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Please allow me this opportunity to extend sincere thanks for a successful and productive academic year. It has been such a pleasure to engage with a community that values all that we can be and accomplish together. Although there are too many highlights and accomplishments to list in Heads Up, I will share how proud I was to observe the support, the friendships, and the care with which our students conduct themselves so often in and out of our community; and for that, I am truly thankful for all they do and contribute to the school. 

Please allow me also to extend my thanks to our parents, families, and friends for the partnerships, and of course the amazing staff and faculty for providing inspiration on a regular basis. I do hope you enjoy the summer with lots of quality time with friends and family.

Take care and see you in September.

Regards, 

Dr. Jeff Aitken

The school year has officially reached the end with the conclusion of exams. Students in Years 8, 10 and 11 finished up exams this week, demonstrating their learning over the course of the year. The gyms were filled with excitement, nerves, and the occasional celebration as students capped off the year. The Y10s celebrated the finale of the IB Middle Years Programme with a special celebration in the Quad.

Year 9 students finished up their exams last week, participating in an exciting week of enrichment programming this week which included a boat-building excursion at Norval, a Hiking Trip in the Hilton Falls region, a Leadership Conference between UCC and the University of Guelph, as well as a School of Life program here at the school.

Outdoor experiential learning programs in the fall

As we look ahead to the new school year we are thrilled to share some new opportunities in the Upper School. 

For the 2024–25 academic year, along with our Norval Outdoor School programming, the Upper School has partnered with ALIVE Outdoors to provide an outdoor experiential program for all students in Years 9 to 11. 

ALIVE Outdoors works with several Independent Schools in Ontario and contracts with well-established camps that many of our families may be familiar with. The program will highlight curricular and co-curricular themes that aim to foster student connections through shared experiences and learning. This Outdoor Experiential Programming will take place from Monday, October 7 to Thursday, October 10, 2024. 

Year 9 students will engage in a four-day, three-night experiential program in and around our Norval Outdoor Campus led by our Norval Team, and accompanied by UCC Faculty. 

Year 10 and 11 students will travel to camps where they will participate in a four-day, three-night program run by ALIVE Outdoors. They will participate in various outdoor activities that build personal skills and community connections. UCC Faculty members will accompany students at camp.

Y9 Program: Norval Outdoor Campus area (4 days / 3 nights)

Y10 Program: Camp Pine Crest, Bala, Ontario (4 days / 3 nights)

Y11 Program: Camp Wanakita, Haliburton, Ontario (4 days / 3 nights)

Note: Year 8 students will continue to enjoy Norval programming, as planned, for Sept. 9–12.

During the week of October 7, Year 8 students will be on campus for a special IB Middle Years Programme interdisciplinary learning experience week. Year 12 students will also remain on campus, and use this time to work on Diploma Programme-specific tasks, work closely with the University Counselling Office on their applications, and participate in other programming designed to meet their needs during a busy term.

Please note that the cost of each trip will be approximately $1,100, which will be billed to student accounts in the fall. If there is an extenuating circumstance where your student is unable to attend their trip, please contact Joe Smith (Y9/10) or Andrew MacDougall (Y11) by June 14. Please note that there will be no alternative programming on campus during the trips as the majority of faculty will be trip supervisors or will be facilitating the Year 8 and Year 12 programs.

Please save the date and stay tuned for more information.

Year 9 | End of Year activities week!

From June 10 to 13, all Year 9s took part in one of five activity offerings: Canoe Trip, Hiking Trip, Boat Building at Norval, Leadership Conference or School of Life. This was a fantastic example of experiential learning, where students were immersed in programming that they wouldn’t normally encounter in their classes. Several faculty and a few parents gave their time to run exciting sessions and overnight trips for our students. Photos below are from the Boat Building Trip, Leadership Conference and School of Life. 

Year 9s will leave for the summer with new skills learned and plenty of fun memories to cherish! Thanks to everyone who helped to make the week a success!

Year 10 | Celebratory Barbecue

The Class of 2026 has now officially completed the MYP! To celebrate, we organized a Year-End BBQ for the Year 10 students, which was held after their last exam. It was an excellent opportunity for students to relax, enjoy a burger, and reflect on their achievements as they prepare to embark on their DP journey. 

We’d also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the teachers and staff who helped the Year 10s this year. Here's to the bright future that lies ahead for our students!

Sarah Khalanski

Year 10 Coordinator

Congratulations | UCC String Trio performs at OMFA Provincial Competition

We would like to congratulate Year 8 students Timmy Zhang, Brian Wu, and Ryan Huang on their performance at the Ontario Music Festivals Association provincial performance. They placed 4th in a division that reflected mostly senior high school students. 

Congratulations | Results for Year 11's in Avogadro contest

In more impressive news in chemistry, the Year 11s and one Year 8 have had great success in the University of Waterloo Avogadro contest. The Avogadro exam is a challenging multiple-choice exam that covers topics such as stoichiometry, lab skills, bonding, acidity, the atom, the periodic table, thermodynamics, and kinetics. Overall, the UCC average was well above the national average, and to receive a certificate these students are in the top 20 percentile of the world. Lawrence (Y8) had the 11th-highest score in all of Canada and 24th in the world. Congratulations to all our students for extending themselves to this contest and congratulations UCC for a very successful year! 

From left to right: Vahman (Y11), Kingsley (Y11), Kevin (Y11), Lawrence (Y8), William (Y11), Noah (Y11), Matty (Y11), Ethan (11), Jeshan (Y11) and Johnny (Y11).

Years 9–12 | March Break 2025 China trip for Mandarin students

We are thrilled to announce that we have planned a 2-week China trip during the March break of 2025 for our Mandarin students from Y9 to Y12. We will spend one week in Taipei, Taiwan and another week in Hangzhou, Mainland China, for language and culture learning. Click here for the itinerary.

We believe this exclusive trip will allow a first-hand exposure to traditional and modern Chinese ways of living, speaking, and thinking. It will also give students valuable real-life experience of customs in using both the traditional characters and simplified ones. The intensive language learning, enriched activities, and selective sightseeing will help the students gain a more profound appreciation for the diversity of Chinese languages and cultures.

Our tour operator is G-Hardy, UCC's long-term educational/service trip partner. Please note that the precise flight routes and package fee will be available before the information night in September. We are very grateful to let you know that the expenses for the second week will be generously covered by the university in which we will be staying. 

If you are interested in this trip, please add your name to this Pre-registration Google Form so that we can provide the travel agency with an estimated number of participants. Thank you for your support!

Looking forward to an exciting and enriching experience for our students!

Years 10–12 | March Break 2025 Holocaust Education trip to Poland

We are excited to announce that UCC in conjunction with GHardy Tours, will be offering our 4th Holocaust Education trip to Poland in March 2025. This is the first time the trip will be offered since 2018. 

The trip will run for the first week of March break, visiting the cities of Warsaw, Lublin, and Krakow. Students will have the opportunity to visit many important Holocaust sites, including, but not limited to: Treblinka, Tycokin, Majnadek and Auschwitz-Birkenau. 

Ms. Rachel Metalin, Upper School English teacher who is trained at the sites will be the lead educator on the trip, complemented by other professional guides in Poland. The trip will be available for students in Years 10–12, however, Year 9 students will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The trip is non-denominational and open to all students in those grade levels interested in learning about this time in History and the lasting impact it continues to have today.

Informational sessions will be held in the fall of 2024, however, if you have an immediate question, please contact Rachel Metalin.

Peru Expedition | March Break 2025

UCC + Operation Wallacea – Biodiversity and Climate Change Scientific Research Expedition

Dear parents and students, 

We are providing our high school students with the incredible opportunity to spend one week with international professional scientists to conduct hands-on wildlife conservation and climate change science research with Operation Wallacea. Operation Wallacea (Opwall) is a network of academics from European and North American universities, who design and implement biodiversity and wildlife conservation management research expeditions. 

Opwall will provide students with the opportunity to apply aspects of their high school material in the field in Peru during March Break 2025! This school expedition offers students opportunities to meet other high schools and to network with professional environmental and wildlife conservation scientists, participate in real-world scientific fieldwork research projects and be trained as research assistants.  

Please find a recording of the information session about the school trip for families that could not attend the presentation.

Please note that this trip is open to everyone currently in Years 9, 10 and 11. Six of the 12 available student spots are now claimed. 

Students will have the following survey opportunities: 

Primates, large mammals and game birds, Macaw surveys, wading bird surveys, understorey birds, river dolphin transects, fish surveys, butterfly and moth surveys, habitat surveys, nighttime caiman surveys, fishing bat surveys, night-time amphibian floating meadow surveys, Amazonian Wildlife and Conservation course.

In the meantime, please watch the official school trip video for further information.

Students are already reserving spots but we can host more. To confirm your spot, please fill in the booking form.  Once you fill in this form, you will be given information to provide a CAD 400 deposit that is refundable until the school finalizes the group.

Please contact Mr. John Sweetman and/or Mr. Nathan Adams for further information.

Discover Costa Rica in March 2025 with Camps International 

A UCC Upper School Global Learning Adventure 

Plan for it now! This upcoming March Break we will once again be offering an overseas Experiential Learning Trip to all Upper School students. UCC is partnering with Explorica & Camps International to offer a service-focused experience in Costa Rica this coming March 16–25, 2025.

Students will receive 30 hours of service recognition for participating in the activities on the trip, as well as have the chance to see some of the many highlights that Costa Rica has to offer, including a visit to Monteverde with a stop at Volcano National Park along the way.

This trip meets the requirements of a Duke of Edinburgh's International Silver Award Qualifying Journey.

Also of note: UCC will be partnering with BSS for pre-departure and post-trip seminars specifically for this trip next school year.

Spaces are available for 12 students. Registration is now open. The live link which can be used to register online is here.

Click here to access a detailed itinerary and information about costs.

Summer reading list

The Macintosh Library has prepared the Summer Reading List for this year, including author interviews, book trailers and an updated selection of great reads across a range of interests, subjects and viewpoints. This is not a prescribed reading list; rather, an offering for students to explore reading that appeals to them. Look out for the Upper School teachers who kindly shared their video endorsements of selected titles!

While the Macintosh Library is closed for the summer, students are encouraged to stop by and borrow before they leave for the holiday. 

The vast majority of titles are available in our collection. Students can access our Library's e-content all summer and may wish to borrow suggested print titles from their local Public Library. (Toronto Public Library offers "The List" with book trailers by young people that your student may enjoy).

Also on offer is Outstanding Books for the College Bound from the Young Adult Library Services Association, and recommended reading from our English, University Counselling and Science departments.

Please encourage your student to take a look at the list and we wish you a summer full of great reading!

Macintosh Library Staff

Textbook/course materials ordering information for 2024–25

With the closing of Canadian School Book Exchange (CSBE) and a thorough review of alternative options, we are pleased to announce our new course materials supplier is University of Toronto Bookstore.

The UCC-specific section of the website will be available on Thursday, August 1 and a link to the site and all pertinent information will be provided closer to the date. Textbooks can be purchased online to be shipped to your address, or shop in-person at the Bookstore’s downtown location (214 College Street).  You can also request to have your order delivered to other University of Toronto campuses for pick-up, this includes UofT Mississauga (UTM) or UofT Scarborough (UTSC). Click here to check the hours and addresses. Boarding families will receive a special delivery code if they would prefer their books are sent directly to the school. Your books will be delivered to UCC and held for you to pick up for the first week of school.

True to the spirit of the MYP and DP, text selection is based on the success of previous units, current issues, student interest, and cultural awareness. This reflection and research takes place at the close of each academic cycle. The August 1 date provides our teachers with the necessary time for this selection process and the University of Toronto Bookstore to source the materials. 

In the meantime, please direct any questions to Leigh Berndsen (Registrar).

Year 8–12 | Used book intake tomorrow

The UCC Parents’ Organization (PO) will be hosting used textbook intake on June 14 from 8 a.m.–1 p.m.

This year we are working with a new supplier, UofT Bookstore, for our used textbook intake. Upper School families will have the opportunity to resell their used textbooks to UofT, provided the textbooks will be used in the UCC curriculum in the upcoming academic year.

The funds for used books purchased by UofT will be deposited on the seller's debit card.

The following options are available to Upper School families with day students in Years 8–12:

1. Drop off used textbooks at the Upper School on June 14 as a donation, with proceeds from the sale of their books donated to the UCC PO. 

2. Deliver used textbooks to the UofT bookstore representative, who will be on campus and receive an immediate e-transfer to the seller’s debit card from UofT in the amount of the resale proceeds. 

3. Parents may return used textbooks directly to one of the three UofT bookstores in Toronto and receive proceeds in the form of an e-transfer from UofT.

4. The books will be accepted for buyback and must be on a predetermined buyback list, so must have the same ISBN, title, and edition. The books must also be in reasonable condition, with no watermarks, stains or missing pages, and the spine intact.

The collection will take place on campus on June 14 at the following locations:

1. In front of the clock tower. This location will be a full-service drop-off location where a UofT bookstore representative will be available in person and families can choose to either receive payment for their textbooks immediately via e-transfer or donate the proceeds to the PO. 

2. The top of the roundabout at Kilbarry entrance. This location will be a self-serve drop-off location only, where a table will be set up for Upper School families to drop off textbooks and donate the proceeds to the PO. 

Please remember to also drop off any used uniform and spirit wear items too! The Used Blues Shop (TUBS) is accepting blazers, grey flannels, blue polo shirts, khakis, white or blue dress shirts, ties and any house, UCC or Blue Army spirit wear.

Last call for lost items

The Used Uniform Shop (TUBS) closed for the year on June 1. From Monday, June 3 to Friday, June 14, lost and found items will be displayed in the basement across from the physiotherapy office for the final Lost and Found parade of the school year. All unclaimed items will be donated to charity on Friday, June 14. 

Note: Please see reception for any valuable items.

Donate used uniforms on June 14

If you’re looking to purge your son’s closet before summer, TUBS can help you out. The Used Uniform Shop will be accepting donations for spirit wear as well as gently used uniforms on Friday, June 14 between 8–9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Donations will be accepted at the front entrance and north lot drop-off areas. 

The annual used uniform sale takes place on Tuesday, September 3 and Wednesday, September 4. Feel free to email us at tubs@uccpo.ca if you have any questions or if you wish to volunteer next year.

Thank you from the Sunflower Project

Thank you to the incredible UCC families for your support of The Sunflower Project to bring aid to Ukraine.

This IB Youth Action Fund Grant project’s goal was to fill a 40-foot shipping container in Toronto to be shipped to Rivne, Ukraine, where aid would be distributed by partners to help numerous people, mitigate the devastating impact of war, and change lives for the better in Ukraine.

Your generous donations included diapers, tools, school supplies, medicine, first aid kits, outdoor gear, clothing, toiletries, baby food, formula, and food. On A-Day, your financial donations helped purchase a night vision thermal drone for brave defenders on the frontline. Friends of UCC also helped fill the container with medical supplies, hundreds of toys, wheelchairs, and a pick-up truck to help save wounded soldiers.

On a cold January day, a team filled the container with 1,000 boxes and a truck, and 4 months later, this precious cargo was delivered to hospitals, orphanages, community centres, churches, and the frontlines.

Thank you to Mr. Sweetman and Ms. Martin for your encouragement and help. A huge thank you to the families and faculty of UCC who donated – I am lucky to be part of this awesome UCC community.