Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting, Diwali Celebrations, Halloween Reminders & A Parent Education Workshop
- JICS Office
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
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
Celebrate Diwali with us - Diwali Assembly Monday, October 20th at 9:00am
Halloween Costume and Candy reminders!
Our first Parent Education Workshop of the School Year - Wednesday, November 12th, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
JICS Students Enjoying the Outdoors!
Topics covered in this post:
(Click to navigate straight to a section)
Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting - Thursday, October 23, 7:00-8:30pm (Zoom)
Parent Education Workshop - Wednesday, November 12th, 5:30-7:30pm
Terry Fox Run
1. Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting - Thursday, October 23, 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.
2. Celebrate Diwali with us at JICS!
Diwali, the joyous Hindu festival of lights, is a cherished tradition here at our school. Our entire school community eagerly anticipates this special occasion each year, and we are truly grateful for the unwavering support of our parents. This year, we are delighted to announce that we will come together to celebrate Diwali on Monday, October 20 at 9:00am in our gym.
In the spirit of this vibrant festival, we kindly request that all JICS children come dressed in colourful attire, which may include kurtas, salwar kameez, dupattas, or lehenga choli. Of course, we also encourage everyone to express themselves through their preferred clothing choices throughout the festivities.
While Diwali spans five days in most of India (from October 18 to 22), the main celebration falls on the third day. At JICS, we aim to decorate the school with vivid decorations, illuminating diyas, and crafting inviting flower-petal rangolis. It is a privilege to have such a wonderfully diverse community, where people from all backgrounds come together to embrace and share in the festivities. Thank you to teachers Walker and Michael, and to parents Reena, Priya, Indira, Sona and Raj (as well as all the families who shared photos) for your support and contributions!
3. 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!
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Parent Education Workshop: Caregiving in the Era of Smartphones and Social Media
7. Nursery Class 2026-2027
Shama will soon be in touch with current JICS families who have children (born in 2023) who are eligible for our entry year beginning September 2026. To ensure that your child’s information is in our applicant database, please email Shama ASAP. We will host a Nursery Parent Information Session in the new year.
8. Terry Fox Run
We are proud to share the success of our recent Terry Fox Run. Thanks to the dedication of our parent volunteers who helped with route supervision and the enthusiastic leadership of our Grade 3 students, we have raised an impressive sum of $1063.55 toward cancer research. Your support and generosity in this noble cause are truly inspiring.
9. 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.
The next volunteer opportunity is the ICS Alumni Homecoming Event taking place on Saturday October 18th. Please visit the link below to sign up as a Parent Volunteer!
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
Mon 13 – Thanksgiving Day. School & Daycare closed.
Thur 16 – Running Club (Grades 4-6) TDSB South Conference —Winston Churchill Park
Mon 20 – Diwali
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 (sign-up info coming soon)
Fri 7 – School closed. Daycare open to registered users. Parent/Teacher Interview Day (sign-up info coming soon)
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 19 – Meeting of Parents of BIPOC Children 7:00 PM
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