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It's been an exciting week for our Prep students and teachers! Our Year 6 and 7s have been thoroughly engaged in project-based, experiential programming in relation to two UN Sustainable Development Goal areas — Climate Action and Good Health and Wellbeing. We're looking forward to the culmination of Project Week on Friday with elevator pitches and reading buddy activities planned alongside reflecting on the week’s key learnings. This week, students have had inspiring and informative guest speakers, field trips and opportunities to deeply reflect on how their learning impacts their lives and their world.  

Please note that with spring approaching, warm weather dress begins on Monday, March 24 for students in Year 5 - Year 7.  You can see more details in our Family Handbook on page 28, and use this illustration as a guide.

Warm weather dress entails:

• Navy UCC-crested golf shirt (short sleeves) with UCC quarter-zip or UCC sweater 

• Grey flannel trousers with belt loops OR grey dress shorts

• Black belt

• Dark grey, navy or black dress socks

• Black, polishable dress shoes (slip-on or laces) or all black running shoes 

This week brings to an end a fulfilling and busy term for the Prep community. Our students can be proud of all they have learned and accomplished, along with the contributions each of them has made to making the Prep a kind and caring place to come to school each day.  We’d like to take this opportunity to wish all families a wonderful March Break and to thank you for your continued partnership and support. We look forward to welcoming students back to school on Monday, March 24!

Your partners in learning,

Sarah Fleming, David Girard and Gareth Evans

The Prep Leadership Team

Update | Year 2

Dear 2C Community,

We hope this letter finds you well! As we continue our journey through the school year, we wanted to share some updates on what we’ve been working on in class and provide a few reminders to support your child’s learning at home.

Language
In language, we continue to work on sentence structure and will do so for the remainder of the year. Additionally, we will be working on alliteration as part of our poetry unit. Some examples of alliteration include "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers" and "silly snakes slither smoothly." We will also continue to work on appropriately using commas and plural nouns. The students are practicing reading and writing through engaging activities and homework passages. We introduce a new word bank approximately every two weeks, so reviewing these words at home will help reinforce their learning. Please ensure your child brings their agenda daily to keep track of their word bank and reading progress.

Math
In math, we recently explored measuring length in centimeters and have now shifted our focus to telling time to the closest fifteen minutes. We will also work on understanding the connection between analog and digital times. Please reinforce these concepts at home by practicing with both analog and digital clocks, asking your child to read the time throughout the day, and discussing daily routines to time.

Inquiry
We have started our unit on Humour. We will be discussing the idea of what is funny and what is not funny and how we can be sensitive to others when we use humour. We will also use this lens as a vehicle to explore poetry, which often contains funny concepts.

Spelling
We are taking a break from spelling quizzes until after March Break. We will continue to explore common spelling patterns in class, but no reinforcement at home is required for the next bit.

General Reminders

• Healthy snacks: Please continue to provide healthy snacks to support focus and energy throughout the day.

• Planned absences: Please inform me of any planned absences coming up around March Break.

• Weather gear: Please send appropriate gear for the ever-changing weather. Students are required to wear outdoor shoes.

Thank you for your ongoing support in your child’s learning journey. If you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Best regards,
Carly Crippin

Update | Wilder Library

It’s hard to believe that the holidays are behind us and March Break is here! The Wilder Library has been fortunate to have our parent volunteers in the new year and we do have a few spots still open for weekly shifts. If this is something you would like to get involved in please let us know and we can connect.

The library has been a busy spot especially as we celebrated Black Excellence Month throughout February. As part of our programming we welcomed students who are a part of the Black Excellence Society (BES) at the Upper School to come down and read a book that centres black experience to some of our primary classes. This was followed by a discussion on identity and what the BES is. This conversation helped remind our students of the guests that came to our primary assembly to talk about the BES.

It feels too early to even say it but the Year 5 Exhibition is back! We have been working together with our PYP Coordinator to welcome each class into the library to start their research. Using their research skills they were able to explore the stacks and locate books on different topics to feel out their interest and see if there are resources available or if we need to purchase them. We are looking forward to continuing the process after March Break!

We are also getting excited about approaching Canadian Children’s Book Week in the beginning of May so keep your eyes peeled for more information on author visits, activities and challenges coming up!

As a reminder, aside from the scheduled class time, the library hours are as follows:

Monday - 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday - 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Thursday - 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Students in Year 5, 6, and 7 are welcome to use the space (work on projects, return and borrow books, read) after school without a parent present. All students in Year 4 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Laptops/iPads are permitted to be in use during this time but we do not allow gaming. 

Mallory McKinney

Teacher Librarian

Update | Physical Education

As we head towards March Break, wrapping-up the last of our exclusively indoor program, thoughts turn to spring and our emergence onto green fields and beautiful weather when we return to school. That’s the dream, at least...

Weather permitting, much of the Physical Education programme moves outside for the rest of the year, with a few exceptions. Among a variety of opportunities outside, students will engage in various modified striking and fielding games (Years 3 to 6), some target games (Years 1-7) as well as some more traditional Track and Field units (Years 4 and 5).

One of the activities that will take place indoors is the Year 7 Pickleball unit. Using our tennis bubble as a venue, this unit is based on the Sport Education model which aims to “help players develop as competent, literate, enthusiastic sports participants” (Daryl Siedentorp). Students will peer-teach within teams, with more experienced players helping to develop their less experienced counterparts, and will engage in regular league play against opponents of similar ability. These games will also be officiated by students and will culminate in a playoff or finals day at the end of the unit. 

Mark Baxter
Physical Education Learning Leader

Update| Middle Design 

As we head into March Break, our Year 6 and Year 7 designers are deep into completing their unit 2 projects.

Year 6: 

The Year 6 students have made remarkable progress with their automatons. Beginning with prototyping using cardboard, they seamlessly transitioned to constructing fully operational wooden automatons. Through the adept use of hand tools, power tools, and the laser cutter, they not only assembled but will also be evaluating their creations upon our return from the March Break. Encountering challenges along the way, the students demonstrated tremendous perseverance and adaptability in troubleshooting their engineering issues. Their critical thinking skills were put to the test as they set and assessed their own success criteria. After March Break, the unit will culminate with the presentation of their automaton through a compelling documentary.

Looking ahead, the Year 6s will move to the Holmes Project Lab in mid-April to embark on their coding unit. Here, they will dig deep into logical reasoning and critical problem-solving with mBlock software to program an autonomous vehicle. This next phase promises to further hone their analytical abilities and foster a deeper understanding of coding principles, setting the stage for continued innovation and growth in Year 7 Design.

Year 7: 

Throughout the progression of our current unit, our Year 7 students have demonstrated growing proficiency in both programming with mBlock and physically constructing with a breadboard, wires, and various sensors on the Arduino platform. Venturing into the realm of identifying real-world challenges, each student pinpointed a personal "problem" to tackle using an Arduino system. Employing the MYP Design Cycle, they researched several potential solutions, selected their optimal approach, and designed their solution while adhering to the design specifications outlined earlier in the unit. The iterative process of prototyping and evaluation not only refined their troubleshooting abilities but also strengthened their problem-solving skills, underscoring the inherent complexities that accompany the development of any physical computing solution. Please enjoy a few of their projects below:

As the year starts to wind down, our Year 7 students are poised to embark on an exhilarating fabrication unit. Transitioning to the dynamic environment of the Hixon Design Lab, they will immerse themselves in the art of woodworking, mastering the utilization of hand tools, power tools, and finishing materials such as wood glue, paint, and varnish. Their culminating task? Designing and constructing a customized analogue clock tailored to the preferences of a client of their choosing. This promises to be a creative and hands-on conclusion to their design journey at the Prep.

Sarah Barclay

Middle Design Learning Leader

PYP Exhibition Parent Information Session 

Thank you to those parents who could attend the Parent Information Session on Tuesday, March 4, via ZOOM.

During the session, we outlined the PYP Exhibition project in the context of the IB projects and spoke about what you can expect for your Year 5 student.

Please click through for the ZOOM recording of the session and the slides.

In addition, here is the Exhibition calendar which gives you a project flow, and the parent role outline which explains your child’s role and how you can best support them.

We begin the research phase of the PYP Exhibition project following the March Break. As it is a collaborative project, completed mostly at school between March Break and Exhibition Day, please keep non-essential absences to a minimum during this time.

Please also mark your calendar and plan to attend Exhibition Day on May 9 from 1-3 p.m., when we will showcase and celebrate the learning with our community.

Should you have any questions about the PYP Exhibition, please speak to your child’s Form Adviser or Dianne Jojic.

Dianne Jojic

PYP Coordinator

Reminder | Locker clean out 

To allow for proper cleaning and maintenance of College facilities, all Prep athletic lockers need to be emptied by tomorrow at the end of the day. If your child is leaving early, please have them make arrangements to empty their athletic locker with their form adviser. We will notify and remind the students of this arrangement. It’s a good idea to send your child to school with an extra bag for carrying home the contents of his athletic locker.

To ensure that students don’t mistake each other’s lockers upon their return after March Break, we ask each student to secure their lock to the latch of his athletic locker, with the locker door in the open position to allow access by our housekeeping staff.

Book lockers will be inspected by form advisers to ensure only books are left over the break and no lunches. Any athletic lockers that are still locked shut by the end-of-day on Friday, March 7, will have their locks cut off and the contents removed.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Reminder | Year 7 Graduation and House placement 

Dear Year 7 families,

A gentle reminder that families must complete the Graduation Name and UCC Legacy Information Google form —  shared by email on February 27. This marks the beginning of our planning for the Year 7 transition to the Upper School and their graduation in June. The form emailed to you needs to be completed today.

Thank you for your support.

Gareth Evans

Assistant Head of the Preparatory School: Middle Division

Reminder | Year 7 Graduation and House placement 

Dear Year 7 families,

A gentle reminder that families must complete the Graduation Name and UCC Legacy Information Google form —  shared by email on February 27. This marks the beginning of our planning for the Year 7 transition to the Upper School and their graduation in June. The form emailed to you needs to be completed today.

Thank you for your support.

Gareth Evans

Assistant Head of the Preparatory School: Middle Division

Colour House on Vacation Competition

Colour House on Vacation is one of many House competitions that occur throughout the school year. In this competition, students are encouraged to bring in pictures of themselves wearing their House colours during their holiday. If you are going away over the March Break or enjoying a stay-cation, take a picture of your son while he is wearing his House colours (maximum of 2 pictures in different locations). The House with the most pictures on the board will receive 1000 points. Please email all pictures to Mr. Hustler.

John Hustler,
Colour House Coordinator 

Join in | Spring ASP programs

Level Up will be returning in the spring.

"Level Up" (powered by Mentorio) supercharges kids' mindset and confidence through: movement, mentorship and PLAY challenges! Each week, participants embark on exciting quests that foster social-emotional growth while equipping them with essential life skills and strategies.

Our team of expert mentors—mental health professionals and educators—are dedicated to bringing out the best in every child by helping kids identify personal strengths. Through interactive games and team challenges, "Level Up" participants build and refine skills in areas of: resilience, teamwork, grit, and critical thinking.

Join us to level up your strengths and boost your confidence, character, and overall well being—because every child deserves to be their best self!"

Level Up will be offered on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. (Years 1 to 3) and Thursday at 4 p.m. (Years 4 to 6). Please use this form to register.

The ExtraEd offerings are listed here.  For detailed dates/costs please see the ExtraEd website. Note the new Friday offerings for the spring term!

Exciting news! Drone Club is back this Spring. Click here for the details and registration.

Opt in/out | Hot lunch program 

The spring session of the hot lunch program will begin after the March Break. Please email Janet Brock by Thursday, March 20 to to opt in or out of the lunch program.

There is no action necessary if you are already signed up and will continue participating in the hot lunch program. 

 Upcoming PPO events

Before we all head out for March Break, please mark off the following dates in your calendars for upcoming spring Preo Parent Organization events:

Thursday, April 24 — Blue Ties Breakfast (registration link to come)

Friday, May 2 — Blue Bash (Prep-wide family event held at the school), 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 8 — Community Reads Book Club, 6-7p.m. The Tech Solution by Dr Shimi Kang

Friday, May 30 — Generation’s Day

We hope you all have a happy and healthy March Break!