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Dear Prep Families,

Feedback is one of the most important tools to help students develop and grow. As expressed in the College’s Guiding Principles for Learning Excellence, “Learning is an interactive cycle of improvement. Performance is enhanced, skills are refined and knowledge is broadened when we receive and learn from feedback.” In addition, building strong connections among families, teachers, and students is integral to students’ continued academic development. 

Tomorrow’s student-led conferences provide an opportunity for both holistic feedback and connection to take place. Students have been busy preparing to share their learning in these conferences. The preparation process and structure of the conferences provide them with the chance to practice their organizational and communication skills and build their sense of responsibility, accountability and pride in their learning. 

We look forward to seeing many of you on campus tomorrow to celebrate your child’s learning and growth.

Your partners in learning,

Julia Kinnear, David Girard and Gareth Evans
The Prep Leadership Team

Year 7 | Preparing for transition to the Upper School

Dear Year 7 parents,

With the spring term in full swing, it is also time to look ahead, and for the Year 7s this means thinking about their transition to the Upper School.

• Upper School house placement: All families completed and submitted information outlining any family connection to the Upper School house system. Students without a family connection were placed in a house according to numbers, academic background, co-curricular interests, and group dynamics. House placements were emailed to families yesterday. 

• Year 7 family information evening: This information session will take place on Wednesday, May 8. We'll begin at 6 p.m. with light refreshments and the formal program will run 6:30-7:45 p.m. in Laidlaw Hall at the Upper School. Year 7 parents are invited to learn about the Year 8 program and the Upper School. The administrative team will provide an overview of the Upper School experience and respond to questions. It is strongly suggested that at least one parent attend. More details will be emailed to all Year 7 families closer to the event. Only parents have to attend this event.

All Year 7 students will participate in a Year 7/Year 10 mentor one-day retreat at Norval. This will take place on May 14 or May 15 depending on your child’s Upper School house placement. For now, please see below for the departure and return dates for your child’s Upper School house.

Year 7 students will complete a student profile (personal interest information, academic interests, information about participation in the arts program and athletic program, participation in outside activities, etc.) to be shared with their Upper School senior house adviser.  

During the retreat, information about your child’s student profile will also be shared with their Year 10 mentor as they begin to lay the foundation of a healthy mentor/mentee relationship. 

Please ensure your child dresses appropriately for the weather on the day they travel to Norval. Year 7 students should arrive at school for their regular drop-off time and are scheduled to arrive back from Norval at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Sincerely,

Gareth Evans

Assistant Head of the Preparatory School, Middle Division

Transition to the Upper School information evening

Dear Year 7 Parents, 

We invite you to a Year 8 Information Evening that will take place on Wednesday, May 8, beginning at 6:00 p.m. with light refreshments. The formal program will run 6:30-7:45 p.m. in Laidlaw Hall. Only parents have to attend this event.

This evening is dedicated to answering questions about programming and supporting Year 7 students and families in transitioning to the Upper School. Speakers include our Head of School, Assistant Heads, MYP Coordinator, Head Steward and Year 8 students. To ensure we accommodate all attendees, please fill out this Google Form if you plan to attend. Light refreshments will be provided. 

Following the presentation in Laidlaw Hall, families can tour the Upper School with Student Leaders. 

All the best,

Ms. Levene, Ms. Martin and Mr. Jugoon

Year 3 update

It feels like spring is ready to arrive! Year 3 is filled with energy these days as the warmer weather appears. At times, spring weather can also bring “spring sillies.” We have been having conversations in our classrooms about how to solve social problems and regulate one’s behaviour. We have looked at identifying the magnitude of a problem, finding peaceful ways to solve our problems, and recognizing when we are feeling frustrated. We have also been focusing on strategies to help us learn. In this week’s homework, your child will reflect on learning strategies they use in our classrooms to be independent and productive learners. 

In Inquiry, we have finished our investigation into land uses in Ontario. We are now moving to a history-focused Inquiry unit. Through hands-on activities and research, students will explore life in early Ontario. We begin by learning about the many contributions of the Indigenous people and the way of life among different First Nations and Metis communities. We will also explore the lives of early settlers and the development of Toronto in the 1800s. Our recent visit to Black Creek Village helped the students envision what life was like for settler children. A huge thank you to our parent volunteers who helped on the full-day field trip. If you are looking for activities to support our unit, there are ten history museums in Toronto that you can visit with your families.

Thank you to all of you for participating in our extreme reading challenge! We are in awe of the creativity we saw in your pictures! We are beginning a book club in the classroom. Each student will read a book of their choice (from a selected literature group) and do comprehension and vocabulary exercises. Students are encouraged to bring the books home, but they must get the books back to school the next day. 

We have begun exploring geometry in mathematics. It is a fun unit with opportunities to explore math concepts with manipulatives. There is quite a bit of terminology for students to learn. We will be learning about parts of a circle, types of angles, types of triangles, quadrilaterals, and three-dimensional shapes. Please watch the weekly homework sheet with examples of your child’s learning. If your child is unsure, this resource is very comprehensive. 

As the weather changes, please ensure your child has appropriate outdoor gear. This includes a pair of outdoor shoes and a light jacket suitable for rainy weather. 

We have been discussing our upcoming sleepovers at Norval. 3G will be heading to Norval for an overnight on Tuesday, April 30, and 3O will have their sleepover on Thursday, May 2. Norval will be sending out a packing list and permission form in the next few weeks. 

Tomorrow, we will celebrate our learning in student-led conferences. Your child will lead you through a series of classroom activities. It is not a teacher conference. If you have specific questions about your child’s learning, please reach out to us or the subject specialists directly. 

All the best, 

Kathryn O'Brien, Christie Gordon and Joyce Ma

Year 3 teachers

Year 4 update

Dear Year 4 Families,

We hope this message finds all of you doing well and look forward to greeting you tomorrow for our student-led conferences. Our students have put a lot of effort into creating and organizing their work and are excited to share it with you.  

Both of the Year 4 classes are fully engaged in our current unit of inquiry entitled, Do You Know What I Mean. We have been discussing the different ways to communicate and our students are doing an excellent job writing their own poems. Throughout this unit, the students will be introduced to the following poems: concrete, rhyming couplets, haiku, cinquain, quatrain and clerihew. The students seem to really enjoy expressing themselves through words, phrases, and images.

In math, we just completed our unit on decimals where the students learned about tenths and hundredths, how to express decimals as fractions and fractions as decimals, how to compare and order decimals, and how to round decimals. This week we are starting our new unit on adding and subtracting decimals. 

In language, the students started a new novel study and are getting ready to present their poems for the Year 4 Poetry Slam activity. 

This is a quick reminder that the biking unit is quickly approaching and the students are asked to bring in their bikes, helmets and locks (all clearly labelled) on Tuesday, April 23 as we prepare for our upcoming Norval bike adventure.

With our warmest regards,
Michael Bushey and Mark Ferley

Health and Life Skills update

Here are some highlights from the work and discussions happening in Health and Life Skills classes: 

The SK class has been doing teamwork activities where they have the chance to work in small groups and collaborate. They are exploring working as a group to achieve a goal as well as learning about the different roles within a group.

The Year 3s have talked about bullying and violence in the media. They have talked about how bullying is different from everyday conflicts and how to respond to it. 

The Year 4s have moved on to the substance use, addictions and related behaviours strand of the Ontario curriculum. They have been talking about tobacco and vaping and the short and long term effects of their use.  They have also been learning and practicing refusal and decision-making skills.  

The PYP Exhibition is the focus of our HLS classes at this time of year and students are reviewing skills related to working with others. Active listening, the difference between active, passive and aggressive communication, disagreeing (without being disagreeable), giving feedback and problem-solving are all being practiced in class and then in real life with their Exhibition groups.

Year 6s have worked on a healthy eating unit which focuses on recognizing what influences food choices and how healthy eating and active living work together to improve a person’s general health and well-being.  

Year 7s are currently learning about the short and long term impact of specific drug use and the linkages between mental health problems and problematic substance use. As part of that discussion they are reviewing school and community resources that can provide support in these areas.  

Martha Boyce

Health and Life Skills teacher

PYP Exhibition update

Year 5 Exhibition projects are going strong. Students are beginning to consolidate their research into key findings which they will include on their group websites to teach others about their issue.

Groups are beginning to think about how they might take action about their issue. Students have discussed types of action and have explored this resource: 170 daily actions to transform our world. 

We encourage parents to have rich conversations at home about the different ways to take action. Students have researched responsibility questions like “What can be done to help? Who is helping? What organizations are already taking action and what are they doing?” This research will aid in action-oriented conversations. 

Built into the project students will be taking action through artivism in art, their French messages and their design teaching others ideas, which will be displayed on Exhibition Day on May 10 between 1–3 p.m. To include faraway family members and other IB schools, we hope to provide a virtual schedule for group presentations in addition to our in-person event, art gallery and exhibition hall. Please stay tuned for more information about the format and schedule.

Should you have any questions about the PYP Exhibition, please contact your child’s form adviser or PYP Coordinator Dianne Jojic.

Language and Literature update

The year is quickly coming to an end yet, in Middle Language and Literature, we have a number of engaging learning opportunities and projects ahead of us!

In Year 6

As part of the culmination of our book clubs unit, students showcase their learning through a Visual One-Pager project: a visual and text representation of character development, using evidence from their Book Club novel. Students will complete their project on one of two novels: Ice Dogs by Terry Lynn Johnson or Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson. They will craft a thesis statement, gather evidence to support and learn how to express their thinking through the use of a central visual metaphor. As an exciting addition, author David A. Robertson is coming to the Prep on Friday, April 26! In collaboration with the library, students will attend a talk by Robertson and have the opportunity to share and discuss their projects with him. We are so excited for our students to have this real world learning experience! 

Please enjoy these Visual One-Pager “Works in Progress” from our Year 6s. From early thesis generation to initial sketches, we can tell these projects are off to a great start!

In Year 7

Students are beginning their study of poetry. While many begin the unit with strong feelings about poetry - often viewing it in a not-so-favourable light — over the years we have found that it is these students who come to produce the most beautiful pieces of writing. We approach our study from both a technical standpoint - learning structural elements like rhyme, rhythm, metre —as well as an artistic one — understanding literary devices such as alliteration, imagery and personification. Our goal is for students to learn how the marriage of structure and style come together in poetry, allowing for the poet to express their personal and cultural identity through writing. Over the course of the unit, students will analyze the works of classic and contemporary poets and craft their own original pieces. 

Please enjoy this poem from one of our Year 7 students:

Prothonotary Warbler

Bouncing along branches

In its bright yellow beauty,

Scouring the grounds for snails.

Gray wings rustled by the evening wind.

Bulged eyes spot the signal below:

A leaf gives way, exposing the hidden mollusk.

The bird springs down with pure-black talons

Snatching its meal from the shell.

Returning to its nest in the dead tree,

It tweets sharply, calling for its mate

For the feast has been found.

Two pointed beaks gobble up joyfully. 

Michaela Trelford

Learning Leader, MYP Language and Literature

ASP | Staffing update

We are very pleased to share that Ashley Blackburn has accepted the role of ASP Supervisor. Ashley is a familiar face to most ASP parents, so you will already be familiar with her kindness and care for our ASP students. Ashley is now the person you will be interacting with through the ASP Supervisor email, and of course, you will see her most days working with the students or as the smiling face greeting you at reception. Congratulations to Ashley, we are very lucky that she has agreed to take on this new responsibility.

Year 7 | Second Hepatitis B/Menactra/HPV clinic

Dear Year 7 Parents,

This is a reminder on Monday, May 13, Toronto Public Health (TPH) will be holding the second Year 7 Hepatitis B/Menactra/HPV clinic at UCC in the Prep Dining hall from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

The following vaccines will be given:

• Second dose of hepatitis B and human papillomavirus vaccines to Year 7 students

• Hepatitis B, meningococcal and human papillomavirus vaccines to Year 7 and 8 students who missed the first clinic.

Please remind your son about this clinic. Also please make sure your child eats breakfast the morning of the clinic and to wear short sleeves. If your child is unwell due to fever, and cannot receive their vaccinations, please notify the Prep Health Centre as soon as possible. Any missed vaccinations that happen on the clinic date, can be made up at a later date as Toronto Public Health provides “catch up clinics” throughout the city. 

A final reminder that the Meningitis (Men-C-ACYW-135 vaccine) vaccination or a valid exemption is required for students 12 years of age and older for school attendance. If your child has not received Menactra, or it has been over five years, Toronto Public Health does recommend a booster. Hepatitis B and HPV are optional.

Additional information and consent forms can be found here:

• School immunization consent form

• Hepatitis B, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and Meningococcal vaccine fact sheets

• Student and parent check sheet

• SIP facts and checklist

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Translation insert

Thank you all for your cooperation!

Gina Suva

Prep Health Centre ext. 4911

REMINDER | PPO used book sale on Monday April  22

The PPO  is kicking off Earth Week and supporting sustainability with a Used Book Sale! Donations are still being accepted until Friday, April 19. Drop-off bins are located in each Prep classroom. All donated books should be appropriate for SK-Year 7 students. 

The Used Book Sale will take place in the Bitove Lounge during the school day on April 22. Please send your child to school with $5-10 in cash to spend at the sale. Thank you in advance for your support!