Topics covered in this post:
1. Lunar New Year – Wear Red tomorrow!
Join us on Friday, January 27 to celebrate Lunar New Year by wearing red! This is the year of the Rabbit. People born in the Year of the Rabbit (our Grade 6 students!) are said to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded, and ingenious.
Gong Hei Fat Choi
Xīnnián hǎo
Chúc Mừng Năm Mới
Saehae bok mani badeuseyo
Happy New Year!
We thank all of the families who helped us celebrate Lunar New Year at JICS! We appreciate you helping make Lunar New Year special for the students.
2. International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Friday, January 27, 2023
The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this annual day of commemoration, we are urged to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides.
The JICS Lab School is committed to diversity and inclusion, and we acknowledge the importance of addressing all forms of hate and oppression in developmentally appropriate ways with the children throughout the year. As we continue to serve our students, these designated days serve as reminders of the importance to remain focused and committed to the work that needs to happen for our students and families. We strive to continuously examine our commitment on how we make our school a safe place for all students, staff, parents, and community members.
3. African Heritage/Black History Month
February
Each year in February, Canadians are invited to participate in Black History Month festivities and events that honour the legacy and achievements of Black Canadians, past and present. At JICS, we learn about and celebrate Black History Month developmentally through the grades and at whole-school events such as assemblies with members of the community. We also integrate the learning and celebrations into our Library, Music, and Visual Arts specialty classes.
We invite parents to suggest ways to help our students gain insight into the experience of Black Canadians and their vital role in the community. Please be in touch with your child’s teachers with ideas.
We have booked the following school-wide events:
Joy Lapps, an award-winning instrumentalist of Antiguan and Bardudan descent, will present a workshop on steelpan music on February 9.
Hip Hop Dance Instructors from City Dance Corp will run dance classes on February 21.
Mestre Sérgio Xocolate and Suzanne Roberts Smith will present an authentic Capoeira workshop, featuring rich traditional movements, music, songs, dance, drumming and important stories of cultural expression and preservation from the North East of Brasil on February 27.
4. Parent Education – Lunch and Learn with Ellie
The Pursuit of Perfect: When Perfectionism Has a Hold on Your Child
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 from 12:30 – 1:30pm
The pursuit of perfect: when perfectionism has a hold on your child
Lunch & Learn Series with JICS Social Worker Ellie Lathrop
Striving for excellence is celebrated and adaptive, but what happens when it is never good enough? Join us for our ongoing Parent Lunch and Learn session on Jan 31. We will consider the facets of perfectionism and how as a parent you can support your child (and possibly yourself). We will have a 30 min talk (recorded), followed by 30 min of discussion and questions (unrecorded).
5. Parent Education – Parent2Parent Conference 2023
Wednesday, February 15, 6:30pm at The Mabin School
On Wednesday, February 15, 6:30pm, The Mabin School, UTS, and the JICS Lab School have partnered to present “Hold on Tight: One Mother’s Journey Parenting Two Exceptional Children” with Jan Stewart. Stewart will describe the rollercoaster journey from hope to terror, and back again, of raising two children with mental illnesses as the children go to school and grow up to be young adults with jobs. Stewart offers invaluable advice, from the voice of deep experience, to parents of children with mental illnesses. The keynote will take place at The Mabin School, 50 Popular Plains Road.
6. Photos (and videos) of the Week at JICS
Classroom Curling in Grade 3
This term the grade threes are studying Forces and Motion. We introduced the concepts of push and pull and spent time identifying these forces. We then explored friction and identified and discussed times when high or low friction are involved and how friction can be helpful.
The children were then introduced to the sport of curling, how it is played, and the rules. Then we explored how we were going to play our own version of curling in the classroom and begin learning about forces through this game. The children learned the different elements of the curling “rinks” in our classroom and practiced making shots with sliders. As the unit unfolds we will be adding further elements to the game and discussing how forces are at play.
This unit will be integrated with our math studies of lines and angles.
A Medley of Photos from the Week
Celebrating the Lunar New Year in Drama Check out the Rooster and Rabbit Dances in SK :)
7. Upcoming January Events
Fri 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day Fri 27 – School-wide Invitation to wear red to celebrate Lunar New Year Mon 30 – Research Night at JICS. (POSTPONED: Rescheduled to March 1)
Tues 31 – Parent Education Lunch and Learn with Ellie: The Pursuit of Perfect. RSVP here.
8. Upcoming February Events
Black History Month
Wed 1 – Skating Grades 1-3
Thur 2 – Skating Grades 4-6 Thur 9 – Joy Lapps interactive steel pan performance for students
Tues 14 – Valentine’s Day Tues 14 – French Play; 4/5B Wed 15 – French Play; 3 Thur 16 – French Play; 4/5Z
Wed 15 – Parent Education “Hold on Tight – One Mother’s Journey, Two Exceptional Children” The Mabin School (50 Popular Plains Rd.) 6:30-9:00pm RSVP here
Fri 17 – Mid-Term Holiday (School closed, Daycare open)
Mon 20 – Family Day Holiday (School & Daycare closed) Tues 21 – City Dance Corps workshop for students Mon 27 – Capoeira workshop with Mestre Sérgio Xocolate & Suzanne Roberts Smith for students
