JICS Centennial Golf Tournament, Letter from the PA President, September Parent Social, Curriculum Night, & More!
Updated: Sep 17
JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
Register for the Centennial Golf Tournament HERE! - More information below!
September Parent Social - Wednesday, September 16th, 6:00-7:30pm
Registration information below!
Curriculum Night - Wednesday September 23rd, 6:00-8:00pm
Information regarding drop-off & parking
A memo from the JICS 2025-2026 Equity Committee
Announcement from Natural Curiosity
Moments from the first week of school!
Topics covered in this post:
(Click to navigate straight to a section)
1. Shanah tovah u’metukah
Wishing you a good and sweet year!
2. First Week of School
We hope this POST finds you all in great spirits as we celebrate the fantastic first week of school! It has been a remarkable beginning, filled with enthusiasm. The students’ eagerness to engage in learning has been inspiring. We are excited to embark on this new journey together with you and your children. At JICS, we firmly believe that a strong sense of community is essential for the growth and success of our students.
3. JICS Centennial Golf Championship - Fore the Future
2 Weeks Left to Register - RSVP By September 21st
Every dollar doubled
Dr. Eric Jackman has pledged to match every dollar raised by the Championship — up to $100,000 — so your team's entry or company sponsorship goes twice as far for the JICS Endowment Fund!
Dear friends of JICS,
Welcome back to a new school year and to the finale of a historic one! As we celebrate 100 years of the JICS Lab School, I'd love for you to be part of our Centennial's marquee celebration: The JICS Centennial Golf Championship.
Join us Friday, October 2, 2026 at Angus Glen Golf Club, we want as many of our families alumni and community on the course as possible. All skill levels are welcome — whether you're ready to show off your swing or picking up clubs for the first time, this day is about coming together as a community! Golf club rentals subsidized.
Don't have a full team? Register as an single golfer ($600) and we'll place you with a foursome!
Play for the Kids — Advancing Education since 1925
Family bragging rights are on the line: the winning foursome picks a grade to receive a pizza party — and leads the school in an assembly activity of their own imagining. Come show off your swing, or pick up clubs for the first time; this day is about our community coming together.
Your participation supports the JICS Endowment Fund, opening the Lab School to families who could not otherwise attend. At JICS, diversity isn't an aspiration — it's a moral imperative. An inclusive community of wide-ranging lived experiences makes our research richer and strengthens the dissemination of our work that improves public education far beyond our walls.
Event Details
Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
Golf: 1:30 PM shotgun, South Course
Evening: Cocktail hour 6:00 PM; reception, auction & awards
Where: Angus Glen Golf Club, Markham
Foursome, single tickets & reception tickets qualify for a partial charitable tax receipt.
Event Highlights
⛳ Championship golf on Angus's South Course — host of the Canadian Open
🍸 On-course gourmet food & beverage stations all day
⛳ Premium prizes and in-game contests: Beat the Pro, Closest to the Pin, Longest Drive, Hole-in-One, and more!
🥇 Contests: Beat the Pro, Longest Drive, Hole-in-One & more
🏆 Top-3 playoff at the 18th; winners' trophy displayed at JICS
🍾 Cocktail hour, reception, dinner, auction & celebration
Not on the course? Join us for the evening party! Cocktail hour, the 18th-hole playoff, reception, auction & awards — Reception ticket $200.
Everyone Can Pitch In — Call For Support!
Wine Drive
Donate a bottle (or a case!) valued at $25 or more. Drop them off at the reception, or at our booth at September Social on Sept 17th.
This is the easiest way to make a big impact — we'll pair your wines into curated bundles — reds, whites, celebration cases and more — for our silent auction. Wine bundles are always among the first lots to sell, and one bottle from each of us adds up fast. Best of all, every dollar they raise is doubled by our $100K match.
Auction Items
We're still building our silent auction, and every contribution goes twice as far thanks to our $100K match. If you'd like to help us reach our goal with artwork, a unique experience, tickets, professional services, or a special item, please contact Reesa Barkhouse at reesa.barkhouse@utoronto.ca — we'd be delighted to connect with you.
Items can also be dropped at front reception or our booth at September Social on Sept 17th.
Limited Foursomes Remain! The clock is ticking; just two weeks to lock in your team!
With gratitude and anticipation,
Richard Messina
Principal, JICS Lab School
4. Letter from JICS Parents' Association (PA) President
Welcome back, and greetings from the JICS Parents’ Association!
We’re a group of parent volunteers who help build a strong, connected school community through social events, parent education, and support for school initiatives. We’re here to help families get to know one another, foster a sense of belonging, support our teachers and staff, and make JICS a vibrant and welcoming place for all our families. All of our work is rooted in our shared commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion - these values shape our choices, our programming, and the way we build community.
Last year, we organized many opportunities to get together, including our September Social, parent education events, grandpals’ day, the bike parade, clothing and skate swaps, family skate days at Varsity Arena, and complimentary babysitting at select events. We’re looking forward to bringing back some favourites and creating new opportunities to connect this year!
Your PA Executive Team for this school year includes:
President – Annie Williams (parent of a Grade 3 and Grade 6 student)
Vice President – Reena Killian (parent of an SK and Grade 4 student)
Treasurer – Valerie Tso (parent of a JK and Grade 2 student)
Secretary/Communications – TBA
Volunteer Coordinator – TBA
Past President – Megan Pearson (parent of SK, 2, 4 and 6 students)
Parent Education – Julianna Klein (parent of a Grade 6 student)
I also want to mention and thank all the parents who have volunteered to be Classroom Representatives this year, including: Michelle, Richa, Foteini, Chad, Karline, Shannon, Amy Jane, Julie, Amber, Behnaz, Eri, Monica, Heather, Ling, Jing, Chloe and Eliane.
What’s Coming Up: Annual September Social
We’d love for you to join us at the September School Social - a relaxed evening of food, drinks, and connection with other JICS families and staff. It’s happening on Wednesday, September 16th, from 6:00–7:30pm, at the school. There is no cost to families for this event, but we ask you to register to help us plan.
There will be delicious food and a cash bar with alcohol and zero alcohol options. It’s a friendly way to kick off the school year and welcome new families to our community. This year, the co-chairs of the 2026-2027 JICS Parents of BIPOC Children Group, Carissa Wong and Abby Browne, will have a booth set up at the event to meet families, answer questions and share ideas for this school year.
Free babysitting and pizza for current JICS students is provided - just be sure to register in advance so we can plan accordingly.
Ways to Get Involved / PA Donations:
Volunteer:
We’re always happy to welcome more helping hands. Whether you’d like to be part of the PA Executive, join the Parent Education Committee, or help out as a Class Rep, we’d love to hear from you. Right now, we’re especially looking for:
A class rep for nursery
A Volunteer Coordinator - helps recruit and organize volunteers for school and PA events
A Communications Coordinator - takes minutes at two or three All Parents meetings throughout the school year.
Volunteers for The Terry Fox Run (Friday, September 25, 2026)
If you're interested, just send me a note at annmariewilliams@gmail.com
PA Donations:
As a JICS parent, you’re automatically a member of the Parents’ Association. Last year, we tested out a system of including your annual membership fee in your tuition, however, we have decided to return to our tiered donation system for the 2026-27 year. The ongoing efforts of the Parents' Association are 100% funded through your annual membership contributions and generous donations. Below are the three tiers - choose the tier that best fits your needs.
Equity: $100-$224 per family
Selecting this option presents a (more) inclusive opportunity to enable all of our community members to contribute in a way that best fits their current finances.
Equality: $225 per family
These are the at cost donations. If everyone made this contribution amount, the PA could cover its costs. We suspect many of our families will fall under this pricing.
Opportunity: $226 or more per family
This option presents an opportunity to enable another family to make a contribution using the equity range. *Each additional increment of $125 above the listed contribution in the opportunity option would allow one additional contribution to be made within the equity price range.
Thank you for taking the time to read and engage. We’re looking forward to a meaningful year together and hope to connect with many of you at the September Social and beyond.
All my best,
Annie Williams
President, JICS Parents’ Association
5. All Weather Play
Children play outside in all-weather at JICS (including light rain, snowy days, and cold conditions). Please send your child with outdoor clothing appropriate to weather conditions.
“There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing!”
Please also send your child with indoor shoes so that we are not tracking mud, sand, and dust into the classroom spaces and the carpets they lay on.
6. Wednesday Afternoon Program (WAP) Update
Thank you for registering or opting-out of the WAP. A final program schedule for the Fall Term along with groupings will be announced on Friday, September 11. The WAP begins on September 16.
7. September Social - Wednesday, September 16
To kickstart our 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 Wednesday, September 16, from 6:00PM to 7:30PM, 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. This year, the co-chairs of the 2026-2027 JICS Parents of BIPOC Children Group, Carissa Wong and Abby Browne, will have a booth set up at the event to meet families, answer questions and share ideas for this school year.
We sincerely hope that each and every JICS parent will join us for the September Social on September 16th. 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!
8. Driving, Drop-Off, and Parking
There is no parking in front of the school from 8:35-8:45AM. Parents who need to park must find another location in order to keep the drop-off zone clear or park after 8:45AM. Parents are asked to drive northbound on Walmer to the school and create a queue of vehicles.
Staff on duty will assist child getting out of the vehicle and walking to their entrance point.
Parents are asked to remain inside the vehicle and immediately exit the drop-off area once children have entered the school area to ease congestion and maintain flow.
Please ensure that your child’s bag/lunch is accessible by your child.
Please do not block the driveway of our neighbours to the south or north.
Please do not block the school’s bicycle-access driveway. This area, marked by bollards, must remain clear at all times so that families arriving by bicycle can safely enter and exit the school property.
It is the responsibility of parents to communicate the Kiss & Drive Protocols with all caregivers dropping off their child/ren.
A list of local paid parking can be found here
Nursery families are welcome to park in front of the school beginning at 8:45AM.
9. Crossing Guard, Wolfgang
Please say hi to our crossing guard, Wolfgang! Wolfgang brings a wealth of experience from his time as a TCDSB school caretaker, and he is delighted to be returning to the JICS Lab School community. He kindly advises all caregivers/parents to exercise caution and maintain a reduced speed when approaching the intersection of Walmer Road and Kendal Avenue. This thoughtful approach ensures the safety of our precious children as they cross the road.
10. Curriculum Night - Wednesday, September 23, 6:00-8:00PM
We are looking forward to seeing all JICS Parents at Curriculum Night. 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 11 and 13), 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 an introductions of classroom and specialty teachers and a message from Chriss and Richard.
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.
Please note this is an adults-only event and unfortunately we are unable to provide babysitting services.
Curriculum Night, 2025
11. Celebrations & Special Days
At JICS, we are committed to thoughtfully recognizing and honouring the many cultures, identities, traditions, and lived experiences represented within our community. As part of this commitment, our goal is to intentionally plan celebrations and important days throughout the year in ways that acknowledge and uplift members of our community whose experiences and traditions may not always be widely recognized in broader society. We know this is a joyous and beneficial experience for all students and supports them in developing into engaged global citizens. We also consider this an important part of a holistic, well-rounded education. There are many ways that important days and celebrations may be honoured across the school community. Some recognitions may take place at the classroom level through discussions, stories, learning activities, or small gatherings. Families are always encouraged to connect with classroom teachers if they would like to support or contribute to these experiences in meaningful ways.
At the school-wide level, staff members work collaboratively through committees to ensure that marginalized communities are thoughtfully represented and honoured throughout the year. These recognitions may include assemblies, divisional activities, educational experiences, guest speakers, displays, or community events designed to foster learning, belonging, and inclusion for all students. Parents and caregivers are also welcomed and encouraged to co-plan or participate in these opportunities alongside staff.
In some cases, the school may host larger community gatherings, such as our Festival of Lights celebration, where families are invited to come together in shared celebration and learning.
Our intention is not to prioritize some celebrations over others or suggest that one tradition is more important than another. Rather, we aim to create intentional space for celebrations, histories, and identities that may not always receive widespread societal recognition, while continuing to foster a school environment where all students and families feel seen, valued, and respected.
Sincerely,
Equity Committee of 2025-2026
(This information has been added to the Parent Handbook, 2026-2027)
12. Natural Curiosity Announcement
September 8 -11
Making the Shift: A Newsletter by Natural Curiosity
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.
Please take a look at their July Newsletter which highlights their Educator Awards Winners. Since 2010, the Edward Burtynsky Award for Teaching Excellence in Environmental Education and the David Suzuki Fellowship have recognized 53 educators and 38 pre-service educators, respectively, over 17 years.
The July newsletter also shares about upcoming Indigenous Language courses, 4 Seasons of Indigenous Learning and exciting news to support environmental and Indigenous education.
Upcoming September Events
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.
Mon 21 – Yom Kippur (starts on Sept 20 at sunset)
Tues 22 – Fall Equinox
Wed 23 – Curriculum Night 6:00-9:00pm.
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.
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