Topics covered in this post:
Health and Safety Information a. From Ontario College of Family Physicians b. From Toronto Public Health
Celebrating All Festivals of Light; Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa a. School Wide Celebration; Tuesday, December 20 b. In Class Celebrations
1. Meeting for Parents of BIPOC Children at JICS
Monday, December 5, 2022 at 7pm
Created by JICS parents for JICS parents, this meeting is designed for conversation and advocacy for families at JICS with BIPOC children.
The focus of this meeting is to discuss how the JICS BIPOC parents can help the teachers to deliver messages regarding equality and hero, and to help with the school's cultural celebrations.
Save the date: Monday, December 5, 7-8:30 pm on Zoom
2. JICS Lab School is a nut-free space
We are noticing that some children are bringing leftover Halloween candy to school that contain peanuts; we have found Reese's Pieces, Wunderbar, Oh Henry, and Snickers wrappers in the school. We urge everyone to please check that the food items your children are bringing to school are 100% nut free. We have children in our school who have a life threatening anaphylactic allergy to tree and ground nuts and we all need to do everything we can to ensure that this is a safe place for them.
3. Health and Safety Information
a. From Ontario College of Family Physicians
The Ontario College of Family Physicians has created a poster to help parents decide when to seek care for respiratory illness (colds, influenza, RSV, COVID-19) and how to support your child at home. CLICK HERE for poster.
b. From Toronto Public Health
Please read the letter from Toronto Public Health explaining the importance of vaccination, masking, daily symptom checking and sanitization. CLICK HERE for letter.
The TPH “COVID-19 Information for Parents and Caregivers” Webpage has been updated. CLICK HERE for updated webpage.
4. Tuition Support Fundraising Updates
Double Your Impact – Giving Tuesday Donations until Dec 15
The JICS Lab School would not be able to provide exemplary education without diversity. We are intentional about creating and supporting a diverse community because to us, learning among individuals who share divergent life stories and appreciating their respective cultures and experiences, is an invaluable aspect of a true education.
Thank you for your support of economic diversity at the JICS Lab School – a form of diversity that we need your help to achieve.
We are delighted to announce that 'JICS at the Movies' (screenings of Women Talking, Brother) raised $20,422! Thank you for your participation!
As you know, Dr. Eric Jackman is now matching all new donations to the Diana Rankin Muncaster Family Tuition Support Fund, up to $20,000. Thanks to the generosity of current and alumni families, we have collected $16,875!
Please take advantage of this opportunity to “double your impact” by donating to support economic diversity at JICS before December 15. Every dollar will go to families in need.
We hope to raise $150,000 to address the financial need of current families and welcome new families to JICS. Make your donation today here. All donations automatically receive an electronic tax receipt.
5. Hanukkah
December 18 to 26
The eight-day festival of Hanukkah has become a beloved and joyous holiday at JICS.
It is also known as the Festival of Lights. Much of the activity of Hanukkah takes place at home. Central to the holiday is the lighting of the menorah, to which one candle is added on each night of the holiday until it is ablaze with light on the eighth night. In commemoration of the legendary cruse of oil, it is traditional to eat foods fried in oil. The most familiar Hanukkah foods are latkes and the favourite jelly donuts or sufganiyot.
We are always working to educate ourselves about the beautiful diversity that exists in the world to create respectful and accurate learning experiences for the children. We invite parents to enrich our learning by sharing your Jewish identity with us now, or at any time in the year.
6. Celebrating All Festivals of Light; Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa
a. School Wide Celebration; Tuesday, December 20
The “Festivals of Light” Holiday Sing-along with parents will take place on Tuesday, December 20. We always look forward to this school celebration! More details coming soon.
b. In Class Celebrations
Parents, help us celebrate at JICS! If you are interested in helping a class celebrate, please contact your child’s teacher.
7. Photos from the Week at JICS
Junior Grade Electives
Our second session of Junior Grade Electives are complete. New to JICS this year, these electives are multi-age groupings of students in Grades 4, 5, and 6. Instead of club time conflicting with recess or lunch, students are able to explore a topic of interest every Friday afternoon for 45-minutes under the guidance of teacher with a passion for the topic. The electives run in 4-week cycles allowing for students to try multiple clubs and spend time in small groups with a variety of other students. These electives are intended to be fun, allow students to explore something new, and cultivate social connection between classes.
This session featured 3-D Printing, Baking, Chess, Dioramas, Nature Observation, Photography, Portraiture, Shakespeare, Survival Skills, and Wool & Fabric.
Dioramas with Judith
Baking with Chriss; Shortbread Week (1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, 3 parts flour + sprinkles)
Nature Observation and Haikus with Krista and Norah; poems written in charcoal
Survival Skills with Walker; Shelter building with found materials
🌊 Grade 4 Art: Representing Water with Monochromatic Pallets 🌊
Inspired by Philip Cote's artwork, Grade 4 students were asked to represent water in their paintings. It's amazing to see the different ways in which students conveyed the movement, feel, colour, and impression of water.
Notice how students utilize different elements of design to mimic water including their use of colour (creating monochromatic pallets using tints and shades), texture, and tone.
A collection of other photos
8. Upcoming December Events
Fri 2 – Last day of Block 1 placement & Fall Internship (JK to Grade 6)
Mon 5 – Meeting for Parents of BIPOC Children at JICS (RSVP Here)
Wed 7 – First Day of Winter Term Wednesday Program
Sun 18 – Hannukah begins (Dec 18 to 26)
Mon 19 to Fri 23 – Term 1 Report Card distribution (Nursery to Grade 6)
Tues 20 – Last day of Fall Term. School ends at 3:30pm. Daycare open until 6:00pm Tues 20 – “Festivals of Light” Holiday Sing-along with parents. More details coming soon
Wed 21 – University of Toronto closed. School and Daycare closed. Winter Holidays begin.
Sun 25 – Christmas Day
Mon 26 – Kwanzaa begins (Dec 26 to Jan 1)
9. Upcoming January Events
Mon 9 – Winter Term begins. Daycare opens at 8:00. School opens at 8:45.
