Family Handbook 2017-18

Resilience  is  the ability  to bounce back  from disappointment and  it develops  from  learning how  to  manage and  recover  from  low‐risk  failure. When we  rescue girls  from age‐appropriate errors,  they  cannot  learn  from  their experiences. As a  result,  they begin  to  view  small  setbacks as great  disasters. As educators, one of our goals  is  to help girls  learn  from  their mistakes,  rather  than  preven ng  them  from making any. A  child who never  faces  failure  is a  child who becomes  fearful  and  risk‐averse. Students who make mistakes will be  supported and guided  to  take ownership,  forgive others and  themselves and  reflect upon a plan  to move  forward  in a posi ve way.  Each Wednesday  from 8:20 –9 am,  students  in  the  Junior School par cipate  in  community  building ac vi es. These ac vi es  include House, Haverpals and Community Circle Moderated  Class Mee ngs, which are all part our  social  literacy  curriculum and are directly  linked  to  the  Havergal 2020: Our Vision  is  Limitless  Strategic Plan .  Recess  Time  spent outdoors  is an  integral part of  the  school day at Havergal College, as  research  indicates  that  regular physical ac vity and play  support  students’ physical,  social and mental health and  the  improvement of  cogni ve  func on.  Living  in Canada, we  can experience extremes  in weather,  which o en  leads  to  the ques on:  “How does Havergal determine whether or not  students  remain  inside during  recess?” As always, we use our best  judgement  to make  this decision.  Reasons why an  indoor  recess may be  called, or why outdoor  recess may be  shortened,  include:  harsh  rain,  thunderstorms,  lightning, hail, extreme winds and extreme  cold  (‐15 degrees Celsius  without wind  chill). Our expecta on  is  that all  students  come  to  school with appropriate outdoor  gear  so  that  they  can par cipate  fully  in outdoor play. This may  include a  raincoat, boots, hat,  mi ens,  snow pants and warm  jacket.  If  your  child  is  too  sick  to go outside  for  recess, please  keep  her home.  If  there  is another  reason why  your  child  cannot go out  for  recess, but  is well enough  to a end  regular  classes, please provide  the office with a doctor’s note.  Lunch  All  children are  required  to  remain at  school  for  lunch and eat  in  their  classrooms. Students do  not have access  to microwave ovens  to heat up  their  lunches and  they are encouraged  to use a  thermos,  should  they wish a warm  lunch op on. A packed  lunch  can be brought  from home; as  there  is no  cafeteria  service  in  the  Junior School.  Lunches  should be brought  to  school  in  reusable  containers with a non‐disposable  cup and utensils. The  Junior School Environment Commi ee has 

Last Updated Aug. 18, 2017  Havergal College Family Handbook 2017–18

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