Silent Auction, HDN Tickets, Gr 6 Spot

JICS Office
May 8
6 min read

JICS at a Glance

We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:

The School & Daycare will be closed Fri May 16 & Mon May 19
Browse & bid on the Silent Auction
Submit your name to the nominations committee for the 25-26 President or Vice President of the JICS Parents' Association by May 20
Check out the Events Page and Register for Upcoming Events:
- Centennial Gala and Auction - Tues May 13
- PA "All Parents" Meeting - Mon May 26
- Writers' Roost: Centennial Edition - Tues May 27
- Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting - Fri May 30
- Hot Dog Night - Wed June 4 (tickets on sale now)
Registration for the Daycare June Camp opens on May 12!

Topics covered in this post:

(Click to navigate straight to a section)

Enjoy the long weekend
JICS Centennial Gala & Auction - May 13
Call for the next JICS Parents' Association President and Vice President!
JICS Hot Dog Night - June 4
JICS Daycare June Camp
Dissemination: Serving Our Public Purpose
Grade 6 Spot Available - September 2025
Photos from Grandpals Day & the Bike Parade!
Upcoming May Events
Upcoming June Events

1. Enjoy the long weekend

The School (Nursery to Grade 6) and Daycare will be closed Friday, May 16 (UofT President’s Day) and Monday, May 19 (Victoria Day). We wish families, teachers, and staff a relaxing and joyful long weekend.

2. JICS Centennial Gala & Auction - May 13

"Every dollar raised helps us create a more economically inclusive school community, which benefits all of our children. A diverse learning environment enriches the experience for every student — including your own."– Richard Messina, Principal

JICS Centennial Gala & Auction

Celebrate 100 Years of Innovation, Education & Community

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

MOCA, 158 Sterling Road

Toronto, ON Purchase Tickets

Only 5 days away! The JICS Centennial Gala & Auction is almost here — and you’re invited to a fun and festive night to celebrate a century of impact at JICS and support the future of education.

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come together at the stunning Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), as we honour 100 years of educational excellence and raise funds for the JICS Lab School Endowment Fund — securing the next century of impact and innovation.

The Silent Auction is now LIVE:

Explore and bid on items generously donated by our community — with exciting new additions added daily, so be sure to check back often! Highlights include JICS Midnight Madness, courtside Raptors tickets, a year of Greenhouse Juice, and surprises you won’t want to miss!

Browse & Bid Now!

💻 To participate: (1) Create your Givergy account (2) Turn on notifications to get updates when new items are added or you’re outbid!

Event Details:🍸 A vibrant cocktail party – Sip signature drinks and enjoy delicious bites

🎶 Live music and entertainment all night — from an acclaimed auctioneer, spinning DJ to heartfelt centennial toasts!

🎨 Exclusive Live Auction – Featuring artwork, unforgettable experiences, and unique JICS opportunities like:

· Original works by renowned artists, including Scott McFarland and Kim Dorland
Signed memorabilia from top athletes, including Stephen Curry
Priceless experiences such as serving as JICS Principal for a Day or enjoying an intimate wine tasting in your home, curated by Halpern Enterprises.

And so much more, only available to Gala attendees!

🎁 Bonus! Every attendee is entered into a door prize draw for a bundle of fine wines!

Purchase Tickets:

Ticket Price: $450 per person. Each ticket is a donation in itself and is eligible for a $225 charitable tax receipt. Register today to be part of this historic celebration!

Get your Ticket(s) today!

3. Call for the next JICS Parents' Association President and Vice President!

Dear JICS Parent Community,

If you are interested in serving as President or Vice President of the JICS Parents' Association for the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 school years, you are invited to submit your name to the nominations committee (paexecjics@gmail.com). As per our constitution, the nominations committee will consider the candidates and propose a slate to be voted on. The wider JICS parent community will either vote or abstain from voting on the proposed slate during our Spring All Parents PA meeting on May 26th, online from 7-8pm (Register here).

Name submissions are due by Tuesday, May 20th (paexecjics@gmail.com).

If you are not interested in serving as President or Vice President, but would like to participate in the PA in other formal roles, including communications, secretary, or on the Parent Ed Committee, please reach out. For more information about the Parents’ Association please see the JICS Family website: https://www.jicsfamily.com/about-the-pa.

Finally, if you have any questions about any of the roles, please do not hesitate to connect with someone from the PA: paexecjics@gmail.com. We would be happy to answer any questions.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Warmly,

The JICS PA Executive Team

4. JICS Hot Dog Night

Wednesday, June 4 | 6:00-8:00 PM

Join us for our annual Hot Dog Night! 🌭 We will be serving both hot dogs and pizza, and will celebrate with food, fun, activities, and an opportunity for our school community to connect!

About the event:

What: a community gathering with food and fun

When: Wednesday, June 4th, 6-8pm.

Tickets:

Adult Ticket: $20
Child Ticket: $10
Family Bundle $60 (for single families where total ticket costs would exceed $60 - includes 2 adult tickets and 3+ child tickets)
JICS Teacher/Staff Ticket (free)

Raffle Tickets: $5 each, 5 for $20, or 12 for $50

Prizes:
- 2 Opening Night tickets to TIFF
- One year supply of ginger shots from Greenhouse Juice Co.
- Murdoch Mysteries behind the scenes set tour
- Pizza lunch for the class that has a person who wins
- 50,000 Marriott points

Hot Dog Night 2025

June 4, 2025, 6:00–8:00 p.m.|JICS School Yard

How can this community help?

We would greatly appreciate donations of games, food or snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages to make the night even better. If you have the ability to contribute, please contact Lucia Remedios at lucia@analoguegallery.com or call (416) 505-4970.

5. JICS Daycare June Camp

The end of school is soon approaching, and there’s no better way to end this fabulous school year than the JICS Daycare June Camp! Join us for sports, creative arts, water and outdoor play, beadery, gardening, and more. Plus, special activities including:

Puppetry Workshop: “Puppets Cool” will instruct students in how to synchronize their voices with their hand movements, make their own puppets, and even put on a short play (based on the award-winning book, “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs”), along with a rousing wrap up sing-along.
Field Trip to Riverdale Farm: Nursery to Grade 1 students will explore the woods, pond, and visit the farm animals.
Moccasin Walk: Grades 2 to 6 students will visit the Kortright Centre for Conservation where they will journey back 400 years and learn how the Wendat people used natural resources to survive. Students will grind corn, use traditional methods to start a fire, and play Aboriginal games.

Don’t miss out! Come and join us for the last two weeks of June and have an extraordinary time with your friends and staff of the JICS Daycare.

Week 1: June 16-20

Week 2: June 23-27

Time: 7:45 AM – 6:00 PM

Location: JICS Lab School

COST: $350/week (no occasional care available)

AM/PM snacks included (BYO lunch)

Parents must also provide labeled water bottles, towels, swimsuits, sunscreen, and hats.

Email ics.after.school.daycare@gmail.com & indicate week 1, 2, or both

6. Dissemination: Serving Our Public Purpose

JICS is at the forefront of shaping elementary education and advancing teacher training worldwide. Our commitment to sharing knowledge and fostering innovation continues through various initiatives.

Upcoming Highlight:

Principal Richard Messina will present “Elementary Education in the Time of Artificial Intelligence” at the International Education Forum at Kobe Shinwa University, Kobe, Japan, on May 17. He will join distinguished guest speakers Dr. Ryuichiro Higashinaka of Nagoya University, presenting “AI Evolution and Education,” and Dr. Kohei Sakaki of Tohoku University, speaking on “The Growth of Smartphones and the Brain.”

7. Grade 6 Spot Available - September 2025

We are excited to share that a spot will be available in our Grade 6 class starting September 2025. Please help us spread the word to your family, friends, and neighbours who may be interested in joining our school community.

Applications can be submitted here: https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/jics/admissions

Photos from the Week

JICS Grandpals Day

JICS Bike Parade

A huge thank you to JICS Phys Ed Teacher, Luke and JICS Parent, Allen for your organization of this special community event, and a special thank you to the Toronto Police for escorting our riders and keeping everyone safe!