Nov/Dec 2021

Inside Havergal

Headshot of principal Katrina Samson

Principal’s Message

Katrina Samson

As the upcoming holidays approach, Havergal students, faculty and staff are looking forward to a season of joy and time spent with their loved ones. At this time of year, we also reflect on the generosity of our community and the importance of giving. This is especially true as we express gratitude for the past donors who have helped build the Havergal of today. From our facilities to our programming, the evolution of Havergal has been and continues to be made possible by people who invest in our future.

Philanthropic investments in Havergal have an ongoing impact and allow us to offer exceptional experiences that inspire our students to make a difference. The reality is, however, that when it comes to philanthropic support, giving to boys’ schools has historically outpaced that of girls’ schools. Some research even illustrates that the gifts to boys’ schools exceed those to girls’ schools by as much as $4 to $1. Providing equal opportunity to and making equal investments in our students plays an important role in the quest to achieve gender equity, and to show girls that we are prepared to invest in them equally. As we strive to shape the leaders of tomorrow, your philanthropic support of Havergal illustrates a commitment to educating and empowering young women, and I believe that with the generosity of our donors, Havergal can be a beacon for this commitment to the advancement of women and girls.

Recently, I came across this Facts and Figures: Economic Empowerment information sheet by the United Nations that outlines the benefits of closing the gender gap. Research repeatedly shows that educating girls and making opportunity for women across the globe to participate in the workforce contributes to economic growth and positively impacts health outcomes. At Havergal, we are committed to our mission of creating a more equitable world—not just for our students, but for all students. Your gifts support this vision and help us create and inspire the future ready leaders our world needs to in the quest to create this equity across the globe.

If you’d like to learn about the areas where your gifts can make a difference, visit our Guide to Giving. You can also champion exceptional students by supporting our Financial Aid program, which gives deserving students the opportunity to attend Havergal. As always, we are so grateful for the generosity of our past and present donors whose support of our community and of girl’s education make our commitment to excellence possible.

Katrina

Debbie Simpson

Message from the Board of Governors

Debbie Simpson, Chair of the Board of Governors

On behalf of the Havergal College Board of Governors, I want to express our deepest gratitude to you, our community, for the success of the Limitless Campaign; the school’s largest fundraising endeavour to date. With a tremendous show of support, we not only achieved our goal of raising $21-million, but we surpassed it by raising an incredible $21.8-million.

Our students are benefitting daily from the beautiful new spaces that you helped make a reality. In the Upper School, the beautiful classrooms for art, social sciences and technology and the light-filled Learning Commons, featuring the Old Girls BioWall, are abuzz with activity every school day. Similarly, in the Junior School, the STEM, art and music classrooms along with the updated gym and beautiful Dining Hall are enhancing the learning experience for our youngest students.

As a not for profit, your donations, like those who came before you and those who will follow, show your continued belief in and relevance of our mission and help to sustain the level of excellence for which we have become known. Thank you again for your support of our wonderful school!

Debbie Simpson

Alison Glober

Applications for the Havergal College Board of Governors

Alison Glober, Chair of the Governance Committee

I have the pleasure of writing to the Havergal community on behalf of the Governance Committee of the Board of Governors as this is our formal call for applications to serve on the Board or on a Board Committee.

The primary responsibility of the Governance Committee is to ensure that the Board is well-equipped to carry out its oversight role with respect to the College. Part of that responsibility is to continually evaluate how well the Board and its committees carry out their mandates and advance the College’s educational mission.

One of the most important things the Governance Committee works on is the identification and nomination of strong candidates for the Board and its committees. This is an ongoing effort as we try to maintain a roster of broadly qualified candidates. Using a competency-based model, the committee identifies skills and constituencies that need to be considered as we plan for the future.

In reviewing applications, the Governance Committee looks to constitute a Board that balances a mix of competencies and experience, established and newer Old Girls, current and past parents, as well as independent members who are neither Havergal alumnae nor parents. The Board is also committed to ensuring there is representation from members of the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) community whose skills and experience align with our competency framework.

In assessing applications, the Governance Committee favours no particular professional background over another, but we frequently seek particular areas of experience and expertise. This year the committee is especially interested in identifying potential candidates with senior level experience in finance (CPA, CFO) and strategic change management as well as those with philanthropy/fundraising expertise. We are also very interested to hear from parents with students in the Junior School.

Governors are volunteers and must be willing to commit the substantial time, effort and energy necessary to fulfill the role and serve the school. It is also expected that a Board Governor will make Havergal a personal charitable priority, within their means.

If you are interested in being considered for the Board or a committee, please let us know by completing the Board of Governors Application Form by Friday, January 28, 2022. Additional details on the role and responsibilities of Board and committee members can be found here.

This Month


Choir singing at Carol Service 2019

The Return of Carol Service

Join us on Wednesday, December 15 for our Christmas tradition that highlights Havergal’s incredible student choirs. To celebrate the holiday season, Carol Service returns with beautiful Christmas carols and festive lesson readings in the school’s historic Brenda Robson Hall in the Upper School.

The students have been preparing for weeks and the halls are alive with festive music and solos. Our students in Grades 7 to 10 will attend Carol Service during the school day at 2 pm; parents are welcome to experience this service virtually through an online streaming service. Students in Grades 11 and 12 will enjoy the service in person and their parents are welcome to attend.

We look forward to welcoming our Grade 11 and 12 parents back into the school. Visitor information, including the screening process, will be shared with all Grade 11 and 12 families in a message from Cissy Goodridge, Director of Performing Arts.

Junior School families are also invited to attend virtually, if they wish. Details to be shared with Junior School families on Monday, December 13.

photo of the outside of Havergal College with snow and wreaths

Junior School Christmas Concert

The Junior School community is invited to this year’s Christmas Concert on Tuesday, December 14 at 7 pm, where we will celebrate the holiday season with music from our talented students.

The rehearsals have begun and the students are looking forward to sharing their work with their families.

This hybrid concert can be enjoyed virtually by our Junior Kindergarten to Grade 5 students and their families. Grade 6 parents are invited to the Brenda Robson Hall in the Upper School for a live performance by our Grade 6 students. The concert Zoom link was included in the Junior School College Blog in the December 3 message.

To ensure the health and safety of our community, Grade 6 parents who wish to attend the event in-person are required to show their vaccine passports, wear masks and complete health screenings. This in-person event is conditional on a stable COVID-19 situation in the city. Families of Grade 6 students will receive instructions for the evening directly from Ms. Goodridge, Director of Performing Arts. Please note that an Ontario-approved proof of vaccination and identification will be necessary for entry.

Holiday Break

Havergal College will be closed for students starting on Thursday, December 16. Classes resume on the morning of Tuesday, January 4. For more details on Junior School and Upper School return-to-class requirements, please refer to the College Blogs from the Heads of School:

Junior School College Blog
Upper School College Blog

We wish everyone a safe, happy and healthy Holiday Break and we look forward to reconnecting in the new year.

photo of the Donor Recognition Wall, which is an electronic wall with a photo of autumn leaves

A Celebration of Our Donor Community

Havergal is fortunate to have a strong and dedicated community of friends and donors who believe in the value of our mission. With their support, we are able to provide our students with exceptional educational experiences. Important investments in our campus, financial assistance, faculty and programming have been possible through our community’s generous support.

As an expression of our gratitude, a beautiful, uniquely designed tribute has been created for Havergal donors to permanently honour and celebrate their generosity. Located in the main entrance of the Junior School and in the new Student Commons in the Upper School, our donor walls have been conceptualized to be immersive in the telling of donors’ stories, recognizing the legacy of donations, and to meaningfully express gratitude to those who support Havergal philanthropy, past, present and future.

These expressions of gratitude are in the process of being installed and we look forward to inviting you to celebrate with us in the new year. Paying tribute to Havergal donors is a privilege and we are thrilled to have these remarkable displays installed in their honour.

SnapPay logo

International Giving Through SnapPay

Beginning this fall, Havergal can now accept gifts via SnapPay, which is a safe, secure Canadian-based online payment gateway that accepts Chinese payment solutions. This provides Havergal families who wish to make donations from their Chinese bank accounts the opportunity to do so in a secure, easy and accessible way.

For those who would like to learn more about international donations, please reach out to Lisa Zanlugo at [email protected] or 416-483-3519 x6524.

Photo of parent volunteers at the Holiday Marketplace

HCPA: The Spirit of Giving

Since the start of the school year, the HCPA has launched a number of fundraising initiatives. In line with this month’s focus on giving, funds raised through these initiatives are put toward the HCPA’s prior commitment to the Limitless Campaign and parent engagement. Moreover, the most prevalent element of giving comes from the HCPA’s dedicated group of parent-volunteers. To continue along with this theme, we would like to bring attention to the volunteers that lead these successful initiatives.

The HCPA Online Marketplace hit the ground running at the start of the school year by launching Mabel’s Labels (year-long) and Colibri litterless lunch bags (for two weeks in September). More recently, there was the launch of holiday season fundraisers including FlipGive, which provides families to support the HCPA’s fundraising goals through the purchase of e-gift cards and/or everyday items from over 700 retail brands (including online holiday purchases from Indigo). Through FlipGive, a percentage of sales comes back to Havergal College. Thank you Anikka Foster for taking on the challenging task of launching these new initiatives this year, which will be available all year.  

The HCPA Holiday Marketplace was launched on Monday, November 1 and wrapped up on Thursday, November 25. It included a wonderful selection of holiday gift items such as scented candles, snow globes, wreaths, blankets, hats and scarves, all attractively photographed and easy to purchase from the comfort of our own homes. All of the items were sourced from local retailers and suppliers and many are Canadian made. A number of items were sold out within a few days of launching the initiative. Items ordered will be beautifully wrapped and ready for pick up at a convenient location the second week of December. A big thank you to Lisa Assaf and Beth Foley for spearheading this initiative and for adding their creative and professional touch, ensuring that there was a variety of appealing gift items at various price points and attracting a wide audience. We are excited to share that more than 200 items were sold at this year’s marketplace! 

Last but not least, huge thanks to Amy Cheung and Mahnaz Hamidzadeh for facilitating and coordinating sales of beautifully designed Custom Havergal Frames and the ever popular Havergal branded Lazypants. 

The HCPA would like to acknowledge all our amazing parent volunteers. In particular, we extend our appreciation to the team of 50 plus committee members who epitomize the true spirit of giving.

note pinned to a cork board that says "Make a Difference"

Reminder: Tax Year-End is Approaching. Donate Today!

Make your gift to the Annual Fund today to receive your 2021 charitable tax receipt! Your donation must be postmarked or completed online by Friday, December 31 to receive a 2021 tax receipt.

Your donation allows students to develop the confidence, independence and resilience needed to take on new challenges, pursue their passions and make an impact in their communities.

How to make a gift:

  • Online: Visit havergal.on.ca/support
  • Mail: The Havergal College Foundation, 1451 Avenue Rd., Toronto, ON M5N 2H9

Thank you !

Cover of 2020-21 Impact Report

Coming Soon: Havergal’s Annual Impact Report

We are pleased to announce that the 2020-21 Impact Report will soon be available to our community. The report provides a snapshot of the school’s past fiscal year, shares stories from our donors and celebrates the completion of the Limitless Campaign, which exceeded our fundraising goal, thanks to the generous support from our donors.

In keeping with Havergal’s sustainability initiatives, the report will be available exclusively online as a digital Flipbook. A full listing of our donors will also accompany the report.

Look for the Impact Report on the giving section of our website next week! 

Inside Focus


Tom Arban Photography

The Power of Giving

By Tony diCosmo, Executive Director of Advancement & Community Relations

In the fundraising world, we will often speak of the impact that a donor’s contribution will have on organizations and the communities we serve. At Havergal, this thought is at the forefront of all our efforts. It is critical that we inspire individuals who share our values, believe in our purpose to deem us worthy of support and wish to have a lasting impact on future leaders.

However, less is discussed about what motivates donors to give. Why do we choose to give funds, regardless of amount, to the charities that make an appeal to us in one way or another? The cynical will say it is simply for the tax write-off; while this is certainly a benefit that comes from making a charitable contribution, time and time again, it has been proven that it is not the prime motivator for most donors. People give to organizations and causes they value and often have touched them in some way: the hospital that cared for them or a loved one, the arts organization that brings them joy and intellectual stimulation, the school that helped them or a loved one grow to become successful in their lives, whatever that might look like. Donors are compelled to give because it feels good to do so.

The pandemic has brought the importance of personal wellbeing and paying it forward into greater focus. We know that people who are prone to altruism, to doing good for others and for their community are healthier, happier and live longer. In a recently published article in Psychological Bulletin, Bryant P.H. Hui, PhD. at the University of Hong Kong states “Prosocial behavior—altruism, cooperation, trust and compassion—are all necessary ingredients of a harmonious and well-functioning society… It is part of the shared culture of humankind, and our analysis shows that it also contributes to mental and physical health.”

So while philanthropy can be transformative for a not for profit like our school, it also can bring joy and a greater sense of wellbeing for each and every donor.

Meet Our Faculty & Staff


Headshot of Emily Anderson

Emily Anderson

Prospect Management & Research

As a member of the Advancement & Community Relations team, Ms. Anderson is responsible for conducting high quality research, identifying key connections and providing strategic recommendations to support the College in maximizing philanthropic support. Her previous work experience includes Program Assistant at OCAD University, Campaign Assistant at Havergal College and Assistant Buyer at J. Michaels. She has a Fashion & Textile Design degree from the University of Southampton and an Art Foundation diploma from the University of Gloucestershire. Her creative, positive and collaborative nature is an asset to the Advancement & Community Relations team.

Ms. Anderson enjoys exploring Toronto and the area and the great outdoors. Her favourite place in the city is sitting at the beach on Toronto Island and trying out new activities such as paddle boarding.