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Dear UCC Community,

As my time as Head of the Upper School comes to a close, I write to you with a heart full of gratitude and a touch of sadness as I prepare for the move. Serving this remarkable community—our bright and energetic students, our dedicated and inspiring staff and faculty, and our supportive and engaged parents—has been an immense privilege.

I've had the honour of witnessing countless moments of growth, discovery, and triumph both on and off campus. I've seen students push their boundaries, embrace new challenges and find their voices. I've watched our staff and faculty tirelessly dedicate themselves to fostering an environment where curiosity thrives and potential is realized. And I've deeply appreciated the partnership with our parents, whose trust and collaboration are fundamental to the success of our students.

As I reflect on some of the countless examples of impact over the years, even those in 2025 represent what is accomplished and celebrated. Monday Principal’s Assemblies have been a testament to the diverse and inclusive spirit of UCC. Since January, we’ve explored vital themes and topics, from International Holocaust Remembrance and Black Excellence to Founders Day, Languages Week, Ramadan, wellness, arts and creativity, Earth Week, and service through the Barton Lecture. We also observed the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People (Red Dress Day) and celebrated the spirit of athletics, concluding with heartfelt tributes to our departing staff and faculty and retirees.

This year has also been packed with enriching events and transformative experiences for our students. Since February, we have seen intense competition at the Senior Provincial Debate Tournament and the excitement of the U13-U20 CISAA playoffs. March was a month of global engagement, with inspiring cultural immersion and service trips to Costa Rica, China, and Peru, the Lang Scholar Service Trip to the Yukon, a French Exchange Trip to Paris, and a Spanish Exchange Trip to Mexico City.

The spring continued to buzz with activity, including the Ontario Model United Nations (OMUN) in April, and a spectacular array of arts events throughout April and May: the CIS Music Festival at Roy Thomson Hall, the UCC TIFF Film Festival, the CIS Drama Festival, UCC Jazz Night, and the UCC Student Directed Play Festival, culminating in the Music Fest National Festival. May brought our impactful Relay for Life COSSOT fundraiser in support of cancer research, proudly hosted again by UCC. 

Upper Canada College is a special place, defined by its unwavering commitment to transformational learning and excellence, its rich traditions, and most importantly, by the incredible people who make up this community. The spirit of inquiry, the pursuit of knowledge, and the bonds of friendship that flourish here are truly unique. I will forever cherish the memories created, the lessons learned and the relationships built during my time.

While I am excited about the new chapter ahead, I will always carry a piece of UCC with me. I leave confident that the Upper School is in excellent hands, poised for continued success and innovation. I encourage all of you to continue to embrace the values that make the College so exceptional and to support one another in the pursuit of individual and collective goals.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for making my time here so rewarding. I wish each and every one of you all the very best for the future.

With deepest gratitude,
Dr. Jeff Aitken

Students at the Upper School attended study sessions and participated in exams to close this academic year, demonstrating their knowledge, skills and growth. 

On Friday, students will receive their final assessment marks during a special half-day schedule, where they’ll attend each of their classes for 20 minutes. This moment marks a natural opportunity to pause, reflect and celebrate the growth and learning that’s taken place over the year. Whether the results bring pride or spark motivation for future improvement, students are encouraged to use this time to set meaningful goals and look ahead with purpose.

Following the morning of reflection, we’ll come together as a community to celebrate the end of the school year with a BBQ on the Oval.

Year 9 updates

Please click here to read updates from the Class of 2028.

Textbook/course materials ordering information for 2025–26

The University of Toronto Bookstore is UCC’s course materials supplier. The UCC-specific section of the website will be available on Friday, 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 U of Toronto campuses for pick-up, this includes U of T Mississauga (UTM) or U of T Scarborough (UTSC). To check our hours and addresses, click here. 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.

Important | Week Without Bells

With spring well underway, our attention is focused on planning for the year ahead. One of the major experiences in our school calendar is The Week Without Bells, an experiential learning program in which all students in Years 8–11 travel, collaborate, and explore curricular and co-curricular themes.

For the 2025–26 academic year, UCC has partnered with ALIVE Outdoors, our Norval Team, and AdventureWorks, to deliver an exciting week of camp programming for students in Years 8–11, scheduled from Tuesday, October 14 to Friday, October 17.

ALIVE Outdoors works with well-established camps familiar to UCC, including Camp Timberlane (for Years 8 and 11) and Camp Wanakita (for Year 10). Meanwhile, the Norval Team and AdventureWorks will deliver exciting programming for Year 9 students at Olympia Sports Camp.

During this week, Year 12 students will remain on campus, focusing on completing Diploma Programme-specific tasks and working on their university applications.

Please note:
-  A non-refundable deposit of $575 will be billed to student accounts on September 15.
-  The balance of the program fees (approximately $575) will be billed after the trip concludes.
-  All students are expected to attend. If your child is unable to attend due to medical reasons or a mandatory prior commitment, please contact Gillian Levene (Year 8), Joe Smith (Years 9 and 10), or Damion Walker (Year 11) by September 12.

Please be aware that there will be no alternative programming on campus during the Week Without Bells as the faculty will also be at the various camps. 

We are excited for the busy months ahead as we celebrate the end of this school year and look forward to the opportunities of 2025–26!

*Please note that families currently receiving financial assistance for the 2025–26 academic year will receive prorated assistance for this program fee.

Kind regards,
Joe Smith, Gillan Levene and Damion Walker
Assistant Heads, Upper Canada College

Years 8–11 | Laptop return and exchange information

Students who are not returning to the College next year must return their laptop and charger after their last exam, but no later than June 13. Students who do not return their laptop will be charged the replacement value.

All returning students in Years 8 –11 will be receiving a new laptop this June.

Laptops will be ready for distribution on June 2, but it is recommended that students take care of the laptop exchange directly after their last exam. Students must bring their current laptop and power cord to the Upper School Help Desk. 

Students will need to complete a short video assignment on Brightspace (in the course “2025 Student Laptop Exchange”), and sign the Acceptable Use Policy for Technology form in Bluenet before they will be given their new laptop. It is also important that they back up any locally stored data in their Google Drive as all data on their current computers will be permanently deleted. It will take about 20 minutes to drop off the old laptop and pick up the new one.

Where: The Upper School Help Desk
When: June 2 –13
Time: Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. 

All laptops must be exchanged or returned by June 13, otherwise, their student account will be charged with the full replacement value.

We would like to remind you that AppleCare+ ends in the middle of June. We are asking that parents/guardians look at the student's laptop, and if there is any visible damage, please have the device brought to the Upper School Help Desk as soon as possible. This is to facilitate repairs under the AppleCare+ for Schools. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Thank you in advance,

Ryan Archer
Associate Director, Information and Innovation

Library loans due tomorrow

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We would appreciate your assistance with checking in with your students as to whether they have any library materials to return to the Macintosh Library. All items are due back to the library by tomorrow, June 13. If the library is closed, items may be returned via the wall slot next to the Student Centre elevator.

If items are not returned, families will be billed on the June statement at $30 per item (or higher if it is a reference item).

Items may be returned after the deadline, but refunds will not be processed at that point.

All students are regularly reminded to return items via emailed overdue notices and have been contacted by us regarding the date above.

Many thanks,

Macintosh Library Staff

Summer reading list

Dear Upper School families,

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 for 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

Lost and found parade | Extended to Friday, June 13

Tomorrow is your last chance to retrieve lost and found items. All items are currently on display outside the Lower Dining Hall. Please note, items still remaining at the end of the day will be donated to charity. 

Save the Date | TUBS Used Uniform Sale

Mark your calendars for the TUBS Used Uniform Sale, where you’ll find a great selection of gently used uniforms and spirit wear. 

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2–4 p.m. 

Wednesday, Sept. 3, 7:30–9:30 a.m. 

Watch for more details in the August Heads Up. 

UCC students awarded IB Global Youth Action Fund Grants

We extend our congratulations to the following four students for receiving IB Global Youth Action Fund awards for 2025!

Lucas Allen was granted $2,500 USD for his "One Degree Cooler" climate action project. Lucas also hosted a tremendously successful AI Hackathon at the University of Toronto earlier this year.

Alfred Liu and Alex Zeng were granted $3,000 USD for their "PassNPlay" ongoing service initiative. 

Matthew Tong was granted $2,500 USD for his "Bags to Beds" ongoing service initiative.