October 2026

Message from Admissions

Maggie Houston-White, Executive Director of Strategic Enrolment Management

The start of a new school year at Havergal has been filled with joy, energy and community. From opening day fun to grade camps to Celebration Day and Friday Night Lights, it has been wonderful to see our school alive with connection. In particular, seeing our newest students feel connected to the HC community in all the ways they imagined as they went through the admission process last year. Each event is a reminder of what makes Havergal unique: a strong community rooted in tradition, while always looking ahead to prepare our students to make a difference in the world.

In this first edition of Havergal Highlights, you’ll find stories that highlight the connections that strengthen our community and the many ways we live our mission. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed bringing them to life.

Tomorrow, we’ll gather for another cherished tradition, the Junior School Harvest Festival, where our youngest students perform songs for their families and collect donations for the North York Harvest Food Bank. Traditions like these ground us in what matters most, while inspiring us to innovate and add programming that ensures our students are ready for the future.

As you continue exploring Havergal, please know our Admission Team is here to answer your questions, connect with you and support your family in finding the right school for your daughter. We look forward to getting to know you in the months ahead.

Warmly,

Maggie

Principal’s Message

Dr. Katrina Samson

As we begin a new school year, I have been thinking about the ways we connect with one another. Many of us now interact regularly with AI chatbots that can answer questions, help us work through ideas and respond in ways that feel remarkably personal. These tools can be useful, and, at Havergal we want students to learn to use them thoughtfully and responsibly. Using generative AI tools also prompts us to reflect on what we need from our relationships with actual people.

Human relationships ask something of us. We misunderstand one another. We say the wrong thing, feel awkward or have to find the courage to join a conversation. We also laugh together, challenge each other’s ideas, offer comfort and discover what we can create together. Through these experiences, we learn about ourselves and make sense of the world.

This belief in the importance of human connection sits at the heart of Havergal’s Learning Framework. At Havergal, we learn with others, courageously, deeply and purposefully. We learn because we belong. When a student feels known and cared for, she is more willing to ask a question, test an idea or try something difficult. When we listen to one another and make space for different perspectives, our whole community learns.

This year, I hope we will each look for opportunities to connect: to welcome someone into a conversation, reach out when a friend or colleague is struggling, share an idea or simply spend time together. These small acts shape how people experience Havergal, whether they are students, employees, families or Old Girls/Alums.

Dr. Samson

Navigating the New Student Journey: Havergal’s Circle of Support

Kate White, Head of Junior School, and Krista Koekkoek, Head of Upper School

When a family chooses Havergal, you are not simply selecting a school for your daughter — you are joining a connected community committed to helping every student feel known, supported and that she belongs. This welcome begins well before the first day. 

In the Junior School, new students are invited to campus in the spring to meet one another, play, explore and begin building connections. They return for Orientation Day in September to meet their teachers and visit their classrooms, making the first day feel a little more familiar. Homeroom teachers also intentionally connect with families throughout the first weeks of school to discuss every child’s progress and ensure ongoing support.

In the Upper School, students are also invited to campus in June to meet student leaders, their buddies, and their House Advisors. In September, they also begin with an Orientation Day during which they connect with a peer buddy and a Grade 11 mentor. During their first six weeks, Guidance Counsellors provide dedicated onboarding to Upper School life through our “First Six Weeks” programs, while Form Teachers in the Middle School and Teacher Advisors in the Senior School offer an important ongoing point of connection. Early experiences such as grade camps and house games further support friendship, community and belonging.

While the experience evolves as students grow, our commitment remains the same: ensuring that every new student and family feels welcome, connected, and confident as they begin their Havergal journey.

Co-curriculars as the Heart of the Havergal Experience

Lindsay Norberg, Deputy Principal

At Havergal College, co-curricular life helps a large school feel personal. From Junior School onward, students are encouraged to explore interests, try something new and build relationships beyond the classroom.

In the Junior School, that might mean learning basketball or volleyball in the gym, joining a multisport group, singing in choir, rehearsing for the musical or participating in clubs such as fashion, cooking and robotics. Grade 6 students can even extend learning from Physical Education by playing pickleball at recess on the courts by the lower pitch.

In the Upper School, co-curricular opportunities are designed for each stage of development. Middle Division students have access to athletic teams and clubs created specifically for their age group. By Senior Division, students can choose from more than 40 student-led clubs, community partnerships, arts opportunities and athletics.

What matters most is not simply the number of activities available. Co-curriculars give students repeated opportunities to discover strengths, develop confidence, form friendships across grades and connect with faculty who share their interests. They create places to belong, contribute and lead, making co-curricular life a defining part of the Havergal experience.

How Junior School Clubs Spark New Interests and Connections

Natasha Teja, Assistant Head of the Junior School

In the Junior School, the community comes to life through the many opportunities our students have to get involved, connect with others and discover what they love. Our JS Club program offers something for everyone — from fashion and art to cooking, chess, choir, LEGO and robotics. Younger students can explore their interests through multi-sport groups, while students across the Junior School have opportunities to try new things, develop a skill or discover a passion they never knew they had.

Community-focused opportunities extend beyond the classroom and into the wider community. Through our food and clothing drives, students of all ages can contribute by donating items to those in need. Older students have the opportunity to take their service a step further by visiting North York Harvest Food Bank and New Circles, where they help sort food and clothing for distribution.

What makes these experiences so meaningful is not simply what students do, but how they feel while doing it. Clubs and service opportunities give students a chance to find their people, build friendships, contribute to something bigger than themselves and feel that they belong. Whether they are discovering a new passion, sharing a talent or helping others, our students learn that being part of a community means both finding your place and making space for others.

A Tradition of Belonging in Havergal’s House System

Since 1929, the House system has been a cornerstone of life at Havergal by building cross-grade connections, school spirit and a sense of belonging. It’s a tradition that began under Second Principal Marian Wood’s direction as a way to organize the Boarding School, which became so popular with Day students that, by 1931, the program was expanded to include every student, staff member, teacher, administrator and Old Girl/Alum. 

There are currently 10 Houses; each bears the name of a remarkable woman in Havergal’s history, from our founder Frances Ridley to transformative leaders like Ellen Knox and Mary Dennys. Across both the Junior and Upper Schools, Grade 6 leaders and Grade 12 House Captains bring these groups to life. Whether earning House points through challenges, acts of service, school spirit or House Shout, students find a supportive group outside of the classroom through the House system.

Being a member of a House at Havergal is more than a friendly rivalry to encourage spirit; it’s the system that bridges grade levels, ensures every student feels seen and fosters a sense of belonging that connects Havergalians for a lifetime.

Meet the 2026–27 Admissions Prefects

Ella and Hope, Grade 12 Students

We are so excited to introduce ourselves as the Admissions Prefects for the 2026–27 school year. This role has given us the incredible opportunity to connect with prospective families while reflecting on what makes Havergal such a special place, which we are grateful to be a part of. 

At Havergal, there really is a place for everyone. Whether your passion lies in sports, arts, academics or a combination of it all, you will find opportunities to explore your interests and discover new ones as well. What makes Havergal particularly special is the energy our community creates together to celebrate our school’s traditions.

One phrase that captures the spirit of Havergal is “cool to care.” To us, this means embracing opportunities and approaching new experiences with an open mind. It is incredibly meaningful to be part of a community that encourages young women to challenge themselves, care deeply and, ultimately, make a difference in the world around them.

As students, one of the most remarkable things about Havergal is the shared sense of pride that fills our school. We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of a community where students genuinely look forward to coming to school each day, to learn, connect with their peers, and, of course, laugh along the way.

We are so looking forward to meeting you and your families throughout the year. Havergal is a community made special by the people within it, and we cannot wait to welcome you and hopefully give you a glimpse of the sense of belonging that makes Havergal feel like home.

Meet the Assistant Head of the Upper School (Senior Division)

Julie Girvan

As Assistant Head of the Upper School (Senior Division), Ms. Girvan supports student wellbeing, leadership and the development of a connected and caring school community. She is passionate about building meaningful relationships with students and creating experiences that challenge, inspire and help them grow.

Ms. Girvan brings two decades of experience in the independent school system, having served in a variety of leadership roles, including Science Department Head, Grade Lead, Outdoor Education and Student Leadership Coordinator. Most recently, she served as the Director of Student Life and Outdoor Education at Greenwood College School, where she had the opportunity to build on her longstanding passion for experiential education and learning beyond the classroom — a passion first sparked during summers spent at Camp Wapomeo in Algonquin Park.

Outside of school, Ms. Girvan enjoys travelling, camping, skiing and spending time with family and friends. She especially loves creating memories and sharing adventures with her eight-year-old son. She is thrilled to be joining the Havergal community and looks forward to building meaningful relationships with students, families and colleagues throughout the year.

Meet A Havergal Graduate

Fidan Sadig, Class of 2021

My involvement at Havergal taught me how to bring people with different perspectives, backgrounds and responsibilities together around a common goal. As Havergal’s first Boarding student from Azerbaijan, I had the opportunity to share my culture and country with the school community during Prayers. That experience showed me the value of creating space for different perspectives and making people feel included.

I carried that lesson into several leadership roles at Havergal. As Co-President of the Diversity Club during the COVID-19 pandemic, I helped create opportunities for students to stay connected during a particularly isolating time. I was also President of the Latin Dance Club, where I worked mainly with Middle School students to make dance engaging and approachable and to spark their interest in continuing with Latin dance in high school. In Boarding, I helped organize events within Havergal and with other boarding schools, while also supporting students who were adjusting to a new school, city and community.

The skills I developed at Havergal shaped how I continued to be involved with the community in university. Studying biochemistry at the University of British Columbia, I served as an events planner for a Latin dance club. Organizing events required coordinating people, understanding what would make an event successful, managing logistics and keeping everyone focused on a shared goal.

Today, I work at Borealis Biosciences as a Lab Operations and Workflow Implementation Specialist. My role involves coordinating with scientists, vendors and other teams to implement laboratory systems, equipment and workflows. Although the setting is very different, the same principles still apply: understand the goal, communicate clearly, plan carefully and bring together the right people to move a project forward. Looking back, many of those habits were first developed at Havergal, where I learned that meaningful leadership is often about creating connection, building trust and helping a group move toward something together.

The Student Experience

A Day in the Life of Middle School Jaya

What’s it like to be a Middle School student at Havergal? Experience a day in the life with Jaya and get a glimpse of her Middle School journey.