This is a reminder that school is closed on Friday, Nov. 7 and Monday, Nov. 10. Classes will resume on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Students in Years 5 to 7 must be in First Dress for Remembrance Day.

Regular dress for Year 5 to 7 will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Please refer to the Family Handbook for regular dress and First Dress uniform information.

Please note that First Dress is required for students in Year 5 to Year 7 during assemblies throughout the winter term and for special occasions during the remainder of the school year. Form advisers will always make students aware of assembly dates and special occasions.

Thank you for your partnership and support.

Prep Leadership Team

Year 1 has had a wonderful transition into fall and we are now experts with the routines and practices that come along with being a Year 1 student! 

In our current unit of inquiry, Stewardship, the students of 1M are exploring how human actions can impact the health of our planet. Below you can see one of the students’ favourite moments of exploration in this unit: Trash Talk! Within this provocation, the students of 1M had a chance to look into how we, at the Prep, sort our garbage and why things need to go in specific bins.

We hope you're all bundled up and ready for some snow!

Across the Primary grades, students have been singing songs related to Remembrance Day and honouring Canadian veterans. Students will perform their song at our Remembrance Day assembly next Tuesday! In class, we’ve been discussing how tone and mood can change depending on a song’s message and audience.

Year 7 – Unit 1: Où j'habite! (where I live)
Our Year 7 students have wrapped up their first unit, showing off their listening (Criterion A) and speaking (Criterion C) skills. Alongside language, we explicitly assess Approaches to Learning (ATLs) like note-taking, homework completion, and participation, our secret ingredients for success under communication, social skills, and self-management. Rubrics are provided and revisited throughout the year, so students know exactly how they’re being evaluated.

Year 7 – Unit 2: Les vêtements autour du monde (clothing from around the world)
Next, students become fashion critics extraordinaire! They’ll explore clothing vocabulary, new grammar, and global fashion trends and yes, even haute couture from Paris. Assessments include reading comprehension (Criterion B) and writing (Criterion D), with ATLs explicitly tracked as students research, discuss, and share their fashion opinions.

Year 6 – Unit 1: Qui suis-je? (who am I?)
Year 6 students completed interviews (Criterion C) and listening comprehension (Criterion A) focused on self-description. Their note-taking, participation, and preparation were explicitly assessed to support their growth in communication, social skills, and self-management.

Year 6 – Unit 2: Bon Appétit
Students will explore French cuisine and practice reading menus without accidentally ordering escargot (unless they dare!). Assessments include reading (Criterion B) and writing (Criterion D), with ATLs explicitly evaluated as students research, plan, and reflect on their meal descriptions.

We’re excited to continue helping students sharpen their French skills, embrace French culture (and humour), and grow their communication, social, and self-management skills, all assessed explicitly to help them succeed.

Peter Labancz

Middle Years French Teacher

Finding our voice through words and art

As we approach the end of our first units in Language and Literature, our students are stepping into an exciting stage of their learning journeys: the summative projects that bring together everything they’ve explored so far this term. Across both Year 6 and 7, we’re seeing students grow not only as readers and writers but as thinkers — young people learning how literature reflects and shapes the world around them.

Year 7: Writing for change —the power of the literary essay

Our Year 7 students have spent the term immersed in the fascinating world of dystopian literature, a genre that asks important questions about fairness, freedom, and what it means to be human. Through short stories and novels, students have explored the rules, customs, and conflicts of imagined societies — and discovered that these fictional worlds often mirror our own.

Now, as a culmination of their studies, students will learn the art of literary essay writing. This summative task challenges them to think deeply about the themes in their chosen dystopian novel and connect them to real-world issues. For example, a student might explore how The Hunger Games comments on inequality, or how The Giver raises questions about conformity and choice.

The goal is for students to recognize that art is a political medium—that authors, much like journalists or activists, use their voices to provoke thought and inspire change. Through this process, students will discover how writing can move beyond the page to make a difference in the world.

In class, we’ll be breaking down essay structure, exploring how to craft strong arguments, and revisiting how to integrate quotations effectively according to MLA format. More importantly, students will learn to express their own opinions with clarity and confidence. It’s a wonderful step toward high school-level writing, where analysis and critical thinking take centre stage.

Year 6: Creativity meets analysis — designing a graphic novel scene

Meanwhile, our Year 6 students are wrapping up their engaging study of Jerry Craft’s New Kid, a contemporary graphic novel that explores belonging, identity, and what it means to find your place in a new environment. Students have laughed with the protagonist, Jordan Banks, empathized with his challenges, and reflected on their own experiences of fitting in and standing out.

For their summative project, students will design a graphic novel “deleted scene” — a moment they imagine could have happened but wasn’t shown in the book. This assignment invites them to step into the shoes of an author and illustrator, combining critical thinking (analyzing the text for theme and tone) with creative expression (using layout, visuals, and dialogue to tell a story).

Through this process, students learn that reading and creating are deeply connected. Understanding a story’s message helps them extend it, while drawing and designing encourage them to consider how art and text work together to communicate meaning.

Looking ahead

Whether through essays or illustrations, our students are learning that literature is a living conversation — one that links ideas, emotions, and real-world issues. We’re proud of how they’ve embraced these challenges with curiosity and courage.

Thank you, families, for continuing to support the reading, writing, and creative risk-taking that make our Language and Literature classrooms such inspiring spaces. We can’t wait to see the powerful voices our students share as their final projects take shape!

Michaela Trelford
Learning Leader, Language and Literature

Feedback is one of the most essential tools to help students develop and grow. In addition, building strong connections among families, teachers, and students is integral to continued academic development. Student-led conferences provide an opportunity for both feedback and connection to take place, and initial details are as follows:

• Conferences for Year 6 and 7 students and their families will take place virtually on Thursday, Nov. 20 from 1 to 8 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Conferences will take place in 5 or 10-minute intervals.

• To encourage ownership over their learning and the development of self-advocacy skills, students should be present for their conferences. Students will have an opportunity during Flex Time and subject classes to prepare for the conference. Please remind your child to make introductions and start the dialogue.

• Please access the School Cloud link only at the time of your scheduled appointment.

• On Thursday, Nov. 20, classes end at 12:15 p.m. Students are immediately dismissed from the building. Conferences will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 21. There are no classes on Friday, Nov. 21, as students and teachers are fully involved in these meaningful conversations.

The opening of School Cloud for Year 6 and 7 student-led conferences

Please note that School Cloud, the application parents use to book their student-led conferences, will open on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m., and will close on Monday, Nov. 17 at 12 p.m. For your convenience, here is a link to the School Cloud instructions. All conferences will be virtual in order to be as efficient and inclusive as possible. 

Of particular note, please know that Mr. McGarr (Music) and Ms. Preston (Visual Arts) teach all Year 6 and 7 students. Keeping in mind there are a limited number of time slots over Thursday and Friday, please only register with them if you consider the conference essential.

Sincerely,

Gareth Evans

In Primary, formal feedback of learning happens throughout the year in a variety of forms. Through report cards, parent-teacher conferences, three-way conferences, and student-led conferences, the partnership between home and school and the development of reflective and assessment capable learners is fostered.

The upcoming three-way conferences, on Nov. 21,  create an authentic purpose for students to showcase thinking and communication skills and the structure builds students’ sense of responsibility and accountability in their learning. It also hones their understanding of what it means to discuss and set learning goals.

The format of three-way conferences includes a 10-15 minute meeting between parent(s), student and teacher, followed by 15-30 minutes for parents and child reflection and goal setting in Weston Hall. Parents can expect to be engaged with their child’s conference for 30-45 minutes. 

When you sign up for your meeting, that time represents the first 15 minutes and the teacher portion of your three-way conference. Due to the age and stage of primary learners, this is an in-person event only.  The site will open Tuesday November 11 at 9:00 am

Instructions for signing up for your conference are here.

We warmly invite all Prep families to our Academic Programmes Parent Information Evening on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 7–8:30 p.m. in Weston Hall.

This event is designed to help families gain a deeper understanding of how learning unfolds at the Prep through the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP), and how we support every student’s learning and growth through the Wernham West Centre for Learning (WWCfL).

The evening will begin with a welcome from Head of the Prep School, Sarah Fleming, and Director of Academics, Jordan Small, followed by an introduction from Liz Kennedy (Director, WWCfL), Dianne Jojic (PYP Coordinator), and Emilia Martin (MYP Coordinator). Parents will then have the opportunity to choose two focused breakout sessions to explore either the PYP, the MYP, or the WWCfL in greater depth.

The evening will help parents connect the IB philosophy and framework to the real learning experiences happening every day in Prep classrooms. We hope families leave with a clearer understanding of how inquiry, reflection, and feedback help our students develop essential skills, as thinkers, collaborators, and global citizens.

We look forward to welcoming you for this engaging and informative evening of learning and conversation.

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 12
Time: 7–8:30 p.m.
Location: Weston Hall

Warm regards,

Jordan Small - Director of Academics 

Liz Kennedy - Director of the WWCfL 

Dianne Jojic – PYP Coordinator
Emilia Martin – MYP Coordinator 

Dear Year 5–7 Families,

Thank you to those who have registered for the Beaver Computing Contest. Please note the following:

1. Monday, Nov. 18 from 3:50–4:20 p.m: There will be an optional tech/ login session to ensure students are able to login. They will also be able to access practice tests they can continue to work on at home. This session is recommended for students writing the test for the first time. 

2. Tuesday, Nov. 19 from 3:50–4:50 p.m: Contest day for the BCC contest. All students need to be there on time. 

Both sessions will be held in Weston Hall. Students are asked to bring their charged laptops and a pencil.

Thank you for your support,

Riyaz Ismail and Paige Colalillo   

Dear UCC Prep Community, 

My Name is Hashim, and I'm a Year 10 student hosting a Prep-wide shoe drive in partnership with the Prep’s Community Service Council. The drive is also running at the Upper School.

I have partnered with Soles4Souls, a respected non-profit organization, to collect gently worn and used shoes for people struggling financially in developing nations. Without shoes, these individuals are at risk of infections and diseases. Furthermore, the collected shoes are also given to women entrepreneurs who can sell them to start their own small businesses, offering them a sustainable path out of poverty.  

This is a powerful cause, and your help can truly change lives. Please look through your closets for any shoes that are too small or no longer worn. Simply have your son bring them to the Bitove lounge and place them in the provided collection boxes. One pair of shoes can provide hope for someone else. Your shoes will be sent to the Soles4Souls warehouse, where they will be organized and later sent off to developing nations across the world to people in need. 

The Footprints for Hope Shoe Drive will officially begin on Tuesday, Nov. 11 and will run until Friday, Nov. 21.  

To learn more about the non-profit organization, please visit Soles4Souls Canada and watch this video, Turning shoes into opportunity.

Thank you for your time and help in making this project a success and changing lives forever. 

Sincerely, 

Hashim Israr 

Class of 2028, Seaton’s

The Prep Community Service Council

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!

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.