JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
JICS Summer Lab Registration is open! Register here
Pink Shirt Day is Wednesday, February 26
RSVP to Upcoming Events:
Coffee & Conversation for JICS Parents with Ellie: February 27 at 9:00 am
Research Night & Parent Social - Mon March 3, 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm (free babysitting)
Please ensure your child has proper outdoor shoes AND indoor shoes at school
Topics covered in this post:
(Click to navigate straight to a section)
Photos of Student Artwork
1. Welcome New JICS Families
With this POST, we are thrilled to extend a heartfelt welcome to the newest members of the JICS family: the little ones joining the Nursery cohort and the students stepping into various grades this coming September 2025. We encourage you to actively engage in the array of events we have lined up for the remainder of the school year (parent education events, family gatherings). Be sure to keep an eye on our weekly Parent Information POST for all the details.
Looking ahead to the summer, the JICS Parents’ Association (PA) Executive has exciting plans for a JICS Summer Camp in July. More information is included in this POST.
Also, during the summer, our PA will reach out to new families to help organize playdates, fostering connections among your child and fellow cohort members. It is a wonderful opportunity for new students to build friendships before the school year begins. For new parents interested in taking on a more active role within our community, consider joining the JICS PA Executive. Whether as a class representative or in an Executive Position, your contributions will make a significant impact and provide you with more opportunities to connect with the school. Feel free to contact PA President, Megan for more information on how you can get involved. We are eager to make your experience at JICS truly exceptional, and we look forward to creating lasting memories together.
2. JICS Summer Lab Registration Now Open
Registration for JICS Summer Lab has officially opened, and as expected, demand has been high!
Thank you to those of you who have helped us spread the word. The excitement is real, and spaces are already filling up quickly! Whether or not your family plans to participate, we would love your continued support in sharing this opportunity with friends, neighbors, and colleagues.
Why JICS Summer Lab?
Rooted in the world-class educational philosophy of the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute for Child Study, our program is designed to ignite curiosity and foster a love for learning. One of our signature programs is Natural Curiosity, which is deeply informed by Indigenous perspectives and land-based learning, fostering a deep connection to the natural world, inspiring students to become active participants in their own education and stewards of the environment.
What to Expect:
JICS Summer Lab Staff are led by experienced educators, Teacher Candidates from Bachelor of Education programs across the city; teacher candidates and graduates of our very own Master of Arts in Child Study at JICS.
Engaging activities inspired by art, leadership, and inquiry-based approach that sets JICS apart.
An ongoing commitment to, and celebration of diversity and inclusion
Lunch and aftercare options to support busy families
Join Us in Making an Impact
JICS Summer Lab is more than just a camp—it’s an initiative that benefits the broader community. Proceeds from this program contribute to the JICS Endowment Fund, ensuring ongoing and rich diversity and excellence in education for generations to come.
Additionally, what an awesome way to introduce the wider community to JICS and share our unique approach to learning.
Don’t miss out on this incredible summer experience—
3. Pink Shirt Day
Wednesday, February 26
We are celebrating Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday, February 26. The day was created to mark a protest organized by two students in Nova Scotia in support of a boy who was bullied for wearing pink. We at JICS do not want to let such a day pass without honouring it. However, the staff feel that ideas and attitudes around many issues, including those involving the colour pink, are evolving, and our students are among the vanguard. Many of our younger students view and wear pink without the gendered stigma that it has had in the past. For this reason, we reframe Pink Shirt Day as a celebration of pink as a colour of love and acceptance of all people. We invite students to wear a pink shirt on February 26 as an act of love and friendship.
4. Parent Social and Research Night
Monday, March 3
We are excited to invite you to our upcoming "Research Night" on Monday, March 3rd. This special evening will feature a parent social, where you can connect with other parents and enjoy light refreshments. Following the social, researchers and teachers will present fascinating studies that have taken place in our classrooms. We look forward to sharing these insights with you and fostering a deeper connection between our school community and the incredible work being done here. Free babysitting is available onsite for JICS students.
REGISTER FOR THE PARENT SOCIAL & JICS RESEARCH NIGHT:
REGISTER FOR FREE BABYSITTING:
5. Daycare March Break Camp
Sign up by emailing ics.after.school.daycare@gmail.com
6. Outdoor Clothing and Shoes
At JICS, we foster a learning environment where children engage in outdoor play, regardless of the weather – be it rain, snow, or chilly conditions. To ensure your child's comfort and well-being, kindly equip them with suitable outdoor clothing tailored to prevailing weather conditions. Essential are proper outdoor shoes. This measure helps us maintain a clean and welcoming indoor classroom space by preventing the tracking of snow inside and onto indoor carpets. Children are required to have a set of indoor shoes for safety reasons.
7. Natural Curiosity
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.
Help Natural Curiosity support 30,000 educators in 2025 by donating just $20 today!
Every donation, no matter the size, helps educators bring environmental learning to life through Indigenous perspectives, empowering students to imagine a better world and take the steps necessary to make that world a reality.
As a 100% donor-funded program, your support is essential to providing free resources and expanding environmental education and Indigenous language programs for all. The Government of Canada has extended the eligible period for charitable donations—contribute by February 28th and receive a 2024 tax receipt.
Miigwetch/Hiy hiy/Nya:wen for considering a gift to Natural Curiosity.
8. Parent Education with JICS Social Worker, Ellie
We welcome all JICS parents to our Coffee and Conversation mornings. Join us for this opportunity to connect and share ideas with other parents. The topic for the next gathering is Letting them Lead: The Benefits of Child Directed Play.
Photos of Student Artwork
Upcoming February Events
Black History Month
Mon 24-Tues 25 – Japanese Teacher-Candidates visiting JICS
Tues 25-Fri 28 – Grade 4/5 students at YMCA Pine Crest Camp
Wed 26 – Pink Shirt Day/Anti-Bullying Day
Thus 27 – Coffee and Conversation Parent Education Session with Ellie 9:00am RSVP
Fri 28 – Ramadan (begins at sunset)
Upcoming March Events
Readathon Month
Sat 1 to Sun 30 – Ramadan
Mon 3 – Readathon Assembly
Mon 3 – Parent Education “Research Night” 5:00-6:00 Parent Social, 6:00-7:30 Research Presentation RSVP. Free babysitting for current JICS students (Register for babysitting).
Thur 6 – Last day of 1st Year Teacher-Candidate Practicum (JK to Grade 6)
Sat 8 – International Women’s Day
Mon 10 to Fri 14 – March Break Week 1 (School and Daycare closed)
Thur 13 to Fri 14 – Purim
Fri 14 - Holi
Mon 17 to Fri 21 – March Break Week 2 (School closed. Daycare open to registered users.)
Thur 20 – Spring Equinox (feasting of the JICS bundle) and Nowruz
Mon 24 – Spring Term begins
Thur 27 – School-wide lice check (Thank you, PA!)
Sun 30 – Eid al-Fitr (begins at sunset)
Mon 31 to April 2 – Eid al-Fitr
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