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Dear Prep families, 

We are looking forward to welcoming Primary families tonight for the welcome back information evening! At UCC, we value a partnership between families and the school. We know that you have hopes and dreams for your children and have an incredible capacity to support their learning and wellbeing. In your child’s education, families and school staff are equal partners; and when this occurs effectively, learning improves for students. These information evenings are essential in establishing our deep commitment to this partnership approach. We look forward to seeing you there!

Looking ahead to tomorrow and next week, we wanted to share a few updates and reminders:

• Tomorrow is the Terry Fox Run! We are grateful to the Prep and Upper planning team who have designed a whole school rally point with students of all ages running together, as well as special community time assemblies to mark this important day. Please note that there will not be space for parents to come and observe the run on campus; however, we will be sure to take lots of pictures. As well, there will be a BBQ lunch for all students after the run.  

• We've had a few questions about UCC spirit wear Fridays. Linked here are the guidelines. Please note that students can wear any school appropriate closed-toed shoes on UCC spirit days.

• We look forward to seeing Year 7 parents at the Year 7 Parent Coffee next Thursday, Sept. 26 from 8:30–10 a.m.  Gareth Evans and Sarah Fleming will be there to say hello and answer questions.  

Your partners in learning,

Sarah Fleming, David Girard and Gareth Evans

The Prep Leadership Team

A Message from SK

We have had such a wonderful start to the year with our group of SKs! At this time, our main goals have been to begin getting to know each student as an individual and to ensure they start to feel a sense of belonging in their new class and school. 

These goals coincide with our first unit of Inquiry, which explores our identities as individuals and how we come together to form an identity as a class. We are thinking about what we love about ourselves, what makes us unique, the similarities and differences among us, what strengths each of us brings to the classroom, and how we are better together. The book that anchors the unit is All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold. We read this book last week and discussed how “all are welcome” would be a theme for our year. We created a collaborative mural to represent how we can work as a team in our SK community. 

The students have begun to feel comfortable in the space and gain confidence in navigating our materials. This class of SKs seems particularly eager to engage and learn. They ask great questions, try new things, and seek experiences. It has been a joy to discover this about the class and we look forward to seeing where this inquisitive group will lead our whole-class inquiries in the future!

We have also been meeting many new teachers and visiting new spaces as we build the SKs sense of belonging in the school. P.E. has been a daily favourite and they've also enjoyed getting to know the Music Room, the Art Studio, the Learning Garden, and more! The Wilder Library and the Brenda & Reid Chen Innovation Lab will be upcoming destinations. 

We have loved settling into the school year with this curious, collaborative and caring group and we look forward to continuing to see them grow and thrive in their new environment. Additionally, we have loved getting to know our community of families! We look forward to continuing to build our relationship and thank you in advance for your continued support and collaboration throughout your child’s SK year!

Anna Crawford
SK Form Advisor

A Message from SK to Year 4 French

On their first day of French class, our SK students immersed themselves in 40 minutes of language learning, practising introductions and the pronunciation of their teacher’s name, Monsieur Dupré!

They listened to the story of a young boy beginning his first day at school, a story that resonated with them. With enthusiasm, they repeated numbers from one to 12, eager to explore the language further. During their first unit, our young learners will continue to enrich their vocabulary and develop their language awareness through a variety of French books, songs, and vocabulary games. Bienvenue à UCC, les élèves de SK!

Our Year 1 students have begun an exciting journey exploring French vocabulary. To introduce foundational vocabulary, we use the AIM Gesture Approach, a method that combines gestures with words to enhance understanding. Through gestures, active collaboration, and repetition, students are fully immersed in the learning process. By connecting gestures directly with word meanings, this approach eliminates the need for translation, making memorization easier. Vocabulary and language acquisition will lay a strong foundation for our students as they will engage in the study of our first story later this term. Bonne chance en première année à tous!

As we welcomed our Year 2 students back after the summer break, we focused on rebuilding their confidence and fluency in oral communication. We are kicking off the school year with a fun refresher unit on colours and place prepositions, using interactive games and songs. Students will actively review and practice essential vocabulary and language concepts through a variety of engaging activities. In every activity, our primary focus is to maximize language exposure and strengthen oral communication skills. Bon travail, les enfants de deuxième année!

Our Year 3 students have had a fantastic start in French class! Many are exploring a new language for the first time, and we have been focusing on an essential skill: embracing the challenge of not always understanding everything right away. Our young learners have already picked up valuable listening comprehension strategies. They are learning to be patient and persistent, understanding that language acquisition is a gradual process. In our first unit, students will explore the geography, climate, and culture of Senegal, setting the stage for an exciting story called L’Arbre Ungali. Bon travail et bonne année scolaire à tous !

We kicked off the school year in Year 4 with fun icebreaker activities, where students competed in teams while reviewing basic vocabulary and language concepts. They are now embarking on the study of a story called L’aventure de Stéphanie. Stéphanie is an 11-year-old girl from a small town in northern Quebec, where the townspeople decide to organize a Festival du Voyageur. This cultural backdrop will inspire a project centred on this unique aspect of Canadian Francophone culture. Throughout Term 1, students will also focus on developing reading comprehension strategies and communication skills through our reader, Le Voleur, and new episodes of our audiovisual program, Rémi. Allez, Year 4! On y va!

Guillaume Dupre
SK-4 French Teacher

The Prep Terry Fox Run

A huge thank you to the families who have already donated and participated in this year's Terry Fox Run in support of cancer research. 

Tomorrow the whole school will participate in the Terry Fox Run! 

After Period 1, students will gather in Weston Hall for a special Terry Fox assembly followed by a fun run. SK to Year 3 will participate on the oval and Year 4 to Year 12 will participate around the UCC campus. All students, including students not on the hot-lunch plan, are invited to enjoy a BBQ and participate in colour-house events. 

Prep students are asked to wear their colour house clothes and prepare to be active outside (hats, running shoes, water bottles). 

Please click here and find your child's homeroom and follow the donation prompts to support the Prep Terry Fox Run. Thank you in advance for joining us in supporting cancer research and continuing Terry’s legacy.

Stephen Kupfer

Interim Community Engagement and Service Coordinator

Meet the Security Team at UCC

All of our guards on shift are ready and able to respond to security needs as requested throughout the day.

These dedicated guards are an essential part of our community, helping us to maintain a safe environment for everyone. We are grateful for their support and presence each day, and we encourage you to join us in recognizing their efforts as they help keep our campus secure. 

SIGN UP | Hopes and Dreams Conferences on Thursday, Oct. 10

This is an opportunity for families to meet with their child’s form adviser to discuss how the year has started and begin to build the family-teacher partnership. 

Our pickAtime system will open on Monday Sept. 23 at 9 a.m. for families to choose a time to meet with the form adviser. It closes at 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 7. If you don't sign up for a conference during this window, you will need to reach out to your child’s form adviser personally to choose a remaining time slot. 

Click here for instructions on how to use pickAtime. Please note that these conferences can be booked either in person or virtually. 

Year 6 and Year 7 Welcome Back Information Evening

It was a pleasure welcoming many of our Year 6 and Year 7 families to campus last Thursday during our Welcome Back Parent Information Evening. To see the slide show that was presented in Weston Hall please click here.

Register Now | ASP 

The ASP clubs will begin the week of Sept.23. Click here to register. For information about which clubs are being offered click here.

UPDATE | Prep T-Shirt Bundle

If you ordered the Prep T-shirt Bundle, the t-shirts will be distributed to your son’s home form by the end of the day Monday, Sept. 23.

Save the date | PPO Coffee Mornings

The PPO invites parents to connect and enjoy coffee and snacks together in the Foster Hewitt Foundation Lounge (inside the William P. Wilder ’40 Arena & Sports Complex) from 8:30–10 a.m. on the following dates:

• Thursday, Sept. 26: Year 7

• Monday, Oct. 7: SK–Year 3 

• Tuesday, Oct. 8: Years 4–6

Links to RSVP will be coming soon. We hope to see you there.

Last chance | Puffer jackets

Orders for puffer jackets must be in by Wednesday, September 25. 

Puffer jackets are available in Youth and Adult sizes, featuring a removable snap hood and elastic cuffs for a snug fit. The cost is $110. Puffer vests are available in Adult sizes only for $70. Perfect for layering on chilly days.

Click here to order yours now!