September Social, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Islamic Heritage Month, Principal for the Day & More!

JICS Office
1 day ago
6 min read

JICS at a Glance

We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:

September Social - TONIGHT! - Thursday, September 25
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - Tuesday, September 30th
Celebrating Natural Curiosity Program Director - Haley Higdon!
Terry Fox Assembly and Run - Photos!
How we're promoting diversity at JICS!

A successful Terry Fox Assembly and Run - Thank you to the Grade 3 Class!

Topics covered in this post:

(Click to navigate straight to a section)

September Social - TONIGHT! Thursday, September 25
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - Tuesday, September 30
Islamic Heritage Month
Promoting Diversity at JICS
JICS's Natural Curiosity Director, Haley Higdon, Wins 2025 ETFO Environmental Education Award!
Principal for the Day!
Rain Day Fun!
Upcoming September Events
Upcoming October Events

1. September Social - TONIGHT! Thursday, September 25

To kickstart our centennial year and our journey towards building a vibrant inter-connected community, we are excited about our first PA event of the school year, the "September Social” on Thursday, September 25, from 6:00PM to 8:00PM, 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.

We sincerely hope that each and every JICS parent will join us for the September Social on September 25th. It promises to be an evening of camaraderie, where we can celebrate our shared vision and the wonderful community we are creating together. We can't wait to see you there! Please note that babysitting registration is now closed.

2. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - Thursday, September 30

We warmly invite all parents to join us on Tuesday at 2:15 PM in the gym for a special gathering in observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. This important event brings together our Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 students as we reflect on the significance of this day. We are honoured to welcome Tribal Vision Dance, a family dance troupe from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.

On this day we wear orange, and we are coming together to honour the memory of the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Recognizing this tragic history and its lasting impacts is a vital step in the journey towards reconciliation.

We encourage parents to explore the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, which have been thoughtfully adapted into child-friendly language by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada. These can serve as a meaningful foundation for discussions with your children about the importance of reconciliation.

The JICS Lab School remains deeply committed to listening to and acting on the Calls to Action laid out by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We continue to amplify the voices of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island and encourage parents to visit the the JICSfamily website to learn more about our ongoing efforts. We value your feedback and invite you to share any suggestions on how we can further enhance our commitment to fostering a more inclusive and respectful educational environment for all.

JICS Staff taking part in Feasting the JICS Bundle alongside Indigenous Leader Doug Anderson, Brad and Andreas. For more information on The JICS Bundle and Feasting the Bundle, visit our website!

3. Islamic Heritage Month

In 2016, the province of Ontario officially designated October as Islamic Heritage Month through the enactment of the Islamic Heritage Month Act. This initiative aims to provide Ontarians, both present and future generations, with a valuable opportunity to explore, celebrate, and deepen their understanding of the rich and enduring Islamic history within the province. Moreover, it seeks to highlight the diverse roles and significant contributions of Muslim individuals across Ontario's various communities.

At the JICS Lab School, our commitment to education embraces the remarkable diversity found in our world. We continuously strive to create learning experiences that are respectful, inclusive, and accurate for our students. This month, 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. We encourage you to reach out to your child's teacher. Our goal is for students to gain insights into the significant contributions made by Canadian Muslims to our society, appreciate the cultural diversity within the Canadian Muslim community, and understand the importance of learning about each other to foster a sense of belonging for all.

4. Promoting Diversity at JICS

At JICS, we are committed to creating a school experience that reflects and celebrates the rich diversity of our community. Our teachers have formed dedicated focus groups to ensure that cultural traditions and perspectives are meaningfully woven into school life. They are researching and inviting artists to lead assemblies that broaden students’ understanding and appreciation of different cultures. We invite parents to take part in this important work by joining our planning groups—please feel free to connect directly if you are interested. In addition, classroom teachers will reach out to families throughout the year to invite your support with cultural celebrations. Together, we can create a learning environment where every student feels represented and valued.

2025-2026 Committee List

TRC & Indigenous Heritage	Audrey, Krista & Chriss
Islamic Heritage	Carol & Tania
Hindu Heritage	Walker & Mike
Black Heritage	Marcia, Jessica, Raadiyah & Kenisha
Asian Heritage	Nick, Tara & Richard
Pride	Charlotte, Tara & Chriss
Jewish Heritage/Holocaust Remembrance Day	Judith, Simone & Walker
Francophone Heritage	Christel, Tania & Audrey

5. JICS's Natural Curiosity Director, Haley Higdon, Wins 2025 ETFO Environmental Education Award

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has honoured Haley Higdon, Program Director of JICS’s Natural Curiosity and a member of the Toronto Occasional Teacher Local, with its 2025 Environmental Education Award. This award celebrates ETFO members who demonstrate exceptional commitment to caring for and protecting the environment.

As Program Director of Natural Curiosity, Higdon has been instrumental in advancing inquiry-based frameworks that weave environmental literacy and Indigenous knowledge into classroom practice. Her leadership has equipped educators with the tools and confidence to inspire students to build meaningful connections with the natural world while achieving curriculum goals.

Higdon also served as Managing Editor of Natural Curiosity: The Importance of Indigenous Perspectives in Children’s Environmental Inquiry. In this role, she collaborated with a national Indigenous education advisory circle to ensure the resource authentically amplifies Indigenous voices. Thanks to her advocacy, the Ontario Ministry of Education translated the resource into French, making it accessible to even more educators across the province.

Beyond publishing, Higdon has facilitated professional learning for thousands of educators across Ontario and beyond. Her dedication to environmental stewardship extends outside the classroom as well—through her TEDx Talk on zero-waste living and her contributions as a member of the Climate Action Advisory Committee at OISE/U of T.

Through her vision and commitment, Haley Higdon continues to empower both educators and students to embrace sustainability and reconciliation in their daily lives.

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 September Newsletter which shares important events and resources for Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Sign up to receive Natural Curiosity’s monthly newsletter here.