JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
Please ensure you have read and agreed to the JICS Parent Handbook
Tuition balance deadline: Friday, August 30
Outstanding forms (SFO) to be addressed without delay
Wednesday Afternoon Program details (registration: Tues, Aug 27 at 10:00am)
Hot Lunch Program sign-up (Deadline: Thur, Sept 5)
Topics covered in this post:
1. Welcome Back!
We hope this message finds you in good health and enjoying the pleasures of the last days of summer. We are excitedly awaiting the return of our students with open arms. To our new students and families, we extend a warm and heartfelt welcome as you join the JICS Family this year.
In June, we shared the JICS Parent Handbook, a comprehensive guide outlining our plans and policies for the 2024-2025 school year. This document contains new important information that you need to be aware of. We require that all JICS parents read and agree to the information in the Parent Handbook and refer to the Handbook throughout the year. The cohesiveness of the JICS community, encompassing both families and staff, derives its potency from our collective dedication to education and our unified comprehension of school policies and the procedures set for ensuring the holistic well-being of our cherished children.
Our pledge remains steadfast: delivering an unparalleled education, fostering an intentionally diverse and nurturing environment that prioritizes the sense of security of each child. This environment thrives on trust, care, and compassion between educators and students, bolstered by learning experiences rooted in inquiry, developmental readiness, and the latest educational research. In essence, the JICS Lab School is a place where a genuine love for learning is cultivated.
2. Tuition Balance Payment Schedule
As we prepare for the upcoming school year, kindly be reminded of the tuition balance payment schedule. We request that you remit the tuition balance for the 2024-2025 academic year to Shama Joshi, our School Office Administrator. You can do so on any weekday from 9:00am to 4:00pm, with the deadline set for Friday, August 30. The designated location is the school office at 45 Walmer Road.
Nursery 2024-2025 Tuition: $18,723
An initial deposit of $5,000 and the enrollment fee were submitted upon acceptance.
50% of the balance was fulfilled in April.
Tuition balance remaining: $6,861.50
Full Day (JK to Grade 6) 2024-2025 Tuition: $29,092
A deposit of $5,000 was submitted in January.
50% of the balance was fulfilled in April.
Tuition balance remaining: $12,046.00
3. The First Days of School - Tuesday, Sept 3 (full day)
The first day of school and daycare is Tuesday, September 3, 2023 (8:45am-3:30pm). Wednesday, September 4, is reserved for a half day (noon dismissal) due to the launch of the Wednesday Afternoon Program on September 11. If you are enrolled in our Daycare, Anne Marie is at your service for inquiries regarding the afternoon of September 4. Full-day classes will resume on Thursday and Friday. Detailed arrival and dismissal instructions for each grade can be found in the Parent Handbook.
The entry for Nursery children will be staggered over several days, commencing on Tuesday, September 3.
4. Student Forms Online (SFO)
Our sincere gratitude for your commitment to completing the Student Forms Online (SFO). Any outstanding forms must be addressed without delay (click here to complete forms). The information provided in these forms is crucial for the assembly of emergency binders for every classroom, contributing to a safe learning environment for your child/children.
5. Wednesday Afternoon Program
The Wednesday Afternoon Program (WAP), an array of extra-curricular classes designed for Grade 1 to 6 students, launches on Wednesday, September 11 (not September 6). This year, the WAP will run in two sessions: September 11 to January 22 and January 29 to June 11. The cost is $750 per session. Each session is 18 weeks (last year, each session was 12 weeks).
The First Session details are now accessible: WAP Session 1 Details
Online registration will open on Tuesday, August 27 at 10:00am.
To ensure registration, please submit your payment ($750/child) no later than Friday, September 6. Payments can be made by credit card or cheque.
Credit Card: a link to our payment site will be shared in your registration confirmation email.
Cheque: please bring payment by cheque to Shama in the School Office. Cheques are payable to University of Toronto.
While we are committed to accommodating every interested participant, please note that spots are limited and allotted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Parents of Kindergarten (JK and SK) students seeking Wednesday afternoon care can explore the "Creative Play Program" provided by ICS Daycare. For more information, kindly contact the Daycare Supervisor, Anne Marie Bartoli, at 416-934-4522 or visit ICS After School Daycare.
6. Hot Lunch Program
The Lunch Mom (TLM) administers the elective hot lunch program at JICS, presenting a much-appreciated convenience for our parent community. This program is available each day of the week. Below is a message from TLM for your reference:
Dear JICS Community,
We are thrilled to announce that we will be continuing with our BUFFET STYLE hot lunch service at JICS in the Fall! The buffet style lunch service allows children to modify their meals to their taste (i.e. - no sauce, more meatballs, plain pasta etc.) and they can even come for seconds.
Families can sign up for one to five days per week, and lunch days are sorted by food types to make it easy for parents of fussy eaters. Each meal will be served with a daily raw fruit and vegetable in addition to the hot portion of the lunch. Our morning snack program (for Grades 1 to 6) is also available again this year.
Lunch ordering is completely online and done three times a year. Fall Term 1 is September 11 - December. The Fall menu is found on the site, right above the order entry section (and will be posted tomorrow.)
Our kitchen is completely pork, nut and seed free. Other allergies can be accommodated, as can vegetarian meals (or just a beef free option). Just make a note in the comments section of the order if your child has special requirements. Questions? Just email me at tricia@thelunchmom.com.
Order deadline is Thursday, September 5 at noon and lunch starts MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th.
We look forward to feeding your kids again this Fall!
Regards,
The Lunch Mom Catering
Tricia Tait (aka "The Lunch Mom")
Ordering is online at www.thelunchmom.com, and you can find menus and other information on the site!
7. Snacks
Nursery, JK, and SK participate in a healthy and nutritious nut-free snack program, administered by the child’s teacher every morning, beginning September 3.
For Grades 1 to 6, students are invited to bring a healthy, nut-free, snack from home or order from The Lunch Mom https://www.thelunchmom.com which will begin their snack delivery service on Monday, September 9.
8. Daycare
Registration information for our licensed Day Care was communicated through email on Monday. For more information, kindly contact the Daycare Supervisor, Anne Marie Bartoli, at 416-934-4522 or visit ICS After School Daycare.
9. Promote Diversity through the Arts - Donate to the Patrick Harvie Arts Fund
At the JICS Lab School, we recognize that learning within a diverse community is a cornerstone of true education. We highly value the contributions of parents and invited guests who enrich our classrooms by sharing their cultural traditions, participating in events, and helping us recognize special days (e.g., Mawlid al-Nabi, Orange Shirt Day, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Diwali, Yule, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Lunar New Year, Yalda Night, Ramadan, Vaisakhi, Nowruz, Holi, Easter, Passover, Eid-al-Fitr, The Hajj, Nakba Remembrance Day).
Last year, we launched an exciting initiative to create school-wide, arts-based diversity-learning experiences for all students. We organized a series of assemblies and events that celebrated our rich diversity and wove arts education into the fabric of our students’ learning.
We believe that Arts education is vital to students’ intellectual, social, physical, and emotional development. Weekly Drama, Music, and Visual Arts classes provide a natural platform for our students to explore, express themselves, and understand the world around them. In addition to these classes, here are some highlights from last year’s school-wide arts-based assemblies and guest artists:
Orange Shirt Day/Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Musician Nathan Roy, Anishinaabe from the Wikwemikong First Nation, and Grammy-nominated Bear Creek Drum Group Singer.
Islamic Heritage Month: Performances by internationally renowned singer/instrumentalist Maryam Tollar and percussionist Naghmeh Farahmand (Persian Daff/Frame Drum).
Hindu Heritage Month Diwali Assembly: Tabla artist, Dhaivat Jani.
Festivals of Light (celebrating Hanukkah, Diwali, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Yalda Night, Winter Solstice, Yule): Fancy shawl and jingle dress dancer Nichole M. Leveck (Wyandat/Algonquin) and singer/drummer Isaiah Cada (Ojibwe).
Black History Month: Ngoma presentation and dance workshop by Carnival Spice & Everything Nice Dance Group. Steelpan workshop with Winston “Pappy” Frederick.
Lunar New Year: Wai Mo Lion Dance Performance.
Asian Heritage Month: Toronto Chinese Orchestra performance and workshop. Junior Grades workshops with Emmanuelle Châteauneuf, a Filipino-French Canadian graphic artist and writer.
Pink Shirt Day: Fay and Fluffy Storytellers Assembly.
International Francophone Week: Njacko Backo African Voyage Dance Performance.
PRIDE: Queer Songbook Orchestra.
These enriching experiences were made possible by the JICS Patrick Harvie Arts Fund, established to enhance arts education by involving professional artists from our community. For more information about the fund’s history and our Artist-in-Residence Program, please visit our website here.
Our goal is to raise $10,000 to support our ambitious new line-up of artists for the 2024-2025 school year. With your help, we can continue to provide meaningful, school-wide arts experiences for all students!
Donations can be made online at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/102060
or by cheque. Please make cheques payable to the JICS Parents’ Association (subject line: PHA Fund) and submit them at the front desk in reception. Tax receipts are issued for all donations.
10. Connecting
Your inquiries, clarifications, and suggestions are always welcomed. Additionally, our dedicated classroom teachers will be reaching out to you in the upcoming days.
11. Professional Development Week
As part of our ongoing commitment, the entire team, including teachers and staff, will be actively participating in our Professional Development Week commencing August 26. We are looking forward to learning about the newest research in math instruction with Dr. John Mighton, Fellow of the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, UofT and Dr. Brent Davis, Distinguished Research Chair in Mathematics Education, University of Calgary.
12. JICS Family Website & Weekly Updates
Commencing today, a weekly email "post" containing current and important information will be dispatched to parents every Thursday. These posts will also be stored in the archives of the www.JICSFamily.com website. Notification emails for new postings will be sent through the school database. The JICS Family website serves as a valuable resource, housing comprehensive details about the school, along with an archive of weekly posts from preceding years. This repository offers a wealth of insights and historical context.
Thank you for your continued partnership in fostering an environment where every child thrives and belongs. We look forward to embarking on this academic journey together. May the remaining weeks of summer bring forth joyful moments and an abundance of laughter and enjoyment.
13. Upcoming August Events
Tues 27 – Wednesday Afternoon Program registration opens at 10:00am
Thur 29 – Open House for new students (JK to Grade 6)
Fri 30 – Deadline for tuition balance payment
14. Upcoming September Events
Mon 2 – Labour Day
Tues 3 – First Day of School and First Day of Daycare
Fri 6 – Deadline for Wednesday Afternoon Program payment
Fri 6 – (noon) Deadline for Hot Lunch Program registration
Mon 9 – Hot Lunch Program begins for registered students
Wed 11 – Wednesday Afternoon Program (Gr 1-6) begins for registered students
Fri 13 – School-wide lice check. Thank you to the Parents’ Association!
Mon 16 – Photo Day (details coming soon)
Mon 16 to Fri 20 – JICS Safety Practice Week (fire drill, lock-down drill)
Wed 18 – Curriculum Night 6:00-9:00pm (details coming soon)
Fri 20 – Terry Fox Run. JK to Gr 6 (details coming soon)
Tues 24 to Fri 27 – Grade 6 Trip to Camp Arowhon (Alive Outdoors)
Wed 25 – Rowan’s Day (Concussion Awareness)
Mon 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day. School assembly.
Mon 30 – JICS “All Parents & Teachers” September Social in gym 6:00-7:30pm. (details coming soon)
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