Wednesday Afternoon Program Updates, Festival of Lights Celebration, Summer Camp Updates, Kids Who Care Club Initiatives, Book Fair & Book Night!
- JICS Office
- Nov 27, 2025
- 8 min read
JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
Help the Kids Who Care Club with their giving back initiatives!
NEW: Wednesday Afternoon Program - Term 2 Updates
An announcement from Natural Curiosity
Information about Teacher/Staff Gifts
More exciting JICS news from this week!
Moments from JICS!
Topics covered in this post:
(Click to navigate straight to a section)
1. Wednesday Afternoon Program (WAP)
We are excited to share the Winter Term’s WAP offerings! The start date is Wednesday, December 3, 2025. All WAP information can be found on the JICSFamily Website - Wednesday Program Page.
JK and SK children remain together in their full class cohorts for a play-based program indoors and will have outdoor play at the end of the day.
For Grades 1 to 6, each class will participate in two new activities.
Opting Out
Please assist us in ensuring all children are safe and accounted for.
If you do not wish for your child to participate in the WAP, kindly fill out the Opt-Out Questionnaire. Without this Questionnaire, your child will not be dismissed at 12:45 pm and will be added to the attendance list for the class program.
The deadline to opt-out for Term 1 is tomorrow - Friday, November 28, 2025. Please see the Wednesday Afternoon Program Term 2 Opt-Out form in your Parent Portal.
See last weeks POST for more information on Term 2 of Wednesday Afternoon Program!
2. Book Fair and Book Night
Two beloved JICS community annual events return this year – the Book Fair and Book Night!
On Tuesday, December 2, and Wednesday, December 3, books will be available for sale in our foyer. The highly recommended bookshop, Another Story, will supply books for both children and adults, with 20% of the sales benefiting the JICS Library. Parents, please support our library while doing your holiday shopping!
Back by popular demand, we will host a "Book Night Pyjama Party" on Wednesday, December 3, from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm in our gym, designed for Nursery to Grade 6 children and their families. This evening will feature activities for all ages to enjoy.
Please bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Avenue Road Food Bank.
3. The JICS Kids Who Care Club honours World Children's Day with a Drive for the Christie Welcome Centre
We are collecting the following (new, unused) items for the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre until November 28 (please bring to reception):
Plush toys/stuffed animals for babies (with embroidered eyes)
Early learning toys
Dolls
Soccer and basket balls
Musical instrument toys
Bracelet makers
Pretend play sets
Building blocks
Cozy blankets or slippers for teen girls
See our previous POST for more information on the Kids Who Care Club Drive!
4. Celebrating All Festivals of Light
Join us in embracing the richness of various festivals of light at JICS! Parents, kindly reach out to your child’s teacher to help us celebrate.
Hanukkah – December 15 to 22
This cherished holiday predominantly unfolds in homes, emphasizing the lighting of the menorah, adding a candle each night until it illuminates brightly on the eighth night. In remembrance of the legendary cruse of oil, customary foods fried in oil like latkes and the beloved jelly donuts or sufganiyot are savoured.
Yaldā Night – December 21
Yaldā Night or Chelle Night is a Persian festival marking the winter solstice. It's a time when kin and friends gather, indulging in food, drink, and poetic readings, especially from Divan-e Hafez and the Shahnameh, extending well past midnight. Fruits, nuts, pomegranates, and watermelons hold significance, symbolizing the vibrant hues of dawn and the essence of life.
Christmas – December 25
Christmas is celebrated religiously by most Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians and forms an integral part of the holiday season organized around it.
Kwanzaa – December 26 to January 1
Kwanzaa, an annual celebration honoring African-Canadian and African-American culture, culminates in a communal feast called Karamu, often on the sixth day. Crafted by activist Maulana Karenga, this celebration echoes African harvest festival traditions. Symbolic elements include a mat (Mkeka), a Kinara (candle holder for 7 candlesticks), Mishumaa Saba (seven candles), mazao (crops), Mahindi (corn), a Kikombe cha Umoja (unity cup), Zawadi (gifts), a Nguzo Saba poster, and the black, red, and green bendera (flag).
Our commitment to fostering a culturally diverse and respectful environment for children is unwavering. We continuously seek to expand our understanding of the world's beautiful diversity. Parents, we invite you to enrich our learning by sharing your identities with us, be it now or at any time during the year. Your contributions are invaluable in shaping our inclusive educational experiences.
5. Festivals of Lights - JICS Holiday Sing-Along - December 19, 9:00-10:00am
Join us for a luminous celebration at the JICS Holiday Sing-along on December 19th, from 9:00 to 10:00 am! As we bid farewell to the Fall Term, we are crafting a special morning where parents/caregivers are invited to join us in the school auditorium. Led by our music teachers, Bailey and Russell, with song lyrics provided, this communal singing experience invites children, parents, and teachers alike to revel in togetherness. From Diwali and Hanukkah to Christmas, Yaldā Night, Winter Solstice, and Kwanzaa, we will unite in song to honour the diverse festivities that brighten this season.
6. Gifts/Cards for Teachers and Staff
It is important to note that there is no expectation of gift-giving for teachers or staff. We must be mindful and respectful of the diverse attitudes toward gifting and the varying economic statuses within our community at JICS. Parents teaching children how to create a thank you card is a valuable lesson that will benefit them throughout their lives. A list of teachers (classroom and specialty) and staff who work with your child can be found on the JICSfamily website: https://www.jicsfamily.com/welcome-and-staff. You might want to share the webpage with your child and ask them to identify whom they would like to thank.
All teachers appreciate feeling valued by receiving feedback from parents regarding the exemplary teaching and care provided to the children. There are several times during the year—such as overnight trips, Winter Holidays, and Year-End—when parents may wish to particularly express their gratitude. While it can be convenient for parents to pool together a suggested amount to offer a gift from the group, teachers particularly appreciate cards and/or gifts from individual children that are handmade or personal, as this allows them to thank the students directly. Any request for parents to contribute to a group gift must remain optional and be handled with discretion, respecting the diverse financial circumstances within our community and ensuring that all families feel comfortable and included.
Gifts to teacher-candidates are not necessary as the class often creates a keepsake of their experience together. (Reprinted from the JICS Parent Handbook 2025-2026)
7. School Closure Due to Weather
In case of adverse weather conditions or potential school closure, parents' concerns are addressed through accessible information channels:
For updates, please refer to the University of Toronto Campus Status webpage (St. George Campus) at https://www.utoronto.ca/campus-status.
It's important to note that the JICS Lab School follows the operational status of the University of Toronto. If the University remains open, our school will also remain open.
8. Summer Camp Update
Dear Parents
It was at this time one year ago; a small group of parents and administrators began wondering if a JICS Summer Camp could even be possible. Over the following months, that idea grew into a reality that exceeded our wildest expectations!
In July 2025, we welcomed 170 campers across 5 programs, representing over 60 public and independent schools from across the GTA. We were also fortunate to assemble an incredible team of staff—many completing or entering their second year of OISE’s Master of Arts in Child Study or Master of Teaching programs, alongside long-time JICS teachers and supply teachers. This dream team helped us create a true “summer slice” of the JICS experience.
As a pilot project, the camp operated with some flexibility around University of Toronto policies and regulations. Moving forward, a fuller integration with the University of Toronto will require compliance with additional requirements and associated costs. This will call for more time and resources than our small volunteer group is able to provide prior to next summer.
However, we’re already exploring options for Summer 2027 and there are many exciting possibilities ahead. We will keep you updated as plans unfold.
Thank you for your enthusiasm, inquiries, and support. We’d love to hear your thoughts, ideas, or suggestions as we plan for the future. Feel free to send a reply to jicssummerlab@utoronto.ca—we truly value your input!
Warmly,
Megan and the JICS Summer Lab Camp Team
9. Dissemination
The JICS Lab School serves as a dynamic environment where theoretical and research-based ideas are put into practice. We regularly welcome visitors and researchers from schools around the world. This week, we hosted faculty from Toronto’s Upper Canada College (UCC), who were particularly interested in learning about our exemplary Early Years program.
10. The Natural Curiosity Program
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 November Newsletter which highlights exciting news, upcoming events and more resources to support environmental education and incorporating Indigenous perspectives. This month's newsletter also features one of the 2025 Burtynsky Award Runners-up! Sign up to receive Natural Curiosity’s monthly newsletter here.
11. Parent Volunteer Opportunities at JICS!
There is now an easier way to volunteer at JICS! Simply visit the JICS Parent Volunteer Opportunities page on the JICSfamily website. The entire year of volunteer opportunities is listed along with dates so you can schedule these opportunities into your calendar well in advance of the event. You will then receive a reminder and instructions three days prior to the event. Plans change? No problem, just email and let us know and we will take you off the list.
Thank you in advance for your gift of time to the school. Please email Casey at Casey.dabiet@gmail.com with any questions.
Upcoming November Events
Hindu Heritage Month
Fri 28 – Final Day of Drive for the Christie Welcome Centre
Upcoming December Events
Tues 2 – Giving Tuesday
Tues 2 & Wed 3 – JICS Book Fair
Wed 3 – Start of Term 2 of Wednesday Afternoon Program
Wed 3 – 6:00-7:00pm Book Night Pyjama Party – gym
Mon 15 – Hanukkah begins
Fri 19 – 9:00am Holiday Singalong “Festivals of Light”
Fri 19 – Last Day of Fall Term Dismissal at 12:00 (Daycare open for registered users)
Mon 22 – Winter Holidays begin
Sun 21 – Winter Solstice & Yalda Night
Thur 25 – Christmas
Fri 26 – Kwanzaa begins
Upcoming January Events
Mon 5 – Start of Winter Term. School and Daycare open.
Wed 7 – Feast of the Nativity (Orthodox)
Mon 12 – 6:00PM JICS at the Movies “Steal Away”, Innis College, UofT
Wed 14 – Reenrolment form and deposit due date
Tues 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day
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