Topics covered in this post:
1. Happy Diwali
Monday, October 24
Wishing you a Diwali that brings happiness, prosperity, and joy to you and all your family. Remember to wear colourful clothing or kurtas, salwar kameez, dupatta, lehenga choli on Monday!
Thank you to parents who have reached out to the classroom teachers offering resources and stories about how you celebrate this major festival with your family – you enrich our learning and appreciation.
2. In-person Meeting for Parents of BIPOC Children
Tuesday, October 25, 7:00pm-8:30pm
Created by JICS parents for JICS parents, this meeting is designed for conversation and advocacy for families at JICS with BIPOC children.
The first in-person meeting of the group will be on October 25, 7:00pm-8:30pm @ JICS and all parents of a BIPOC child are invited to attend.
The intention of this meeting is to gain a greater understanding of the issues facing our BIPOC children at school, and to create goals for our group so that we may support them during their time at JICS and beyond.
3. Diana Rankin Muncaster Family Tuition Support Fund
The JICS Lab School is committed to diversity in all forms; however, it wasn’t too long ago that the school was not able to have a wide range of economic diversity because we could not offer financial assistance. Since 2008, JICS has been committed to needs-based financial support to retain current lab school families through the Diana Rankin/Muncaster Family Tuition Support Fund. Thanks to the Muncaster family and other visionary donors, as well as current and alumni Jackman ICS families, for providing this support.
Although funds available limit our ability to respond to every request, we are pleased that approximately $130,000 was awarded for financial support.
5 Current Forms of Financial Support at JICS
Support for Economic Diversity Financial assistance is provided for students who could not otherwise consider enrolling at JICS in Grades 4, 5, 6.
Support to Retain Current Families This fund is available for current students entering Grades 3-6 who could not otherwise consider staying at JICS.
Indigenous People's Support This fund makes needs-based tuition support of children of First Nations and Indigenous heritage available.
Support for Changed Financial Circumstances This fund provides one-time support for current families whose changed financial circumstances may jeopardize, in the short term, their ability to keep their children enrolled at JICS.
Additional Financial Support Several additional types of financial support have been introduced to provide needs-based financial assistance for school trips and extra expenses, educational assessments, Day Care fees, tutoring, and unforeseen costs.
The Diana Rankin/Muncaster Family Tuition Support Fund Committee is working to actively expand economic diversity at JICS. Unfortunately, the size of the fund limits our reach.
Current JICS families in Nursery to Grade 2 who require financial assistance beyond the forms of tuition assistance available through the Diana Rankin/Muncaster Family Tuition Support Fund have no other option but to leave the school.
Available funds have not enabled us to financially support a child in an earlier grade through to graduation. Partnerships with community centres (e.g. Scadding Court) and schools (Ryerson) have helped us to identify families who are interested in joining the Lab School community in Grades 4 to 6.
It is our goal to have a range of economic diversity represented at the school: full tuition, partial tuition support, full tuition support.
How Can You Help?
We hope that every JICS family will consider making a donation (no amount is too little) to the JICS Lab School Diana Rankin/Muncaster Family Tuition Support Fund. CLICK HERE TO DONATE>> https://donate.utoronto.ca/give/show/40
All donations will receive a tax receipt.
It is our goal to promote and sustain economic diversity by continuing to provide financial support to current students and offering assistance for families who would not otherwise have the financial resources to attend.
If you are able to make a donation of $25,000 or greater, please consider the JICS Lab School Endowment Fund.
4. Hot Lunch Program Order Information
Dear JICS Community,
I cannot believe how quickly the first half of this Fall has flown by! It is already time to sign up for Fall Term 2 hot lunch (October 31 - December 23).
The Sign Up link to the JICS order form is below - the menu link can be found right above the order form.
DEADLINE FOR SIGN UP IS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27th. I will actually be away the first week of November (it is November break for my two university aged boys!) so if everyone could get their orders in by the deadline, it would be greatly appreciated and would help ensure that the lists are all ready for the classrooms on October 31st.
Many thanks and have a great weekend everyone!
Regards,
Tricia
--
Tricia Tait (aka "The Lunch Mom")
416-859-5236
Ordering is online at www.thelunchmom.com, and you can find menus and other information on the site!
5. Parent Education: Connected Parenting and Anxiety
Wednesday, November 9, 7:00-8:30pm
This is not another workshop about parenting advice or one that outlines yet another list of skills or strategies you need to acquire to be the “perfect” parent. This is a workshop that focusses on understanding connection in human relationships – specifically the critical importance of connection in parent-child relationships. It focusses on the WHY and the HOW TO.We will take a deeper dive into a positive parenting model that really works, called Connected Parenting. Connected Parenting helps parents understand that a few adjustments in how they interact with, and respond to their child, can dramatically impact their relationship in the short and long term.
6. Nursery Class 2023-2024
Shama will soon be in touch with current JICS families who have children (born in 2020) who are eligible for Nursery beginning September 2023. To ensure that your child’s information is in our applicant database, please email Shama ASAP. We will host a Nursery Information Open House in the new year.
7. UNICEF: Letter from the Grade 4/5B Class
Dear JICS Parents,
JICS is fundraising for an organization called UNICEF. UNICEF is an organization that helps kids and families all over the world. You can donate up until October 31 (Halloween).
UNICEF helps kids and families that are in unfortunate situations like war, drought, volcano eruptions, tornados, hurricanes, epidemics, endemics, pandemics, homelessness, drought and much, much more. Here are a few examples of UNICEF's hard work: UNICEF is helping kids and families overcome malnutrition in Afghanistan, in the Horn of Africa, and in many more places around the world. UNICEF is also giving polio vaccines and clean water to the children and families of Syria, medical treatments in the Horn of Africa, and bringing emergency supplies and personal hygiene equipment to Ukraine and Pakistan. UNICEF keeps children and families safe and away from malnourishment, malnutrition and more. By donating even $5 you can make a big difference for lots of kids and families in need. Every penny counts.
You can donate by clicking on this link right here, or you can send cash with your child to put in the donation boxes in their classrooms.
Thank You!!
-Charlotte Woo, and The Grade 4/5 B Class
8. Terry Fox Run – Donations
The Grade 3 students have been counting the donations from the Terry Fox Run all week. They are excited to share that we have surpassed their goal, raising a total of $1316.00 for cancer research. The Grade 3 students would like to thank everyone for your generosity!
9. School Photos
a. Highlights from the Week at JICS
Primary Recess
Courtyard Happenings
Library Fun
Running Club Fun Run in Christie Pits
Gardening and Survival Skills Elective
9. Upcoming October Events
All Month – Islamic Heritage Month & LGBT History Month Tue 25 - In-person Meeting for Parents of BIPOC Children. 7:00-8:30pm. Click here for event
Mon 31 – Halloween (9:00am, JK - Gr 6 Parade)
10. Upcoming November Events
All Month – Hindu Heritage Month
Wed 9 – Due date for JICS sibling registration for Nursery 2023-2024 (email coming soon)
Wed 9 – Parent Education: Connected Parenting and Anxiety. Click Here for event info
Thur 10 – Due date for applications to Apple Financial for 2023-2024 tuition support
Fri 11 – Remembrance Day Assembly (JK to Gr 6)
Mon 14 – Midterm Holiday. School closed. Daycare open.
Wed 16 – Parent Teacher Interview Day (sign up information coming soon)
Wed 23 – Parent Teacher Interview Day (sign up information coming soon)
