Prep School October 9, 2025
Embedded Files
Select a link to jump to an article.
Prep School Highlights
Prep School Highlights
Friday, Oct. 10
🕓No classes
Monday, Oct. 13
🕓No classes — Thanksgiving Day
Tuesday, Oct. 14
Tinkering Tuesdays, 3:45–4:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 15
🕓 Student late start day
(arrival between 9:10–9:15 a.m. unless registered in the Before School Program)
CAIS U13 soccer in Montreal until Saturday
Friday, Oct. 17
👕 Spirit wear dress (guidelines are here)
THIS WEEK AT THE PREP
THIS WEEK AT THE PREP
Prep Leadership Team
Dear Prep families,
This week, we welcomed back Natashya Hays, an experienced literacy strategist from Erin Kent Consulting, as she continues to support us with advancing our literacy program in alignment with the science of writing instruction. She worked alongside teachers, offered demonstration lessons in classrooms, and shared evidence-based methods for us to continue refining our writing instruction. We'll welcome her back in April for a parent education session.
Many thanks to the parents who came out and offered the boys a power snack at recess this week. They were thrilled to get the healthy boost!
Please note that at the Prep, we do not have a photo retake day. However, we do offer a photo day for students who were absent, and they have been contacted directly.
We want to wish everyone a wonderful long weekend, and for those that observe Thanksgiving, we wish you a rejuvenating time with loved ones, a break from routine and the simple joy of a shared table and good company. We're truly thankful for your presence and connection to the Prep.
Your partners in learning,
Sarah Fleming, David Girard and Gareth Evans
Year 7 | Upcoming dances/socials
Year 7 | Upcoming dances/socials
As a member of the Coalition of Single Sex Schools Of The Greater Toronto Area (COSSOT), Prep students have the opportunity to attend dances and socials throughout the year. Please see below the dances/socials that we’ve been invited to this school year:
Friday, Oct. 17, 7–9 p.m.: Havergal Dance (20 Year 7 students can attend)
Friday, Nov. 14, 7–9 p.m.: Branksome Hall Dance (20 Year 7 students can attend)
Friday, Dec. 5, 7–9 p.m.: UCC Dance (All Year 7 students encouraged to attend)
Friday Feb. 20, 7–9 p.m.: St. Clement's School Dance (20 Year 7 students can attend)
Friday, May 29, 7–9 p.m.: Bishop Strachan School Dance (20 Year 7 students can attend)
The Prep is hosting a dance and social activities on Friday, Dec. 5, from 7 to 9 p.m. All Year 7 students are strongly encouraged to attend. The Prep also invites students from Havergal, Bishop Strachan School, Branksome Hall, St. Clement’s, St. Mildred’s, Crescent, Sterling Hall and Trafalgar Castle. Students must not invite guests.
Unfortunately, we can only send approximately 20 students to each of the dances/socials off campus. As a result, if too many students demonstrate interest in an event, a random draw will take place. Every effort is made to ensure everyone interested can attend a dance/social off campus. In addition, a student can’t attend two dances/socials off campus until everyone else interested in attending a dance/social off campus has been able to do so.
If your child hasn’t already done so, please encourage them to complete the “dance interest” form that was emailed to them on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.
Permission forms for the upcoming Havergal Dance will be emailed to the parents of selected students on Friday, Oct. 10.
Sincerely,
Assistant Head of the Preparatory School, Middle Division
Update | Year 3
Update | Year 3
What a fantastic start to our school year! Our students are settling into their classroom routines and adapting beautifully to the Year 3 program. It's heartwarming to see new friendships blossoming as we get to know one another better. A big thank you to all the families who attended the information night! We appreciate the meaningful conversations that unfolded during last week’s Hopes and Dreams conferences.
In math, we are wrapping up our place value unit. Students represented, compared and ordered whole numbers to 1,000 using tools such as base ten materials and number lines. They learned to compose and decompose four-digit numbers into thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones in various ways (for example, 2,456= 2000 + 400 + 50 + 6). Our next math unit will focus on mental math strategies for addition and subtraction using two-digit numbers. We focus on accuracy and fluency (speed).
Our current inquiry unit explores identity, centred around the idea that “the right to identity and its expression encourages tolerance, respect, and happiness.” We’re integrating read-alouds, writing activities, and creative artwork as students delve into their own identities. Students have been discovering and sharing their name stories as part of their homework, introducing them to public speaking. We’ve also begun examining how individuals use their identities to inspire change, learning from remarkable figures like Malala Yousafzai, Jazz Jennings and Robby Novak. We discuss how we can all be “changemakers” in our lives.
In language, we've started the year with cursive writing, literacy work, and regular library visits. During our Literacy Reading Block, students have been exploring their identities as readers (i.e. what books they enjoy and where they like to read) and learning strategies to maintain their reading focus.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to a wonderful year ahead!
Kathryn O'Brien and Christie Gordon
Year 3 Teachers
Update | Year 6 and 7 Individuals and Societies
Update | Year 6 and 7 Individuals and Societies
The Year 6 Individual and Societies Programme has started the year with an introductory unit to geography. We started by diving deep into absolute location, learning latitude, longitude and mapping skills. We even critically looked at maps, breaking globes apart and analyzing the challenges of turning them into 2D projections. We then dove into landforms and waterways. Students studied, spotted landforms and waterways in landscape images and dramatically interpreted them in groups. We discussed how land and water change through both natural and human changes. Each student picked a type of change (erosion, tectonic plates, weathering, land reclamation, mining, etc) to research and write an expository paragraph on. Our next step is to dive into climate, looking at the zones, weather patterns, rotation of the sun, etc. This will build up to discussing and learning about climate change. The students will then focus on the effects of climate change and the impact it's having on our planet through natural disasters. Our climate change task collaborates with math, where they will be analyzing climate data and art, where they will be using water colours to create before, during and after interpretations of their studied disaster. After this project, we will be learning about natural resources and mining. To end the year before the winter break, our second unit continues on the geography theme and builds on natural resources as we dive deeper into global trade and tariffs, looking at Canada’s role internationally.
The Year 7 Individuals and Societies Programme is well underway. The students are currently focusing on their first unit of study, entitled Treaty People. Within this unit, they are learning about the rich cultural history of Indigenous peoples in Canada and the importance of the Treaty process in our country's development. In the next unit, the students will be focusing on the character trait of leadership by examining these qualities in two of Canada’s early European explorers, Samuel de Champlain and Jacques Cartier. The culminating activity for this unit will be a 5 paragraph essay.
All of this complements our ongoing current event learning. Students started the year with a dialogue and lessons about looking at media critically. Students are asked to regularly find and report on current events to complement our units of study. Each lesson spends the first 10 minutes sharing current events and their news sources.
Year 7 Teacher
Update | Primary Art
Update | Primary Art
The new school year is off to a colourful start in the PYP art studio!
Our SK students have been exploring the elements of art through the lens of self-expression. With great focus and curiosity, they searched for different types of lines around the Learning Garden and built environment, then used their discoveries to create vibrant 3D line sculptures—now on display above their cubbies.
Year 1 students have been connecting art and wellbeing through playful creative challenges such as non-dominant hand drawing, continuous line drawing, and neurographic drawing. These activities encourage new neural connections and support their Unit of Inquiry on brain health and development. Be sure to check out their beautiful mixed-media continuous-line self-portraits!
In connection with the Healthy Choices Unit of Inquiry, Year 2 students are discovering how spending time outdoors and sketching plants can boost mood and wellbeing. After observing fall veggies in the garden, they designed clay vessels inspired by their favourite healthy foods. While the clay dries for firing, they’re creating imaginative collages in the style of Giuseppe Arcimboldo, the Italian painter famous for portraits made of fruits and vegetables.
Year 3 students are expressing their identities through bold, pop-art paintings inspired by artist-activist Keith Haring. These large works will soon brighten our Prep hallways as students explore how personal values can be translated into meaningful works of art which inspire our community and celebrate diverse identities.
In Year 4, students are studying the landscapes of the Group of Seven and Native Group of Seven, reflecting on how nature and cultural identity influence art. Their recent visit to the McMichael Art Gallery brought these ideas to life, and their own large-scale acrylic paintings —expressing their connection to special places at Norval —are now in progress.
Our Year 5 students are diving into a colourful printmaking unit, creating a series of bold prints that reflect leadership qualities they believe are key to building a better future. The Indigenous concept of Seven Generations thinking as well as the Seven Grandfathers teachings, have been important anchors for helping students broaden their thinking of what it means to be a great leader.
A heartfelt thank-you to all parents who’ve volunteered to help with art displays this year. Your support keeps our hallways vibrant and current! If you’d like to lend a hand—even once—please reach out to me or the PPO.
Thank you for reading this update! I encourage you to take a walk through the Prep School during drop-off or pick-up to enjoy the amazing student artwork on display—a true celebration of creativity and self-expression.
Monika Kastelic, OCT
PYP Visual Arts Teacher
Save the date | Light up the Avenue
Save the date | Light up the Avenue
Join us on Monday, Oct. 20 as we celebrate the official launch of this year’s Festive Marketplace with our annual Light up the Avenue event.
Thanks to the partnership of the PO, PPO and UCC, the campus will once again sparkle with strands of glowing white lights from the clock tower, down the Avenue to the Prep. These lights will shine brightly through the winter months until March Break, bringing warmth, joy and festive spirit that reflects many traditions celebrated in our community, including Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas.
Gather with us after school for hot chocolate, festive music and a special visit from our mascot, Ice.
Prep: 3–4 p.m.
Upper School: 3:40–4:10 p.m. (on the front steps and at the back loop).
It’s a wonderful way to connect as a community and start the festive season. We look forward to seeing you there.
RSVP | PPO Prep Parent Social
RSVP | PPO Prep Parent Social
The Prep Parents' Organization is thrilled to invite you to the first annual Blue Crew Night.
We hope you’ll join us to connect with fellow Prep parents (both new and familiar faces), while taking part in a fun, interactive activity guaranteed to bring out some laughs and create great memories. Come out and unwind, build community and kick off a new tradition in true Blue Crew style.
Trust us — you won’t want to miss it.
Thursday, Oct. 23
7–9 p.m.
Weston Hall
Dress code: UCC swag or your finest blue and white attire
Save the date | Festive Marketplace
Save the date | Festive Marketplace
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. There is something for everyone!
Calling all vendors
Interested in becoming one of our vendors? Want a great way to promote your local business? Do you know a great vendor? We are looking for small businesses, artisans or creatives who might be interested in participating. Send us a message at uccfestive@gmail.com to find out more information about becoming a vendor at Festive Marketplace. If you would like to sign up as a vendor, please register here.
Donate to Festive Auction
The Festive Auction is always a highlight of Festive Marketplace. Let’s make this year’s Festive Auction just as successful as last year’s.
We're looking for donations. We would be thrilled to receive donations such as sport, concert and event tickets, trips and unique experiences, behind-the-scenes tours to interesting places, meet-and-greets with famous people, wine and spirits, electronics, as well as gift cards, gift baskets and certificates.
If you have items to donate, please complete this online donation form or send us an email at festiveauctionucc@gmail.com. Charitable tax receipts are available for eligible donations.
If you would like to donate but don’t know what to give, we also accept monetary donations using e-transfer. We will buy auction items and gift cards on your behalf. Please send cash donations by e-transfer to treasurer@uccpo.ca (please write “auction donation” in the note).
All proceeds from Festive Marketplace and Festive Auction are used by our Parent Organizations for special initiatives that provide direct and positive enhancements for UCC students.
Report abuse