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Nov 21

Cookie Fundraiser, Book Fair & Book Night, Principal for the Day


JICS at a Glance

We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:

children making a vehicle from loose parts
 

Topics covered in this post:

(Click to navigate straight to a section)


 

1. School-wide Children Clothing Swap

Friday, November 22

The Parents' Association is excited to host our first school-wide clothing swap on Friday, November 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 120 near reception. All remaining items will be donated to local families in need.

 

2. Parent Feedback Survey on Potential New Summer JICS Camp


You may have heard that we are exploring the idea of launching a new summer play-based kid-centered camp at our school. Designed for children aged 4-12 from JICS and the public at large, our camp would focus on fostering wellbeing, security, happiness, friendship, and more. Each week would have engaging play-based activities, inquiry-driven learning, and plenty of outdoor fun, including nature-based programming and sports.

 

Your input is invaluable to help us gauge interested and plan accordingly. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts and let us know how you might like to be involved if you have not already done so.

 

3. Support Our Grade 4/5 Winter Adventure with Delicious Terra Cotta Cookies!


Hello, Cookie Lovers (because who isn’t?!),

 

Over the next few weeks, the Grade 4/5 parents are excited to launch a delicious fundraiser with Terra Cotta Cookies to help fund their winter adventure to Camp Pine Crest—and they are counting on your support!


Simply visit the Terra Cotta website to explore 12 delectable peanut-free and nut-free frozen cookie dough flavors, including two gluten-free choices and a vegan option. At only $15 for a dozen cookie dough drops, it is the perfect treat for the holiday season or any time you’re craving fresh-baked cookies.


With every order, you are helping our Grade 4/5 students experience an unforgettable trip filled with snowshoeing, survival skills, and safely supervised marshmallow roasting around an open fire.


Ready to join in the cookie fun? Click here to place your order and show your support! All orders will be available for pickup at dismissal on December 16.


Thank you for helping make this adventure possible for our Grade 4/5 students!

 

4. Parent Education Event

Tuesday, November 26 | 6:00-8:00pm
Building Emotion Regulation Skills in Your School-Age Child: Navigating Big Feelings in a Digital Age

How do we help our children manage overwhelming emotions in today's fast-paced world? Join Dr. Zia Lakdawalla (bio) for an enlightening session that bridges the latest research with practical, everyday solutions for your family. Learn why some children struggle with emotional outbursts, and discover effective strategies to guide them toward emotional resilience while fostering calm in our fast-paced, high-tech, and highly stimulating world.

 

Through real-world examples and interactive discussion, you'll gain confidence in balancing loving support with healthy boundaries – helping your child develop the emotional skills they need to thrive. Whether you're dealing with homework meltdowns, friendship challenges, or screen-time battles, Dr. Zia will share tools that strengthen your parent-child connection while building your child's emotional muscles.



Need babysitting? Register here:

 

5. Lunch & Learn with Ellie:

Good Night, Great Days: How Sleep Fuels Your Child

NEXT WEEK: Thursday, November 28 | 12:30-1:30pm

Please join us for the 2nd Lunch and Learn of the school year as we talk about sleep and how to support your child (and family!) in getting a good night's rest.

There will be a 30 min (recorded) presentation followed by 30 minutes (unrecorded) of discussion and questions. 

 

6. Book Fair & Book Night

Tuesday, December 3 & Wednesday, December 4
decorative book night and book fair poster

Two beloved JICS community annual events return this year – the Book Fair and Book Night!


On Tuesday, December 3, and Wednesday, December 4, 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 4, 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 an unwrapped toy or gift for the Kids Who Care Fun Drive with you to Book Night! See the list of requested items below in this post. All contributions will be donated to the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre on December 12.

 

7. Step Aside, Richard - We're Getting a New Principal in Town!


Does your child dream of leading the school for a day? Imagine extending recess, handing out treats to every student, taking over Richard’s office, or even making homework illegal!

Here’s their chance to make it happen:

Starting TODAY online and at Book Night on December 4, we’ll be selling tickets for a special lottery.

🎟️ $20 for one ticket

🎟️ $35 for two tickets

🎟️ $50 for five tickets

The lucky winner will take over as Principal for the Day for a date determined in the new year! The grand draw will take place during the Festival of Lights Sing-Along on December 20.

Best of all, all proceeds from the lottery will go to the PA's Patrick Harvie Arts Fund, helping to enrich the arts at JICS.

(Eligibility limited to JICS students.)


*In the 'private message' section, please specify your child's name for the raffle. If you're purchasing for multiple children, specify the amount of tickets designated per child.*

 

8. Coffee & Conversation for Early Years Parents

Finding the Holiday Harmony: Balancing Play and Plans for Young Children
Thursday, December 5 | 9:00-10:00 am (after drop-off)

Join us for the next Coffee and Conversation, in person, after drop off on Thursday December 5th (9-10 am) with Ellie and Chriss. We will discuss how to balance the needs of children for structured and unstructured time over the holidays.  

 

9. A Message from the JICS Kids Who Care Club on World Children's Day:

Please Contribute to our Toy Drive for the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre by December 12

Dear JICS Lab School Community:

 

Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that all children have the right to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate for their age. In honour of World Children’s Day on November 20, the United Nations’ annual day of action for children by children, the JICS Kids Who Care Club is launching a Fun Drive for children aged 0-18 who are guests at the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre. We invite you to bring new, unused items to donate to the reception area in the school. The drive will continue until December 12th, when all donated items will be delivered to the Centre. This deadline is firm as the staff will be wrapping the donated items and giving the gifts to their clients during a holiday celebration. 

 

Here is a list of items that the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre has told us their guests would appreciate. 

Please note that they are requesting new, unused items only.


  • Stuffed animals

  • Magna tiles

  • Building blocks

  • Dolls

  • Crayons/markers/coloured pencils

  • Activity booklets

  • Board games

  • Cards

  • Books for 0-12 months

  • Craft supplies

  • Pretend food

  • Backpacks

  • Hair clips

  • Hair brushes

  • Skipping ropes

  • Bubbles

  • Soccer balls and basketballs

  • Anything else for teen clients


Thank you for supporting the JICS Kids Who Care initiative to bring joy to children living in an emergency shelter in our neighbourhood. 

 

10. Natural Curiosity - Workshop Recording


Developed by the JICS Lab School, Natural Curiosity (NC) is an innovative environmental and land-based inquiry program that helps teachers address a critical link between environmental and Indigenous education. In doing so, NC provides professional learning opportunities for educators across Turtle Island (North America), including webinars, workshops, walking tours, and communities of practice, to support them on their journey of centering Indigenous perspectives in children’s environmental inquiry. We are happy to share this free recording of a recent NC workshop, part of the “Take Me Outside Day” on October 23.

 

The session explores how to integrate the four branches of the Natural Curiosity framework, guiding educators to bring their students outdoors for deepened learning experiences.  Designed to inspire, the session offers actionable strategies to create transformative outdoor learning experiences that connect students to the natural world throughout the seasons.


 

Photos from the week!



 

Upcoming November Events

Hindu Heritage Month

Fri 22 – School-wide Children's Clothing Swap. Room 120

Fri 22 – Last day of Fall Interns in classrooms

Tues 26 – 6:00-8:00pm Parent Education Event with Dr. Zia. JICS. RSVP (Babysitting)

Thur 28 – 12:30-1:30 Lunch & Learn with Ellie RSVP

 

Upcoming December Events


Mon 2 – Deadline for cookie orders (Order here)

Tues 3 – Giving Tuesday

Tues 3 – Book Fair (details)

Wed 4 – Book Fair & Book Night Pyjama Party (details)

Thur 5 – Coffee & Conversation for Early Years Parents RSVP

Wed 11 – Meeting of Parents of BIPOC Children RSVP

Thur 12 – Last day of Toy Drive

Mon 16 to Fri 20 – Term 1 Report Card distribution (Nursery to Grade 6)

Fri 20 – Last day of Fall Term. School ends at noon. Daycare open until 6:00pm

Sun 22 – Winter Solstice

Mon 23 – Winter Holidays begin.

Wed 25 – Hanukkah begins at sunset (Dec 25 to Jan 2)

Wed 25 – Christmas Day

Thur 26 – Kwanzaa begins (Dec 26 to Jan 1)

 

Upcoming January Events


Mon 6 – Winter Term begins. Daycare opens at 8:00am. School opens at 8:35am.

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DR. ERIC JACKMAN INSTITUTE OF CHILD STUDY

LAB SCHOOL

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