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Dear Prep Families,

Yesterday, we finished our three-day CAIS and IB accreditation visit. This accreditation visit is a vital part of the school improvement process. We were particularly proud of students who welcomed our visitors so warmly to the school as tour guides, and who spoke about their learning during classroom visits. Next, we will receive reports from the CAIS and IB visiting teams outlining our strengths as a school and areas for consideration which will give much for our leadership team to celebrate and reflect on!   

On Monday, we observed International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which serves as the official date of commemoration of the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism, and is a time to honour the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. We held a special International Holocaust Remembrance Day assembly for Year 5–7 students.  The assembly program for Years 5–7 included a presentation from Mr. Evans, Assistant Head of the Prep and one by Year 6 form adviser Bob Cooper sharing his family’s personal connection to the Holocaust. Complemented by video resources, this program focused on learning about why we have International Holocaust Remembrance Day, key historical facts, and a student presentation by the Allyship Council led by Prep Pluralism 6–7 team lead, Tia Chambers, on the harmful impact of the Hitler salute. We concluded with reflections on the importance of combating antisemitism and steps we can all take to be allies. We’re grateful to the Allyship Council students and teachers who planned and delivered this assembly program along with Mr. Evans.  

Today, students in Years 5–7 gathered in Weston Hall, engaging in learning related to understanding and addressing Islamophobia and observation of the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia. This student-driven assembly included facts about the Muslim faith, understanding more about Islamophobia and how individuals can stand up to counter stereotypes and/or single-story thinking when they encounter it. The assembly was also an opportunity to remember and honour the victims and the survivors of the 2017 mosque attack.  

As you will read in this edition of Heads Up, students and teachers are in full swing of the winter term’s learning. The school is a vibrant, busy and joyful place these days as students continue to grow their confidence, knowledge and skills and discover new interests. Our athletes, musicians and thespians are actively preparing for and participating in important engagements displaying their talents. On Tuesday, 100 mathematicians opted to write the AMC8 Math Contest, proving that our Prep School boys are eager for a problem solving challenge! The Prep choir is beginning rehearsals for April’s CIS Music Festival. Musical rehearsals are ongoing and our ensembles are preparing for next week’s whole school Jazz Cafe. In the classroom, students continue to inquire together and develop their knowledge and skills.

And… a big THANK YOU to all the parents who volunteered to give out healthy power snacks to the boys yesterday! 

Please enjoy this edition with highlights and updates from our teachers as well as information on important events that are coming up! 

Your partners in learning,

Sarah Fleming, David Girard and Gareth Evans

Update | Year 3

In our exciting new unit of inquiry, students have stepped into the shoes of young entrepreneurs! They have brainstormed creative business names and designed eye-catching logos to represent their ventures. With ingenuity and teamwork, they have developed and built unique products while learning to balance budgets and make informed financial decisions. Sustainability has been a key focus as students explored ways to create eco-friendly products that minimize environmental impact. With everything in place, they are eagerly preparing to set up their market stalls to showcase and sell their creations to fellow Year 3 and Year 4 students, bringing their entrepreneurial journey to life! Families can make a small donation ($5 to $10) to receive one of their child’s hand-made creations. Please check your email and agenda this week to get details. 

Please continue to be very mindful of the weather. Students need snow pants, hats, mittens and boots every day. Some students have taken to bringing in dry socks for after recess. This is a fantastic idea, and we highly recommend that you pack some dry socks in a ziplock bag for recess emergencies.

We’d also like to remind you of our health centre protocols. These are in place to ensure the health of our students and school community. After a period of illness, students are cleared to return to school once the following criteria have been met:

• Must be fever-free for 24 hours without any medications that lower a fever.

• Free of gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting/nausea/diarrhea) for 48 hours.

• Symptoms have improved for at least 24 hours with no new or worsening symptoms.

Your cooperation is invaluable and will help keep the spread of illness minimal. 

Sincerely,

Christie Gordon and Kathryn O’Brien

Year 3 Form Advisors

Update | Year 3

The weeks are flying by at their usual breakneck pace and students have fallen back into our routines. 

In math, we are wrapping up our unit on data management. Students analyzed data in graphs and made their own pictographs and bar graphs. We will be sending home our first math workbook. There are units in the book that are left blank, as these concepts will be taught in Year 4. Our next unit delves into a conceptual understanding of fractions. Students will explore various ways fractions can be displayed. We will continue to use Dimensions Math (formerly known as Singapore Math) to guide our teaching practice. We will supplement the fractions unit with games and activities to reinforce fraction concepts. 

Although we have finished our multiplication and division unit, we will continue to follow up with some students who continue to benefit from skill and drill practice. Our goal for students is that they can accurately and fluently recall their multiplication and division facts with some measure of automaticity.  Some students have already mastered this skill. If you would like your son to have additional worksheets, please print off these attached worksheets. You can also ask your son to teach you one of the dice or card games we have played in class (examples of games: Multiplication War). Here are a few more examples of dice games to practice math facts. 

In Language, we have a new independent reading challenge: 20 in 20. Students are asked to read for at least 20 minutes a day for 20 days straight. Parents must sign off on the completed challenge sheet before students return them to school. We also began a new class novel, Dragons in a Bag. The story blends urban life with fantastical elements, weaving in community, family, and magic themes, making it both a fun and meaningful read.

Update | Individuals and Societies

In Year 6, Individuals and Societies, the students have been using the concept of conflict to explore the rise and fall of Ancient Rome. Through the statement of inquiry that drives the learning process —Is conflict a necessary change agent to achieve a fairer society?—students learn about the different types of conflict that can permeate a society, the types of governmental structures that ensure equality for all and how a victory on the battlefield can often lead to a series of lasting negative consequences. The students will assume the role of talented Roman Orators, demonstrating their learning through impassioned speeches and lively discussions. This unit provides the perfect backdrop to explore similar themes currently taking place in the world, and as we have been doing throughout the school year, students continue to sharpen their media literacy skills by reading and discussing the news on a regular basis. 

In Year 7, the students started exploring first contact between the Europeans and the Canadian First Nations People. The goal will be for each student to produce a 5 paragraph essay on the leadership qualities of different actors that played an important role during the time of first contact. Throughout this second unit, the students will be engaged in discussions regarding the role of empathy as a determinant for successful interactions between different cultures. Similar to the Year 6 students, the Year 7 students will continue to sharpen their media literacy skills by reading and discussing the news regularly.

To further extend the learning at home, we encourage parents to continue to engage their child in discussions of current events. Encouraging your child to explore different areas of the news will provide him with prior knowledge that they will be able to use in all of our class discussions.

 Peter Gray, Tia Chambers, Jennifer Harper

Tour For Humanity Bus

On Friday, Jan. 31 the Tour For Humanity bus will be visiting the Prep for our Year 6 students to visit. The Tour For Humanity bus is an award-winning mobile human rights education centre. The 30-seat, fully accessible vehicle serves as a self-contained classroom in which instructors teach students about the horrors of genocide, especially the Holocaust, while addressing issues of racism, intolerance, diversity, democracy and human rights.

Please note: the Parkin’ surface will be closed during morning drop-off and pick-up.

Sincerely,

Gareth Evans

Assistant Head, Middle Division

Student Immunization Clinic for Years 7 and 8

Upper Canada College will be hosting Toronto Public Health (TPH) vaccination clinic on Thursday, May 29 at the Prep during school hours for all students in Year 7. It will also offer catch-up opportunities to students in Year 8 who are behind on these important vaccines. 

Please note, TPH has confirmed they will not be providing vaccines onsite for Year 9 to 12 students. Please read on for options on how to obtain these vaccines for your child. 

Vaccinations that will be made available at the clinic for Year 7s:

● Meningococcal* — to prevent meningitis 

● Human papillomavirus — to prevent cancers 

● Hepatitis B — to prevent liver cancer 

Important reminder for parents that immunization against meningococcal disease is required by law for all children attending school in Ontario, unless exempted. For more information about the updated immunization requirements for school attendance, please visit Ontario, Ministry of Health.

For questions regarding the TPH School Immunization clinic, please contact the health centre at health.centre@ucc.on.ca. Please address your child’s name and year in the title of the email. 

Eligible students: 

● All students in Year 7 and higher who have not received any or all of these vaccines. 

● Students who have started but not completed their series may also book an appointment. 

For more information, you can access the School Immunization Pamphlet.

Next steps for community appointments: 

● Review the parent package and consent form. 

● Book an appointment prior to attending the clinic. Appointments can be booked at the TPH booking site.

For more information about these vaccines, please talk to your doctor or call Public Health at 416-338-7600.

Helpful links: 

Grade 7 and up TPH School Vaccination Program

Ontario’s Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule

Thank you for your ongoing support to keep our students and UCC community healthy.

Sincerely,

UCC Health Centre

Sign up | 2025–26 PPO Advisory Committee

Dear Prep Parents,

The self-nomination process for the 2025-26 Prep Parent’s Organization (PPO) is now open!

Do you like to connect with other parents and feel part of a community? Maybe you love coming up with new ways to fundraise? Do you just want to be more involved in the school or have ideas about how we can make the Prep more sustainable? Join the PPO!  

Whether it’s a one-off event or a more consistent commitment you’re looking for, there's something for everyone on our committee. Please have a look through our advisory positions here.

PPO self-nominations will be open from Thursday, Jan. 30 to Friday, Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. 

Get involved and nominate yourself by completing this form. If you have any questions, please reach out to pastpresident@uccprepparents.ca.

Valentine’s Day bake sale alert!

The prep is celebrating Valentine's Day with a delightful bake sale on the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 12 in the Bitove Lounge. Please have your son bring in baked or store-bought donations during morning drop off.  To ensure inclusivity, please ensure all baking is nut-free, and we'll also feature a dedicated gluten-free table of treats. If you know what you are bringing/purchasing, please let us know here.

Would you like to volunteer and spend a few hours with us? Click here to sign up.

And for all parents, don't forget to send your child with some money for the bake sale. A budget of $2–$5 should secure them a delicious treat or two!

Should you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out via email to bakesale@uccprepparents.ca.

A big thank you from your Prep Bake Sale Team,

Erin, Maria, Rabia and Jennifer

Support shopping sustainably

The Used Uniform Sale presents the perfect opportunity to stock up on gently used uniform items for SK to Year 7 students. It will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 2:30–4 p.m. and Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 8–9:15 a.m. at the William P. Wilder ’40 Arena & Sports Complex. This year, we have a great selection of pants, polo shirts, dress shirts, ties, sweaters, physical education uniforms and blazers. While we will have bags at the sale, we ask that families bring their own reusable bags if possible.

Donations

Please drop off gently used uniform items in the used uniform blue box which you will find under the main staircase of the lower level of the Prep. Donations are always welcome, but please do not drop off stained, ripped or non-UCC clothing.

We look forward to seeing you at the sale on Feb. 4 and 5!