JICS at a Glance
We've condensed the important highlights for your convenience:
School is closed on Feb 14 & Feb 17 - Register your child/ren for Daycare on Feb 14
JICS Summer Lab Registration opens Feb 19 at 10:00am!
Register your child for the Daycare March Break Camp by Feb 15
Save the date for Art Night - Feb 19 *Please note the updated entry times
Pink Shirt Day is Wednesday, February 26
RSVP to Upcoming Events:
Coffee & Conversation for JICS Parents with Ellie: February 27 at 9:00 am
Save the Date for Research Night & Parent Social - Mon March 3
Topics covered in this post:
(Click to navigate straight to a section)
1. Midterm Holiday
The Lab School will be closed tomorrow (Nursery to Grade 6) and Monday, February 17 (Family Day). We wish everyone a well-earned mid-term holiday. The Daycare is open for registered users on Friday, February 14. Don't hesitate to contact Daycare Director Anne Marie for more information.
2. JICS Summer Lab Registration Opens on Wednesday, February 19th, at 10:00AM!
Mark your calendars! Registration for JICS Summer Lab 2025 officially opens on Wednesday, February 19th at 10:00 AM.
For 4 weeks in July, the JICS Summer Lab offers an array of week-long camp sessions, designed for children aged 4 – 9.
Cost: $450* per session. *Prices reduced to $360 in Week 4.
There will be no camp on Friday, August 1.
Register here: https://www.jicssummerlab.com/registration
You’ll be redirected to our registration portal where you will need to create an account before registering. Creating an account requires your first name, last name, an email, and a password.
Available at Registration:
Lunch and Snacks Option: Provided by Kid’s Cuisine Santè
Cost: $70/week or $56 for Week 4
Includes a hot lunch and 2 snacks each day.
After Care (3:30PM - 6:00 PM)
Cost: $100/week or $80 for Week 4. Available for all camp programs.
Registration Tips:
Check the age restrictions for each lab: Session descriptions can be reviewed here: JICS Summer Lab Programs
Gather required information: have your camper’s basic health details, medication and/or allergy information, and information for emergency contacts ready.
Complete Payment Within 24 Hours: Due to University of Toronto treasury regulations, payment must be made outside of our registration portal.
Check Your Total: Review your registration selections and total amount due, in the registration portal (URL ending in CampBrain)
Submit Payment: Use the payment link in your confirmation email. The payment form will be organized by age group, not program type, so ensure the amount matches what is shown in the registration portal (URL ending in CampBrain).
Pay Within 24 Hours – A credit card payment must be completed within 24 hours to secure your spot.
Please note that spots are limited and allotted on a first-come, first-served basis.
We’re looking forward to an exciting summer of innovation, leadership, and inquiry at JICS Summer Lab!
JICS Summer Lab Rescheduling & Cancellation Policy
JICS Summer Lab reserves the right to reschedule or cancel any program if necessary. We are committed to providing timely communication and will inform registrants as far in advance as possible should any changes occur.
In the event that a program does not meet the required minimum enrollment, JICS Summer Lab may adjust group arrangements or, if needed, cancel the session. If a program is canceled, registrants will be notified with as much advance notice as possible, and will be offered either an alternative program or a full refund.
3. Art Night
Wednesday, February 19
On Wednesday, February 19, the Lab School will be transformed into The JICS Art Gallery for our annual Art Night—a celebration of creativity and expression.
This year, we are returning to hosting Art Night and Music Night as separate events, allowing families ample time to fully enjoy each unique program. Tara and the Art Night Committee have thoughtfully curated an engaging and memorable experience for everyone.
Families will follow a defined tour route to explore the incredible artwork created by the students, displayed throughout the school. We kindly ask that families stick together (children and caregivers) as they move through the exhibits, ensuring a shared experience of appreciation and discovery.
To help manage the flow of visitors and avoid congestion, we recommend the following entry times:
Please Note: We previously listed incorrect entry times. The correct times are as follows:
6:00 PM – Nursery, JK, SK families
6:20 PM – Grades 1, 2, 3 families
6:40 PM – Grades 4, 5, 6 families
If your family has children in multiple grades, please choose the time that works best for you.
We are looking forward to seeing you at Art Night and celebrating the amazing talents of our students together!
4. 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.
5. 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.
If you missed the recent "Lunch & Learn" Parent Education Sessions on Neurodiversity, Understanding and Supporting your Child with ADHD and/or Giftedness on January 30 and February 6, please access the recording and slides for the presentations on our Parent Education page.
6. Parent Social and Research Night on March 3rd
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. Registration details coming soon. Please mark your calendars with this event and we hope to see you there!
7. Daycare March Break Camp
Sign up by emailing ics.after.school.daycare@gmail.com
8. 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.
We have currently sold over 18,000+ plus copies of our educator resource, Natural Curiosity 2nd Edition: The Importance of Indigenous Perspectives in Children's Environmental Inquiry. If you want to learn more about Natural Curiosity’s four-branch environmental inquiry framework, deepened by Indigenous perspectives, please view or download this gift copy of the "Intro and Preface" or purchase a copy of the entire book today! It is available in both English and French.
Photos from the Week
Upcoming February Events
Black History Month
Thur 13 – Valentine’s Day at JICS
Fri 14 – Midterm Holiday – School closed. Daycare open to registered users.
Mon 17 – Family Day Holiday – School and Daycare closed
Wed 19 – JICS Art Night
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. Free babysitting for current JICS students.
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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