The course selection site for the 2026–27 academic year opened Tuesday, Jan. 13 for students entering Years 9, 10 and 11. Students will make selections in their Bluenet account.

Deadlines

Students must have course selections ​and ​online parent/guardian approval completed as follows: 

Friday, Feb. 6 at 4 p.m. | Year 8 students entering Year 9

Friday, Feb. 6 at 4 p.m. | Year 9 students entering Year 10

Friday, Feb. 27 at 4 p.m. | Year 10 students entering Year 11 

The Bluenet course request system for each year will be closed according to the schedule above. 

Parent/guardian approval process

Please use the following steps to complete the approval process: 

Review student choices in their Bluenet account.

• Have your son log in to ​their Bluenet account ​and view selections. 

• There are specific directions available in a link in their Bluenet view. 

• Any course a student wishes to change can be deleted by using the trash can icon. Then add the preferred course.

Approve course selections by ​the dates above.

• Login to Bluenet with your parent/guardian account.

• Click the yellow banner at the top of the page alerting you to the school form.

• Click the ​REVIEW​ button next to the ​appropriate course selection approval for 2026–27 form​. There are three separate forms — one for each year level.

• Follow the prompts on the form in order to submit your approval. Only one parent/guardian needs to approve the ​course selection form​. 

• You will receive a message upon submission of your approval.

If you would like to discuss your student’s choices before approving them, please contact one of the following:

MYP Coordinator, Emilia Martin, students entering Year 9

University Counsellors:

• Alison Champ, Bremner's and Howard's 

• David Hanna, Jackson's  

• Stephanie Rose, McHugh’s, Mowbray’s, Martland’s (L–Z) 

• Nili Isaacs, Orr's, Scadding's, Martland’s (A–K)  

• Andrew Turner, Seaton's and Wedd's 

Thank you for your ongoing support as we prepare for the 2026–27 academic year.

You are invited to attend a parent/guardian focus group on Monday, Feb. 1.

Our goal is to facilitate the creation of community healthy tech-at-home norms that are age-appropriate to enhance students' wellbeing as they navigate the ever-changing world of digital technology. 

We are looking for up to 20 parent volunteers per year level to participate in in-person sessions.

If you are interested in participating for your child’s year, please let us know, and come join us Monday morning.

Room locations starting at 8:30 a.m. 

• Year 8 in room 245

• Year 9  in room 218

• Year 10  in room 217

• Year 11 and 12 in room 243 

Sincerely,

The Wellbeing team

Tina Jagdeo, Anthony De Giorgio and Geoffrey Mohtadi

How to Survive Being in a Shakespeare Play by Don Zolidis

Thursday, Feb. 5 and Friday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Manucha & Bellamy Studio Theatre 

Dear UCC Community,

We are delighted to invite you to the Personal Project Showcase on Thursday, Feb. 5, from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Student Centre. This event marks the culmination of months of hard work and dedication by our Year 10 students, who share their personal projects with the school community.

The Personal Project is a significant milestone in the MYP, allowing students to explore their passions, interests, and creativity while demonstrating essential skills such as research, critical thinking, self-management, communication, and collaboration.

The showcase is more than just a celebration; it is also an opportunity for students to engage with the community and receive valuable feedback before submitting their final reports to the IB. We encourage you to ask questions, offer insights, and share your thoughts with our students as they reflect on their learning journey.

We also want to express our deep appreciation for our MYP Seminar teachers and supervisors. Your guidance, encouragement, and commitment have been instrumental in supporting our students throughout this process.

Click here to see a digital sneak peek of this year’s incredible projects. We hope you will join us in supporting and celebrating our Year 10 students at the showcase. Your presence and feedback will make a meaningful impact as they prepare to complete this milestone project.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, Feb. 5 from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Student Centre for this special event!

Emilia Martin

MYP Coordinator

More than 25 Diploma Programme teachers gathered at UCC for an intensive two-day professional learning workshop focused on upcoming changes to the IB Extended Essay. Led by Colleen Ferguson, DP Coordinator, the sessions reflected UCC’s strong culture of collaboration and instructional leadership, bringing together faculty from across disciplines to deepen their understanding of the evolving EE model.

Throughout the workshop, teachers engaged in thought-provoking activities and thoughtful discussion about how best to enhance student supports, refine supervision practices and ensure that the Extended Essay continues to be a rigorous and meaningful capstone experience for students. Particular attention was given to the most significant change in the new EE framework: the introduction of an interdisciplinary essay option. Faculty explored how this new pathway opens exciting possibilities for students to pursue complex, real-world questions that cross traditional subject boundaries.

The workshop combined IB-focused training with practical planning time, allowing teachers to translate new expectations into clear, student-centred strategies. By the end of the two days, faculty had developed shared approaches and resources that will strengthen guidance for students at every stage of the Extended Essay process beginning with this year's Y11s who will be the first to experience the revised EE model.

This collaborative professional learning underscores UCC’s ongoing commitment to teaching excellence and to providing students with thoughtful, well-supported academic experiences that prepare them for success beyond the classroom.

Do you have LEGO collecting dust in the depths of your basement? Ready to give it a second life? Bring it in and drop it off in the collection bins in the Upper School!

We're collecting LEGO in preparation for this year's A-Day and to support a variety of school programs.

What happens to the LEGO?
Your donations will be used at the much-loved A-Day LEGO table and in class activities. The majority of the LEGO will then be donated to programs that ensure it continues to inspire creativity, play, and new ideas.

Thank you for your support!

Hello UCC Community,

As you all know, winters in Toronto can be long and cold. This year, we have a chance to make it warmer for those who need it most. From Jan. 26 to Feb. 11, we’ll be hosting the second annual Drive 4 Supplies in partnership with the charity Ve’ahavta, with donation bins set up in the Bernick Family Foyer in the main entrance.

We are collecting winter clothing and hygiene supplies. The full list is below:

🧤Men’s and Women's Clothing

• Coats, boots

• Sweaters

• Sweat pants

• Gloves, hats

🪥Toiletries and Hygiene Supplies

• Body wash, shampoo, deodorant, razors

• Toothbrushes, toothpaste

🛌Other

• Cases of water

• Sleeping bags, 

• Blankets (not duvets), 

• Hand warmers

• Backpacks

💳Gift Cards

• Tim Hortons or McDonald’s gift cards

If you have any of these items, new or gently used, please donate all items you can. Let's work together to help keep Toronto warm this winter!

Best,

Rohan and Nikhil Gupta | Year 11 students

Sunday, Feb. 1 is the LAST DAY to order UCC graduation frames. This is your only opportunity to purchase. There are four styles of frames available:

• Class composite

• Diploma frames

• Standard Portrait frames

• House Portrait frames

Frames are available for viewing in the basement next to TUBS and the Lower Dining Hall. To order your frames, please visit the UCC Marketplace. Questions can be directed to Karinne Chan. 

Please note the following year-level Parent and Guardian Coffee Hours are coming up and will be held in the Foster Hewitt Foundation Lounge (William P. Wilder ’40 Arena & Sports Complex) from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

• Year 9 — Due to the snow day on Jan. 26, this coffee hour is being rescheduled. Please watch for details coming soon. 

• Year 12 RSVP — Tuesday, Feb. 10.
  
  

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Join us on the evening of Monday, Feb. 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., for the Arts Booster Club (ABC) Improv Comedy Night! 

Not only have we booked professional comedians from the Comedy Bar Company, but some of our talented students from the UCC Improv Comedy Club will also perform. So be prepared for an evening filled with fun and laughter.

Save the date and buy your tickets now. Tickets are $35 each. The show is geared to Upper School students and families, but all ages are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be served from 6:30 p.m., and the curtains go up at 7 p.m.

The ABC is a group of parent volunteers whose aim is to highlight the Arts at UCC through promotions, support and events. We hope to see you at our Improv Comedy Night.

The self-nomination process for the 2026–27 Parents’ Organization (PO) is NOW open! Volunteering is a great way to meet other parents and guardians, stay current and support our students. Plus, in-person meetings give you the opportunity to connect with other volunteers from Years 8 to 12. 

PO Goals and Initiatives 

Our 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, grad frames and rings, to organizing Festive Marketplace. There’s a volunteer position for everyone!

UCC, the PO and PPO are delighted to welcome Jake Ernst (MSW, RSW) back to UCC on Tuesday, Feb. 3, for an evening information session on parenting in the age of AI. 

Jake is a registered social worker, psychotherapist and the Clinical Director of Straight Up Health, a family mental health clinic in Toronto. Jake’s parent presentation, Raising Capable Kids in the Age of AI, explores how rapid advances in AI and technology are quietly reshaping childhood, not just how kids learn, but how they develop emotionally, socially and relationally. Jake’s presentation will look at the everyday experiences kids are losing when technology does the heavy lifting, including play, risk-taking, problem-solving, group belonging and sitting with uncertainty. He will connect these losses to the social and emotional muscles children need for real life, like frustration tolerance, empathy, adaptability, and emotional regulation. Parents will leave with a clear framework for what kids still need to experience offline, practical ways to reintroduce those experiences at home and at school, and reassurance that raising capable kids in an AI-driven world is less about banning technology and more about intentionally protecting their natural growth. 

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 3
Time: 7 to 8 p.m. (doors will open at 6:30 p.m.)
Location: Weston Hall at the Prep School

This presentation is relevant to all parents with kids from SK to Year 12. All UCC parents and caregivers are invited to attend.

Click here to register