a morning snack for children in Junior and Senior Kindergarten, all prepared by Kids Cuisine.
JK to Grade 6 parents can sign up to register for the optional hot lunch program here:
Steps to register your child:
Create an account
Add their child/children to their profile.
Select the school and the appropriate grade.
Select the available meal plan.
Share information about any food allergies or restrictions.
Complete the registration and payment online.
For the snack program, registration will be handled separately. Grade 1 to Grade 6 parents can register directly for a morning snack by email at info@kidscuisinesante.com.
Thank you to the PA for your leadership in finding Kids Cuisine Santé.
7. NEW INFO & CHANGES Wednesday Afternoon Program 2026-2027
Dear Parents,
We have made significant changes and improvements to the 2026-2027 Wednesday Afternoon Program (WAP) and we ask that all JK – Gr 6 parents please read the following information carefully to ensure your child/ren are properly registered in the programs they want.
New Families:
The Wednesday Afternoon Program (WAP) is an optional, non-academic extracurricular program offered to students from Junior Kindergarten (JK) to Grade 6 on Wednesday afternoons throughout the school year. At the JICS Lab School, regular academic instruction does not take place on Wednesday afternoons. This time (Wednesday afternoons) is reserved for teachers, specialty educators, and administrators to engage in professional development, curriculum planning, and student-focused discussions — what we often call our “it takes a village” approach. These sessions allow us to align on curriculum, support each child’s well-being, and strengthen our shared vision as a faculty. By investing in this dedicated time together, we ensure that your child’s classroom experience is richer, more cohesive, and ultimately more beneficial.
JK & SK Families:
There are no significant changes to the JK or SK Wednesday Afternoon Programs for 26-27. JK and SK children remain together in their full class cohorts and will have outdoor play at the end of the day. Developmentally appropriate play-based programming has been designed and will be carried out by qualified JICS staff members that are familiar with the children. We assume that all JK and SK students will participate in the WAP unless you specifically opt-out. You will receive an email next week with instructions for opting out should you choose to do so.
Grades 1 to 6 Families:
New Provider for 26-27
New this year, we are very excited to have partnered with Extra Ed, a Toronto-based educational and enrichment program provider to run every program throughout the afternoon. As a past WAP provider, Extra Ed has brought us fantastic programs, including LEGO Robotics and Chess. Their variety of offerings for 26-27 will ensure every student is participating in something they love, while a single overall program provider will provide consistency in the instructors and quality of the programming.
Changes for 26-27
At the end of last year, we surveyed all of the students for feedback on the 25-26 program. All of the changes we have made for this year are based primarily on that student feedback and we feel they will provide significant improvements for the students.
CHOICE
We heard loud and clear that the biggest thing our students missed was an element of choice in which programs they would be participating in. However, we also wanted to keep in mind the previous stress put on parents to be the quickest to sign up for particular programs to avoid having a disappointed child.
NEW: Parents will select their child’s top 5 program choices for the year, and the child will participate in 3 of the 5 (1 per term). You will have 4 days to register – NO first-come-first-serve model.
Longer Program Times
Although some students enjoyed participating in two programs each afternoon, many felt they didn’t have enough time in each and felt rushed to finish projects.
NEW: Students will participate in just one program each afternoon, split into two sessions by a 30-minute recess break.
Multi-Age Groupings
Many students missed the opportunity to engage with students in other grades and with those who have similar interests based on their program choice.
NEW: Each term, 4 programs will run for Grades 1-3 (Primary) students, and 4 programs will run for Grades 4-6 (Junior) students. Students will be mixed with others in their division (primary or junior) based on their program choices.
Schedule
The WAP year is divided into 3 terms:
Term 1: September 16 to December 2
Term 2: December 9 to March 10 (With the exception of Dec. 23 & Dec. 30)
Term 3: March 31 to June 16
Each term, students in Grades 1 to 6 experience one program, taking place in groups with a maximum of 20 students. Engaging activities are planned for the whole JK class and the whole SK class.
Registration OR Opt-Out IS REQUIRED
ALL parents of Grades 1 to 6 students who wish to participate in the WAP are required to REGISTER their child via the Extra Ed website. A link to this portal will be sent out next week.
REGISTRATION DATES: Monday, August 31 – Thursday, September 3
If you do not register your child by 11:59PM on Thursday, September 3, please ensure you complete the WAP Opt-Out Questionnaire in your Parent Portal by Thursday, September 3.
Steps to register:
Follow the registration link (will be sent Mon. Aug 31)
Fill out the required information
From the list of programs, select your child’s TOP 5
We will try our best to ensure each student will participate in 3 of their selected 5 programs
The year is divided into 3 terms. Your child will participate in 1 program per term.
Please note that not all listed programs listed may end up running during the year, while others may be repeated each term with different groups, depending on demand
A final program schedule along with groupings will be sent out by Friday, September 11. Wednesday Afternoon Program will begin on Wednesday, September 16.
Opting Out
ALL parents of JK to Grade 6 students who do NOT wish to participate in the WAP must complete an Opt-Out Form via the school’s Parent Portal. This form will be made available next week. You may choose to opt-out for 1, 2, or all 3 terms. If opting out for only 1 or 2 terms, please ensure you also register via Extra Ed.
Thank you for your ongoing support and trust in the Wednesday Afternoon Program. We are confident that the students will thoroughly enjoy this year’s programming and can’t wait to welcome them back!
Sincerely,
Victoria Sandic, Speciality Programs Teacher
Should you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me at victoria.sandic@utoronto.ca
8. Summer Revitalizations
As summer unfolds, so do our efforts to enhance and renew the learning environment for our students. We are pleased to share several improvements made over the summer:
The Nursery has a new sink and counter, along with beautiful new wooden tables and chairs and comfortable cots.
Woodchips have been added to the playground to provide a safer play surface.
Rooms have been freshly painted, and new window screens have been installed in the Drama/Music/Lunch Room.
With these renovations and improvements, we look forward to creating enriched experiences for our students as we welcome everyone back to a renewed, welcoming, and inspiring learning environment.
9. Daycare
Registration information for our licensed Daycare can be done on the ICS After School Daycare. For more information, please contact our Daycare Supervisor, Anne Marie Bartoli, at 416-934-4522.
10. Professional Development Week
As part of our ongoing commitment to professional learning and growth, all teachers and staff will participate in Professional Development Week beginning August 31.
Throughout the summer, our teachers read Executive Function Skills in the Classroom: Overcoming Barriers, Building Strategies by Dr. Laurie Faith, Carol-Anne Bush, and Peg Dawson. Executive functions (EFs) are a set of cognitive skills that support organization, planning, attention, and effective learning. Strengthening these skills can have a significant impact on students' ability to engage and succeed in school.
Dr. Laurie Faith and Dr. Trina Epstein, JICS in-house psychologist will join us to explore how we can bring executive-function skills to the forefront of our classrooms through research-informed practices. Our professional learning will also include meetings with OISE researchers, collaboration with our Inclusive Education team, and divisional meetings focused on preparing for the year ahead.
11. JICS Family Website and Weekly Updates
Beginning today, a weekly email post containing current and important information will be sent to parents every Thursday. These posts will also be archived on the JICS Family website, creating an accessible and growing resource for our community.
Notification emails for new posts will be sent through the school database. The JICS Family website contains comprehensive information about the school, as well as an archive of weekly posts from previous years. We encourage families to explore this resource for helpful information, updates, and a sense of our school's history and community.
Thank you for your continued partnership in fostering a learning environment where every child thrives and belongs. We look forward to embarking on this new academic journey together.
May the remaining weeks of summer be filled with joyful moments, laughter, and plenty of time to enjoy the sunshine. We look forward to welcoming everyone back soon!
Upcoming September Events
Thur 3 – visit for new students (JK to Grade 6)
Fri 4 – Deadline for tuition balance payment
Mon 7 – Labour Day
Tues 8 – First Day of School (noon dismissal) and First Day of Daycare
Wed 9 – Half Day (noon dismissal) Daycare available.
Thur 10 – Hot Lunch Program begins for registered students
Fri 11 – Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset
Wed 16 – First day of Wednesday Afternoon Program (JK to Grade 6)
Wed 16 – “All Parent & Teachers” September Social. JICS Gym. 6:00-7:30pm. Babysitting provided. Details coming soon.
Mon 21 – Yom Kippur (starts on Sept 20 at sunset)
Tues 22 – Fall Equinox
Wed 23 – Curriculum Night 6:00-9:00pm. Details coming soon.
Thur 24 – School-wide lice check
Fri 25 – Terry Fox Assembly and Run (JK-Gr 6)
Mon 28 – Photo Day. Details coming soon.
Wed 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day. School assembly
Comments