Reflections of Havergal: 1994-2019

COMMUNITY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COMMUNI T Y

In the following decade, Havergal: Celebrating a Century 34 tells us parents could be seen swinging their hips in a [hula hoop] on the lawn or quietly deliberating as members of the board. For parents, the Havergal Community Committee (HCC), instituted in 1980 to replace the Forum Committee, continued its work with a new format, reinforcing parental involvement and improving relationships between school and parents. Like the Forum, it became a subcommittee of the board. When Havergal was creating its first strategic plan, for the years 1994–99, the contributions of parents were well reflected in the vision that emerged from community-wide consultations. The final draft of the plan was explicit about the significant role parents should play in the life of the school: “An effective partnership will exist between parents and school, characterized by open communications, respect and a recognition of their mutual responsibilities.” That the partnership did thrive over the coming years was clear from a report in Torch in 2009: The HCC consists of … parents who volunteer their time to act as a liaison between the parent body, the staff and the students. The HCC undertakes activities that keep the school’s ties strong through an ever-growing network of over 200 parent volunteers. The HCC leads several community-building events throughout the year … along with ongoing support of Horticulture and the Green & Gold Shop. The school’s Interguild Rep serves as Havergal’s liaison to the other … independent schools in Ontario who are members of the Conference of Independent Schools …The HCC’s Grade Rep convenors manage the large network of over 50 Grade Reps from JK to Grade 12 who provide the communications support between parents in their respective grades.

HCC/HCPA Events and Activities 1994–2019

The revenue that some HCC events generates is used to support school programs and purchase equipment, contributions that invariably enhance the students’ education. Havergal is also fortunate to have grandparents who are eager to participate in the life of the school. The Summer 1994 Torch proudly reported on the very first Grandpals Day in 1910, and in 2007 the school, to paraphrase one of its favourite songs, “drew the circle even wider” and created the Havergal Grandparents Program. As observed in the Spring 2010 issue of Torch , grandparents add another dimension to school life. They play an important role in helping their granddaughters to develop into confident, intelligent and globally capable young women. Indeed, through their stories and perspectives and the mentoring roles they so often play in our lives, grandparents teach us a lot about who we are…

Father Daughter Dance 2013.

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