Research Night 2026, Parent Education with Trina Epstein, Natural Curiosity, Black History Month & more JICS news!
- JICS Office
- 13 hours ago
- 4 min read
JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
Inviting you to attend our 2026 Research Night!
Register for our Parent Education Night with Trina Epstein
An announcement from Natural Curiosity
Black History Month at JICS
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
More exciting JICS news from this week!
Endless fun in the snow!
Topics covered in this post:
(Click to navigate straight to a section)
1. Research Night 2026: How brain science helps us understand children's development and learning
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2026
6:00-7:00pm - JICS Room 363
Dear Parents,
This year’s Centennial Research Night on Wednesday January 28th is one we hope all parents will attend. The JICS Lab School is thrilled to offer an opportunity for parents and teachers to hear from Dr. Kaja Jasińska about how brain science research helps us understand children's development and learning. This will include demonstrations of a neuroimaging system used in the research.
We are also very excited to tell you more about the launch a new longitudinal study as we begin to chart our path for the next 100 years at JICS.
Richard & Chriss
The evening will begin at 5:30pm in Room 363 with a parent social and conversation over a slice or two of pizza, with the presentation starting at 6:00pm. Free babysitting is available onsite.
2. Parent Education: Understanding Anxiety in Children: The Value of Leaning into Discomfort
Tuesday, Feb 3, 2026
6:00-7:00pm - JICS Room 363
Anxiety continues to be the most common mental health challenge in children. Even when anxiety does not reach clinically concerning levels, we can all agree that it is something everyone experiences from time to time. Witnessing anxiety and distress in our children can be hard to bear and, as such, there are some common traps that we might fall into, including trying to remove obstacles and supporting avoidance. Even though it’s normal and natural to want to avoid the things that cause us stress, the remedy is to “lean in” and expose ourselves to the very things that cause us anxiety. This makes the goal for supporting our anxious children, helping them to “lean in” by fostering resilience and capacity. Come hear about the various presentations of anxiety in children and the most adaptive ways for you, as parents, to think about it and respond to it. This talk will cover developmental considerations so it is worth attending whether you have young children, youngsters on the brink of graduating elementary school, or anywhere in between.
TRINA EPSTEIN, Psy.D., C.Psych. is a psychologist who was thrilled to join JICS in September 2025 where she supports students, parents, and teachers. She also maintains a private practice where she treats children and teens with a wide array of mental health challenges and offers consultation to parents and schools. She worked for many years at the Toronto Western Hospital where she provided assessment and treatment to children and adolescents with Tourette Syndrome and its associated problems (e.g., ADHD, OCD, ASD, anxiety, etc.), conducted research, and supervised students. She is the co-author of The Adventures of Stretch More, a children’s book about a collaborative parenting approach.
3. African Heritage/Black History Month
February marks Black History Month in Canada, inviting Canadians to engage in festivities and events that honour the rich legacy and achievements of Black Canadians, both past and present. At JICS, we integrate the celebration of Black History Month into our curriculum developmentally across grades and showcase it through whole-school events such as assemblies involving community members. Our commitment extends into specialty classes like Library, Music, and Visual Arts. We encourage parents to contribute suggestions to help our students gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of Black Canadians and their indispensable role in the community.
Feel free to reach out to your child’s teachers with your ideas or to the Black Heritage Committee members: Marcia, Jessica, Raadiyah, and Kenisha.
4. International Holocaust Remembrance Day
The United Nations General Assembly officially designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. At the JICS Lab School, our commitment to diversity and inclusion extends beyond a single day, as we address various forms of hate and oppression in developmentally appropriate ways throughout the entire year. These designated days serve as poignant reminders of our ongoing dedication to creating an environment that fosters learning and growth for our students and families. We continuously examine and reinforce our commitment to ensuring that our school remains a safe haven for all students, staff, parents, and community members.
5. The Natural Curiosity Program - Special Session
Deepen your connection to Anishinaabemowin and the natural world! Natural Curiosity, in partnership with The Outdoor Learning School and Store, is delighted to offer a special enrichment session.
This session, in collaboration with @CreatorsGarden, is a complimentary offering for all those who register for the Winter 2026 Anishinaabemowin Beginner Course. This can also be attended as a standalone session. Registration is available at no cost to all Indigenous people, and on a sliding scale to non-Indigenous participants. These registration fees help to cover the costs of future Indigenous language courses, including paying teachers, facilitators and Eld
ers appropriately, and makes the learning available to those whose language was stolen.
Don't miss this opportunity to connect with Anishinaabemowin on a deeper level!
Register below for this event on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from 5:00–6:30 PM.
We look forward to learning together!
More fun from this week at JICS!
Upcoming January Events
Tues 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Wed 28 – Research Night 2026, 5:30pm (social), 6:00-7:00pm (presentation)
Upcoming February Events
Tues 3 – 6:00pm Parent Education Understanding Anxiety in Children: The Value of Leaning Into Discomfort with Dr. Trina Epstein. Register here
Fri 6 - 100th Day of School - The JICS Lab School's Birthday Party
Wed 11 – STEAM Night: Special Focus Art, Math (details coming soon)
Thur 12 – Valentine’s Day at JICS
Fri 13 – Midterm Holiday. School closed. Daycare open.
Mon 16 – Family Day Holiday. School and Daycare closed.
Tues 17 – Lunar New Year
Tues 17 – Ramadan (begins at sunset)
Tues 24 to Fri 27 – Gr 4/5 overnight trip to YMCA Camp Pine Crest
Wed 25 – Anti-Bullying Day/Pink Shirt Day
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