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Dear Prep families,

It is a pleasure to greet our students at morning drop-off as they arrive full of anticipation and excitement for the day ahead. This week is especially exciting for our Year 5 students, who have been working hard to get ready for their PYP Exhibition! They've been diligently putting the final touches on their Exhibition projects, applying their learning and designing games to teach others at our community event tomorrow.

This week’s PPO/PO spring luncheon was a wonderful event that offered parents and school staff an opportunity to be together to celebrate the year and acknowledge the many contributions our parent volunteers have made to strengthen our community and support transformational experiences for students. We're blessed to have so many dedicated and talented parent volunteers and would like to extend special gratitude to our Prep Parents’ Organization for their ongoing partnership and support. 

Last night, we had a solid turnout at the Year 7 transition evening in Laidlaw Hall! The student tours of the Upper School are always a highlight. This was just the first step in preparing for the transition to the Upper School — today and tomorrow, the boys are heading to Norval with their Year 10 student mentors, and they will also have an in-person orientation to the Upper School in early June.  

Next week will also bring more excitement to the Prep. Our Primary and Middle Division Spring Concerts will take place on Thursday, and we’ll host many special guests attending Generations Day on Friday. In addition, the Prep will host a series of New to Blue events to formally welcome families joining the UCC community at the beginning of the next school year.

Your partners in learning,

Gareth Evans, David Girard and Michael Bushey

The Prep Leadership Team

Generations Day

Grandparents and special guests are invited to visit the Prep School on Friday, May 15, for an opportunity to attend a special assembly, explore classrooms, check out fantastic student artwork and enjoy light refreshments in the Bitove Lounge.

9–11 a.m. | Year 6 and 7 families

1–3 p.m. | SK–Year 5 families

Register for Generations Day here.

If you are interested in volunteering at this event, you can sign up here.

Save the date | Prep Prize Day

This year's Prep Prize Day is Monday, June 1 at 8:30 a.m. in Weston Hall. Parents of prize recipients will be notified by email this week. We hope they can join us for this wonderful celebration!

Tomorrow | The 24th Annual Year 5 PYP Exhibition!

We are thrilled to officially welcome you to our 24th Year 5 PYP Exhibition tomorrow, Friday, May 8 from 1 to 3 p.m. The boys have reached the summit of this incredible inquiry journey, and you can expect an interactive, lively and inspiring afternoon of learning. We truly hope you can join us to celebrate the hard work, agency and creativity these young advocates have poured into their projects.

Our afternoon will begin at 1 p.m. with Opening Ceremonies in Weston Hall, featuring welcome speeches and a special Year 5 musical performance. Following the kickoff, the Exhibition Hall will open across Weston Hall and the Bitove Lounge for student displays and the informal sharing of learning. Throughout this time, specific group presentations will also be held in classrooms for in-person viewing. We will conclude the event by gathering back in Weston Hall at 2:45 p.m. for Closing Ceremonies and final thank-yous. After the "tear down" of the displays, the students will head to their classrooms for a well-deserved celebratory treat.

This is a momentous day for our Year 5 cohort, and we look forward to seeing the boys shine in their final showcase. Please remind them to wear the First Dress. Should you have any last-minute questions regarding the event, please feel free to contact your child’s Form Adviser.

See you tomorrow!

Lisa Brooks

Update | Y5 and Y6 PE

Year 5 and 6 Spring Term Intramural Leagues

We are in the second year of our new-format Intramural Leagues for Year 5 and 6. Building on the success of last year’s pilot project, we are now fully engaged in league play for the Year 5 ‘Picklemania’ Spring League and Year 6 Ultimate League. Both programmes are based on the Sport Education model (similar to our Year 6 Soccer League), which has students divided into balanced teams competing in regular league play against one another. 

For the Year 5s, this combines seeded (ability-matched) games of pickleball with friendly competition in a variety of non-traditional PE games. The students are responsible for setting up the courts each day and organizing a short practice session before competitive pickleball games begin. These games are followed by whole-team games, also contested for league points. It has proven to be a tremendously engaging experience for all, regardless of prior pickleball experience.

The Year 6 Ultimate League format has allowed all students with an interest in playing Ultimate Frisbee to engage in competitive play (rather than the traditional model of having only selected school team players engaged in practice during Games periods). We are currently midway through the season, and the sight of 50 or so boys fully engaged in practice activities and league play, in a sport that is new to many of them, has been great to watch. The quality of play, thanks to input from our in-house Ultimate expert, Adam Turcotte, has been improving week by week. 

Both sets of students seem to enjoy checking the regularly updated league tables on the bulletin boards and are channelling their energies towards peaking during the season-ending playoffs in June. We believe that this format is providing meaningful active time for our students, and we are looking forward to the culminating finals days at the end of the term.

Mark Baxter

Shop the Used Uniform Sale

One of our most popular PPO events is back for its final sale of the year! The Used Uniform Sale takes place in the hallway of the Wilder Arena. This volunteer-run event, with proceeds going back to the PPO, is a great way to shop sustainably, find great deals, and support UCC.

The Used Uniform Sale will take place on Wednesday, May 20 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. and Thursday, May 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

DONATIONS: Please drop off gently used uniform items in the Used Uniform blue box under the main staircase of the lower level at the Prep. No stained or ripped clothing, please.

VOLUNTEERS: The Used Uniform Sale committee is looking for volunteers with a couple of hours to spare to help sort and organize donations, take a shift at the sale, or assist with teardown. 

Please sign up here: Your time is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support!

The PPO Spring Bake Sale is back by popular demand!

The boys can look forward to this much-loved event during morning recess on Thursday, May 21 in the Bitove Lounge.

We would be so grateful for your support by contributing homemade or store-bought baked goods (nut free, please). Whether you love to bake or prefer to pick up a favourite treat, every contribution helps make the sale a success. 

Items can be dropped off during morning arrival from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. on the day of the sale. If you know what you will be bringing or purchasing, please let us know here.

We are also looking for volunteers to help make the event run smoothly. Click here to sign up. We would love to have you join us.

Please remember to send your boys with some spending money. $2 to $5 should be enough for a treat or two!

Thank you for helping make this fun spring tradition possible.

The PPO Bake Sale Team

​​​​Donate | Staff Appreciation Lunch 

We need your support to make this year’s Staff Appreciation Lunch a success!

A time-honoured tradition at UCC, the Staff Appreciation Lunch is our school community’s way of thanking all the different staff who help make our students’ experience at the College so remarkable. This includes teachers, administration, arena staff, housekeeping, food services and support staff. Approximately 350 staff will attend the lunch on Wednesday, May 27, in the Foster Hewitt Foundation Lounge.

The Staff Appreciation Lunch is fully funded by parent donations, so please contribute to this wonderful event for all of our UCC staff by donating here. 

Thank you so much for your support! 

Register & Volunteer | Blue Bash!  

Last Call | PPO Spring Merch Sale 

Get your UCC Spirit Gear! 

Classic baseball hats, picnic blankets for all seasons, the iconic Rugby Stripe Shirts (in adult & youth sizes) and more! Limited sizing is available, so shop early. 

Sale closes Friday, May 8. Visit here.

Go Blues! 📣