1 day ago

Report Cards, Fall Newsletter, Tabla Lessons

JICS at a Glance

We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:

Report Cards will be sent home today in a sealed envelope!
Festivals of Lights - JICS Holiday Sing-along tomorrow at 9:00 am
Check out the Fall Newsletter (check email for password)
Sign your child up for Tabla Lessons with the Daycare by Jan 8
RSVP for the Parent Education Night with Kai Cheng Thom - Jan 13, 6-8 pm
- Register for free babysitting by Jan 9
Re-enrolment forms & deposits are due by Jan 15, 2025

group of teachers inside an indigenous teaching lodge

Topics covered in this post:

(Click to navigate straight to a section)

Last Day of School
Festivals of Lights - JICS Holiday Sing-Along - Dec 20, 9:00-10:00 am
Holiday Greetings
Report Cards
JICS Fall Edition Newsletter
Daycare News - Tabla Lessons
Book Night Success
Parent Education Night: Surfacing Stories of Differences, with Kai Cheng Thom
Re-enrolment for 2025-2026
Thank You for Contributing to Our Toy Drive for the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre
Photos from the week
Upcoming December Events
Upcoming January Events

1. Last Day of School

The Fall Term ends tomorrow, Friday, December 20 at 12:00pm (6:00pm for registered daycare users). There is no hot lunch program. The JICS building is closed during the holidays.

2. Festivals of Lights - JICS Holiday Sing-Along

December 20, 9:00-10:00 am

Join us for a luminous celebration at the JICS Holiday Sing-along on December 20th, from 9:00 to 10:00 am! As we bid farewell to the Fall Term, we're crafting a special morning where parents/caregivers are invited to join us in the school auditorium. Led by our music teachers, Suzanne, Russell, and Jayda, 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'll unite in song to honor the diverse festivities that brighten this season.

3. Holiday Greetings

Wishing everyone a holiday season filled with joy, peace, and cherished moments. We are excited to welcome everyone back on Monday, January 6, 2025.

4. Report Cards

We are pleased to inform you that your child’s Fall Report Card is ready and will be sent home with them today in a sealed envelope. Please look for it at the end of the day.

5. JICS Fall Edition Newsletter

At JICS, we believe in fostering a strong partnership with parents by providing abundant information. That is why we offer weekly or biweekly teacher class-specific summary emails, Thursday's Parent Information Posts, First Term and Final report cards, parent-teacher interviews/meetings, and more.

Our JICS Newsletter serves as a window into the wider school experiences, offering insights you might not have come across otherwise. A special thanks to Krista for her dedicated work in publishing it! Crafted to be enjoyed by both parents and children, we highly recommend taking a peek at the captivating Fall Newsletter together.

To access the Fall Newsletter, use the password provided in the Parent Information Post email. It's a fantastic opportunity to share and explore together!

FALL NEWSLETTER

6. Daycare News - Tabla Lessons

The Daycare is excited to be able to offer group tabla lessons at JICS on Wednesdays 3:00 to 3:30pm. The tabla is a percussion instrument originating from the South Asian subcontinent. The lesson will focus on the technique of playing tabla, as well as principles of the Hindustani genre of classical music: improvisation, call and answer, and learning rhythms through an oral tradition.

When: Wednesdays 3:00-3:30 pm

Cost for Registered Daycare Users: $30 per child per lesson

Cost for Non Daycare Users: $65.00 per child per lesson (includes childcare until 6pm)

Program Dates: January 15 to March 12, 2025

Registration Deadline: January 8, 2025

Registration Instructions:

- Email reenakilian@gmail.com and ics.after.school.daycare@gmail.com

- Include the name and age of each child

There will be a maximum of 5 children per group. If the interest is high, we would be able to offer another class from 3:30 to 4:00pm on Wednesdays. There will be a second term of the program after March Break until June. Children who are in daycare will move from tabla class back to their daycare group. We are very excited to invite Ravi Naimpally to teach our children!

7. Book Night Success

A heartfelt thank you to all the JICS families who made the return of Book Night an incredible success last week! We are thrilled to share that our Another Story book sales raised an impressive $6076.12, with $1220 going towards our school library! Your support will enable us to expand our collection with a rich variety of diverse books, continuing to enrich the reading experiences of our community. Thank you for making this event a resounding triumph!

8. Parent Education Night: Surfacing Stories of Difference, with Kai Cheng Tom

Monday January 13 | 6:00-8:00 pm

In-Person at JICS | Babysitting Offered | Presented by the JICS Parents' Association

We are thrilled to announce that acclaimed facilitator and author, Kai Cheng Thom, is returning to host two more parent education sessions! The first session will take place on January 13th, and the second is planned for February (exact date TBA). Many of you will remember Kai Cheng’s session last year, which received overwhelmingly positive feedback. We hope you’ll join us this year!

What to Expect:

Kai Cheng’s beautifully designed facilitated exercises offer participants a chance to share diverse perspectives and often unseen experiences. This evening will honour diversity, through uplifting these stories in a way that both celebrates them for their beauty, and also recognizes challenges.

Purpose:

These sessions aim to: build a better understanding of the varied experiences within our parent community; foster a deeper sense of belonging; and share valuable feedback with school leadership which helps shape a more inclusive school for our kids.

A Very Important Note:

The facilitated exercises that Kai Cheng offers will not require anyone to engage in public speaking if they don’t wish to. There will be many different options for sharing that are inclusive at a wide range of comfort levels. All will be invited to participate in ways that feel right for them, which includes observation only. Expect a warm, welcoming and compassionate environment. No experience or preparation is necessary.

Registration is required - please register by 12:00pm Monday, January 13.

Babysitting is available and requires pre-registration by Thursday, January 9.

Space is limited and we cannot guarantee availability to those who have not registered before the deadline.

9. Re-enrolment for 2025-2026

To secure your child's place at JICS in 2025-2026, please submit the completed re-enrolment form along with the non-refundable $5,000 deposit to the office by January 15, 2025. Before deciding to re-enrol, we encourage you to review the JICS values, philosophy, and mission.

Please note that beginning January 16, 2025, the Admissions Team will offer any unclaimed spots to new applicants.

10. Thank You for Contributing to Our Toy Drive for the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre

In honour of World Children’s Day on November 20 (the UN’s annual day of action for children by children), the JICS Kids Who Care Club launched a toy drive for children residing at the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre. We were truly overwhelmed by the incredible response from our community and are deeply grateful to everyone who generously donated toys and other gift items. A special thank you to the JICS family who delivered all the donated items to the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre. The staff there were thrilled by the outpouring of generosity from our community and shared this message:

“Thanks to the children, parents, and staff for organizing this wonderful drive and making our children’s holiday better!”

Thank you to the entire JICS community for supporting the JICS Kids Who Care Club’s initiative and helping bring joy and happiness to children living in an emergency shelter in our neighbourhood.