Prep School August 21, 2025
Embedded Files
Select a link to jump to an article.
Prep School Highlights
Prep School Highlights
Tuesday, Sept. 2
🕓 Year 1–7 orientation day for new students
8:30–11:45 a.m. (see article below for details)
Wednesday, Sept. 3
🕓 Year 1–7 students first day of classes
(arrival between 8-8:30 a.m., no late start on this date)
Friday, Sept. 5
🕓 Half day for SK
8–11:30 a.m.
👕 Spirit wear dress (guidelines are here)
Monday, Sept. 8
🕓 First full day of school for SK students
Year 6 and 7 welcome back information evening
7–8:40 p.m.
THIS WEEK AT THE PREP
THIS WEEK AT THE PREP
Prep Leadership Team
Dear Prep families,
We know EVERYONE is getting excited about the return to school! Please see the notes below for important information on class placement as well as arrival and dismissal procedures.
Class placement
At UCC is a highly collaborative process that considers many factors. Our goal is to ensure balanced classes that support the academic development, social development and emotional wellbeing of each student. Form advisers will email families their child's class placement in the late afternoon on Wednesday, Aug. 27. Families can also expect a welcome letter from their child's form adviser on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
Arrival and dismissal
A few notes on morning drop off to help the beginning of the year run smoothly. For those families doing morning drop off in a car to the front of the Prep, please note the following procedures:
When entering the drop-off loop at the Prep, families must pull their car forward as far west as possible (in front of the arch) before coming to a full stop.
Student greeters in Year 5 to 7, or a Prep employee, will do their best to help each family by opening their car door, saying good morning, and welcoming your child to school. It is especially helpful if your child is seated on the right side of the car to expedite drop off.
We request that families please not park and get out of their car or stop for extended periods of time during morning drop off.
If families would like to walk their child to the Prep’s front entrance, please park at the east end of the William P. Wilder ’40 Arena & Sports Complex parking lot. There is ample parking in this location.
A few notes on afternoon dismissal to help the beginning of the year run smoothly.
Students are dismissed on a staggered schedule to ease congestion.
3:10 p.m. (SK to Year 2)
3:25 p.m. (Years 3 and 4)
3:40 p.m. (Year 5)
3:50 p.m. (Year 6 and 7)
Teachers will accompany students from SK to Year 4 to the Peacock Arch in front of the Prep.
Parents/guardians can park in the Wilder Arena and meet their child or drive through the pick up lane and their child will join them.
It is important that parents/guardians do not park in the pick up line before the appropriate dismissal time as that creates significant congestion. If you will be getting out of your car please park at the arena.
In order for this process to work as efficiently as possible please do not arrive early and wait in line. This causes a vehicle back up and delays pick up for everyone.
We value the opportunity for families to have a connection moment with their child’s teacher each day. However, please remember to refrain from talking to teachers at length, especially if you are in a car, as teachers are supervising dismissal.
Year 5 to Year 7 students exit the Prep independently at dismissal time. Please arrange with your child on how they will be picked up or travel home.
If we all work together, we can make drop off a pleasant and efficient experience for all families.
Your partners in education,
New Student Orientation Day
New Student Orientation Day
This year, we have 139 new students joining us in the Prep School!
Creating a welcoming culture is important to us, and we intentionally design a thoughtful transition for new students joining our community. As a part of that plan, new students (excluding SKs) will participate in New Student Orientation Day on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
This is a partial day, which allows students a soft entry to their new school and their new school year. They will meet their form adviser and fellow new students, see their classroom, tour the school, and participate in a variety of team-building activities.
In addition, students in Year 6 and Year 7 will meet student leaders who are eager to share their insights and experiences at UCC. These student leaders will also continue their mentorship of their new classmates throughout the upcoming weeks as they learn to navigate the Prep and establish new friendships.
In Primary classrooms, form advisers are thoughtful and intentional about ensuring the new students have mentors and guides throughout their first few days and weeks.
We are confident that our orientation will support students with their transition to our school community.
Year 1 to Year 4 students should wear regular dress uniform. Year 5 to Year 7 students should wear warm weather dress. Please see the Family Handbook for the uniform description.
Arrival for New Student Orientation Day is between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Please enter the Prep at the entrance to the Eaton building by the main office.
Dismissal from Orientation Day is 11:30 a.m. for new Year 1–6 students.
Dismissal from Orientation Day is 11:45 a.m. for new Year 7 students.
Your partners in learning,
Sarah Fleming, David Girard and Gareth Evans
The Prep Leadership Team
Helpful reminders for September
Helpful reminders for September
Tuesday, Sept. 2: New Student Orientation.
Please see notes above.
Wednesday, Sept. 3: First full day of classes for all students in Year 1 to Year 7
Please arrive between 8 and 8:30 a.m.
Uniform:
Year 1 to Year 4 students wear regular dress
Year 5 to Year 7 students wear warm weather dress
See the Family Handbook for a description of the uniforms
SK students: Family interviews will be conducted on Wednesday, Sept. 3 and Thursday, Sept. 4, with a half day of school for SK students on Friday, Sept. 5. The school will be reaching out to schedule family interviews.
Regular Arrival / Dismissal Times
The Prep arrival time for students during the 2025–26 school year is 8–8:30 a.m.
The Prep dismissal times for the 2025–26 school year are as follows:
SK–Year 2: 3:10 p.m.
Year 3–4: 3:25 p.m.
Year 5: 3:40 p.m.
Year 6–7: 3:50 p.m.
Wednesday late starts
Beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 10, classes at the Prep will have a start time of 9:20 a.m. on Wednesdays, with student drop-off beginning at 9:10 a.m.
We offer a supervised Before School Program on Wednesday mornings (with student drop-off from 8 to 8:30 a.m.) for families who may need an earlier drop-off. This program will be offered at no additional cost to families.
Uniform
The Prep School Dress Code is outlined starting at the bottom of p. 20 of the Family Handbook.
You can view illustrations of the Preparatory School uniform items: SK–Year 4 and Years 5–7
Other ordering options are available here.
Textbook Ordering
Year 6 and 7 families should follow the instructions included in the whole school section of this edition of Heads Up to order textbooks. An email with instructions was also sent to families when the textbook site opened.
Class lists
Families will receive notification of your child’s class by email at the end of August.
Register | Before School Programming
Register | Before School Programming
Wednesday late start/ Before School Program (BSP)
On Wednesdays, the school day begins with a later start time. Students have home room time with form teachers from 9:20–9:30 a.m. on Wednesdays. This late start time allows whole school professional development for faculty and staff, and a wellbeing sleep in time for students.
Please drop off your child between 9:10 and 9:25 a.m. on Wednesdays.
For families who cannot accommodate the late start, the Before School Program (BSP) is offered at no charge.
In order to plan effectively for numbers and to keep accurate safety lists, we ask that if you are going to regularly use BSP that you register here.
If your child will only require it occasionally, we will be able to accommodate on a drop in basis, and you do not need to register.
Participants in BSP should arrive between 8 and 8:30 a.m. to allow for organized activities and consistent programming. Those arriving between 8:30 and 9:10 a.m. will be joining programming in progress, which can be disruptive, so we appreciate your attention in this matter.
BSP Coordinator
Lunch information
Lunch information
With the cooperation of Aramark, our food services provider, we offer all students the following three options at lunch:
The hot lunch program (includes beverages)
The menu, which operates on a three-week cycle, offers soup, one main entrée, one vegetarian entrée, a sandwich/salad bar and dessert every day. Milk and water (and chocolate milk as an occasional treat) are included.
Bag lunches will be prepared for field trips as required for hot lunch participants.
Registration and fee information are below.
The milk program (for those who bring their lunch from home)
Students may bring their lunch and enrol in the milk program, which offers milk and chocolate milk on occasion.
Registration and fee information are below.
Lunch from home
Parents may opt to send lunch with their child. Thanks to the Prep Parent Organization, microwave ovens are available for all students.
A reminder that we are a peanut/nut-free school and ask that lunches are shellfish-free as well.
SK–Year 3 (lunch begins at 11:45 a.m.)
All SK- Year 2 students eat lunch in their classroom
Year 3 students will eat in Weston Hall
Home lunches must be nut/peanut and shellfish-free
There is also a snack program available to SK students
Year 4–5 (lunch begins at 11:45 a.m.)
Students will eat in the Dining Hall
Home lunches must be nut/peanut and shellfish-free
Year 6–7 (lunch begins at 12:15 p.m.)
Students will eat in the Dining Hall or Weston Hall
Home lunches must be nut/peanut and shellfish-free
Register | Hot Lunch Program
Register | Hot Lunch Program
Fees for the Hot Lunch Program, Milk program and Snack program are listed in the table below.
To register, please sign up via your child's student profile page. To access the profile page, follow the instructions here.
Please note:
If you subscribe to one of the programs, the fee is added to your child’s account on a term-by-term basis. Once registered at the beginning of the year, students remain registered unless the parents advise the Prep Office by email.
There will be no credit for days remaining in a term if a parent withdraws from the program during the term or days missed because of any absence. Students cannot sign up part-way through a term.
Expectations
Prior to registering for the hot lunch program, we would ask you to review a sample menu here and consider which option best meets your child’s needs. Students will be encouraged to make sound nutritional choices and will be expected to finish with little or no food waste.
SK–Year 5 | Technology
SK–Year 5 | Technology
Dear Primary Families,
At Upper Canada College, we use technology to nurture creativity, spark imagination and learn from failures. We strive to develop highly effective, self-directed, and ethical learners who make a positive difference to their life or the lives of others. Last year, we opened the Brenda & Reid Chen Innovation Lab, a vibrant and engaging learning space that empowers students to utilize technology across various subjects as they engage with design and construction, coding, robotics, 3D printing, and other innovative tools.
All students in the Prep school receive a school-owned device for the duration of their time at the College. Students in SK - Year 4 will receive an iPad for use at school while students in Year 5 receive a laptop to use at school. None of these devices go home. Technology is an important tool in the day-to-day life of our students. All software on these devices is appropriate for student learning outcomes and the devices are fully managed by the Information and Innovation team.
Students are expected to use technology as guided by the Family Handbook and the Prep School: Acceptable Use Policy for Technology (SK - Year 5) which will be shared with families shortly. Students will also be provided with a formal digital citizenship program exploring topics such as online interactions, cyberbullying, and digital privacy. Our Technology Guide for Parents at the Prep School outlines key logistical information for September as well as suggestions for managing technology and setting healthy expectations in your home. Please review each of these documents as a family prior to the start of the academic year.
A reminder that you will be asked to sign the Prep School Acceptable Use Policy for Technology which will be available on Bluenet in the coming weeks. Please review the Family Handbook in conjunction with the Acceptable Use Policy for Technology as a family prior to the start of the school year
Best Wishes,
David Girard, Assistant Head, Primary
Joanna Martin, Technology Integration Specialist, Primary
Kathleen Peak, Executive Director, Information and Innovation
Year 6 and 7 | Technology
Year 6 and 7 | Technology
At Upper Canada College, we use technology to nurture creativity, spark imagination and learn from failures. We strive to develop highly effective, self-directed, and ethical learners who make a positive difference to their life or the lives of others. School laptops are an important tool in the day-to-day life of our middle division students. It is critical that the laptops are used appropriately as a tool for learning. In order to ensure the smooth functionality and security of the laptop, the College manages the Year 6 and 7 laptops with restrictions against non-academic software use. The laptop assigned to the students is equipped with all of the necessary software to successfully support their learning. Any additional software that is required for academic purposes will be made available through the College’s software distribution process. Students have the access rights to connect the laptops to their home wifi and printers.
Students are expected to use technology as guided by the Family Handbook and the Prep School Acceptable Use Policy for Technology (Year 6 & 7) and with support from the Prep Administration and the Information and Innovation Team. Students will be supported with a formal digital citizenship program exploring topics such as online interactions, cyberbullying, and digital privacy. Our Technology Guide for Parents at the Prep School outlines key logistical information for September as well as suggestions for managing technology and setting healthy expectations in your home. Please review each of these documents as a family prior to the start of the academic year.
Year 6 and Year 7 students will sign a copy of the Prep School Acceptable Use Policy for Technology. Their teacher will review it with them. In addition, parents must also sign the Prep School Acceptable Use Policy for Technology which will be available on Bluenet in the coming weeks. Please review the Family Handbook and the Acceptable Use for Technology as a family, before the beginning of the school year.
Best Wishes,
Gareth Evans, Assistant Head, Middle
Sarah Barclay, Technology Integration Specialist, Middle
Kathleen Peak, Executive Director, Information and Innovation
Order | UCC puffer jackets by the PPO
Order | UCC puffer jackets by the PPO
Get ready for the fall season ahead with the UCC Crested Puffer Jacket! Featuring the UCC crest on the left chest pocket, these jackets are made of 100% polyester for durability and water resistance.
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. Perfect for layering on chilly days.
Order yours now! The deadline for ordering is Sept. 12. Click the link for more details and to order.
Donate | Used Uniform Sale coming up
Donate | Used Uniform Sale coming up
Support shopping sustainably
Has your son grown out of last year’s uniform? As you clean out your closets, 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.
Mark your calendars
The first Used Uniform Sale will be on Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 2:30-4 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 11 from 8-9:30 a.m. at the William P. Wilder ’40 Arena & Sports Complex!
Sign up | Parent Coffee and Conversation
Sign up | Parent Coffee and Conversation
We are thrilled to invite parents to our Parent Coffee Socials to connect with parents in their child’s year. Please RSVP using the links below:
Monday, September 8: Year 6 and 7
Tuesday, September 9: SK–Year 5
All PPO Coffee Socials take place in the Foster Hewitt Foundation Lounge (inside the William P. Wilder ’40 Arena & Sports Complex) from 8:30–10 a.m.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Order | Prep T-Shirt Bundle
Order | Prep T-Shirt Bundle
The PPO is proud to launch a limited-edition three-shirt bundle to support the meaningful awareness days we observe as a school community:
Purple Shirt – Rowan’s Law Day (September 24): Honoring concussion awareness and safety.
Orange Shirt – Truth and Reconciliation Day (September 30): Featuring a powerful mural design by Indigenous artist Philip Cote.
Pink Shirt – Anti-Bullying Day (February 25): Promoting kindness, inclusion, and respect.
Each bundle includes all three shirts for $38.99, and with every purchase, $1 will be donated to each of the following organizations:
• Concussion Legacy Foundation
• Indigenous Spirit Fund
• Kids Help Phone
Please order prior to Thursday Sept. 11.
Let’s wear our values proudly and support these important causes together!
Sign up | Become a Parent Volunteer with the PPO!
Sign up | Become a Parent Volunteer with the PPO!
As we prepare for another exciting year at the Prep, we invite all parents to be a part of our vibrant school community by joining the team of dedicated volunteers.
This is a wonderful way to build new connections, directly impact your child's UCC experience and contribute to the overall growth of our school. There are several fun and diverse volunteer opportunities available at the Prep to suit your schedule. To explore current opportunities and sign up, please click here.
Thank you for volunteering!
Report abuse