Parent Teacher Interviews, Islamic Heritage Month Celebrations, Halloween Reminders, JICS Alumni Homecoming, A Parent Education Workshop & More!
- JICS Office
- Oct 23
- 9 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting - Thursday, October 23, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Our first Parent Education Workshop of the School Year - Wednesday, November 12th, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Blue Jays Spirit Day - This Friday!
Parent Teacher Interviews - Wednesday November 5 and Friday November 7
Registration Information Included
See each classrooms exploration of the 100 year anniversary of JICS!
More exciting JICS news from this week!
Highlights of the Week!
Topics covered in this post:
(Click to navigate straight to a section)
1. Diwali
Wishing you a Diwali filled with joy, sweet memories, and laughter. May the warmth of this festival bring health, wealth, and happiness to your homes, and may Goddess Lakshmi bless you and your loved ones abundantly. Happy Diwali!
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made our Diwali assembly special with your presence and participation. We are especially grateful to parents Priya, Reena, Indira, Sona, and Raj, to our talented student solo-dancer, to our student Diwali experts, and to our dedicated JICS faculty members Walker and Michael.
2. Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting - TONIGHT, 7:00-8:30pm (Zoom)
Created by JICS parents for JICS parents, these meetings are designed for conversation and advocacy for families at JICS with BIPOC children. All parents of a BIPOC student at JICS are welcome. The first meeting will take place on Thursday, October 23, from 7:00pm - 8:30pm on Zoom.
The intention of this Group is to create a safe space where parents of BIPOC children can socialize, share community, identify issues, and be a sounding board for one another. We also discuss how the JICS BIPOC parents can support the teachers and help with the school's cultural celebrations.
Please reach out to Adrienne.chan@sunnybrook.ca, our WhatsApp Group administrator, if you would like to be added to the Parents of JICS BIPOC Kids WhatsApp Group. We aim to be a resource for you, year-round.
3. Blue Jays Spirit Day - This Friday!
The Toronto Blue Jays are heading to the World Series, and we are ready to cheer them on! To celebrate, JICS will be hosting a Blue Jays Spirit Day this Friday, just before their first game of the series.
We encourage all students (and staff!) to show their team spirit by wearing Blue Jays gear or the team colours — blue and white. Let’s fill the school with excitement and Blue Jays pride!
Go Jays Go! 💙⚾️
4. Parent Education Workshop: Caregiving in the Era of Smartphones and Social Media
5. Parent-Teacher Interviews: Wednesday November 5th & Friday November 7th
We are excited to invite you to our Fall Parent-Teacher Interviews, where you will have the opportunity to engage in a conversation with your child's teachers. During these discussions, teachers will share their observations concerning your child's academic progress and social-emotional development. We encourage you to ask any questions you may have about your child's learning journey at school and to provide any information that can help us gain a deeper understanding of your child's needs and enhance their school experience.
Our interviews with Grade Teachers are designed to be concise, typically lasting 20 minutes, and are conducted in person. In addition to your child’s teacher, your interview may include one or more of the following individuals: teacher-candidate/intern, Inclusive Education (iED) teacher (formerly referred to as Special Education), or Chriss or Richard. At the JICS Lab School, we take a collaborative approach, with our classroom teachers working closely with the administrative team, specialty teachers, interns, and iEd teachers. We meet regularly to discuss each child's progress and needs. It is important to note that students do not need to be formally identified on the iEd caseload to benefit from this collective effort. Our iEd teachers are actively involved in the classroom, providing support to all students and offering a long-term, multi-year perspective on their development and progress.
Our Specialty Teachers will also be available for Parent-Teacher Interviews for the parents of children in JK to Grade 6.
Please be aware that all interviews are meant to be an in-person, adult-only experience to ensure open and candid discussions about your child's development.
While we set aside specific dates in the Fall and Spring for formal Parent-Teacher Interviews, we want to emphasize that parent-teacher communication is an ongoing process throughout the school year. We welcome and encourage open conversations at any time. By working together, we can best support your child's learning and ensure their enjoyment of school.
To sign up for your Fall interview with your child's teachers, please use the links provided below. The designated interview dates are Wednesday, November 5 and Friday, November 7. Some classroom teachers have also provided additional dates. If these dates do not align with your availability, do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher to make alternative arrangements. Your participation in your child's education is highly valued, and we look forward to these discussions.
Classroom Teachers (20 min)
SK - Register Here!
Grade 1 - Register Here!
Grade 2 - Register Here!
Grade 3 - Register Here!
Grade 4/5 Audrey - Register Here!
Grade 4/5 Raadiyah - Register Here!
Grade 6 - Register Here!
Specialty Teachers (5 min)
Primary French with Tania (JK-Gr 2) - Register Here!
Junior French with Christel (Gr 3-6) - Register Here!
Primary Music with Bailey (JK, SK) - Register Here!
Junior Music with Russell (Gr 1-6) - Register Here!
Art with Tara (JK-Gr 6) - Register Here!
Phys Ed with Luke (JK-Gr 6) - Register Here!
Drama with Sarah (JK-Gr 6) - Register Here!
Library with Krista (JK-Gr 6) - Register Here!
6. Wednesday Afternoon Program - Movie Afternoon, November 5
To accommodate the Parent-Teacher Interviews taking place on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 5, all JK to Grade 6 students registered in the Wednesday Afternoon Program will enjoy a Movie Afternoon.
JK and SK students will watch the movie in the Primary French Room.
Grades 1 to 3 students will watch the movie in Room 120.
Grades 4 to 6 students will watch the movie in the Lunchroom.
7. School Closed - Friday, November 7 & Monday, November 10
On Friday, November 7, the JICS teachers and staff will engage in Parent-Teacher Interviews.
We hope everyone enjoys the Midterm Holiday on Monday, November 10.
The Daycare will be open on November 7 and 10 (7:45am to 6:00pm). Please contact Anne Marie, Daycare Director if you are interested in registering your child: ics.after.school.daycare@gmail.com
Information about the school calendar for 2025-2026 can be found on the JICSfamily website.
8. Islamic Heritage
Thank you, parents for helping us celebrate Islamic Heritage this month and deepen our understanding of the rich and enduring Islamic history. We extend an invitation to parents to enhance our educational journey by sharing your Muslim identity with us, not only in October but at any point throughout the year.
Yesterday, award-winning singer/instrumentalist Maryem Tollar and drummer Naghmeh Farahmand enraptured the JICS students and faculty with their talents.
Maryem Tollar is a renowned Egyptian-Canadian vocalist, known for her world music performances. She was nominated for a 2010 Dora Award and was in the 2009 Dora Award winning production of The Children’s Crusade. She performs with several Toronto musical groups including Al Qahwa and Turkwaz. Maryem was awarded the inaugural 2019 Johanna Metcalf Prize for Performing Arts.
Naghmeh Farahmand is an internationally renowned percussionist. She started playing the tonbak at the age of 6 under the supervision of her father, Mahmoud Farahmand, a well-known tonbak player. Naghmeh also found an interest in the daf and began learning Sufi and Kurdish rhythms from the daf masters Bijan Kamkar and Masoud Habibi. Naghmeh has performed worldwide. In 2016, she released her first instructional DVD on Persian rhythms entitled “The Iranian Daf."
9. Halloween
Parents, please join our JK to Grade 6 Halloween Celebration Assembly on Friday, October 31st, at the witching hour of 9:00am, in our enchanted gym. Together as a school, we will sing some spooky songs and together we will make some Halloween magic!
For our little pumpkins in the Nursery, there is a morning of magical activities awaiting them in their own cozy classroom! Charlotte will share more information soon.
Children (and parents) are all invited to dress up in costumes.
The school doors will open at 8:35am as usual and the children are asked to make their way to the classroom. Once everyone is accounted for, each grade will fly/slither/float into the gym together.
There are many internet articles that provide helpful and culturally sensitive Halloween costume advice. Search: Halloween culturally insensitive costumes.
We are looking forward to making some wonderful memories on this special day!
10. Halloween Candy
With Halloween and the winter holidays fast approaching, we want to share ways that can help make our school a safe and more inclusive place for students with food allergies. We prefer that students do not eat candy while at school. We avoid sweet treats, preferring wholesome snacks whenever possible. However, there is a place for sweets in our diets and parents may choose to occasionally pack individual portions in student lunches or snacks from home. Students are not permitted to share candy, treats, or gum with others.
In preparing your child’s lunch and snack, please be certain that all ingredients listed are free of nuts and nut warnings.
11. Financial Support
The JICS Lab School is committed to needs-based financial support that will both enable increased diversity and retain current Lab School families. Tuition support is available to current students entering Grades 3-6 in the 2026-2027 school year. Application and assessment of financial need is made through an arms-length, confidential application to Apple Financial Services, and decisions are made by a sub-committee at the JICS Lab School. All applications and requests are confidential.
The deadline for applications to Apple Financial is November 10.
If you are interested in donating to the JICS Diana Rankin Muncaster Family Tuition Support Fund or the JICS Lab School Endowment Fund, please see here or speak with Richard Messina.
12. Natural Curiosity: Four Seasons of Indigenous Learning
The Natural Curiosity program plays a crucial role in advancing the Lab School's public mission. It assists educators in understanding the importance of Indigenous perspectives in environmental education across the curriculum.
Natural Curiosity has partnered with the Outdoor Learning School to offer Four Seasons of Indigenous Learning.
Sign-up by October 31st for this incredible Indigenous Learning Opportunity!
If you are just starting your Indigenous learning journey, we invite you to join us for:
What’s included:
🌳 5 hours of self-paced online learning (certificate provided)
☀️ 7 x 1 hours virtual presentations with incredible Indigenous presenters
🍂 Access to the presentation recordings until Sept 20, 2026
❄️ $25 towards accessing Indigenous learning resources
Want to hear what others think? Read the reviews from over 100 past participants.
Or, if you already have a strong foundation of knowledge, we invite you to join us for:
Learn more and sign-up by October 31st, when registration closes.
13. JICS Alumni Homecoming - Saturday, October 18
As part of our centennial celebrations, we were delighted to welcome back alumni and their families from the Lab School and our teacher education programs for a special Alumni Homecoming on Saturday. It was a joyful day of reconnection—former students and educators returned to share memories, tour our beautiful new building and playground, and see how the school continues to thrive.
Each class prepared a special display to commemorate the occasion, and we invite current parents to visit and enjoy the students’ work:
Nursery: What’s In A Year? (classroom)
JK: Making the Numeral 100 (hallway)
SK: What Does 100 Look Like? (hallway)
Grade 1: Secrets of the School (hallway)
Grade 2: Old Toy Museum (classroom)
Grade 3: ABCs of JICS (hallway)
Grades 4/5/6: JICS Timeline (hallway)
Kids Who Care Club: 100+ Ways to Be Eco-Friendly (hallway near lunchroom)
14. Cross Country Running Meet
We are so proud of our JICS Running Team, who have been training diligently for weeks. On October 16, they represented JICS at the Grade 4–6 TDSB South Conference Cross Country Meet at Winston Churchill Park and performed exceptionally well. We are thrilled to share that several students have qualified to advance to the City Finals at Sunnybrook Park later this month. JICS Congratulations to all our runners and thanks to our coaches, Luke and Judith.
Congratulations to the JICS Students!
15. Parent Volunteer Opportunities at JICS!
There is now an easier way to volunteer at JICS! Simply visit the JICS Parent Volunteer Opportunities page on the JICSfamily website. The entire year of volunteer opportunities is listed along with dates so you can schedule these opportunities into your calendar well in advance of the event. You will then receive a reminder and instructions three days prior to the event. Plans change? No problem, just email and let us know and we will take you off the list.
Thank you in advance for your gift of time to the school. Please email Casey at Casey.dabiet@gmail.com with any questions.
Upcoming October Events
Islamic Heritage Month
Thur 23 – Parents of BIPOC Children meeting. 7:00-8:30 PM. Zoom.
Fri 31 - Halloween
Upcoming November Events
Hindu Heritage Month
Wed 5 – Parent/Teacher Interview Afternoon
Fri 7 – School closed. Daycare open to registered users. Parent/Teacher Interview Day
Mon 10 – Midterm Holiday. School closed. Daycare open to registered users.
Mon 10 – Due date for applications to Apple Financial for 2026-2027 tuition support
Wed 12 – Parent Education Night: Caregiving in the Era of Smartphones and Social Media (5:30 - 7:30pm)
Tues 11 – Remembrance Day Assembly (JK to Gr 6)
Wed 12 - Parent Education Workshop
Wed 19 – Meeting of Parents of BIPOC Children 7:00 PM
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