Torch - Fall 2013

Havergal Parents Making a Difference

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Havergal College and The Havergal College Foundation Annual Report 2012–2013

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT & COMMUNITY RELATIONS Louise Yearwood

Table of Contents

DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS Young Um

COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE Susan Pink

2 Havergal Snapshots 5 Rachelle Li, School Captain 2013–2014 6 Whole Girl, Whole School 8 Understanding Self-Efficacy 11 Institute at Havergal 12 Feature Story: Havergal

16 Student Awards 2012–2013

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susan Pink Young Um Louise Yearwood and others as credited

19 An International Experience

20 Traditions at Havergal

CONTRIBUTORS Sasha Bateman Heather Colwell Helena Follows Christine Lawson

22 Community News

23 Old Girls News

DESIGN Carol Tsang

27 Annual Report 2012–2013

52 Graduate Profile 2013

Parents—Making a Difference

SPECIAL THANKS to all members of the Havergal community who participated in interviews, submitted articles, contributed photographs and reviewed articles. SUSTAINABILITY AND THE TORCH The Torch is printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)- approved paper and mailed in a 100% biodegradable bag that is also recyclable. Please help reduce landfill waste by disposing of it in your recycling box. PRIVACY OF INFORMATION Havergal College is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal information. Havergal’s Privacy statement is available at www.havergal.on.ca.

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Canada Post Publication Number 48951322

Havergal College and The Havergal College Foundation Annual Report 2012–2013

1451 Avenue Road Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5N 2H9 Telephone: 416.483.3519 Fax: 416.483.6796 www.havergal.on.ca

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ON THE COVER. Left to right: Havergal parents—Joanne Gooding 1982, Mary Whitelaw and Elizabeth Seger

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

A Gift of Time By Lois Rowe

I ndividuals who volunteer offer us a most valuable gift— their time. They sign up, show up, roll up their sleeves and participate, all for the reward of being of use. Not-for- profit organizations depend on volunteers to enhance their operations—raise funds and provide programming. Havergal is an organization that owes a debt of gratitude to its volunteers. Havergal is fortunate to have parents who give generously of their time to support the school and its community partners. Whether it’s Celebration Saturday, used books and uniforms, the annual Father Daughter Dance, horticultural work or Grade Representatives reaching out to keep parents up-to-date and socially connected, there is so much that Havergal parent volunteers contribute to the school. The efforts of these parent volunteers are coordinated through the work of the Havergal Community Committee (HCC). In this issue of The Torch , you will see that we honour the work of the HCC leaders and the role of the volunteer. Havergal is richer for the gift of time given by the many volunteers who make up the HCC. The Annual Report contained in this issue is a testament to another form of generosity present in our community. Financial support from Old Girls, parents, students, faculty and staff, present and past, helps to fund ongoing and innovative programming for the school as well as to fund assistance in the form of student bursaries. Our school’s culture of philanthropy also brings together constituents from around the world and across generations and connects them to Havergal’s vital role in preparing young women to make a difference. Thank you to all donors past and future.

The excellence of a Havergal education— that is funded in part through financial donations from the community— was recognized in the accreditation report we received from Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) this past summer. Havergal received many commendations including one that

recognized the impact of the recent Strategic Plan, A Culture of Capability : “The Visiting Committee commends Havergal’s mission to grow a ‘culture of capability,’ which encourages community engagement, appropriate risk-taking and responsible leadership, ultimately greatly contributing to a culture where girls feel secure enough to take risks in and out of the classroom. This is evident at every grade level.” This year, the school will begin the transition from one strategic plan to another. These are important plans. They engage the school in the process of looking to the future in a proactive way. We look forward to sharing with the community a summary of the impact of the current Strategic Plan and how it will shape strategies to follow. Lois Rowe, Acting Principal

Our “Discover great moments” timeline paints a picture of the Havergal experience by highlighting the achievements of many Old Girls and the life-changing experiences that they shared at Havergal, along with more recent student accomplishments and historical facts about the school. Visit Havergal College’s new timeline: www.havergal.on.ca/timeline D iscover Great Moments

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1. September 25: Junior Kindergarten students explore colours in their science unit. 2. October 23: Alumnae at the 2013 Old Girls Annual Dinner. 3. September 3: Prefects welcome new Upper School students on the first day of school. 4. September 16: HC’s U20 Field Hockey Team plays Nichols School. 5. September 13: The Junior School hosts a New Girl Tea to welcome new students. 6. September 28: Acting Principal Lois Rowe and School Captain Rachelle Li kick off Celebration Saturday festivities. 7. October 11: Grade 9 Art students learn stone carving in the Shona Tradition. 8. September 18: The Middle School welcomes mothers at the annual Mother-Daughter Games. 9. September 20: Mothers celebrate their daughters at the Mother-Daughter Grad Luncheon. 10. October 16: Grade 5 students learn about matter in the Science Lab.

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11. September 6: Senior Kindergarten teacher Laura Logaridis spends one-on-one time with a student. 12. October 9: Grade 6s learn how to play water polo from the Head Coach of the U18 Women’s National Team. 13. September 28: Upper School students help out at the JS Midway on Celebration Saturday. 14. October 11: Grade 2 students with their Harvest Festival basket donations. 15. September 28: Inflatable bungee run—one of the new features of Celebration Saturday. 16. August 21: Faculty attend the PD session “Understanding by Design.” 17. September 27: Old Girls pose with their daughters at the Junior School Old Girls Prayers. 18. October 9: Middle School students learn to play ukuleles in Music class.

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Snapshots of Life at Havergal

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ADVANCEMENT & COMMUNITY RELATIONS

The Tribute Fund “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” —William Arthur Ward Celebrate milestones and special moments in life— birthdays , graduations , honours , anniversaries and holidays —with a gift to Havergal’s Tribute Fund. Your Tribute Gift will honour a special person for their achievements and celebrations and, at the same time, ensure that you contribute to excellence at Havergal. For more information about our Tribute Fund, please visit www.havergal.on.ca/tributefund .

To make a Tribute Gift please call 416.482.4703 or go online to www.havergal.on.ca/support .

nnual Giving

Your donation is an investment in our students’ education and the future of Havergal College. Every gift counts; participation from the entire Havergal community is the key to our success. In order to receive a tax receipt for the 2013 year, your donation must be post-marked or completed online at www.havergal.on.ca/support by no later than December 31, 2013 . For more information, please contact 416.482.4703 or annualgiving@havergal.on.ca.

TAX YEAR-END IS APPROACHING Make your gift by December 31 to receive a 2013 charitable receipt!

Thank you to those who have already made their 2013–2014 annual gift!

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SECTION HAVERGAL PROFILE

When Life Gives You Lemons Dunt et non henim illamet augueril ullan venim adipit loreet vulputpat la feu faci esenis autat. Lortin vullum velit, vullam, vel el dunt praessi. Dunt et non autat. Lortin vullum velit, vullam, vel el dunt praessi. A violinist since the age of four, Rachelle Li School Captain 2013–2014 By Susan Pink

I ndrem dolor autat. Lamcon ullan el utpation eugait vel ex ea feuipsustrud tem in ullam, vel ullan exeraese consequatie conullu ptatum iuscilit iurem elit nullam il ex eugait nim do coreriu reetuer aesequat. Dui ea feu feuip eriuscilit, commodolore volutatue te feugiat. Ut nulputpat adignisit irilit ad ex ea atue faci ercil iure magnit dolor suscill utpat, sumsand reriureetue dolobortio eugiamcommod magna faccum vulla feuisisi. Tuer sumsan utat wis amet, vulputpat. Duipsusto et niat. Duismodo odiat ullamcon ver si tate et lore tio odolore rostini ametuer ostionum iure modolob orerit wis alisi. Esequam coreet wis adiatum modiate ver aliquam zzriurem venismodolut accum quisl erillaor ip eraeseq uipsusto dolortin exercilla cor in et praessi et ulputat laortin vel dolorper suscilla consequ amconse tie vendit autat. Dipsummodion henis ad et vulla facipit irit lam, sectem nulputat. Na con ulput wissit lor at. Duisit lam, quam ipsusto conse veros elis nonsecte delenim dolobor inim vulluptat. Ut nos nullan henit, quismod el utpat luptatie tet aliquis dolore dunt nibh exerostinibh enis aliquisim erciliq uatuero el ut vel dip ex exer iniscidunt nit aut aliquatie dolobortie dit amconse quissi tin hendrem zzrit iurem dolore commy nonsequisi et nonsed tis am, sit praestie do commolo borperit et nonsectet duisl irit adigna consequip ex eratueros aliquat. Duis augait utat eum zzriureet, velisci tie do dolore diamet nosto odoleni scidunt veniamet il iure dolutpat lobor augiam venit autatum volor iniscip exercidunt num zzrit lum diam nulluptat. Ugait adipit utpatum ver adit irit nonsent alit, quatum at alissim ad magnit velisl inciduisim zzrit alit ullam diat. Um iriure tat erate tio odo con henibh endigna feu feu faci tie dunt praessequis eum inim ing exer summod minis alit at. Sis non utat. Irit veratem ilisi tem do dolorpe rciduipit, summy num quat am, consequisl dignibh esse et in hendit aut volobor tinisissit dolobor iusto od tionse modionsed dolent vulla faccum iurer seniam zzrit lut nibh ercinim dolore te consed tionseq uipismo loborem quat ea coreet nisi. Alis niamet dolum iure etum in et pratum el exerit lore magna accum il endion henit praessim dunt iriure et, vullaortie min velis dolore faci blaore velisl ipit dolendi onullamet numsan veraestrud magna consecte dolor sit lamet dolobor in velit vel ip et, consequ ismolut pratem nonum dolor si blaorper iriurem nim veros num eu facil ut amconsectem velisisim nim vulla faci ea faccum in eros alit amet eum ilit ing eum iuscincinim velesto dunt adignissisit nos duis nibh enim am alit nonsectem in ent venis nonullaore doloreet lor senibh eumsan hent nullaorem iusci eugait praestrud dolor inci tatio exeriuscing eugue facing ex et erat doluptat, siscillam zzriurerit at, quat dolore digna feuguerat lore dionummy nulla feumsandip enim quissequis nonulput wisl del eu feum zzrit luptat niam zzril doloreros aut am in eum nos nim velisis dolent vullam, quis at. Velendrer sum zzrit wissi blandit lorem num ip exerci bla facilit augiam estrud tat. Vulput lore do consequip ex etueros alisim veniamet. sequis nullamcorem estinci psusciduis nonsed School Captain Rachelle Li has a passion and a gift for playi g classical music. Rachelle’s family was drawn to Havergal because of its superior music program. They knew the school would be a great environment for their musically talented daughters as it w uld be somewhere that they could develop into well-rounded students while enriching their musical talents. Starting at Havergal i Grade 4, Rachelle has been involved in many aspects of school life: sports teams, community partnerships, student council, the Welcome Committee, the Celebration Saturday Committee and orchestras. This year, she takes on a leading role as our School Captain. Despite a full schedule, she is dedicated to her art and practices the violin for many hours a week. Rachelle is an accomplished young musician who has been a member of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra since 2007. In the summer of 2013, she placed first in the North York Music Festival and, as a result, was a featured soloist on the October 5, 2013 program of the Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2012, Rachelle was a scholarship recipient and a member of The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists at The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) and attained her Performer’s RCT (Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto) from the RCM in Violin Performance with First Class Honours with Distinction, the highest level. She also received Havergal’s Senior Music Award for the 2012-2013 school year. During the past few summers, Rachelle has focused her energy on global community service adventures, led by experiential travel agencies. Her experiences have included volunteering at an elephant conservatory in Thailand, teaching English to orphans in India, building chimneys to ventilate villagers’ kitchens in Peru and participating in a medical mission in El Salvador. These missions—the medical mission to El Salvador in particular—have inspired her to pursue a future career in medicine.

Rachelle Li, School C ptain 2013-2014

Rachelle is someone who recognizes that working with a team builds excitement and passion for things. She adds that playing in an orchestra teaches you about teamwork and collaboration. Her future is bright and she is leaving her options open. “I want to see where the future takes me,” she explains. This is in perfect step with this year’s school motto “Seize the Unseen in 13-14,” which was developed by Rachelle and her fellow student leaders and encourages students to take risks in life and to seek out new opportunities. One thing Rachelle is sure of is that wherever she lands beyond the ivy, she will continue to play the violin. “Playing in an orchestra is a magical experience,” Rachelle says. “When you play together, you experience the emotion of music together. Whether it’s the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra or the Havergal Senior Orchestra, you come together because you share a passion for music.”

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HEADS’ MESSAGE

Whole Girl , Whole School By Leslie Anne Dexter & Dr. Michael Simmonds

T he Junior and Upper Schools at Havergal College are connected by more than a bridge that crosses a ravine. The schools are united by a common mission of preparing young women to make a difference. With this in mind, we decided to co-author a single message for this issue of The Torch because it underscores the interdependence of our respective schools to instill in every girl an empowering belief that anything is possible. This Whole Girl, Whole School approach begins in Junior Kindergarten and continues through Grade 12. While the developmental needs of Junior School students differ from their Middle and Senior School counterparts, the Whole Girl, Whole School focus enables students at every age to engage, not only with trusted adults, but also with local and global communities. Take for example the Institute at Havergal—at its core, the Institute builds capability in students of every grade through group- and

team-based problem-solving methods that promote dialogue and critical thinking. As importantly, Junior and Upper School students know where to go to discuss (and act upon) their ideas. Student-led initiatives are supported by our new guidebook, Ready, Set, Dream: Thinking Your Ideas to Action , which helps girls translate their ideas into action in the Junior School’s Learning Hub or the Upper School’s Forum for Change. The guidebook was co-created by Old Girl Alex Medline 2011 and the Institute team. More evidence of our whole school collaboration can be found in the professional growth initiative that was developed by JK to Grade 12 teachers. Last year, a team of teachers from both schools worked closely with the Director of Curriculum & Faculty Development, Seonaid Davis, to establish a best-practice approach to professional growth. What emerged was a framework for professional learning that was common to teachers at every grade

Leslie Anne Dexter, Head of Junior School, and Dr. Michael Simmonds, Head of Upper School

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At Havergal, girls know that they can ask questions, try new things, solve real problems and make a positive difference in their world. Remarkably this is as true today as it was in 1894, when the school was founded. “ “

and sensitive to the individual needs of both new and experienced teachers. Establishing a common professional growth initiative in this way is possible only because these conversations are mission- and values-driven. Another important way the Junior and Upper Schools support the Whole Girl can be found in the structure and composition of leadership teams. Acting Principal Lois Rowe tasked five strategic leadership teams with the challenge of translating the mission and values of Havergal into action. She began with a simple premise: “structure the responsibilities of the leadership positions in the school around the support they provide, and let the programs follow.”

Junior School Prefects with Kindergarten students

Without exception, every leadership team at Havergal is comprised of Junior and Upper School representatives who focus their effort on different aspects of the school: teaching and learning; student and parent engagement; faculty growth; and overall wellness of students. This strategic direction is exciting and will continue to create an environment that allows the collective knowledge, resources and skills of each team member to flourish and foster a culture of capability for students. At Havergal, girls know that they can ask questions, try new things, solve real problems and make a positive difference in their world. Remarkably this is as true today as it was in 1894, when the school was founded. And although First Principal Ellen Knox could not have imagined how technology would expand her local community to the now global community in which we all live, she did know what question to ask of her students 119 years ago when she said: “What are you going to do?” This is the same question we ask our students today.

From left to right: Cheri Grogan 1985, Assistant Head – Junior School; Natalia Stewart, Assistant Head — Boarding School; Gillian Martin, Assistant Head — Senior School; and Jennifer Patterson, Assistant Head — Middle School

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FACULTY

Understanding Self-Efficacy By Nicole Davies & Helen Carayannis

G uided by Havergal’s the importance of intentionally and explicitly developing self-efficacy within our students so that each girl feels empowered to believe in herself, to find her unique strengths and passions and to understand her own capacities and capabilities thus allowing her to thrive in a complex and unpredictable world. Self-efficacy is defined as the belief in one’s capabilities to achieve a goal or an outcome. Students with a strong sense of self-efficacy are more likely to challenge themselves with difficult tasks and to be intrinsically motivated. These students will put forth a higher degree of effort in order to meet their commitments and attribute failure to things that are in their control, rather than blaming external factors. Self- efficacious students recover quickly from setbacks and ultimately are likely to achieve their personal goals. Strategic Plan, A Culture of Capability , we recognize

Helen Carayannis, Junior School Technology Integration Teacher (left) and Nicole Davies, Junior School Inquiry and Literacy Teacher (right)

Throughout our combined 33 years as Havergal educators, we have often observed and worked with children who, although they are intellectually capable and possess good self-esteem, do not always believe in their academic capabilities. These children may become quickly frustrated, give up easily and rely on teacher and/ or parent support to take simple next steps. If they believe that they cannot be successful, they are less likely to make a concerted effort and may consider challenging tasks as threats to be avoided. Students with low self-efficacy often have low aspirations that may result in academic underperformance that can develop into learned-helplessness and a self-fulfilling cycle. As the 2012-2013 Havergal Chairs of Learning and Teaching, we applied the action research process to better understand our students and to explore strategies that can help our girls believe in their capabilities so that they learn independently and confidently, and grow and achieve their learning goals. Focusing on our Grade 4 to 6 students, we set out to answer the following questions:

• How self-efficacious are our Grade 4 to 6 students presently?

• What pedagogical steps are needed to develop self-efficacy in students in Grades 4 to 6 to strengthen their beliefs about their academic capabilities? • How can students develop self-awareness about their academic capabilities and apply these strategies to build their own self- efficacy? • How can parents and teachers support students as they develop self-awareness about their academic capabilities? Over the course of the year, we conducted a thorough literature review and gathered data from Junior School students, parents and teachers through surveys, one-on-one interviews and small group discussions. Once analyzed, our research revealed some significant findings. Our students understand and can articulate well the importance of adopting a growth mindset—the belief that their abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. However, when academically challenged, many of these

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same students are not able to apply growth mindset behaviours; instead, they become quickly consumed by feelings of stress, pressure and the fear of failure. Similarly, the data suggests that, generally speaking, parent beliefs are also out of sync with their behaviours. It is clear that parents want their children to develop an intrinsic love of learning and to discover their passions, which will ultimately contribute to them leading a fulfilling and happy life. However, a significant number of parents revealed a deep concern that their children will be unprepared for future endeavours. This fear is then expressed verbally and/or non-verbally to their children, placing pressure upon them to perform at a high level in order to stay ahead, earn top marks and develop special qualities that may set them apart from others. Parental reaction may add further to students’ adverse feelings regarding their academic capabilities. Our research is helping us to better understand our student and parent thinking, which is guiding us to implement next steps to help build student self-efficacy. We feel strongly that until all adults in our community understand growth mindsets—and self-esteem yet not be able to succeed in school or life because they lack the ability to believe that they are capable. —A. Bandura* “ Crucial to children’s self-esteem is the belief that they are capable individuals who can set goals for themselves and achieve them. Children can have good concepts of self and realistic Building self-efficacy is a central goal of our Strategic Plan, A Culture of Capability . To support the plan, a framework for self-efficacy and global capability was created by Christine Shain (the school’s Vice-Principal at that time), Seonaid Davis (Director of Curriculum & Faculty Development) and Ann Peel (Director, Institute at Havergal). What was not initially developed was a measurement tool to assess the framework— the school did not know quantitatively where students sat on the framework. Last school year, Ann Peel began working with Barbara Bodkin from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) to create an online self-assessment tool regarding self-efficacy. In order to collect baseline self-efficacy data, OISE’s team of researchers, in collaboration with Havergal’s team, developed a self-efficacy survey based upon 18 questions. The online survey was piloted last year with our Grade 6, 7 and 10 students and is currently being used with all Grade 10 students and participants in the Global Experience Program (excursion and exchange). Students from the Ghana excursion in July 2013

work towards developing and applying a growth mindset in their own lives—we cannot adequately support our students to become self-efficacious. As a starting point, we recommend reading Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset , which is an inspiring and engaging read that helps individuals to better understand themselves and their potential. Copies of this book were made available to all faculty and staff members as summer reading, which has sparked much conversation around teaching and learning here at Havergal. The journey to self-efficacy is an ongoing and complex process. We all have a responsibility to work together to support our students in this area. As Dweck suggests, if we want to give our children a gift, the best thing we can do is to teach them to love challenges, to be intrigued by mistakes, to enjoy effort and to become lifelong learners.

“ Assessing Self-Efficacy

were the first group to take the online survey, both before leaving and upon their return. “We will collect and analyze data from the cohort of Grade 10 students at large and those going through the Global Experience Program to get a better sense of what self-efficacy means and what feeling capable looks like for students,” Ann says. “We hope we can isolate the variables—find out who each student is, what she’s encountered and whether what she encounters makes her feel more or less capable.” The survey asks students to choose which kind of girl they are most like right now and then to decide whether the statement they choose is “sort of true” or “really true” for them. For example, the first question is: “Which statement is more true for you?” The choices are: “Some girls find it hard to ask for help” and “Some girls find it easy to ask for help.” If the student selects “Some girls find it hard to ask for help” then a follow-up question requires the student to select the verity of the statement—is it “Really true for me” or “Sort of true for me.” continued...

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* Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: the exercise of control. New York: W.H. Freeman .

FACULTY

As this is a multi-year project, the school and OISE researchers will review survey results and make any required adjustments at the end of each year. “It’s a dynamic concept. If we find patterns—such as grade- or experienced-based patterns—we may be able to determine the impact of our programs and where interventions would be beneficial to help students. For example, do students who go on an excursion or exchange feel more or less capable than other students,” says Ann, noting that self-efficacy is not only impacted by the school, but also impacted by other factors such as family, social relationships and one’s age and stage of life.

The results of this survey will add to the school’s growing knowledge of self-efficacy findings, including a research project with Women’s College Hospital with our Grade 7 to 12 students. Led by Old Girl Dr. Gillian Hawker 1978, this study set out to measure the validity of the standardized measures of self-efficacy (normally applied to at-risk groups) through an online survey, as well as qualitative one-on-one interviews to better understand students’ understanding of self-efficacy and its determinants.

Feedback that Works By Jennifer Goldberg Havergal Chair of Learning and Teaching 2013-2014

Students invest so much time producing work for teachers. Teachers invest so much time assessing students’ work. Yet, students often feel teachers haven’t understood their work, and teachers commonly feel that students haven’t understood their feedback. Why do we—students and teachers—invest so much time and energy in a cycle that so often produces feelings of failure on both sides? This question is the one driving my research this year as the Havergal Chair of Learning and Teaching. I am investigating what kinds of assessment and feedback produce the best results by exploring what approaches: • actually improve student work; • encourage a growth mindset in students; • promote the highest sense of self-efficacy in students and teachers; • allow teachers to most effectively monitor their impact; • facilitate dialogue between students, teachers and parents that speaks to the whole girl; and • are consistent with ministry policy, build on assessment using levels and achievement chart categories and balance assessment for, as and of learning. We know that feedback speaks to the essence of education, and yet so much it—at least the formal part—is students’ and teachers’ least favourite aspect of schooling. My hope is to work with colleagues and students to develop ways to make feedback a more meaningful opportunity for teaching and learning at Havergal.

Investing in Education Professional development is the R&D (research and development) of education. It provides teachers with the opportunity to gain new knowledge, to explore innovative concepts, to share learning with colleagues and to advance the practice of teaching. Each year, a member of Havergal’s faculty gains the opportunity to take on a leadership role in enriching the life of the school as the Havergal Chair of Learning and Teaching, an opportunity made possible by an investment from Michael and Heather Gardiner who established the Havergal Chair of Learning and Teaching endowment at the school in 1998. Since then, the recipients of this position have focused their research on a diverse range of topics (for more information, visit www.havergal.on.ca/chair ). English and Social Sciences teacher Jennifer Goldberg holds the position this year. Jennifer is investigating what kinds of assessment feedback yield the greatest results, promoting self-efficacy in students, and in turn, teachers.

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INSTITUTE AT HAVERGAL

Students From Ideas to Action

What?

Students Act Now enables each student to apply her learning to develop her view of the world, and to experience her impact in shaping her environment.

Why? How?

We shape innovative minds to enable Havergal students to be effective problem solvers anywhere, anytime with anyone.

When students enter the Forum for Change in the Upper School, or the Learning Hub in the Junior School on Thursdays at lunch, they share their ideas.

We work with them using Ready, Set, Dream: Thinking Your Ideas to Action to get at the heart of their ideas, to understand their strengths and their values and to help them build a team to take their ideas and put them in to action. As students travel

their journeys with us, their ideas evolve and become more complex. Students can track the evolution of their journeys by setting up eportfolios on www.mindmeister.com.

Evolving Ideas

Girls Helping Girls Last year’s recipient of the Student Innovation Award, Susanna Manziaris, has teamed up with her sister Linda’s jewelry- making business, Body Bijou (www.bodybijou.com), to help raise more support for girls’ scholarships in Kenya, Jamaica and South Africa. This is social entrepreneurship at its best— focusing on the power of young women to bring change to the world. Visit www.girlshelpinggirls.ca for more information. Dance for Life When Alessandra (Ali) Scaini could not dance due to injury, she decided to take her love of dance into the community. After spending last spring exploring many possibilities and limitations, she decided to start an after-school dance club at our partner school, Grenoble Public School. Starting this fall, Ali and a group of students will teach dance while other Havergal students participate in the long-standing homework club. Ali transformed her love of dance—and her belief in its power—from a personal loss to a collective gain.

Syrian Child Refugees Children are suffering in refugee camps in Jordan and Turkey. This situation disturbed Grade 4 students Jennipher, Elayna and Abby. In conversations with the Institute, the students turned their worries into a compelling story to which their schoolmates could relate. They shared their story in Junior School Prayers and persuaded fellow students to dedicate the proceeds of a pizza lunch to UNICEF’s work to build a school in the Zataari camp in Jordan.

TEDxHavergalCollege

A student group organized this event, Life as Don’t Know It —featuring unique individuals with inspiring ideas to change the world—which was held in the Legacy Theatre on November 16.

Want to follow these ideas as they evolve? We will be following up with these students in an upcoming issue of The Torch to share the evolution and progress of their stories and ideas.

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FEATURE STORY

By Young Um Havergal

Parents

Havergal mothers and daughters (left to right): Mary Whitelaw, Daniella Whitelaw, Jillian Gooding, Joanne Gooding 1982, Karen Rhamey, Elizabeth Seger and Claire Rhamey

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F or these Havergal mothers—Joanne Gooding 1982, Today, as moms of teenagers, their lives are sometimes hectic and often full of surprises as they manage their households and volunteer their time and expertise at Havergal and at other local organizations that are close to their hearts. You can tell that Joanne, Elizabeth and Mary absolutely love Havergal, and over the years, their commitment to the school has continued to deepen. Volunteering seems second nature to these women, who have each assumed various leadership roles at Havergal, culminating in holding the position of Chair of the school’s parent association, the Havergal Community Committee (HCC): Joanne (2012–13), Elizabeth (2013–14) and Mary (2014–15). “Volunteers are an important part of the community. Parents bring different perspectives that enrich the overall school experience,” says Louise Yearwood, Executive Director of Advancement & Community Relations, who oversees the HCC. “Collectively and individually, they [Joanne, Elizabeth and Mary] are tremendously strong leaders for the HCC.” The HCC is a committee of 30 parent volunteers who act as liaisons between the parent body and the faculty, staff and students at Havergal. The HCC keeps the school’s ties strong throughout the year by organizing community-building events including the Father Daughter Dance, Parent Luncheon, Staff Appreciation Lunch, Used Uniform and Textbook Collection and Celebration Saturday, along with ongoing support of horticulture and the Elizabeth Seger and Mary Whitelaw—leaving the workforce was a decision that was right for their families.

Green & Gold Shop. The HCC’s Grade Rep Convenors manage the large network of more than 50 Grade Reps from JK to Grade 12 who provide communications support between parents and their respective grades. “The HCC brings together parents who want to make a difference,” says current HCC Chair Elizabeth, who will be passing the torch to Mary, the current Vice-Chair, next school year. As Chair, Elizabeth runs monthly HCC meetings, participates as an ex-officio member of the Board of Governors and, along with Mary, represents the HCC at many school functions. Elizabeth adds that more than 250 parents volunteer with the HCC each year to support the school and their daughters. For parents who are new to the community, she encourages attendance at parent socials and coffee mornings to learn what’s happening at Havergal, and suggests that being a Grade Rep is also a great way to get to know other parents. And just as parents want their daughters to get everything out of the Havergal experience, the HCC encourages parents to do the same. “Determine how you want to participate in the school—whether it’s helping out at a single event, signing up for a weekly shift at the Green & Gold Shop, volunteering a few hours at the annual Celebration Saturday event or serving on the HCC. Just get involved,” adds Elizabeth, noting that all parents are invited to attend HCC meetings. In their leadership roles, these ladies are role models for their daughters. “I hope that at whatever stage of life, my children feel compelled to give back to their community,” Joanne says. “Children learn by example. What you teach your kids at home is how they balance things in life and how they become good citizens.”

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FEATURE STORY

Parents ’ Journey In their early days as Havergal parents, Joanne, Elizabeth and Mary got involved with the school in order to meet other parents and to get to know the school, faculty and staff better. Since then, their involvement with Havergal has grown and evolved. Although their future plans are still in development—after their children graduate from high school—they will keep active in their community and continue to investigate new opportunities to learn and grow. Mary adds: “If you don’t get involved and give back, you’ve missed out on the greatest gift life has to offer.” Joanne Gooding: With the instability in Toronto public schools in the 70s, Joanne’s mother (who attended a girls’ school in Winnipeg) wanted her to attend an independent school. With a chuckle, Joanne recalls that she “did not want to go to private school.” Starting at Havergal in Grade 8, she grew to love it. Joanne’s family legacy continues, as her daughter Jillian started at Havergal in Grade 1 (she’s now in Grade 12). However, it wasn’t until Jillian was nine years old and her son, Charlie, was five years old (now at Sterling Hall in Grade 8) that Joanne decided to leave the workforce after working for 18 years in market research with the CBC (both she and her husband, Brian, travelled a lot for work back then).

welcoming, and that makes parents feel connected and part of the community. If you get involved with the school, you’ll have a better understanding of the education process, how an institution is run and what your daughter is experiencing. You’ll get to meet great people, some of whom you may not have normally encountered as they are outside your daughter’s circle.” Elizabeth Seger: When the Seger-Rhamey family grew to four children under the age of six, Elizabeth and her husband, Peter Rhamey, made the decision for her to designate more time at home, leaving her 15-year career in the finance and venture capital sector. A graduate of Toronto French School (TFS), her four children attended her alma mater . Her oldest daughter Anna is now in her second year at university. Elizabeth’s middle daughter Karen took it upon herself to apply to Havergal and was admitted for Grade 7 (she’s now in Grade 12); her youngest, Claire, started at Havergal two years ago (she’s now in Grade 9) and her twin brother Michael attends TFS. Over the years, Elizabeth has come to appreciate what makes Havergal so special for her family. “Havergal is a place of traditions and academic excellence. The facilities here are unbelievable and the teaching support has been great. I enjoy being a part of the community. Volunteering allows me to put my mind and skills to work. It’s rewarding in a different kind of way,” says Elizabeth, who was a Grade Rep for several years before taking on the HCC Vice Chair position in 2012–13. For the last three years, Elizabeth has also been a presenter for Scientists in School, which merges her passion for science and enjoyment of teaching. Mary Whitelaw: It was a big decision for Mary to stay at home to start a family and leave her position at IBM. And when it came to decisions about schooling—having attended a private school herself—Mary wanted her three children to have a similar experience. Mary and her husband Brian’s appreciation for higher education at Havergal began when Daniella entered Grade 7 (she’s now in Grade 11). “It was time for Daniella to begin her journey at Havergal. The school is such an amazing and fabulous place for young women,” says Mary, noting that she also volunteered at her sons’ (Matthew and Nicholas) school, St. Andrew’s College, on the Parents Guild. Her sons are currently second- and first-year university students. “Having the time and ability to give back is very important to our family.” Mary has chaired the Father Daughter Committee and volunteered at Celebration Saturday. As well, she continues to be a Grade Rep and a member of the Rowing Committee. This year, she’s volunteering at the Green & Gold Shop and as the HCC Vice Chair. “It’s the possibilities that draw me to be involved with the school. Through volunteering, you are able to meet wonderful parents and faculty who have the same drive and dedication to Havergal,” Mary says. “It’s the joy of the end result. When students give you a hug and say thank you—it’s the greatest gratification you can receive.”

14 HAVERGAL COLLEGE Joanne being at home gives the Gooding household the flexibility they need. Volunteering allows Joanne to give back to the school that afforded her a great education. Her volunteer path started with her being a Grade Rep for several years, taking on one of the Grade Rep Convenor positions in 2011–12. She also ran the Havergal Golf Tournament in 2011 (proceeds were endowed in May 2011 to establish the HCC Bursary Fund) and assumed the Chair of the HCC last year. “It’s been so interesting, exciting and fulfilling to be involved with the school over the years,” Joanne says. “The school is always The school is always welcoming, and that makes parents feel connected and part of the community. —Joanne Gooding “

Their Philanthropy For Elizabeth, philanthropy has a broad definition, combining the giving of time and money to make a difference. A few years ago, Elizabeth and her husband travelled to Nicaragua with Bridges to Community, an organization in which her brother is involved, on a “shared work” development project with a local community; the experience changed her perspective. “I came home a changed person,” she says. “Volunteering is a way to engage fully in any community.” According to Mary, time is treasure. “You give back not because you have to, but because you want to,” she says. Mary and her family are involved with their church community initiatives and, for several years, have volunteered as Celebrity Clowns for the Santa Claus Parade. “Everyone contribut s at different levels. You have to define philanthropy for yourself and your household,” says Joanne, who also sits on the Board of Rosedale United Church and the Donalda Club. And since the early 1990s, Joanne and her classmate Diane King have been Class Reps, keeping nearly 30 Old Girls from the Class of 1982 connected to each other. By definition, philanthropy is the love of humanity . “Philanthropy is about thinking beyond yourself to improve our world. It’s about appreciating and engaging with the community that you’re a part of,” Louise says. “Philanthropy is about creating positive changes in the world, fostering relationships that share a common understanding and appreciation, and making a difference—principles that are deeply- rooted values in Havergal’s history.” For nearly 120 years, generations of Havergalians—parents, Old Girls, students, faculty and staff—have given back to the school. To ensure this tradition continues, the school’s culture of philanthropy must continue to grow. “On behalf of the school, I would like to express our deepest gratitude to the HCC and all our volunteers—parents, students, Old Girls, faculty and staff—for the incredible work they do for Havergal and making the school one of their families’ charitable priorities,” Louise adds. “You enrich our community and uphold the school’s values and traditions. You make Havergal what it is—a school that is able to offer young women from around the world a truly exceptional education.”

Through volunteering, you are able to meet wonderful parents and faculty who have the same drive and dedication to Havergal. —Mary Whitelaw “ “

Volunteering is a way to engage fully in any

community. —Elizabeth Seger

“

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STUDENT AWARDS

Havergal Student Awards 2012–2013

The Havergal community congratulates the following students for their achievements and accomplishments for the 2012-2013 school year. Special awards ceremonies were held on June 10, 2013, for the Junior School and October 10, 2013, for the Upper School to honour and acknowledge the many award recipients.

JUNIOR SCHOOL GRADE 6 PRIZES AND AWARDS • The Lady Hulbert Holmes Award: Olivia Nadalini • The Ismay McCarrick Award: Julianna Botros • The Mohan Award: Sierra Gibson • The Laurene Watson Award: Addy Pryde • The Levy, Revel, Wilkinson Award: Clarissa Yu and Fiona Lee PRIZE FOR HIGHEST GENERAL PROFICIENCY • Grade 7: Selina Chow • Grade 8: Clare Morneau • Grade 9 (Class of 1937 MacDonald Memorial Prize): Sarah Alexis Gritis • Grade 10 (Class of 1937 MacDonald Memorial Prize): Courtney Cheng • Grade 11 (The Luella Gertrude Lovering Memorial Prize): Bryn Ferguson UPPER SCHOOL ACADEMIC AWARDS • The Ancerl Prize for Music: Rickie Xian • The O’Rorke Middle School Music Award - Band: Elizabeth Farkouh • The O’Rorke Middle School Music Award - Strings: Taylor O’Driscoll • The O’Rorke Middle School Music Award - Vocal: Evelyn Tokatlidis • Dorothy Bevan Prize for Junior Mathematics in Grade 10: Yunji Choi • Dorothy O’Dell Memorial Prize for Mathematics in Grade 11: Qiyi Zhao • Class of 1937 Proficiency Prize in Science: Ashley Koo • Dorothy Symons Scholarship in Canadian Studies: Stephanie Ronald • The Louise Cholette-Rees Award: Rebecca Smith • Elaine McGillivray Prize for French in Grade 10: Caprice Herjavec, Sophie Seidelin • Constance Pudan Prize for French in Grade 11: Sara Gilchrist, Anita Xu • The Marcelle De Freitas Prize for Modern Languages: Erica Harper • The Yale Book Prize: Tory O’Driscoll SENIOR YEAR ACADEMIC PRIZES

• Social Sciences – Law: Molly Harris • Social Sciences – Philosophy: Anita Xu • Technology Education – Computer & Information Science: Samantha Cardinale, Elizabeth Tennyson UPPER SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS • The Wendy J. Thompson Scholarship – Grade 7: Delaney Sharp, Lani Uyeno, Rachel Wiseman • The Wendy J. Thompson Scholarship – Grade 9: Sophia Matthews, Stephanie Ross • The Frances Ridley Havergal House Entrance Scholarship: Claire Wiseman • The Havergal Merit Scholarship: Connie Ho, Andrea Bejar • The Robin Urquhart Beddis & Jean Macpherson Urquhart Scholarship: Ellen Fraser

UPPER SCHOOL SPECIAL AWARDS • The Boarder Cup: Florence Pang • Havergal Community Committee Prizes – Grade 7: Alexandra Rozenberg • Havergal Community Committee Prizes – Grade 8: Elizabeth Farkouh

• Havergal Community Committee Prizes – Grade 9: Isabelle Caven • Havergal Community Committee Prizes – Grade 10: Tessa Buchan • Havergal Community Committee Prizes – Grade 11: Nadia Munk, Kendra Wong • Old Girls Prizes – Grade 9: Emily Callahan • Old Girls Prizes – Grade 10: Samantha Johnston • Old Girls Prizes – Grade 11: Samantha Mayer • The Bets Kiddell Debating Prize: Hannah Wilson • The Class of 1956 Mary Dennys Award: Hannah Sennik • The Havergal Award for Exceptional Academic Standing: Bryn Ferguson • The Middle School Award for Leadership: Victoria Burrows

• The Arts – Band: Soomin Ko • The Arts – Strings: Rachelle Li • Languages – AP French: Bryn Ferguson • Languages – Latin: Emily Chin, Bryn Ferguson • Languages – Spanish: Tory O’Driscoll • Mathematics – AP Statistics: Laura Boyd • Social Sciences – Economics: Samantha Cardinale

16 HAVERGAL COLLEGE

Upper School Honour Roll and Award of Distinction In Grades 7 and 8, students who earn a weighted average of 80% and above are placed on the Honour Roll. Students who earn a weighted average of 90% and above are given an Award of Distinction. To achieve a position on the Honour Roll in Grades 9 to 12, students must attain several grades in the 80s: Grades 9 and 10 — six subjects out of eight in the 80s; Grade 11 — five subjects out of seven or eight in the 80s; Grade 12 — five subjects in the 80s. To attain an Award of Distinction, a student must have the same number of grades as above in the 90s.

(H = Honour Roll; D = Award of Distinction)

AGNES HANSEN HOUSE Jamie Albaum – D Rachel Auwaerter – H

CATHERINE STEELE HOUSE Madelaine Battista – H Victoria Bilbily – D Davis Blakely – H Madison Bluestein – H Taylor Bowes – H Alexa Breininger – D Tessa Buchan – D Rose Chaykin – H Jessie (Jing Xin) Chen – D Michelle Chen – D Melanie Cheung – D Stephanie Cheung – D Sarah Cummings – H Alexandra Cunningham – H Deanna Darby Barton – D Hanna Farkouh – H Elizabeth Farkouh – D Emma George – D Leyla Godfrey – H Sarah Alexis Gritis – D Rowaida Hussein – D Jaimie Kidson – D Si Yeun (Kelly) Kim – D Dana Lamb – H Margaret Lan – D Madeleine Lao – H Tesa Laslavic – H (Younsil) Ashley Lee – D Karen Leung – H Tiffany Yee-Ho Leung – D Allison MacGregor – H Katherine Matthews – H Brenda McCutcheon – H Erin McQueenie – H Avalon Morell – D Urvashi Naraine – D Afua (Awura) Ohene-Darkoh – H Jane Park – D Alexandra Prosterman – D Claire Rhamey – H Karen Rhamey – H Alexandra Rozenberg – D Emma Seger – H Anna Shinn – D Heather Sigurdson – D Taylor Simon – D Sierra Singh – D Lauren Stackhouse – H Aine Stoute – D Ayana Sunami – D Rozana Taghi-Ganji – H Victoria Tam – D Alyx Vinieris-Giancola – H Ziyu Wang – H Emily Wheeler – H Isabella Xu – D Jennifer (Yi Lam) Yeung – H Hanna (Hyun-Jung) Yoon – H Sarah Zhao – D Yining (Sarah) Zhao – D Rachel Zigelstein – D

ELLEN KNOX HOUSE Claire Abbott – D Lauren Azzopardi – D Katherine Barron – D Elizabeth Beattie – D Laura Boyd – D Victoria Burrows – H Nicole Burrows – H Yi Jie (Jennifer) Chen – D Courtney Cheng – D Chelsea Cheng – D Hailey Chin – D Yunji Choi – H Yuna (Christine) Choi – D Lauren Chun – H Sydney Corbett – D Sarah Crull – H Jessica Edward – H Marguerite Fisher – D Stefi Fountas – H Alexandra Harrison – D Madalyn Hay Kellar – H Sarah Hui – D McKinley Inglis – H Erica Jewett – D Madison Kennedy – H Diane (Dahyun) Kim – D Samantha Kohn – H Daria Kosheverova – H Samantha Lee – H Alexandra Lee – D Jihyun Lee – D Sarah Leong – D Carly Levin – H Siena Lindsay – D XiaoCong (Susan) Liu – D Victoria Mastroianni – H Sabrina Mastroianni – D Julia Mastroianni – D Sydney Meek – H Dana Lyons – H Noa Marley – D Taylor O’Driscoll – D Tory O’Driscoll – D Isabelle Ortner – H Rebecca Osler – H Megan Osler – D Ayse Ozsan – D Mila Popovic – H Taylor Poulton – D Skye Preston – H Mikaela Preston – D Megan Simpson – H Carly Simpson – H Breeann Simpson – D Rebecca Smith – D Elizabeth Sterling – D Samantha Stinson – H Olivia Stinson – D Meaghan Sweeney – H Madeline Tanzola – D Emily Uba – D Sidney Wilson – D Rickie Xian – D

EDITH NAINBY HOUSE Zainab Abdulhusein – H Sara Albrecht – D Emily Anderson – D Karen Au – D Nellianne Bateman – D Sierra Bokor – H Emily Callahan – D Victoria Chan – D Ka Ying (Lydia) Cheng – H Kiara Cheng – D Selena Chesney – H Jacqueline-Ann Chesney – H Selina Chow – D Lindsay Cunningham – H Alexandra Dent – D Kaitlin Derbyshire – D Calla Elia – H Laura Foran – H Bay Gerlings – H Kate Gilchrist – D Sara Gilchrist – D Jillian Gooding – H Erin Hacker – H Alison Hacker – D Madeleine Harlow – H Erica Harper – H Hailey Harrison – H Sara Hodaie – H Jessica Ip – D Talia Jacob – D Samantha Johnston – D Sara Kernerman – D Ji Hyun (Jenny) Kim – H Jae Eun (Kylie) Kim – D Sara Lakhani – D Michelle Lam – D Sarah Lawson-Schalles – H Jessica Francis – D Kaitlyn Francis – D Zhao (Lucy) Luo – H Belinda MacBain – H Julia Malowany – H Pamela Mathers – H Lauren Mattan – H Jenna McMillan – H Sheridan Miller – H Abigail Mulligan – H Angelina Pan – D Florence Pang – D Annie Pawliw – D Le Dan Pham – H Alina Punjani – H Charlotte Schwass – H Melika Shafiee – H Julia Stock – D Elizabeth Tam – D Jennifer Walker – D Jessica Wang – H Sara Willoughby – D Olivia Wilson-Lall – H Melissa Wong – D Rachel Zaltz – D

FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL HOUSE Camille Archer – H Madeleine Archer – H Danya Assaf – H Sarah Burgess – D Lauren Cardinale – H Samantha Cardinale – D Charlotte Caswell – H Bernice Chan – H Myra Corona – H Stephanie Currie – D Elizabeth Currie – D Julia Duder – H Sara Fuller – D Rachel Gotlieb – H Holly Guo – D Alexandra Hunter – D Taylor Ivey – D Hodan Jibril – D Alexis Karsli – D Yulhee Kim – D Sun-Young (Sally) Kim – D Samantha King – D Daniela Krcmar – D Sasha Lechtzier – D Margaret Leon – H Nicole Leung – D Zhuoning (Stella) Li – H Yanni (Lilly) Li – D Eliza Livingston – H Hannah Lomax – D Sarah MacDonald – H Katherine MacDonald – H Roslyn McCall – H Mira Mukherjee – H Taylor Murrell – D Brontë Mutukistna – H Camille Mutukistna – H Skylar Page – H Sydney Page – D Jasmine Patel – H Caroline Pennock – H Jillian Quinn – H Rebecca Quinn – H Nicole Rago – D Cassandra Reale – H Nikita Sennik – D Hannah Sennik – D Caragh Shea – H Shannon Smith – H Shaye Spector – H Judith Stephenson – D Charlotte Sugden – D Carolyn Svonkin – D Rachelle Tam – D Alicia Thoms – H Olivia Townsend – H Emma Turner – H Natasha Verhoeff – D Maya Wilson – D Hannah Wilson – D Madeleine Wood – D Jane Yearwood – D Samantha Yip – H

Claire Barclay – D Jessica Barford – H Paige Beettam – H Emma Buckles – H Emily Chin – D Clare Coburn – H Alyssa Dais – H

Bryn Ferguson – D Jessica Frank – D Skye Gibson – D Bronte Harvey-McKean – H Bronwyn Hersen – D Megan Hoffer – H Rebecca Hoffer – H Alexandra Holgate – H Hansa Jain – H Caroline Jyu – D Nika Khajehdehi – H Sun-Young Kim – H Sierra Lane – H Erica Laver – H Meaghan Lee – H Jocelyn Lee – D Naomi Leftwick – D Tiffany Lew – H Hilary Lloyd – H Jacqueline Lu – D Margo Macdonald – D Phoebe MacDougall – H Catherine Manuel – H Meagan McCarthy – H Brittany Morrison – H Jessica Munk – D Nadia Munk – D Ca (Nina) Ngo – D Laura Osborne – D Kathleen Pittini – H Ashley Romundt – H Elizabeth Schnekenburger – D Sophie Seidelin – H Laura Seidelin – D Ariel Shetzen – H Corie Shyba – D Genevieve Simone – H Leili Sinaei – H Vivian Rachel So – D Jamie Spiegel – H Polina Stanevskaya – H Miranda Taylor – D Evelyn Tokatlidis – H Kristen Tse – D Isabella Vettese – D

Anna Wellner – H Grace Woroch – D Shalley Xu – D Anita (Xiaoyu) Xu – D Mengxuan Zhang – D

Qiyi Zhao – D Goa Zhu – H

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