Principal's Blog

Dear Havergal Community,

We celebrated Founders' Day at St. Paul's Bloor Street on April 23, as we do each year, to honour Havergal's rich history. We remember the past so that we may embrace our exciting future with confidence. Founders’ Day is a service at which all faculty and students – from Grades 1 to 12 – gather in one place to honour those from the past whose vision created the Havergal College of today. April 23 is an important date for the school as the cornerstone of our current facility was laid on that day in 1926.

Along with Founders' Day, there are two other important events taking place at school at this time: the Gala and our CAIS Accreditation visitation.

The Gala is a most special event and I encourage you all to attend. Not only will the food be exquisite, but it is also a one-of-a-kind opportunity to support Havergal and enjoy the company of members from our community. Consider this a personal invitation to attend the Gala on May 4 with my family and me. For information on how to buy your Gala and raffle tickets (first prize is day school tuition for 2013-14 and second prize is a Harry Winston diamond ring valued at $17,940), visit http://www.havergal.on.ca/urbanelegance.

The proceeds from the Gala will go to support the Junior School Outdoor Learning PlaySpace; to purchase the pool's electronic timing console and premium aquatics scoreboard; to renovate an Upper School science lab; and to make upgrades to the Upper School Learning Support Specialist office.

Currently, the Canadian Accredited Independent School’s (CAIS) team is visiting our school, and their goal is to ask good questions and to provide insight and advice. Members of the CAIS team come from similar schools across Canada, Bermuda and the US. The 12-member team assigned to Havergal arrived on Sunday, April 28, and will be with us until May 1. The Chair of our CAIS team is Pat Dawson from Crofton House in Vancouver.

Accreditation requires schools "to stop and reflect on what they are doing well and what more they can do to challenge and support students." We have been preparing for the accreditation visit for more than a year. We have prepared an exhaustive report, giving detailed analysis of the 12 CAIS Standards. The process is "introspective, strategic, reflective, collaborative and comprehensive."

A recent CAIS publication states that:

Accreditation provides a CAIS member school with a means to differentiate itself from other schools – it speaks directly to a school’s commitment to superlative quality and the highest, rigorous standards of evaluation. Accreditation assures parents and the public that the school is focused on providing a safe and enriching learning environment while maintaining an efficient and effective operation.

CAIS schools are accredited every seven years. At Havergal, we have worked very hard to set ambitious goals and to surpass the CAIS standards. This accreditation visitation allows the school to be evaluated by an independent group so that we can be accountable to you - our parents and students. I will keep you posted on the process of the visitation and the results.

The spring weather has finally arrived and we couldn’t be happier to feel the warmth of the sun! I hear the crack of a softball bat and tennis balls hitting the rackets from my open office window. Sounds of spring!

Warm regards,

Dr. Susan R. Groesbeck

Dear Havergal Community,

I hope you all had a wonderful March Break and spent quality time with family and friends. We are only a month away from Havergal’s Gala on May 4, so it is time for you to get a table together and support Havergal. My daughters and their husbands will be attending with Mark and me, and we are very excited. I hope you are also making grand plans to attend! For more information, visit www.havergal.on.ca/urbanelegance.

You may recall that at our December Carol Service – A Festival of Lessons and Carols – film and audio crews were present to capture the essence of this special Havergal tradition as we all listened, enraptured by the beautiful singing and reverential atmosphere. At this time, I am pleased to present to you a highlights video (12 minutes) of our Carol Service. Click here to view it. I hope you feel, as I do, that it captures the essence and flow of the Christmas story.

In addition, we have put together another of our “Havergal Stories” videos; this one focuses on music at the school. The arts abound and flourish at Havergal and clearly this is evident in this special “story” that features our School Captain for 2012-13, Grace Woroch. Click here to view it.

With every blessing to all our families at this special time of the year — whether you celebrate Easter or Passover or simply the coming of spring, you are all treasured members of the Havergal community!