JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
Robbie Case Memorial Lecture - Tuesday, May 7, 7:00-8:30pm at JICS (RVSP here)
Topics covered in this post:
1. Happy Vaisakhi!
Vaisakhi is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar, celebrating 1699 - the year when Sikhism was born as a collective faith. It has been a harvest festival in Punjab, India for a long time.
2. Layat al-Qadr
Sending warm wishes on Laylat al-Qadr to you and your loved ones.
On the evening of the 27th day of the month of Ramadan, Muslims observe a special night called Layat al-Qadr sometimes referred to as the Night of Power. It is believed that on this night Prophet Muhammad first received the Holy Qur'an. Muslims often spend the last 10 days of Ramadan in increased prayer.
3. La Semaine De La Francophonie at JICS - April 15 to 19
Dear JICS Parents
Celebrating le Jour de la Francophonie in Canada (officially on March 20) is important as it promotes linguistic diversity and multiculturalism, core values in Canadian society.
By honoring French language and culture, JICS underscores the importance of embracing and respecting diverse languages and cultures, fostering inclusivity and belonging among students. Furthermore, celebrating Francophonie Day expands students’ understanding of the global Francophone community, exposing them to the cultural richness of French-speaking countries worldwide. This fosters intercultural awareness, language skills, critical thinking, and empathy, essential qualities for success in our interconnected world.
This year, our school will be introducing a new tradition and will be celebrating a full week (Monday 15 to Friday 19) with various enjoyable French activities including hosting the francophone musician and storyteller Njacko Backo at our morning assembly on April 23.
Regards,
Tania Debss
Christel Durand
4. Richard Messina in Japan - April 15 to 19
Richard Messina, Principal, and Elizabeth Morley, Principal Emerita of the JICS Lab School, are representing the International Association of Lab School (IALS) in travelling to Japan to plan for a tour of Lab and university-affiliated schools for a group of global educators who are IALS members. The tour will take place in November 2024, with planning underway throughout this year. The purpose of IALS tours is professional growth and international connection. Elizabeth Morley is the chair of the International Connections Committee of IALS, and Richard is a founding member of the committee. This committee reports to the IALS board, and plans tours for members of laboratory school communities to visit other university-based schools around the world. In the past we have visited Stanford, Berkeley, Mills, Columbia, U Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, U of Toronto, Bielefeld University in Germany, University of Puerto Rico, and schools in Thailand in December 2023. Each visit provides enriching learning experiences.
This year the Board of Directors has endorsed a tour in Japan, including Keio, Doshisha, and Nara University Lab Schools and Ochanomizu University Kindergarten. A research component is included, and the work being done in Knowledge Building at the University of Tokyo is being considered as well as is the work of the OECD on increasing teacher capacity in inquiry-based learning in Japan. The trip will reinforce the ongoing work JICS is doing with OECD Project Infinity to help education systems determine the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values students and teachers need to thrive in and shape the future.
5. Parent Teacher Interviews
Below are the links to sign up for your Spring interview with your child’s/children’s teacher/s. More information about Parent Teacher Interviews can be found in last week’s POST.
Parent-Teacher Interview Sign-Up Links
6. Second 2024-2025 Tuition Payment Due
The second tuition payment is due on April 19, 2024. This payment is non-refundable and representing 50% of the balance tuition balance. Please make your cheque payable to the University of Toronto.
Nursery 2024-2025 Tuition is $18,723
A non-refundable deposit of $5,000 was paid at the time of acceptance.
50% balance due April 19 = $6,861.50 (non-refundable)
Full Day (JK to Grade 6) 2024-2025 Tuition is $29,092
A non-refundable deposit of $5,000 was paid in January 2024 or at time of acceptance.
50% balance due April 19 = $12,046 (non-refundable)
Shama is available in the school office each school day, 8:00am to 4:00pm. She is happy to receive post-dated cheques in advance of April 19.
The final tuition payment is due September 1, 2024.
7. Robbie Case Memorial Lecture - May 7, 7:00-8:30 at JICS
All JICS parents and friends are invited to the 2024 Robbie Case Memorial Lecture Supporting learning and development among refugee children through research-practice-policy partnerships: Evidence from Syrian and Rohingya families by Dr. HIrokazu Yoshikawa, Professor of Globalization and Education at NYU Steinhardt.
In honour of former JICS director and world-renowned developmental theories, Robbie Case and his vast contributions to psychology and education, the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study (JICS) has hosted an endowed lecture series in his name over the past 20 years.
8. Visit from JICS Lab School Graduates
Each year, we invite our graduates (Grade 7 students) to return to JICS in the Spring Term to meet with our Grade 6 students about their transition to their new school. At this cherished reunion (Pizza Night) which took place last week, our grads (Class of 2023) enthusiastically explain how prepared they were to meet the expectations of Grade 7 and how easy the transition has been.
Throughout the school year, we are also blessed to have many of our former students choose to informally visit when they have a day off school. Graduates proudly share their successes with their former teachers and we as a staff are reminded of the importance of our practice and philosophy: providing engaging and challenging curriculum in a nurturing environment where children feel known and respected, helping children to take risks, to learn from mistakes, to build skills and confidence to deal with complexities and to see themselves as knowledge creators in a collaborative environment. Perhaps the most important year of all at JICS is Grade 6. In that culminating year, children are provided opportunities to show leadership and stretch themselves academically in a safe environment. They are challenged with a robust curriculum, design and run clubs, test themselves in extracurricular sports, lead assemblies and co-create and perform a jaw-dropping “Graduation Play” and ceremony. We often learn from the graduates that these uniquely JICS experiences lead directly to the successes they experience and leadership roles they fill in the new schools they attend. The receiving schools (teachers, administrators, admission directors) consistently let us know that they want more JICS graduates!
9. 30th Annual JICS Read-a-thon - Ends Tomorrow
March 1-April 12
Dear JICS Community,
Thank you for contributing to our 30th annual JICS Read-a-thon Fundraiser! We welcome donations online or by cheque or cash by end of day Friday, April 13.
These funds help to bring authors to JICS. Through these presentations, students learn about the writing and editing process and have opportunities to ask questions. It helps them better understand how books are created.
On April 13, Farida Zaman is visiting the primary grades to speak about Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, her book is called ‘Aliya’s Secret’. We will also be featuring three visits during Canadian Children’s Book Week, the first week of May. Rochelle Strauss, author of ‘One Well: the story of water on Earth’ and ‘The Global Ocean’, will be visiting the junior grades in honour of the ‘Decade of the Ocean’. Wanda Taylor, whose books include ‘The Grover Street Pledge’ and ‘We Are Not the Zoo’, will be visiting the primary students to talk about community and allyship. Finally, poet Shannon Braemer will be coming to present to the Kindergarten classes. One of her beautiful books of poetry is called “Climbing Shadows: Poems for Children”.
Earlier in the year, Inuk author, Sarabeth Holden, visited and shared her book ‘Benny the Bananasaurus Rex’ with the kindergarten students. They had a blast writing a silly story together.
We look forward to reporting the fundraising total in the next post!
We are so grateful for your support!
Sincerely,
Krista Spence
10. Parent Education
Thank you to the PA Parent Ed Committee, PA Exec and to all who attended Dr. Elin Kelsey’s inspiring talk:Why evidence-based hope matters: Supporting children’s wellbeing and resilience in the face of the climate crisis (April 5). Here is a link with follow up hope resources for those who are interested. The list of “solutions journalism” sites, some of which offer a free newsletter service, is especially helpful.
11. Family Visit to SK for Ramadan and Eid
This week, the SKs were delighted to have a presention about Ramadan and Eid from one of our JICS families!
12. Family Skate Extravaganza Photos
Please enjoy some photos from the PA's JICS Family Skate Extravaganza:
13. Upcoming April Events
Sat 13 – Vaisakhi
Mon 15 to Fri 19 - La Semaine De La Francophonie at JICS
Wed 17 – Parent Teacher Interviews
Fri 19 – Due date for 2nd JICS tuition payment
Mon 22 to Fri 26 – Earth Week at JICS
Mon 22 – Passover begins
Wed 24 to Fri 26 – International Association of Lab School Conference in Muncie, Indiana
Wed 24 – Parent Teacher Interviews
13. Upcoming May Events
Asian Heritage Month
Fri 3 – Good Friday (Orthodox)
Sun 5 – Easter (Orthodox)
Tues 7 – JICS Robbie Case Memorial Lecture at JICS 7:00-8:30pm RSVP
Fri 10 – Grandpals’ Day 2:00-3:30pm (Details coming soon)
Thur 16 – Track and Field Meet at Birchmount Stadium
Mon 20 – Victoria Day. School and Daycare closed.
Thur 23 – Art & Music Night (Details coming soon)
Tues 28 – Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting (Details coming soon)
Wed 29 – Games Day (rain date May 30)
