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Two assemblies highlighting important values of our school occurred over the past week. On Friday, two Lang Scholars did a presentation on their service trip to the village of Carmacks, Yukon, and reflected on their learnings as it relates to empathy, building trust and pluralism. On Monday, two student leaders of the Black Excellence Society kicked off Black Excellence Month by revealing this year’s theme; the power of hearing others’ stories and listening. They also introduced our special guest speaker Andrea Sampson who told her story of how she forged her own path as a first generation Canadian to founding a successful magazine. 

The halls of the school have been a bit quieter than usual, with the Year 12s writing exams, but there has been plenty of fun in the building! Last week students enjoyed the Lunar New Year Temple Fair in the Student Centre, and Year 8 students enjoyed a skating social with students from Havergal.

Reflections on Year 10 NBE3U by Jordan Small, Faculty Chair, English

In preparation for introducing the new course, Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Metis, and Inuit voices, our team of Year 10 teachers took advantage of a summer curriculum grant which meant numerous summer university courses focused on Indigenous education as well as a great deal of reading and learning centred on Indigenous worldviews, history and elements of style. As a team we have also been fortunate to work alongside two Indigenous education consultants, Carrington Christmas and Aaron Sykes. With their guidance and support the teaching team has designed a course that maintains the academic rigour expected in a Year 10 English course, while also providing students with a sustained exploration of a diversity of Indigenous texts and text-types.

Please click here to read more from English Faculty Chair Jordan Small.

Personal Project writing workshop on February 14

Dear Year 10 Students and Families, 

We are excited to announce a unique and empowering opportunity for all Year 10 students—the Personal Project writing workshop. On Wednesday, Feb. 14, our school is set to embark on a journey of creativity, self-discovery, and academic growth as we replace our regular classes with this special workshop.

The Personal Project, a cornerstone of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, allows students to explore their interests, hone their skills, and produce a project that reflects their passion and commitment. As a supportive measure, the upcoming writing workshop aims to guide students through the crucial process of drafting their project reports. The drafts will be due on Feb. 21. 

During this workshop, students will delve into the intricacies of their chosen projects, receiving invaluable guidance on structuring their reports and effectively conveying their ideas. The event is not just a solitary endeavour; it's a collaborative and supportive environment where peer editing will play a crucial role. Students can share their work with classmates, providing and receiving constructive feedback to enhance the quality of their projects.

Our dedicated teaching staff will be actively involved, offering personalized feedback and insights to help students refine their drafts. This engagement is designed to elevate the overall quality of the projects and ensure that each student maximizes their potential.

Notably, the workshop also serves as a launching pad for the next steps in the Personal Project journey, preparing our students for the March 1 deadline for final reports. Students who finish their report during the workshop will begin working on their tri-folds for the April 4 final showcase, when our Year 10 students will proudly present their Personal Projects to the school community, sharing their passions, experiences and valuable lessons learned during this unique process.

Please note the workshop is mandatory, and our Year 10s are asked to engage fully.

Emilia Martin

MYP and Personal Project Coordinator

REMINDER | Course selection for 2024–25 

Deadlines
Students must have course selections ​and ​online parent/guardian approval completed as follows: 

Friday, Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. | Year 8 students entering Year 9
Friday, Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. | Year 9 students entering Year 10
Friday, March 1 at 4 p.m. | Year 10 students entering Year 11 

The course request system for each year will be closed according to the schedule above. 

Parent/guardian approval process
Please use the following steps to complete the approval process: 

Review student choices in their Bluenet account (login required).

• Have students log in to ​their Bluenet account ​and view selections. 

• There are specific directions available in a link in their Bluenet. 

• Any course a student wishes to change can be deleted by using the trash can icon. Then add the preferred course.

Approve course selections by ​the dates above.

• Log in to Bluenet with your parent/guardian account.

• Click the yellow banner at the top of the page alerting you to the school form.

• Click the ​REVIEW​ button next to the ​appropriate course selection approval for 2024–25 form​. There are three separate forms — one for each year level.

• Follow the prompts on the form in order to submit your approval. Only one parent/guardian needs to approve the ​course selection form​. 

• You will receive a message upon submission of your approval.

If you would like to discuss your student’s choices before approving them, please contact one of the university counsellors listed below: 

Students entering Year 9, 10 or Year 11: 

David Thompson, Bremner's and Howard's 

David Hanna, Jackson's 

Stephanie Rose, McHugh’s, Mowbray’s, Martland’s (L-Z)

Nili Isaacs, Orr's, Scadding's, Martland’s (A-K)

Andrew Turner, Seaton's and Wedd's

Thank you for your ongoing support as we prepare for the 2024–25 academic year.

REMINDER | Three-way conferences on Feb. 14 and 15

Dear UCC Parents/Guardians,

The Upper School three-way conferences will be taking place in-person on Wednesday, Feb. 14 from 2–8 p.m., and virtually (via Google Meet links) on Thursday, Feb. 15 from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.

Feedback is an important tool to help students grow through their educational journey. The Upper School’s three-way conferences provide an opportunity for this to take place. 

In-person interviews will be held in five-minute intervals. Students are expected to attend and participate in these interviews with their parents/guardians to encourage ownership over their learning and develop self-advocacy skills. 

Virtual interviews will be held in five-minute intervals via Google Meet. Students are expected to attend and participate in these interviews.

*It’s important that you access the Google Meet link at the time of your scheduled appointment, and not before. Please use your email address and not your child’s UCC email. Upon entry, you will be placed in a “waiting room” until the meeting begins. At the start of the meeting, introduce yourself so that the teacher can confirm that the conversation is about your child. Please keep the conversation to the scheduled five minutes so that our faculty can meet with all families during the selected interview time slots.

Please feel free to book appointments on campus, virtually, or a combination of both. Registration must be completed through our pickAtime booking system. Please see below for instructions on how to book your appointments.

Accessing pickAtime

Each faculty member will have appointment times available between the opening and closing of each day. You will see their availability on the pickAtime system. You can begin scheduling appointments when the pickAtime system opens as follows:

pickAtime opens: Friday, Jan. 19 at 9 a.m.
pickAtime closes: Tuesday, Feb. 13 at noon

Please click here for instructions on how to book conferences. Please ensure that you can print or access your schedule when you’ve finished booking. 

Sincerely,

Joe Smith

Assistant Head of the Upper School

Get your Blue Army spirit wear!

If you want to dial-up school spirit, check out the Blue Army merchandise on UCC Marketplace. You’ll find fleece lumber jackets, hoodies, t-shirts, toques and more! Blue Army is sold by the Parents’ Organization and all proceeds go towards enhancing the student experience at UCC. The PO will contact purchasers to arrange pick-up. To view merchandise, please click here.

The Blues Shop | Tracksuit sale

The Blues Shop is currently offering a sale on tracksuits (available to be sold together or separately). The suits are water resistant, and the fleece zips into the jacket. Available sizes range from adult x-small to adult x-large. Stop by the Blues Shop to get one today while quantities last!

SIGN UP | Self-nominations open for the 2024-25 PO Advisory Committee

The self-nomination process for the 2024–25 Parents’ Organization (PO) is now open!

Volunteering is a great way to meet other parents/guardians, stay current and connected with the school, and support our students. In-person meetings give you the opportunity to interact with volunteers from Years 8–12, and are a great way to acquire knowledge about the Upper School.

PO goals and initiatives 

Our primary goal is to foster community engagement through social, informational and fundraising initiatives — from planning parent community speakers of interest, parent get-togethers and used uniform and spirit wear sales to organizing our annual Festive Marketplace. There’s a volunteer position for everyone!