We are thrilled to be hosting the Stewards’ Dance for all Year 11 and 12 students this year on Friday, Nov. 21. The Stewards’ Dance is hosted and planned by the Board of Stewards with faculty supervision. The dance will take place on UCC campus from 8–10:30 p.m.. The theme is “Spades and Hearts” with attendees being asked to wear black (spades) or red (hearts) formal wear.  

Each UCC student in Years 11 or 12 may bring one guest from another school, but by no means should they feel like they have to. If your child plans on attending the Stewards’ Dance, parents must fill out this form. Guests from another school need to fill out the guest form. Students will be billed $25 per ticket. Students will also be receiving a copy of these forms through their school email. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

Sincerely,

Damion Walker
Assistant Head of the Upper School, Student Life and Leadership

Dear Year 10 Families,

Thank you for your continued interest in learning more about UCC’s Graduation Pathways. There was significant engagement in the first family information evening on October 30. Please find the presentation here and click here to view a recording.

Please join the second family information evening on Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for a deeper dive into the two new graduation pathways. 

To support all families who wish to attend to be able to do so, this will be a hybrid session. You may join us in person at the Manucha & Bellamy Studio Theatre in the Upper School or online via Zoom at the following link, which is also in the Upper School family calendar.

To plan for your attendance, please note that we will run two separate sessions and you may choose to join one or both sessions depending on your interest.

• 6–7:30 p.m.: IB DP Systems Transformation Pathway. Find out more about this pathway and what learning looks like in Systems Transformation: Innovation for a Better World. We are pleased to welcome IB Senior Curriculum Manager Dr. Jenny Gillett and some current Year 11 students to share as part of the session. 

• 7:45–8:30 p.m.: IB DP Courses Pathway. Find out more about this pathway and how students can craft course complements that meet their unique interests and needs. 

Part of each session will be devoted to taking your questions about the pathways. If you would like to submit any questions in advance, please do so here. 

For families who may have time on the afternoon of Tuesday Nov. 18 and wish to get a taste of what learning looks like in action on the Systems Transformation Pathway, you can join a walking tour conducted by current Year 11 students. If you are interested in attending, sign up here.

If you have any questions about arrangements for the event, please email Lorraine Fernandez.

Warm regards, 

Dr. Julia Kinnear
Vice-Principal, Learning and Academic Innovation

Andrew MacDougall
Head, Upper School 

Service is one of the key values of our school. UCC seeks to inspire our students to become service-oriented leaders, who recognize their ability to positively influence change in their local and global communities.

Each year, the Upper School — with the support of our Parent Organization—hosts a Volunteer Service Expo. The goal of the expo is to inform our students of the myriad ways that they can get involved and make a difference in their community. It's a great way for organizations to highlight their causes and available service opportunities.

The entire UCC community is welcome to join us at the Volunteer Service Expo on Monday, Nov. 17, from 1–2:30 p.m. in the Student Centre.

If you would like to participate as an exhibitor, please let John Sweetman know at your earliest convenience.

Dear UCC,

We are proud to announce our continued support for our broader community by collecting food donations for the Churches On-The-Hill Food Bank (COTH). This year’s drive will run from Nov. 21 to Dec. 12. 

This time of year often brings joy and abundance, but for a significant portion of the Forest Hill community, it is a time of scarcity and worry.

Our goal: 1,200lbs of food for the 1,200 people that COTH supports weekly. 

This year, COTH is especially in need of baby formula and diaper donations, but all contributions of the items below will also make a profound impact: 

• Baby diapers: Sizes 5 and 6

• Baby formula (Kirkland brand): Stage 1

• Baby Formula (Good Start Plus): Stage 1

• Canned tuna, crackers, canned salmon (for breastfeeding moms)

• Low sugar cereal: 900g family size

• Dried beans/lentils

• Peanut butter: 1kg family size

• Toilet paper 

• Dry pasta: 900g family size 

• Kirkland canned chicken 

• Tetra packages of shelf stable milk, Ensure High Protein – vanilla, chocolate or strawberry (6 x 235 mL)

We truly appreciate all your support for this drive and everything it represents. Together, let’s make this year’s food drive the most impactful one yet and ensure that everyone in our community is supported. 

With thanks,

Max Dingwell, on behalf of the COTH Food Drive Leaders

Class of 2028, McHughs House

We are launching a winter coat drive to support at-risk youth at a local shelter just steps from UCC.

Collection racks will be set up in the Bernick Family Foyer, and donations can be dropped off anytime between Nov. 17 and Dec. 15. We’re collecting new or gently used winter coats in all sizes.

Your donation can help keep someone warm this winter—thank you for supporting our community!

Arya Sharma
Class of 2028

Dear Families, 

We're thrilled to announce that UCC, in collaboration with G/Hardy Tours, is once again offering a meaningful and exciting cycling tour to the World War I Battlefields of France and Belgium! The trip is open to all Year 9 to 11 students, with priority given to students of history and older boys, and will take place from June 12-20, 2026. We've crafted an itinerary that covers the poignant history and hallowed grounds of World War I on a unique cycling tour, from the Canadian memorials of Vimy Ridge, to serene cemeteries and moving memorials. 

The trip requires considerable physical effort and fitness as we will be riding 50 km per day through the hilly country of Belgium and France. 

To provide more insight into this opportunity, G/Hardy Tours has prepared a detailed itinerary outlining the highlights, tour price, and registration instructions. The e-brochure can be viewed here: World War I Battlefields

Tour Price: $5,925.00 per person based on 16 students and three accompanying chaperones and a dedicated guide. 

Here is the link to register: UCC Battlefields Cycling Trip Registration

To register for this trip, please click on the link above. In the unlikely event that the trip does not fill, we will cancel your registration and refund your deposit. If you are renewing your passport, please enter your current details exactly as they appear and inform us once the renewal is finalized. 

Payment schedule:

● Non-refundable deposit due upon trip registration: $500.00

● *Optional travel insurance must be purchased upon trip confirmation

● Second payment due Jan. 13, 2026: $2,500.00

● Remaining balance due March 13, 2026

Parent info session

Parent information sessions will be announced at a later date. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Marc McGuire.

We hope you can join us on this unforgettable trip! 

Sincerely,
The teams at UCC and G/Hardy Tours

Full details and registration link here.

The registration deadline has been extended. There are only 4 student spots left for this incredible program.

Questions? Please email John Sweetman. 

Come stock up on uniform pieces before winter with TUBS 50% off everything sale!

When: Monday, Nov. 3 to Friday, Nov. 14 (tomorrow)

Open Monday to Friday (excluding school holidays) during the following hours:

• 8 - 9 a.m. (except Wednesdays)

• 12 - 1:15 p.m.

• 3 - 4 p.m. (except Fridays)

TUBS is located in the lower level of the Upper School, next to the Lower Dining Hall.

Mark your calendars for this year’s Festive Marketplace Friday, Dec. 12. 

A wonderful UCC tradition that includes in-person shopping, an online Festive Auction, a bake sale, a snowball grab, student musical performances and more. Grab lunch with a friend. Meet for a coffee and a freshly baked treat. Enjoy exclusive shopping at one of our local curated vendors. 

Check out our Festive website for everything Festive! 

Volunteering at Festive 

We’re always looking for volunteers to help out at Festive Marketplace. It’s fun and a great way to meet members of the UCC community. Sign up to volunteer.

Our annual Festive Auction goes live on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 8 p.m., and closes on Friday, Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. with new items being added daily.  

Donations are welcome

Our Festive Auction Committee is currently curating amazing items for the auction.

We’re looking for items and experiences to add into our annual auction. Things like chalet and cottage weekends, trips and excursions, sailboat charters, ski passes, golf rounds, tickets to sporting events, opportunities to meet celebrities, movie passes, airline tickets, fun or fine dining, behind-the-scenes chef dinners, a visit to a film set, etc. If you have something you’d like to add to our auction, we’d love to hear from you.

Simply complete this form or send us an email with item details.

If you’d like to donate, but aren’t sure of an item, you can donate money and we’ll curate an auction item on your behalf. Please send cash donations by e-transfer to treasurer@uccpo.ca (please write “auction donation” in the note). 

New this year: Donate single items for Festive Auction gift bundles

The Festive Auction Team is now collecting new, single items to bundle into themed gift baskets. 

We welcome NEW toys, housewares, sports items, accessories, wine and gift cards. We’ll take care of bundling and creating themed baskets to add into our online auction, and any items we cannot use in our auction bundles will be donated to charity.

Please drop your items at the Upper School Reception, clearly labeled “For Festive Auction.”

With your help, we can make this year’s Festive Auction a huge success.