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Havergal College
B
uilding a culture of capability is at the core of Havergal’s
whole girl approach to education, JK through Grade 12.
This goal takes us beyond developing self-confidence
in girls to empowering them to believe that anything is possible,
within reason. And what
is possible
looks different at every grade
because girls are at different stages in their cognitive, social and
emotional development in the Junior (JK–6), Middle (7–8)
and Senior (9–12) grades. However, what our students have in
common is the opportunity to engage within—and beyond—
the Havergal community in different ways.
What does student engagement look like and what purpose
does it serve?
Student engagement is rooted in our shared humanity with
others. It is focused on people—on understanding and working
with the perspectives of those people, and on working in
respectful, learning relationships that may be more aptly called
partnerships. The work of the Student Engagement Team (SET)
is guided by these principles. It is comprised of Junior and
Upper School leaders who work directly with students at every
grade. Ann Peel, Director of the Institute at Havergal, is the
Chair of SET.
In determining what matters—what purpose student
engagement serves—SET seeks to identify the
lacuna
inherent
in each opportunity.
Lacuna
means “missing part, gap or
deficit.” In other words, SET aims to identify opportunities and
initiatives for students that might fill in a piece that’s missing. In
so doing, the team asks itself: does this initiative add value? And,
if so, what is the unmet learning that will happen as a result of
the initiative? What gap does this opportunity fill?
What Kind of World
Do You Want?
By Mrs. Leslie Anne Dexter, Head of Junior School & Dr. Michael Simmonds, Head of Upper School
From left to right: Michael Simmonds, Danielle Stavropoulos, Kylie Black, Rachelle Li, Kendra Wong and Leslie Anne Dexter
Heads’ Message