The Prep will mark Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday, Feb. 25. It's a day to reflect on preventing bullying and promoting kindness and inclusion. It aligns with our Spirit Week celebration and encourages everyone to be part of our UCC community. 

We encourage students to wear a pink shirt (with their regular uniform pants) to represent a commitment to being open-minded, accepting of differences and respectful of all.  

We are pleased again this year to have our student Allyship Council helping to organize an activity connected to the day. The purpose of this group of Year 6 and 7 students is: 

• To support faculty and students in exploring foundational concepts connected to allyship, including being present and engaged in community issues    

• To promote the feeling of belonging throughout the whole school community                                                       

With this in mind, council members will run an activity in which students can recognize the positive qualities and actions of others so that, in the words of a previous council, “we can build a school where we can share our strengths.”  

These conversations will serve as a useful link to ongoing discussions at the school about identity, kindness, and respect. While wearing a pink shirt makes a statement on the day, the message to students is that what matters most is our actions and how they impact those around us every day. 

The Prep Pluralism Team

The much-anticipated MYP Project Week will take place this year from Tuesday, March 3 to Friday, March 6, and offers students in Year 6 and 7 the opportunity to participate in an interdisciplinary unit examining important global topics. Year 6 students are exploring the topic of the UN Sustainable Development Goal #13, Climate Action, and Year 7 students are examining the UN Sustainable Development Goal #3, Good Health and Well-being, through a series of speakers, special guests, field trips, and group activities. The week will include events like trips to Norval, bouldering, puppy yoga, curling, service opportunities, rowing, and skating. Our guest speakers are Grant Linney (environmentalist), Lisa Bentley (pro triathlete), and Jake Ernst (Clinical Director of Straight Up Health).

Teachers and team leaders have prepared extensively for this dynamic learning experience, and will continue to set students up for success by introducing key topics, terms and skills. We're really excited about this unique educational and collaborative event.  

The regular school day timing will not change, and drop off and pick up are not impacted. Student attendance is very important during this immersive experience.

A permission form for Year 7 students will be emailed to parents by tomorrow, and Year 6 parents will be emailed on Tuesday.

Please note that if students are away for a portion of the week, they will still be responsible for producing and sharing a culminating activity with their Form Adviser for it to be assessed and included on their June report card.

Sincerely,

Gareth Evans

Assistant Head of the Preparatory School: Middle Division

SK

Kindergarten students recently completed their unit on body parts and enjoyed learning through songs and movement. Videos of these activities are available on Seesaw. They've now begun a new unit on the four seasons. Through books, songs, and vocabulary games, students are learning to talk about the weather and average temperatures for each season. As part of this unit, students are preparing short individual presentations to share their learning. These presentations help them develop communication skills and confidence in French. Videos will be posted on Seesaw at the end of the project.

Year 1

Through the study of the play La Poule Maboule, Year 1 students learned about the elements of a story: the title, the characters, the setting, the problem, and the resolution. They're now preparing to perform the play. Each student has a character and is learning their lines. Students are practicing reading with expression and working together with their partners. A video of their performance will be posted on Seesaw when the project is finished. They are also continuing to build communication skills and vocabulary through retelling the story, songs, and games.

Year 2

Year 2 students are enjoying their study of the play Comment Y Aller?. They're learning new vocabulary, practicing reading and listening, and exploring Francophone culture and geography. Students are building their speaking skills by working together in small groups and sharing ideas in French. It has been wonderful to see them actively participating and communicating with confidence. On the horizon, a focus on writing complete answers to questions and putting words in the correct order in sentences related to the story.

Year 3

Year 3 students are finishing their study of the story L’arbre Ungali. They've been working in small groups to retell the story and ask and answer questions in French. Students have made great progress in speaking with confidence and fluency. Up next, students will practice writing complete answers to questions and putting words in the correct order in sentences related to the story. Soon, they will say goodbye to la tortue, le guépard, le zèbre, l’antilope, et le lion as they begin a new unit about a Francophone family in Ontario.

Year 4

Year 4 students are now well acquainted with Aïsha and her seemingly insensitive brother Raoul in the story Un Frère Pénible. They're curious to see how the relationship will develop in the next scene. Students have been working in small groups to practice new vocabulary and build their speaking skills through oral presentations. They're also following the suspense in Le Voleur and each new episode of Rémi, which helps them continue developing reading, writing, and communication skills in French.

Guillaume Dupre

Primary French Teacher

The SK classroom is a busy and exciting place as students continue to wonder, experiment, and make discoveries!

We are currently immersed in our How the World Works unit, investigating our central idea: “Being an inquirer helps me understand my world.” We launched this unit by practising the art of asking meaningful questions during our weekly Wonder Wednesdays. The students have demonstrated increasing curiosity and depth in their thinking, which led us to create a Wonder Wall to showcase their “big, big questions.”

As we reflected on their questions, we noticed a common thread emerging—many students are curious about how things are made. To explore this theme, we have been following the inquiry process, learning about three key stages: 

1. Ask a Question.

2. Find out (through observation, asking experts, and research using books, videos and websites).

3. Share your learning.

So far, our inquiries have taken us in many directions, including learning about wicker furniture, teeth, and how houses are built, all guided by student curiosity.

In literacy, we have been exploring the difference between fiction and informational (nonfiction) texts and identifying their unique features. As students become more familiar with nonfiction structures, we will begin creating our own informational books to share what we have learned through inquiry.

In our math program, we recently completed our Measurement unit. To celebrate our learning, the SKs participated in a Measurement Fair, planned in collaboration with Ms. Collalilo, our Primary Numeracy Learning Leader. This experience gave students their first opportunity to learn in our new Math and Science Learning Community space! The SKs enjoyed hands-on activities such as testing paper airplanes and measuring distances using measuring tapes and trundle wheels, measuring the height of classmates and teachers, building and measuring tall structures, comparing the weights of objects using balance scales, comparing their own heights and foot sizes with different animals, and investigating capacity by determining how much snow different containers could hold.

Curriculum: 

Students in Year 6 are completing their third unit, Covering and Surrounding; students will take their end-of-unit assessment on March 2. Following the March Break, students will begin their fourth unit on Comparing Quantities (Ratios). Our Year 7 students have just completed their third unit on Ratios and Proportions; students will engage in a summative Compound Interest project where they will explore the effects of interest on money borrowed and invested. 

In Year 6, students continue to develop their music instrument fundamental skills and now apply those skills to band repertoire. They will not only be applying improved technique, note reading and rhythmic understanding, but they will now learn how to interpret the music stylistically, learn about a variety of musical roles, and strive to bring the music to life off the page. Through a variety of newly developed articulation skills, dynamic understanding, and breathing techniques, they will learn to play their music with a newfound energy, musicality, and understand how their part fits in with all of the other young musicians in the room. 

Currently, students are also working on their “History of Their Instrument” projects. Students are currently listening to professional performers play their instruments. They will explore a variety of types/styles of world music. They will also use their ears to try and figure out why they like or dislike some music and put their thoughts into words using music terminology they have learned throughout the year. They will continue with some music analysis of two contrasting musical selections of different ages, styles, and feels. This includes discussing what makes them different, similar, and put into words what they hear. In the future, they will also use their imagination and creativity to design and describe a “new” instrument that they will create.

In Year 7, students have worked a lot lately to develop their instrument fundamental skills and will soon apply those skills to challenging band repertoire. They will not only be applying improved technique, new notes and rhythmic challenges at a high tempo, but they will more so learn how to interpret the music stylistically, learn a variety of  musical roles, and bring the music to life off of the page. Through a variety of developed articulation accent skills, trills, and challenging rhythmic patterns, they will learn to play their music with a new found energy and musicality, as they explore modal music that has a very distinct sound.

Students also work to progress in their “Composer” projects. Students are currently listening to and analyzing two professional compositions written by their composer of choice. They will explore a variety of styles of world music. They have used their ears to try and figure out what instruments they can identify and what their role is in the music, and put their thoughts into words using music terminology they have learned throughout the past couple of years. After March Break, they will research, discover, and discuss pluralistic connections to their composer, and then finally conclude by using their musical knowledge, imagination, and creativity to create their own musical compositions. They will start with a basic framework, applying learned skills as they go through a six-step process to produce a melody of their own, hopefully, demonstrating influence from prior listening experiences.

Paul McGarr

Middle Years Music Teacher

On Feb. 4, parents, administration, faculty, staff, and friends were treated to a wonderful night of music at the Blue Note Jazz Cafe—a special evening that saw all of UCC’s Jazz groups and the prep choir come together to share their music with a packed Weston Hall crowd. Participating groups: Intermediate Jazz Ensemble, Prep Choir, Junior Jazz Ensemble, Year 7 Jazz Ensemble, and capping the evening with the Senior Jazz Ensemble.

Our Year 5 to Year 7 UCC students, alongside Year 7 BSS students are excited to present their upcoming musical, Newsies Jr. The students have been working incredibly hard to learn songs, choreography, and acting skills. Rehearsals have been filled with energy, teamwork, and enthusiasm, and the students are eager to share the result of their dedication with our school community.

Newsies Jr. is a lively and inspiring musical based on the true story of young newspaper sellers in the 1890s who band together to stand up for what is right. Featuring powerful songs, energetic dancing, and an uplifting message about courage, friendship, and perseverance, this production is sure to entertain audiences of all ages.

Performance Dates:

• Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.

• Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.

Location: Weston Hall

Admission: Free (no tickets required)

We warmly invite all UCC families to join us for these exciting performances and celebrate the talent and hard work of our students.

Caroline Heo

Dear Prep Parents,

The self-nomination process for the 2026–27 Prep Parents’ 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 is something for everyone on our committee. Please have a look through our advisory positions here.

PPO self-nominations will be open from Thursday, Jan. 29 to Thursday, Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. 

Get involved and nominate yourself by completing this form. If you have any questions, please reach out to Kate Viner, Past President.

The self-nomination process for the 2026–27 Parents’ Organization (PO) is now open. When your child transitions to the Upper School in the fall, you do too. Volunteering is a great way to learn about the Upper School program, meet other Year 8 to 12 parents and guardians, stay current and support our students. We hope you’ll join the PO!

PO goals and initiatives

The PO’s primary goal is to foster community engagement through social, informational and fundraising initiatives — from planning speakers of interest to our community, parent get-togethers and sales of used uniforms, spirit wear, frames and grad rings, to organizing Festive Marketplace. There’s a volunteer position for everyone!

Sign Up Now

Follow these links for PO position descriptions and the self-nomination form. And, if you have any questions or would like to learn more about the PO, please email Mary-Lea Ruscetta, PO Past President. Reach out, describe your interests and we’ll find the best position for you.

We're grateful for your support and hope you’ll join us next year!

UCC Parents’ Organization

Over the years, your donations have brought joy and hope to moms and their children who are celebrating Mother's Day in shelters. Every night across Canada, thousands of women and children bravely seek refuge in shelters.

We'll once again be creating gift bags for children in shelters to give to their moms on Mother’s Day, and are gratefully collecting the following full and travel/hotel-sized toiletries: 

• soap and body wash

• shampoo and conditioner 

• body lotion and skin care 

• unused cosmetics and nail polish

• hair care products

• toothbrushes and toothpaste

• antiperspirant and sanitary products

• beauty samples/perfumes

• small gift sets 

All donations will be packed with care by UCC's Helping Hands Club.

Donations can be dropped off at the reception desk in the Upper School or main office of the Prep. Please contact Linda Carvalho if you have any questions about drop off, or Samantha Dugas if you have questions about donations.  

Thank you for helping to transform lives this Mother's Day.