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Primary French | Update

Our youngest learners, in SK, have been thoroughly enjoying activities such as singing, storytime sessions, and engaging in educational games centred around themes like numbers, common classroom objects, and colours. They are about to start a unit on family and learn the concept of gender in French. As we move into November, they will learn about the names of different body parts.

In Year 1, students have just completed partner video recordings as part of their unit on friendship. You can view these videos on SeeSaw. They have now resumed their learning of more foundational vocabulary, paving the way for the study of their first play called "La poule maboule”. In this unit, they will learn to answer questions and describe characters and plot elements to enhance their proficiency.

In Year 2, the students have just finished their project connected to their health unit called “J’ai une vie saine.” Check out their work on Seesaw. They have just started the study of their first play of this school year called “Comment y aller?” In this unit, they will be working both individually and collaboratively to develop their reading, speaking, listening and writing skills. 

In Year 3, our students are engaging in a dynamic learning experience. They are alternating between their audiovisual program, "Rémi," and a captivating study of a story set in Senegal, a francophone country in Africa, called "L'arbre ungali." Throughout this unit, they will have opportunities for both individual and collaborative work to enhance their reading, speaking, listening, and writing skills.

In Year 4, the students continue to study a story set in Québec, portraying the annual francophone festival known as "Le festival du voyageur." They are about to start a project about this festival that includes research about the first contact between Indigenous people and the European Voyageurs in the 17th century.  Furthermore, the students will continue to alternate between independent reading activities using the reader “Le voleur” and their audiovisual program “Rémi”.

Guillaume Dupre
French Teacher

Norval Outdoor school fall highlights

The many elements of fall deliver happiness or trigger memories of past joy from which we can keep taking bites, as from a fresh apple picked from the Norval orchard.  This fall is no exception.  When I think back to September and October it brings a smile.

Every year, Form 7 Advisors begin the process of blending together the many new boys with the returning students into a cohesive class group. Part of the Prep’s approach to this challenge is to send year 7 students to Norval at the very start of the school year, two classes at a time for four full days of living and working together at Norval. The Year 7 students experience a wide variety of team building activities revolving around the UCC values.  Students learn the five core values of Pluralism, Wellbeing, Learning, Service, and Community in an experiential way.  The new addition this year was under the value of Learning.  Students hiked 12 km on the Credit Valley Footpath to Glen Williams.  While in Glen Williams, students carved soapstone with professional stone carver Graham Bowden. It was amazing to see the students and teachers learn a new skill together.  The year 7 classes bonded throughout the week, and by the end of the four days, their enhanced team cohesion was incredible. This sets up our students with the foundation they need to have a great year at UCC.

We have welcomed almost every student from SK to Year 9 at Norval during the fall, and it has brought smiles and joy, like biting into a fresh apple from the Norval orchard.  It is a great reminder of how amazing this time of year is and how important Norval is to help give all our students the foundation they need to have a successful year at UCC.

Brent Evans

UCC Norval Outdoor School Director

Middle music update

Year 6 

Students were excited to start to learn their chosen band instruments, although this is a slow process in the beginning. This has included instrument assembly, instrument care, holding the instrument, proper posture and appropriate embouchure. Then it was on to answering such inquiry questions such as how to make the initial sounds? How to breathe properly? How to articulate on our instruments?  How to read a variety of notes? Students then apply these skills to making those first sounds. Albeit interesting sounds to say the least, as they try to figure out these new concepts. 

Many students are now starting to develop a regular practice routine to further develop their skills. With regular practice, muscle memory will start to develop and their reading skills will start to improve as they repeat over and over and over again. They have learned many new exercises and are starting to work on their first playing summative assessment.

Year 6 students have also begun learning the basics of the musical language (theory) by naming notes in both treble and bass clefs and have been introduced to basic musical symbols. They will continue to further their understanding of the musical language, develop their instrument fundamental skills, and make the connection between the language and their instrument.

Year 7

These first couple of months have seen the Year 7 ‘new students’ begin their journey learning their chosen band instruments with the ‘Jump Start Program’ - 3 phases of accelerated learning. This included instrument assembly, holding, proper posture and an appropriate embouchure, or how to hold their sticks. Then, along with the veteran music students, they all started to review and learn answers to such inquiry questions, such as how do we make an appropriate sound? How do we breathe properly? How do we play a variety of articulations on our instruments? How do we play with enunciation, how do we read notes, and translate that to knowing our fingerings? Then students apply this new knowledge to playing various exercises and joining a series of chromatic notes, thus combining all of these necessary skills leading them to their first assessment - the chromatic scale.

Students start to develop a regular practice routine as we move into phase 2 of the playing process. They will rapidly advance their understanding of the musical language and develop their instrumental skills through the learning of new chromatic concepts, developing fundamental skills of pitch and control, and applying these skills to musical repertoire - The Last Voyage of the Queen Anne’s Revenge.

Currently, new students continue with Phase 3 of the Jump Start Program working with Mr. McGarr on Tuesday and Friday mornings to review the Year 6 curriculum and all students have been reviewing and studying the basics of the musical language (music theory). They have been naming notes in both treble and bass clefs, counting various rhythmic patterns, studying time signatures, stem direction, and numerous musical symbols to further their knowledge and understanding of this universal language. Stay tuned for more.

Paul McGarr

MYP Music Teacher 

Primary three-way conferences in-person on Nov. 24

We are excited to host our Primary student-parent-teacher three-way conferences in person once again. Conferences will be held for all students in SK through Form 5 on Friday, Nov. 24 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Please note that pickAtime will open at 4 p.m. on Nov. 9 for you to book your conference. For your convenience, here is a link to the pick-a-time instructions.

Three-way conferences are used as a method of self-assessment and reflection in our IB Primary Years Programme. In conjunction with a student’s portfolio and report card, three-way conferences allow each student to demonstrate and reflect what has been learned and on their ownership of the learning process. Students are able to share products, processes, and skills. Strengths and areas for improvement as a learner come to life through the conferencing process. Your child builds self-confidence and takes ownership of their learning while engaging in the conference.

The conference is 30 minutes in length. The first 15 minutes will be spent in the student-parent-teacher three-way conferences meeting in the classroom. Following that meeting, each student and their parent(s) will engage in reflection and goal setting in Weston Hall. 

In preparation for the student-parent-teacher three-way conferences, Form Advisors will send direction for portfolio review on SeeSaw to be completed for homework before attending the meeting. 

Dianne Jojic

PYP Coordinator

Year 6 and Year 7 virtual three-way conferences on Nov. 23-24

Feedback is one of the most essential tools to help students develop and grow. In addition, building strong connections among families, teachers, and students is integral to continued academic development. Student-led conferences provide an opportunity for both feedback and connection to take place, and initial details are as follows:

• Conferences for Year 6 and 7 students and their families will take place virtually on Thursday, Nov. 23 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 24 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Conferences will take place in 5 or 10-minute intervals.

• To encourage ownership over their learning and the development of self-advocacy skills, students should be present for their conferences. Students will have time in HLS and subject classes to prepare for the conference. Please remind your child to make introductions and start the dialogue.

• All conferences will be virtual in order to be as efficient and inclusive as possible. 

• Please access the Google Meet link only at the time of your scheduled appointment.

• If possible, please use your email address and not your child’s UCC email address.

• You may initially be in a Google Meet ‘waiting room’ until the interview time begins, and the faculty member admits you to the virtual meeting. Please keep conversations to the scheduled 5 or 10 minutes.

• Sign-up details via pickAtime are available here. 

• Pick-a-time will open on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 4 p.m. 

• Of particular note, please know that Mr. McGarr (Music) and Ms. Preston (Visual Arts) teach all Year 6 and 7 students. Keeping in mind there are a limited number of time slots over Thursday and Friday, please only register with them if you consider the conference essential.

• Google Meet links for faculty and conference schedules will be shared with families during the week of Nov. 20.

• On Thursday, Nov. 23 classes end at 12:10 p.m. Students are immediately dismissed from the building. Conferences will begin at 8 a.m. on November 24th. There are no classes on Friday, Nov. 24 as students and teachers are fully involved in these meaningful conversations.

Gareth Evans
Assistant Head of the Prep - Middle Division

Reminder | Year 7-First Hepatitis B/Menactra/HPV Clinic

Dear Year 7 Parents,

This is a reminder on Monday, Nov. 6 Toronto Public Health will be holding their first Year 7 Hepatitis B/Menactra/HPV Clinic at UCC, in the Prep Dining hall from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

Please make sure your child eats breakfast the morning of the clinic and wears short sleeves. If your child is unwell due to fever and cannot receive their vaccinations, please notify the school 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. If you have not submitted a form yet, you may print off a consent form and bring in a hard copy on the day of the clinic.

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

Gina Suva RN, BScN

Prep School Registered Nurse

Hot Lunch opt-out

The winter session of the Hot Lunch program will begin after the November long weekend on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Email Janet Brock by Thursday, Nov. 9 if you would like to either opt in or out of the lunch program. Please do not email if you are already signed up and will continue participating in the Hot Lunch program.

DONATE | Halloween Candy

Don't want all that Halloween candy in your house? Please consider donating any extra Halloween treats to our Candy Donation Drive in support of Robertson House, a Toronto shelter for women and children. Bins will be at the front reception for candy donations from Monday, Nov. 6 to Wednesday, Nov. 8.

REGISTER | Before School Program: winter session

The Before School Program (BSP) is available on Wednesday mornings (8–9:15 a.m.), at no extra charge, to families that need this service. The winter session of the program begins Wednesday, Nov. 15 and ends Wednesday, March 6.  

You must register using the link on your student's Bluenet profile if you require this service for the winter session. The registration deadline is Thursday, Nov. 9. Having accurate numbers is essential for our planning.

Some reminders of the timing for Wednesday mornings:

• If your child is joining the Before School Program, please have them arrive by 8:30 a.m.

• If your child is not joining the Before School Program, we ask that students arrive at school between 9:15–9:30 a.m. 

Upcoming Year 7 dance socials

Tomorrow, both Branksome Hall and Havergal are hosting a dance/social for Year 7 students. Permission forms have been distributed to students who have been randomly selected to attend. Families are reminded to ensure they pick up their child at 9 p.m. Unfortunately, we weren’t allotted enough spots for everyone who was interested to attend. Every effort will be made to ensure all Year 7’s have an opportunity to attend at least one dance/social this year. We are hosting our own dance/social on Friday, December 15th, while BSS will be hosting their dance/social on Friday, May 3rd.

Gareth Evans

Assistant Head of the Preparatory School

ASP Clubs | Session 2 reminder

Session 1 clubs end November 2nd, and Session 2 begins the following week.

Click here to sign up for session 2.