Archived email sent on Thursday, March 24, 2022
Subject: JICS Requirements: Rapid Testing, Daily Screening, Masking - Spring Term
Dear Families,
We hope everyone at the JICS Lab School had a fun and safe March Break. We are looking forward to welcoming you back to school on Monday, March 28.
This month marks the threshold of two full years of a global pandemic, which marks three school years impacted by the challenge to keep our community safe and healthy. While it has not been an easy time, we are proud of the efforts we have made to support students in their learning and their emotional well-being. We are proud of the dedication that our teachers and staff have shown, their innovation, commitment, and care. And we are incredibly grateful for the understanding and partnership of our parent community.
Through the course of the pandemic, we have been guided by The Ministry of Health, The Ministry of Education, Toronto Public Health, and The University of Toronto. We now find ourselves at a point in the pandemic where changes in how we manage health and safety may feel too lenient for some, yet too stringent for others, and we recognize that not all decisions will please everyone. It is essential that in the coming months we continue to engage with one another in a respectful manner. The JICS Lab School has held the responsibility of health and safety of our community (students, teachers, staff, parents) as a priority, and we will continue to chart our course over the coming months based on this principle.
Rapid Testing
As was shared in the JICS Parent Information Post from March 10, we asked that all children and teachers/staff continue with the Rapid Testing Program (Sunday/Wednesday testing) during the Break and during the Spring Term. (Additional kits will be distributed next week.)
We require that all students and teachers/staff complete a Rapid Test on Sunday, March 27 and upload results on Thrive.
Our goal is to ensure that everyone who enters the building for the start of the Spring Term on Monday, March 28 is COVID-free.
We sent home one box of rapid tests before the Break. If you did not receive this box, please pick up your tests this week, between 9am-3pm. If you are unable to do this, we require that you access your own Rapid Antigen Test to be completed on Sunday, March 27.
JICS Daily Screening
Please continue to check your child/ren closely for symptoms each morning and complete the JICS Daily Screening beginning Monday, March 28. Students who arrive at school without the screening completed by 8:00am will remain in our reception area until the screening has been successfully submitted. Keeping COVID out of the building is our strongest defense!
Masking
The Lab School will continue to require masks for students, faculty/staff and all adults on the school property until at least Friday, April 9. With many JICS community members travelling internationally and the many reported positive JICS cases during the Break, we feel this is the safest approach to ensure all members of our community are safe and healthy. Approaching April 9, we will evaluate our data and review the University of Toronto’s PPE policy. Any changes will be communicated to the community.
COVID Vaccination
We hope that families took advantage of the Toronto Public Health School Mobile Vaccination Clinic on March 10 or booked their own vaccination appointment for their child/ren during the Break. Please log in to your SFO account to update the school on your child’s status. At the end of the form, you will find a link to upload the vaccination certificate. Lastly, be sure to also submit the SFO form! https://sfo.inresonance.com/oise-utoronto/index.php
We will publish the updated vaccination SFO data in next week’s POST and hope to see 100% vaccination for the 182 eligible children. All eligible JICS Lab School children must be fully vaccinated for the 2022-2023 school year and provide proof of vaccination. The second (non-refundable) 2022-2023 tuition payment representing 50% of the balance will be due April 20, 2022.
I want to thank you all for your support and encouragement as we navigate new information and make decisions to ensure the safety of our community. We pride ourselves on being a nurturing and diverse community, one where conversation is welcome. Please do not hesitate to be in touch if you have questions, comments, or concerns.
Lastly, I want to remind Parents of the upcoming “Lunch and Learn” opportunity:
March 31, 2022 | 12:30-1:30pm
Lunch & Learn with Denia Anderson
Pathways to Positive Masculinity - Raising Boys with a Healthy Understanding of Masculinity
Hello JICS families!
I am pleased to run a “lunch and learn” focusing on fostering positive masculinity. It can be difficult navigating the many messages that boys receive from their environments of what it means to be a “man”. In this talk, I will share with you some of the literature on the impact of toxic forms of masculinity on children and their friendships, as well as provide some information and resources on what could be helpful for your children in developing healthier understanding of their masculinity. I will present for 30 mins and then open the space up to discussion and questions for the remaining 30 minutes.
Denia Anderson
Denia Anderson is a Master of Social Work student at the University of Toronto; specializing in children and their families. This year, she completed her MSW placement at the JICS Lab School, under the supervision of Ellie. Prior to this year, Denia worked with many caregivers on strategies to manage behaviour and mental health concerns they have had for their children; primarily using CBT and narrative therapy. She is a strong advocate for using play therapy with children as it facilitates exploration of complex emotions and allows for greater engagement in difficult conversations.
All the best,
Richard
Richard Messina (he/him/his)
Principal
Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study Laboratory School
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education | University of Toronto
416-934-4509 | richard.messina@utoronto.ca
@JackmanICS | @richardmessina2 | @NaturlCuriosity
