Message from Admissions

Maggie Houston-White, Executive Director of Strategic Enrolment Management, and Emily Simms-Brown, Director of Admission

November is upon us, wrapping up fall term sports, seeing our first Exchange students of the year headed home and celebrating all our students have achieved this term. While the days are a little shorter and a little cooler, there is a sense of anticipation and joy at Havergal as students gear up for concerts, our Middle School Play, winter sports and our upcoming Thrive Week. Thrive Week takes place in the week of November 20 and was designed for and with students, faculty and staff to focus on wellbeing, community and connection.

We hope you will join us for our evening with Dr. Lisa Damour on November 28th, who will be working with faculty and students during the day and then speaking with parents in the evening about adolescent emotional development and strategies that foster connection, self-awareness and self-regulation. It is this wraparound approach to wellbeing, by including everyone in our community, that really speaks to the Havergal difference. We are a school that understands the power of partnership, the importance of investing in top research and programs, the benefits of collaboration and the value of community.

Our most recent issue of our parent newsletter, Inside Havergal, speaks to our work in wellbeing and the importance of providing students with the skills and resources they need to thrive at Havergal and beyond. You can learn more about how we support our students in and out of the classroom by listening to our new Navigator Podcasts:

We hope you enjoy these resources as part of your exploration of Havergal. 

Maggie & Emily

Message from the Vice Principal of Student Life and Wellbeing

Krista Koekkoek

It is hard to believe that I have only been at Havergal since mid-August. During this time, I have been warmly welcomed by students, staff, parents and alumni alike; the community is alive with pride and keen to share its traditions and have me experience what it truly means to be a Gator. And so what have I noticed in the hallways, the classrooms, the gyms and the fields? What have I observed in Prayers, at Celebration Saturday and in the day-to-day interactions we benefit from in a small, tightly-knit community? It has been clear to me, from early on, that this place thrives on connections, prioritizes belonging and wants so deeply to find the best ways to both practise and instill the lifelong habits of wellbeing in its students and staff. It’s no surprise at all to me that this month’s Inside Havergal has these very themes. In this month’s issue, you will find countless examples of the good work this community continues to do to support all who walk through these doors (and for those who have walked these halls before us).

I have spent the last decade of my career focusing on wellbeing in schools—what it means, how it feels and how to live it fully—and here is what I know to be true and primary: to be truly well, we must feel connected. We must feel like we belong. We need to know we matter to others and are seen for who we are authentically. And so, what a beautiful community for me to continue to build on this deeply ingrained capacity and strength for relational learning. At a time when the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents can feel threatened, we commit at Havergal to bolstering the toolkit of our adults in their support of the growth of our students. Building self-awareness, flexibility and agency in them (all pillars of wellbeing) require intentionality and modelling from the adults who surround them. And we have the most capable group of staff to do this with. 

In this issue, you’ll hear from our Wellbeing Prefect, Emerson Southam, who, along with our Social Work team and the Wellbeing Council is in the throws of developing this year’s Upper School Thrive Week (our fabulous Junior School staff is busy supporting this same event with our younger students). A testament to our work in wellbeing is this student-driven initiative, aimed at a strength-based lens to taking care of ourselves and normalizing the human experience of feeling all emotions. 

Krista

Message from the Board of Governors

Jill Fraser, Chair of the Board

What a wonderful start to the new school year! The halls are once again filled with student laughter and chatter and there is so much excitement among students and faculty to be back on campus. So far this year we have had many exciting Upper and Junior School events such as Celebration Saturday, the Terry Fox Run, Awards Day and Gator Games, and we are looking forward to many more events to come!

I would like to extend a huge thank you to Debbie Simpson, our Past Chair, who introduced me as your incoming Board Chair in last month’s Inside Havergal. I took over the role of Board Chair on September 28 and I am ready and eager to continue the very important initiatives the Board has been working on under Debbie’s strong and dedicated leadership, including supporting the launch of the school’s new strategic plan. The Board at Havergal is a governance body and our primary role is one of strategic oversight. We work in that capacity with the Principal and the Senior Leadership Team to set strategic goals and priorities, which guide the school’s growth and development. The Board oversees the financial health of the school and works to protect its long-term sustainability. As the new Chair, I am looking forward to working with the Board and the Senior Leadership Team as we continue to collaborate to ensure the continuing success of Havergal.

I wish everyone an enjoyable and healthy fall and encourage you all, new and old, to be active members of our vibrant community. There are many ways for you to participate in school life, including the Havergal College Parents Association, The Havergal College Old Girls Association, the Foundation, the Board of Governors or its committees. We appreciate the time that you devote to our community.

Warm regards,

Jill

The Importance of Wellbeing

Emerson S., Wellbeing Prefect

My family has a long history of mental illness: we lost my uncle to his battle with depression and my grandmother has battled mental illness for the better part of her adult life. Open dialogue about mental health has been a staple at our dinner table for as long as I can remember, which is why wellbeing is so important to me.

But a healthy mind is only one component of the wellbeing equation. My approach, which is entirely consistent with the approach at HC, is to touch upon the wellbeing of the whole person. A Havergal education is about the growth of mind, body and spirit. There are so many negative influences in the world today on young women, such as social media, telling us who and what we are supposed to be and, equally, who and what we cannot be. My goal this year is to create events and an atmosphere where we are comfortable with who we are and who we want to be, an environment where we can speak openly about issues that matter to us. I truly believe that the ivy walls provide a safe, loving space in which we can do that.

As a way to raise awareness about mental health and wellbeing, Havergal is hosting Thrive Week from November 20 to 24. During Thrive Week, we will hear from students and guest speakers who will walk us through their journeys with mental wellbeing. We will also have some special therapy dog visitors! But Thrive Week is only one week of the academic year. On World Mental Health Day on October 10, the Grade 12 Prefects handed out a list of the multiple resources available to students who may need someone to talk to (coupled with candy, of course) on behalf of the Wellbeing Council. We are excited about the affirmation exercises in each Upper School TA during the year, which started at the beginning of October. I am also teaming with other Prefects and Grade 12 leaders to organize events for the Junior School, Middle School and Upper School that touch on the wellbeing of the whole person. 

Most importantly, as Wellbeing Prefect, I want to help create an atmosphere where the halls are filled with joy, laughter and smiles.

Emerson

Supporting Emotional Wellbeing and Growth at the Junior School

Kate White, Head of Junior School

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the focus has progressively shifted from solely academic achievements to nurturing the holistic development of our students. Recognizing the crucial role of social-emotional skills in shaping future success, the Havergal Junior School has recently begun implementing two research-based programs, RULER and Second Step, to support the emotional wellbeing and growth of both our teachers and students.

Research has underscored the significant impact of social-emotional skill development on academic performance and long-term success. By fostering self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making, these programs equip students with the tools necessary to navigate complex social interactions, manage stress and exhibit resilience in the face of challenges.

The Junior School faculty and staff are embarking on a learning journey this year with RULER. This is a systemic approach to social and emotional learning developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, which aims to infuse the principles of emotional intelligence into JK to Grade 12 schools, informing how leaders lead, teachers teach, students learn and families support students.

Part of what differentiates RULER from other school-based initiatives is that it focuses first on developing adults in the school, both personally and professionally, so they can be role models and knowledgeable implementers of the skill-based instruction for students. After the teachers have been trained, the goal is to start infusing the approach in classes next year, as well as providing education for families.

In addition, this year Junior School faculty will continue to implement the Second Step program to support the wellbeing of our students. Second Step is a research-based program that provides explicit instruction and practice of key social-emotional skills considered necessary for students to effectively navigate social situations and build positive relationships with their peers. Lessons will support our students to develop skills in the following areas:

The Second Step program will be taught by Child and Youth Worker, Holly Fournier, in collaboration with classroom teachers.

Supporting our younger students through their social-emotional development is an important part of the Havergal experience. Our goal is to develop the self-care skills within our students so they can continue to support their wellbeing needs into the Upper School and beyond.

Parents as Partners Speaker Series: Dr. Lisa Damour

Tuesday, November 28, at 7 pm

As part of our Parents as Partners Speaker Series, Havergal is proud to welcome Dr. Lisa Damour as our first speaker.

Dr. Damour is the author of three New York Times best sellers: Untangled, Under Pressure and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers. She co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast, works in collaboration with UNICEF and is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association. Dr. Damour is also a regular contributor to The New York Times and CBS News.

During the day, she will be working with our students from Grade 7 to 12 and will run professional development with our faculty in the afternoon.

Havergal faculty and staff who are members of our Girls and Learning team have enjoyed reading her books over the years and are currently reading her new book The Emotional Lives of Teenagers.

Her visit, including our evening with our parents, will be focused on understanding adolescent emotional development and strategies that foster connection, self awareness and self regulation. 

We are grateful to the Southam family for their contributions to Thrive Week and to the Class of 2023 for their donations to our Wellbeing Program, which allow us to have speakers and programs like this.

Reserve your seat today!

The HCPA’s Ivy Market

Tuesday, November 21

Kick off your holiday shopping in style at the HCPA’s Ivy Market, featuring a carefully-curated group of local vendors offering unique gift items! During the day from 10 am to 4:30 pm, parents and students can shop, make a stop at the Bake Sale and visit the HCPA Marketplace. 

In the evening from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, parents (current and past) and Old Girls/Alums can sip and shop the Ivy Market at the cocktail party! Tickets for the cocktail party are $50 per person and include appetizers and two drinks. The vendor market and HCPA marketplace will be featured during the evening. Either way, it’s a great opportunity to connect with the HC community and celebrate the season.

New this year—we’re excited to feature a draw for a stunning holiday Havergal gingerbread house! This 2’ x 3’ model is created in the holiday likeness of the Upper School and would make a unique (and edible!) decoration or centrepiece. Tickets are $10 each (deadline to purchase tickets is 3 pm on November 21) and the draw will take place on Tuesday, November 21 at 4 pm.

We look forward to seeing you!

Buy Gingerbread House Lucky Draw Tickets here.

Buy Cocktail Party Tickets here.

Financial Support Applications for 2024-25

Deadline to Apply: Friday, December 1

Students entering Grades 7 to 12 in September 2024 may apply for Financial Support in the form of a Tuition Bursary.

Separate from any application for admission or re-enrolment, applications are submitted via a third-party company, Apple Financial Services.

New and returning student families must complete their application by Friday, December 1 each year to be considered for the following school year. Late applications may not be accepted as funds are limited.

Renewal of a Financial Support is not automatic. Families must reapply and qualify annually.

Rethinking What It Means to Study

Jennifer Goldberg, Director of Academic Operations

Many students believe the key to stronger academic performance is investing more time in their school work. Certainly, time is important. However, overemphasizing “time spent” obscures the reality that the quality of the time is at least as important as the quantity. In his latest book, Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning Is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy, esteemed cognitive psychologist Dr. Daniel Willingham makes a powerful analogy between learning and physical exercise. He notes the exercise that challenges our body is the one most likely to strengthen it; so, even though exercising this way is likely to feel very difficult, it is the most effective choice. By contrast, Willingham explains, when it comes to learning, our brains are wired to trick us, telling us that what feels easy—what we can do without much effort—is the most effective way to engage. 

Here’s a specific school example: one of the most popular student study techniques is rereading (and perhaps highlighting) one’s notes and course texts. However, experiments have repeatedly shown that this approach achieves very little in terms of memory and learning. In other words, rereading is popular not because it yields results but because it feels easy. Many hours spent studying for a test in this way are, often, many hours wasted. 

Far more effective, Willingham explains, is retrieval practice: processes that require us to pull something out of our memory. Students can engage with retrieval practice by, for example, putting their course materials away and using a blank page to create their own study guide. In contrast to rereading, this technique pushes the brain to engage actively with the content, making meaning and building connections. What we must remember is that retrieval practice will feel much harder than rereading; as Willingham says, “Judge the effectiveness of a method by the results, not by how it feels to do it.”

For students who’ve concluded that the only road to academic achievement is paved with sleepless nights, focusing on “time spent” may not be very helpful. Instead, ask: “How did you use the time you spent on this?” This shift helps us resist the fallacy that academic success can come only at the cost of wellbeing, and emphasizes instead the concrete habits and behaviours that we know support students in growing into empowered and independent learners.

For further exploration, I recommend these books: 

Note that Havergal is thrilled to welcome Lisa Damour to campus on November 28. During her time here, Dr. Damour will be presenting learning sessions for students, faculty and parents.

The Reverend Jillian Ruch

School Chaplain

The Reverend Jillian Ruch joins Havergal this year as our School Chaplain. With more than 20 years of experience in the area of youth ministry and social work, Rev. Ruch supports student wellbeing at the school in many ways.

Prior to being ordained in 2022, Rev. Ruch was a front line social worker and supervisor for the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, mainly in the Scarborough area. With this background in social work, she has excellent listening skills and the ability to connect with others in meaningful ways. One of her goals at Havergal is to learn from students, staff, faculty and families about their perspectives as a community, while providing comfort and a steady presence for those in need of pastoral care. 

Rev. Ruch brings a sense of curiosity with her about where people are in their spiritual journeys and uses inquiry and compassion to hold space for discussions in and outside of the Prayers space. This includes most recently meeting with groups, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Committee and the Prayers Council, to explore the tensions that exist between the Indigenous Peoples and the wider church and how that intersects with the reconciliation work that they are leading in our community. She is committed to working with and through this tension, knowing that through these difficult conversations our community learns, grows and leans into the Calls to Action wherever possible.

With a growth mindset that’s grounded in experience from years of working with youth from various cultures and backgrounds, Rev. Ruch embodies Havergal’s Anglican values through her Christian identity, prayers and blessings as she hopes to learn more about and elevate the voices and cultures of others at Havergal. Her goal is to support Havergal’s community by modelling what it means to be inclusive, open-minded and inquisitive. She encourages anyone interested in reaching out to send her an email at [email protected]. 

Message from Admissions

Maggie Houston-White, Executive Director of Strategic Enrolment Management, and Emily Simms-Brown, Director of Admission

The school year at Havergal has started with so many opportunities for connection, celebration and community, three key elements of what makes our school so special. As you explore Havergal and all it has to offer, we thought you might enjoy a chance to read some of the articles from our first edition of Inside Havergal that highlight what our opening weeks were like and where some of our focus will be this year. The article by Fatima Kaba about our community partnerships is one we particularly enjoyed, as it speaks to how we put our mission into action and why that  matters to our students and our community. 

It has been such a pleasure to have so many families visiting our campus and experiencing our students, faculty and staff in action, seeing how a typical day at HC is anything but typical. We hope as you continue to learn and discover the Havergal difference that you will continue to ask questions, to connect with the Admission team and to feel confident in the knowledge that we are here to help you find the right school for your daughter and your family.    

Best wishes, 

Maggie & Emily

Principal’s Message

Dr. Katrina Samson

Happy September! We have been blessed here at Havergal with so many opportunities to connect with our community this fall. Our Grade 7, 8, 9 and 12 students were away at camps where they bonded as a class, developed teamwork skills and prepared for the year ahead. This past week, we welcomed back hundreds of Old Girls/Alums to campus for Reunion Week. We celebrated those Old Girls who reached their 50+ year reunion milestones at the Golden Reflections Luncheon. We welcomed back former Boarders to connect with our current Boarding students and staff at the Former Boarder Dinner. We capped the week off with the Reunion Cocktail Reception, where classes ending in ‘3 and ‘8 came together to reconnect with one another and their beloved school.

On Saturday, our whole school community came together for Celebration Saturday 2023. This is an annual event where we gather to raise funds and awareness for the important work done via our Community Partnerships. It was another beautiful day at Havergal, but even more impactful was seeing our community come together in support of local organizations that are making a difference. In short, it was a day designed to build community and to put our mission—to make a difference—into action.

I’m energized when I contemplate the future we’re building together at Havergal. We are coming off of a year of intensive planning as we worked to collect insight and feedback to shape Havergal’s next strategic direction. In the coming weeks and months, you’ll hear more about the bold plans we have to ensure that our girls are receiving the very best preparation to head out into the world and be positive change-makers. You’ll also hear about the near-term and future-term initiatives we are undertaking to continue in our pursuit of excellence as a school. I again want to thank the students, employees, parents and Old Girls/Alums who shared their ideas and hopes for Havergal, building on our rich history and investing in future opportunities for our girls. 

As we welcome this new school year, I encourage you to join us in exploring the experiences, opportunities and learning that will allow our girls to graduate as young women who will lead progress and innovation into future generations. I am filled with optimism and hope for Havergal’s future as we embark on this new school year together.

Katrina

Working Together with Our Community Partnerships

Fatima Kaba, Manager of Learning Experiences

Over the years, Havergal College has created relationships with community partners that not only benefit our school, but also have profound impacts on the broader community. These collaborations are essential for cultivating a sense of social responsibility, empathy and civic engagement among students, while providing Havergal students opportunities to make a difference. 

Each Community Partnership is founded on our “4 P” approach. We partner with people first, not necessarily organizations; we honour the place of the people and that informs our work; we seek out different perspectives; and once we have done this, can we enter into a true reciprocal partnership. One of the primary advantages of engaging in Community Partnerships is the development of empathy and social responsibility in students. Through interactions with community members and organizations, students gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and needs within their local area. This first-hand exposure to real-world issues helps students develop empathy and a desire to make positive impacts. They learn to appreciate the value of helping others and develop a sense of responsibility toward their community. Students who participate in our long-standing weekly partnerships at Grenoble Public School and Art City are immersed in a new community by sharing ideas, gaining new perspectives and developing their commitment to others.  

While the communities served in these partnerships benefit from Havergal’s ongoing efforts, the students and school as a whole also benefit from the reciprocal relationship. They gain access to valuable information, expertise and experiences that enhance the educational opportunities they offer. These partnerships enrich the curriculum and provide students with diverse learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom.

At our Community Partnership Fest on Wednesday, September 27, Upper School students will have the opportunity to learn more about our weekly and bi-weekly partnerships and sign up to be part of this incredible learning experience in collaboration with our community partners. 

The Forum for Change strives to develop and continue to grow our relationships with our community partners as they foster a sense of interconnectedness and social responsibility that can last a lifetime. 

A full list of community partnerships can be found here. Learn more about the impact of our partnerships in this video.

Student Opportunities Through the Forum for Change

Jessica Randall, Manager of Global Learning Experiences

The Forum for Change (F4C) is the global heartbeat of Havergal College, providing students with experiential learning opportunities outside of the classroom and with the world around them. Bringing Havergal’s mission to life, the F4C’s role is to support students in finding their passions and interests to make a difference in the world, locally and globally. 

Recognizing our vision for Havergal graduates, we want them to be globally-minded, confident and resilient decision-makers. We help build bridges and networks to support these opportunities so our students can learn from new perspectives, be self-directed, meet people and discover more about their cultures.

The F4C stretches and challenges our students in ways that support our Portrait of a Grad: in particular, Globally-Minded, Being Flexible and Adaptable Thinkers, and Leaning into Action. We support, through our learning experiences, their development of identity and sense of self with a disposition to action. Through their participation in these opportunities, students learn to adapt and thrive in complex and changing environments so, when they graduate, they can navigate a dynamic and uncertain world.

Opportunities include participating in the Global Learning & Leading Diploma (GLLD), travelling with our Global Exchanges and Excursions, and working with our partner Round Square. Each of these programs is designed to equip students to make a positive difference in the world with a focus on knowing, understanding and developing a practice of global competencies. These programs encourage students to broaden their cultural fluency and make an impact through deep and meaningful learning experiences. Our memberships in global organizations, such as UNESCO Associated Schools Network and Round Square, means more opportunities for our students to engage in global projects, conferences and connections beyond our ivy walls.

The F4C is the place to go for students who have big ideas, want to help those around them and learn more about the world outside of Havergal College through our various opportunities and partnerships.

A New Year of Athletic Opportunities

Anna Bartlett, JS Athletic Director, and Carla Di Filippo, US Athletic Director

The start of the fall season will always be full of excitement because it means sports are back at HC! For us, the Athletic Directors at the Junior and Upper Schools, there is almost no better feeling than the joy of watching our students playing sports on our beautiful 22-acre campus. Typical after school activities for our athletes include swimming in the pool; playing basketball in the gym; competing in field hockey, flag football or soccer on the fields; enjoying the on-campus disc golf course; learning tennis or pickleball on our tennis courts; or running in the Lisa Hardie Woodland Trail. We are truly blessed to be on this campus and in this space. 

This fall, the Upper School boasts 27 sports teams while the Junior School is offering 13 teams. At Havergal, school spirit runs high and we hope each student has the chance to play one sport at some point this school year. There is no better way to meet new people, learn something new and be active all while having fun. 

If you want to view some great photos and updates about athletics, please follow our Instagram page: @havergal_gators. 

Can You Hear the Buzz?

Garth Nichols, Vice Principal, Experiential Learning and Innovation

Nestled in a fenced-off area with ample sunlight and shade is home to Havergal’s newest members of the community: honeybees. If you read the summer mailing from August, you’ll know that we have partnered with Alveole, a beekeeping company that has excellent experience in schools and organizations in supporting honeybee hives. We have our own designated Beekeeper, and hosted two “Hive to HoneyJar” workshops this month, where our students, faculty and staff had the opportunity to harvest some honey from our hive. Alveole looks after the hive and the bees, ensuring they are well taken care of; moreover, Alveole will be working with the Forum for Change and our interested students to use the data from the bees (their numbers, behaviours, as well as the ingredients in their honey) to learn about the health of our campus ecosystem and the surrounding community. We will be using our honeybees for land-based learning experiences and sustainability practices: understanding pollinator competition in the city of Toronto, and what we can do to support our pollinators and our ecosystem. Discover more about this program by reading “Learning with Honeybees at Havergal,” by visiting our MyHive page or by reaching out to me, Garth Nichols, Vice Principal of Experiential Learning and Innovation, at [email protected].

Jessica Randall

Manager of Global Learning Experiences

Our newest member of the Forum for Change is Jessica Randall, who is the Manager of Global Learning Experiences. In this role, she oversees Havergal’s Exchange program and supports our Community Partnerships. This includes working with a variety of organizations in facilitating art programming, tutoring sessions and mentoring opportunities, as well as hosting food and clothing drives. “Giving back to the community is something I am really passionate about, and being able to do that while helping students find outreach activities they are passionate about is very fulfilling,” says Ms. Randall. “I am so excited to have joined such a welcoming, friendly and spirited community.”

You can find Ms. Randall in the Forum for Change office, located in the Resource Centre (the library). Students are invited to go to the Forum for Change for advice, support and guidance on a variety of things, including finding the right opportunity for them to earn their mandatory 40 hours of community service required to graduate. She also mentors students so they are prepared for what to expect while on Exchange, whether locally or abroad, and acts as a liaison with our Exchange student guests, ensuring they feel safe and comfortable while away from home.

Whether going on a global excursion through our partnership with Round Square, participating in our Exchange program or working with different communities through our local and international partnerships, Ms. Randall is available to provide guidance to our students on their journeys. These experiential learning opportunities are excellent ways for teenagers to gain self-confidence and independence as they discover Canada and the world, meet different people, make new friends and learn about other cultures as they prepare for the future beyond Havergal College.