Oct 10

Food Safety, Arrival, Tuition Support

JICS at a Glance

We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:

A “Food to Share in Class” form is mandatory for all food brought to school to share
RSVP to upcoming events:
- Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting - Oct 16
- Lunch & Learn with Ellie: Home School Collaboration - Oct 17
Join us at 9:00am on October 31st for our Halloween Assembly!
Deadline for applications to Apple Financial for Tuition Support is November 10

children building and testing rafts from natural materials in a pond

Topics covered in this post:

(Click to navigate straight to a section)

Thanksgiving Closure - Monday, October 14
Thanksgiving Reflection: The Words That Come Before All Else
Bringing Food to Share at School
Safe Arrival - Driving to JICS
Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting - Wednesday, October 16
Lunch & Learn with Ellie - Thursday, October 17
Message from Toronto Public Health
Halloween
Halloween Candy
Financial Support
Visitors to the JICS Lab School
Cross Country Running Club Meet
Photos from the week!
Upcoming October Events
Upcoming November Events

G'mar Chatima Tovah. Wishing everyone a good final sealing on this holiest day in Judaism (October 11).

1. Thanksgiving Closure

Monday, October 14

In observance of Thanksgiving, please note that our school and daycare will be closed on Monday, October 14. 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.

2. Thanksgiving Reflection:

The Worlds 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.

3. Bringing Food to Share at School

We know that sharing food is an important part of some celebrations including class breakfasts and cultural/religious events. At the same time, we have students who have life-threatening food allergies. It is IMPERATIVE that all food brought to school has been pre-approved by the classroom teacher and the principals, and that a list of ingredients is provided for packaged food, as well as for baked or homemade food.

Here are the procedures to follow when you wish to bring food to share:

Email your classroom teacher to ask about bringing food to the class and when this might work.
Your classroom teacher will email you our “Food to Share in Class” form. The teacher will list any allergies or food sensitivities for students in the class on the form.
Fill out the form and bring it to the school or email it back to the classroom teacher.
The classroom teacher will share the completed form with the principals to seek approval, and then will inform the parent of the decision.
All of these steps need to be completed at least one day before; any food arriving the day of without previous approval will not be served to children.

What type of food is allowed?

We request that any food brought to the school be something that all the students can eat without exception, taking into account any food sensitivities or allergies in the class.
It is mandatory that any food coming to the school is guaranteed “nut free” either on the label or by the store producing the food. We cannot take the risk of cross-contamination from a bakery where nut products are used.
For food items baked or prepared in home kitchens, we ask that parents ensure all ingredients used are guaranteed “nut free” and that cutting boards, counters, and cooking utensils are cleaned thoroughly beforehand to prevent cross-contamination.
In some cases where there are extreme allergies in the class, we may not be able to accept food items prepared in home kitchens.

Class Breakfasts

Class breakfasts are wonderfully community building and we love them. They are also too busy and chaotic a time for teachers to be collecting forms.
If you want to contribute food to a class breakfast, please hand in a completed food sharing form at least one day before to obtain approval.
Any food arriving the day of the class breakfast without previous approval will not be served to children.

Thank you for following our procedures as we work together to keep all our students safe and healthy.

4. Safe Arrival - Driving to JICS

All families are requested to use Walmer Road as a one-way street heading north. This eases congestion and blockages that often occur at peak times and improves safety for our children.

We have received complaints about vehicles heading south using our neighbor's driveway for U-turns, which is both unsafe for families walking on the sidewalk and not respectful to our neighbours.

5. Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting

Wednesday, October 16

7:00-8:30pm (in-person)

Created by JICS parents for JICS parents, this meeting is designed for conversation and advocacy for families at JICS with BIPOC children. All parents of a BIPOC student at JICS are welcome.

The intention of this meeting is to gain a greater understanding of the issues facing our BIPOC children at school, so that we may support them during their time at JICS. As well as discuss how the JICS BIPOC parents can support the teachers and help with the school's cultural celebrations.

Parents of BIPOC Children Meeting

October 16, 2024, 7:00–8:30 p.m.|Virtual Event

6. Lunch & Learn with Ellie

Thursday, October 17

12:30-1:30pm (virtual)

Please join Ellie, Richard and Chriss for the first lunch and learn of the year. This is a chance for us to share more about JICS's approach to supporting children's behaviour at school and respond to your questions. As usual there will be a 30 minute (recorded) meeting followed by 30 minutes of (unrecorded) questions and discussion.

Lunch & Learn: Home School Collaboration

October 17, 2024, 12:30–1:30 p.m.|Zoom Meeting (emailed to those registered)

7. Message from Toronto Public Health

Toronto Public Health has informed us about the symptoms of whooping cough (pertussis). Early symptoms may include a mild runny nose, congestion, or a dry cough, which can progress to sudden, severe coughing fits that may end with a high-pitched "whoop" sound. If your child develops any of these symptoms, it is important to contact their doctor promptly. Toronto Public Health also strongly recommends that all children and adults ensure they are fully immunized against whooping cough to help prevent its spread.

8. Halloween

Parents, please join our JK to Grade 6 Halloween Celebration Assembly on Thursday, October 31st, at the witching hour of 9:00am, in our enchanted gym. Our talented music teachers, Suzanne Schwenger, Russell Hersen, and Jayda Lam 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!

9. 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.

10. 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 2025-2026 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 Diana Rankin Muncaster Family Tuition Support Fund or the JICS Lab School Endowment Fund, please see here or speak with Richard Messina.

11. Visitors to the JICS Lab School

The JICS Lab School is an innovative environment where theoretical concepts and research-based ideas come to life. We warmly welcome educators and researchers from around the globe to explore our practices. Our visitors have included representatives from Ministries of Education, public school boards, teachers, and teacher educators. Below are two recent groups we had the pleasure of hosting last week.

Eight senior members of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education, including Dr. Abdulrahman Alruwaili, CEO of the Saudi National Curriculum Centre, visited the JICS Lab School and OISE. After conducting research on university lab schools worldwide earlier this year, they were particularly impressed by our exemplary education, research, and teacher education program, leading them to select the JICS Lab School and OISE as formal collaborators to support the development of lab schools in Saudi Arabia.

Lisa Siegmann, Director of Hunter College School, a prestigious K-12 school for intellectually gifted students in Manhattan, along with Dr. Leanne Foster, Principal of the University of Toronto Schools (UTS), visited and toured the JICS Lab School. Their goal was to learn more about our unique approach to inquiry-based learning that helps to produce students who are not only critical thinkers but also adept problem solvers, equipped with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in an ever-changing global landscape.

Lisa Siegmann, Richard Messina, and Dr. Leanne Foster

12. Cross Country Running Club Meet

We are excited to share these photos of our Cross Country Team (Grades 4-6) who raced today at Winston Churchill Park during the TDSB Running Meet! A big thank you to the parents who came out to support and cheer on our runners. The children trained diligently three times a week in the mornings, and we are grateful to Coaches Luke and Judith for their guidance and support.