Thanksgiving Reflection, JICS Centennial Golf Championship, Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting, Photo Day Proofs, Halloween Reminders, & More!
JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
Please make your yearly contributions to the Parents' Association
Photo Proofs - Order by October 14
Thanksgiving Closure - Monday, October 12
Parents of BIPOC Children: Virtual Meeting - Monday, October 19, 7:00-8:00pm.
Hold the dates: Upcoming Parent Education Events
JICS Centennial Golf Championship - thank you for supporting the JICS Endowment Fund.
Topics covered in this post:
(Click to navigate straight to a section)
1. Parents' Association Annual Membership Contributions
As a JICS parent, you are automatically a member of the Parents’ Association. The ongoing efforts of the Parents' Association are 100% funded through your annual membership contributions and generous donations. Below are the three tiers - choose the tier that best fits your needs.
Equity: $100-$224 per family
Selecting this option presents a (more) inclusive opportunity to enable all of our community members to contribute in a way that best fits their current finances.
Equality: $225 per family
These are the at cost donations. If everyone made this contribution amount, the PA could cover its costs. We suspect many of our families will fall under this pricing.
Opportunity: $226 or more per family
This option presents an opportunity to enable another family to make a contribution using the equity range. *Each additional increment of $125 above the listed contribution in the opportunity option would allow one additional contribution to be made within the equity price range.
We have many plans for the year. Please help us meet our goal of 100% family participation.
2. Kids Vote Weekend - October 10 and 11
This weekend, October 10 and 11, children can experience citizenship in action by voting for Toronto’s 2027 Tree of the Year! Platforms for the five tree candidates can be found here: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/elections/kids-vote-weekend/.
Voting places will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find the voting place closest to your home here: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/elections/voter-information/myvote/. The winning tree will be announced following the municipal election.
By participating in Kids Vote Weekend, children can learn about the voting process while exploring the important role trees play in creating a healthier, greener city. As Toronto works toward a goal of 40 per cent tree canopy coverage by 2050, this is a fun and meaningful opportunity for children to have their voices heard. We encourage interested Lab School families to take part in this educational experience.
3. Thanksgiving Closure - Monday, October 12
In observance of Thanksgiving, please note that our school and daycare will be closed on Monday, October 12. We hope this provides you with the opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones and engage in the spirit of gratitude. Wishing you and your families a warm and joyful Thanksgiving.
4. Thanksgiving Reflection: The Words that Come Before All Else
In her remarkable book, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants, Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, an enrolled member of the Citizens of Potawatomi Nation, explains the concept of the Thanksgiving Address. In the Onondaga language, it is known as the "Words That Come Before All Else." This ancient protocol emphasizes gratitude as the highest priority.
We encourage you to take a moment this long weekend to recite and reflect upon this invocation of gratitude as a family. It serves as a powerful reminder of the abundant blessings we share and the importance of cultivating a culture of gratitude within our school community.
At the JICS Lab School, our mission is to educate children within a framework where gratitude is at the forefront of their learning experience. Let us all embrace this message as we celebrate Thanksgiving.
5. Photo Day Proofs - Order by October 14
Photo proofs from last week's Photo Day were sent home with your child/ren this week. The deadline to order is October 14th. (You may ignore the deadline date printed on the proofs). Observing this deadline allows for free shipping to the school, where we can distribute them from here.
To Order Photos:
Focus on Children Photography has an online order process. You will be able to view the many packages & specialty items on their website: https://www.orderfocusonchildren.ca/ and order right from there. Your unique access key is printed on the photo proof.
6. Parents of BIPOC Children: Virtual Meeting - Monday, October 19, 7:00-8:00pm
Please join the Parents of BIPOC Children Group for an online meeting to discuss the year’s plans.
When: Monday October 19th, 7:00-8:00pm.
We invite you to bring any topics or questions you’d like to raise!
Mission of the Parents of BIPOC Children’s Group: Through sharing safe space, collective/collaborative action, and celebrating differences that bring everyone together, we support and uplift the JICS parents of BIPOC (Black Indigenous and People of Colour) children and their families.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Please kindly reach out to Adrienne Chan (Adrienne.chan@sunnybrook.ca) our Group WhatsApp and Technical Administrator, or Carissa Wong (647-882-7017) our Group Chair, if you have any questions, comments, or would like to be added to the Parents of JICS BIPOC Kids WhatsApp Group.
7. Halloween at JICS
Parents, please join our JK to Grade 6 Halloween Celebration Assembly on Friday, October 30, at the witching hour of 9:00am, in our enchanted gym. Our music teachers, Suzanne and Russell will lead us all in 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!
Halloween 2025!
8. 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.
9. 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 2027-2028 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 Lab School Endowment Fund, please see here or speak with Richard Messina.
10. JICS Centennial Golf Tournament and Reception - Thank you!
Thank You
JICS CentennialGolf Championship
Fore the Future · Angus Glen Golf Club
On Friday, we gathered at the beautiful Angus Glen Golf Club for the inaugural JICS Centennial Golf Championship and Reception. With the weather on our side, it was a wonderful day to bring together current JICS families, alumni, teachers, friends, and supporters of the Lab School. Experienced golfers and those newer to the game enjoyed a day of camaraderie, fun, and community, all in support of JICS.
We were especially pleased to welcome OISE Dean Dr. Erica Walker, our Director, Dr. Eunice Jang, and our CAO, Helen Huang. Their presence, along with that of so many members and friends of the JICS community, made the day feel like a true celebration of the Lab School and its enduring community.
Together We Raised
$280,525
in support of the JICS Lab School Endowment Fund, bringing the endowment to $2.5 million, halfway to our $5 million goal. We are deeply grateful to everyone who participated, sponsored the event, donated to the auction, attended the reception, or otherwise helped make the day such a success.
Match Surpassed
We extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Eric Jackman and Mrs. Sara Jackman for their generous matching contribution, matching every dollar raised up to $100,000. Thanks to our community, we surpassed the match and doubled the impact of every gift toward the endowment.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
This celebration wouldn't be possible without the generosity of our sponsors. We are deeply grateful to each of them for supporting the JICS Centennial Golf Championship and the JICS Lab School Endowment Fund.
Presenting Sponsor
Mrs. Sara Jackman & Dr. Eric Jackman and the Jackman Family Foundation
Gold Sponsor
Anonymous
Silver Sponsors
Camrost Felcorp (Ball Sponsor) · Transco Freight (Cart Sponsor) · CSI Consulting Inc. (Trophy Sponsor) · Crown Group of Hotels (Beverage Cart Sponsor) · Toca Charters (Shuttle Sponsor) · Laidlaw Foundation (Promotional Sponsor)
Specialty Hole Sponsors
Greenhouse Juice Co. · TD Insurance · Manulife · Gow Hastings Architects
Hole Sponsors
CIBC Private Wealth · Carlyle Communities · TwoGoose (The Ruparell Family Office) · BLG LLP (Partner Manoj Pundit) · Palm Holdings · LC Development Group & the Singh Family · InsureU · The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Congratulations to Our Winners
Pizza Party: The winning foursome from Toca Charters chose to give the pizza party to JK.
Raffle:
1. Jason Maehara – Toronto Maple Leafs tickets
2. Cameron McKay – a foursome at Angus Glen
3. Michelle Hassen – Angus Glen Pro Shop merch and a JICS swag bag
Auction winners: If you won an auction prize, watch for an email from Reesa Barkhouse (reesa.barkhouse@utoronto.ca) about payment and pick-up or delivery of your item(s).
A special thank you is owed to JICS parent and Championship Chair Karan S. Holla, whose vision and enthusiasm brought this event to life. Karan's creativity, attention to detail, commitment, and seemingly endless energy helped turn an idea into a truly memorable JICS community event.
We are equally grateful to Reesa Barkhouse, Senior Development Officer, whose extraordinary behind-the-scenes work made so much of the event possible. From the countless details and logistics to the many conversations and arrangements that most people never see, Reesa put an enormous amount of time and care into making the day a success.
The endowment helps ensure that children who are already part of the JICS community can continue to attend the Lab School when their families experience changing financial circumstances or unexpected economic hardship. Over time, a stronger endowment will also allow us to welcome greater economic diversity into our classrooms.
At JICS, we believe that a truly rich education is shaped by a community of learners who bring different life experiences, perspectives, ideas, and ways of seeing the world. This diversity enriches the learning of every child.
Your support helps us preserve and strengthen the unique and vibrant learning community that makes JICS such a special place. It also helps us advance the research and dissemination that are central to the Lab School's mission and that contribute to strengthening public education in Canada and beyond.
With gratitude,
Richard Messina
Principal, JICS Lab School
Questions? Contact Reesa Barkhouse
11. Hold these Dates: Renowned parenting expert, Dr. Alyson Schafer is coming back!
Many of us enjoyed a memorable parent education session with Alyson on Firm and Friendly Parenting: Raising Cooperative Children Without Power Struggles in the Spring. For those of you who were unable to join us, the good news is that Alyson has offered to repeat that session over zoom on October 20. She will then be at JICS in person on November 18 for an event on The Four Goals of (Mis)Behaviour where she will share some strategies from her parenting tool kit. This will be followed by an Ask me Anything session on zoom on November 25.
Details for registration coming soon. Thank you to the PA’s Parent Education Committee for organizing these wonderful learning opportunities for our community.
12. Natural Curiosity
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 highlights their Educator Awards, Indigenous Language courses, and resources for taking ReconciliAction past September
30th!
Upcoming October Events
Mon 12 – Thanksgiving Day. School & Daycare closed.
Wed 14 – Parents’ Association “All Parents” zoom meeting. (7:00-8:00pm.) Details coming soon.
Fri 30 – Halloween at JICS
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