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New to the Upper School | Orientation information

Students and families (day and boarding, including Year 8 students coming from the Prep) new to the Upper School, please click here for details. 

Year 8 | Upcoming important dates

Please click here to view the important dates.

Year 8 | Trip to Norval, Sept. 9–12

Please click here to view details of the itinerary, packing list, and more.

Save the date | Upper School Curriculum Night on Sept. 5

UCC’s Upper School Curriculum Night will take place on Thursday, Sept. 5. This information evening is intended to provide parents and guardians with an opportunity to meet faculty and staff as well as gain an overview of your child’s classes. Classes will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will conclude at 9 p.m. Personalized schedules will be available in BlueNet.

Years 6–12 | 2024–25 Textbook ordering information

New and used textbook purchases can be made directly through the University of Toronto (U of T) Bookstore rather than at the College. Textbooks (new or used, if available) are ordered using U of T Bookstore’s online ordering system, available here. 

Textbooks and course materials can be purchased online to be shipped to your address, or shop in person at the Bookstore's downtown location. You can also request to have your order delivered to other University of Toronto campuses for pick up. Click here to check the hours and addresses.

Boarding students may request that their orders be shipped directly to the College. Please use the school address (200 Lonsdale Road, Toronto, ON M4V 1W6) for shipping. This option is for Boarding students only. 

All books are required unless indicated as optional. If your course is not listed, there is no required text to be ordered. Any course materials needed will be communicated by your student’s teacher during the first week of school. 

It’s important for you to place your order as early as possible to help ensure your student has the textbooks needed to start the school year. Ordering early gives you the best selection of used books.

Orders will be shipped by UPS, so please include a delivery address where someone will be available during business hours to sign for your shipment. Please consider using a business address rather than your home address for delivery, where appropriate.

For assistance, please contact U of T Bookstore directly at uppercanadacollege@uoftbookstore.com.

Upper School (Years 8–12) English textbooks 

Upper School English classes use literary texts and not textbooks, therefore teachers may have different selections of texts even in classes of the same grade. 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.  

For simplicity, each grade will begin with a common text available for order immediately. A teacher-prepared package of readings will be distributed during the first week of school.

Course change requests: key dates

Please note the following key dates and information about the course change process for the 2024–25 academic year. 

Students should reach out to a university counsellor to begin a conversation. See the contact information below.

There is also a Late Course Change process that begins after the end dates below. At that point, students will have spent more time in their courses and therefore the request to move from one course to another can be more complex. A discussion centred on potential impacts will be led by the university counsellor and will involve the student and parent, course teachers, adviser and the Wernham West Centre for Learning (WWCfL) as required.

Course Change Dates:

Students in Years 9 and 10

Begins: Day 3 (Sept. 6)

Ends: Day 2 (Sept. 18)

Students in Year 11

Begins: Day 3 (Sept. 6)

Ends: Day 2 (Oct. 15)

Course changes must be approved by a parent/guardian and a student’s university counsellor.

University Counselling Office:

David Hanna — Jackson's 

Alison Champ — Howards and Bremners 

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

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

Andrew Turner — Seaton's, Wedd's 

Fall outdoor experiential learning programs

As shared with the community in the spring Head’s Up, 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. As this is an important component of our programming, full attendance is expected. This programming will take place from Monday, Oct. 7 to Thursday, Oct. 10. 

Year 9 students will engage in a four-day, three-night experiential program at Olympia Sports Camp led by Olympia, our Norval Team, and UCC Faculty. 

Note: This is updated information from the Spring where the Year 9 trip has been relocated from Norval to Olympia Sports Camp. This location update will allow for students to enjoy expanded experiences and amenities, including cabins.

Year 10 and 11 students 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 all camps.

Y9 Program: Olympia Sports Camp, Huntsville, Ontario (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)

Coach buses will depart from UCC on the morning of Oct. 7 and will return on the afternoon of Oct. 10. 

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 focus 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 (Y9–11) will be approximately $1,100, which will be billed to student accounts in the fall.

Stay tuned to Heads Up for further detailed information, including itineraries, packing lists, and permission forms. Any questions should be directed to Gillian Levene (Y8), Joe Smith (Y9/10), or Andrew MacDougall (Y11/12).

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 Y8 and Y12 programs.

Sign up | Backcountry paddling trip, Sept. 13–16

The outdoor club is running a 4-day, 3-night backcountry paddling trip in Massasauga Lakes from Friday, Sept. 13 to Sunday, Sept. 16.  

Registration is open to any Upper School students. Participants must pass a swim test.  

Email Mr. Bradford for details. 8 spots are available on a first come first serve basis.  

The Used Blues Shop (TUBS) Sale

The Used Blues Shop (TUBS) is hosting its annual back-to-school sale! 

Dates:

Tuesday, Sept. 3, from 2–4 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 4, from 7:30–9:30 a.m.

Where: 

Upper School lower-level hallway (near the Lower Dining Hall)

The sale will feature gently used uniforms and spirit wear. All purchases will be charged to a student’s account. Students may shop on their own. Parents are welcome but are asked to first sign in at reception. Please bring a shopping bag.

Donations are welcome. If you are interested in volunteering or have questions, please email TUBS.

Sign up | PO Volunteers welcome! 

There are so many volunteer opportunities for parents at UCC! 

You can start small, with an afternoon shift at A-Day, or commit to being a Team Parent, all the way to pursuing an ongoing role in the Parent’s Organization. 

Please fill out this form to let the PO know you’d like to be involved. It’s a great way to meet new parents and get to know the school community better. 

Register | Years 9–12 March Break 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!

Register | March Break Peru Expedition — limited spots still available

UCC and Operation Wallacea — Biodiversity and Climate Change Scientific Research Expedition

Dear parents and students, 

We are providing 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 students 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 here.

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

Students will have the following survey opportunities: 

Primates, large mammals and game birds, macaws, wading birds, understory birds, river dolphin transects, fish, butterfly and moths, habitat, nighttime caimans, fishing bats, night-time amphibian floating meadows, plus an Amazonian Wildlife and Conservation course.

For further information, please watch the official school trip video.

To confirm your spot, please fill in the booking form.  Once you fill in this form, you will be given information to provide a $400 deposit that is refundable until the school finalizes the group.

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

Register | March Break Costa Rica Learning Trip—limited spots still available

A Global Learning Adventure 

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 and 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.

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.