Yesterday, the College honoured the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.

Through assemblies at the Prep and Upper School, during community time and in classroom discussions, our students explored action towards Truth and Reconciliation.  

The “WE CALL” framework inspires our efforts to learn from Indigenous knowledge networks and guides our commitment to truth and reconciliation and meaningful change.

This year’s Association Day proved to be an incredible celebration of community spirit! The campus was buzzing with energy and excitement from start to finish, and it was wonderful to see so many students, alumni, parents and friends enjoying the festivities together. 

Events of this scale are only possible through the dedication of our sponsors, volunteers, and the A-Day Steering Committee. Thank you for your immense effort, generosity and commitment to making the day a resounding success. 

We would love to hear about your experience! Complete our brief survey to share your thoughts. The survey closes on Friday, October 9. 

Thank you once again for making A-Day 2026 so memorable. We already look forward to seeing everyone back on campus for next year's A-Day on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2027.

Dear UCC families,

This year, students in Years 3 through 10 will write the International Schools’ Assessment (ISA) test. 

This standardized test will be administered to students in Years 3–7 on two mornings: Friday, Oct. 2 (math, literacy and writing task A) and Monday, Oct. 5 (reading and writing task B). Year 8–10 students will write on the same dates but in the afternoon beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Students do not need to prepare in advance for this assessment. We ask that they bring a fully charged laptop and a reading book on test days, and ensure they get a good night’s sleep so they can perform their best.

The ISA is based on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) frameworks for reading, writing and mathematical literacy. The aim is to gather baseline information for students as a cohort to assist faculty as they consider instructional strategies that can be used to support learning. Regular ISA administration allows us to observe cohort growth and progress over time, inform ongoing improvements to teaching and learning, and compare UCC’s performance internationally. 

The ISA will be administered in the classroom by your child’s teacher, in collaboration with the Wernham West Centre for Learning, via the ISA online portal. Please avoid scheduling appointments or other absences during the assessment period. To ensure testing integrity, students who arrive late may not be permitted to write the assessment.

It’s important to note that no preparation is required ahead of writing the test. It is meant to capture a snapshot of student skills and does not form any part of report card grades. The information gathered is for internal use only by faculty and administrators to inform teaching and learning at the College. ISA’s privacy statement is available here. We will work with the boys to ensure this is a positive experience. Families can assist by reinforcing that message and ensuring students are well-rested on testing mornings.  

Should you have any questions, please contact Liz Kennedy, Director of the Wernham West Centre for Learning and Student Services.

Yours sincerely,

Liz Kennedy

Director, Wernham West Centre for Learning and Student Services

Julia Kinnear

Vice-Principal, Learning and Academic Innovation

You're invited to the Norval Bioblitz Fall Open House.  We have created an interactive, outdoor learning experience for families and alumni.

The BioBlitz is a collaborative event where participants work together to identify and record different plant and animal species at the Norval Outdoor School.

Through guided activities, we'll engage in hands-on exploration, develop observation skills and build a deeper connection to the natural environment. The event will encourage curiosity, collaboration, and environmental awareness while contributing to a shared understanding of Norval's incredible biodiversity.

Participants will also have the opportunity to meet the bees with our beekeeper and make apple cider using the apples from our orchard.  

We encourage everyone to come to this brand new Norval Event!

Please review the schedule below! You are welcome to stay for each event or join us for a portion of the day.

10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

• New Family Open House | Campus tours for families of new students

1–4 p.m. 

• Fall Open House | Welcome for all members of the UCC Community

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. 

• Guided BioBlitz hike | Choice of an animal- or plant-focused hike

2:45 - 3:45 p.m. 

• Fall activities | Choice of apple cider making or a beehive visit

Register here

Tips for the best Norval experience:

• Leashed dogs are more than welcome to join the outdoor fun, but please keep in mind that they’ll need to stay outside.

• To ensure we have parking space for everyone, please consider carpooling with fellow attendees.

• We’ll be celebrating no matter the weather, so dress in layers and come enjoy the outdoors with us!

Directions to Norval

Take Highway 401 west to Winston Churchill Boulevard. Follow Winston Churchill Boulevard north and go through the village of Norval. Continue straight ahead. The entrance to the Norval property is on your left, 1.2 kilometres north of the village stoplight. The drive takes about 50 minutes from UCC in light traffic.

Questions?

Contact Holly McKee at association@ucc.on.ca.

You’re invited to attend a practical, engaging presentation on evidence-based parenting strategies with this year’s Casey Fellow, Dr. Christina Hinton, Harvard-trained education and parenting expert, on Thursday, Oct. 8.

Research from around the world shows that parenting can promote holistic wellbeing including social-emotional development, mental and physical health, and academic learning when it is characterized by warmth, structure and autonomy. In her presentation, Dr. Hinton will share practical, research-backed approaches to:

Warmth: Building secure relationships, engaging in responsive "serve and return" interactions, and nurturing compassion.

Structure: Validating emotions and setting clear limits.

Autonomy: Encouraging age-appropriate resilience.

Parental Wellbeing: Practising self-compassion and emotional regulation during tricky parenting moments, and building social support.

Dr. Hinton leads parenting and education initiatives at Harvard University and has advised UNICEF, UNESCO, the OECD and the Sesame Workshop. She brings decades of interdisciplinary research into practical strategies parents can use every day.

Every parent wants their child to flourish, but in a world full of parenting advice, knowing what actually works can feel overwhelming. Dr. Hinton will deliver a practical introduction to evidence-based parenting strategies grounded in decades of research across education, neuroscience, psychology and child development.

Join us and leave with tools to help your family flourish!

Thursday, Oct. 8 | Weston Hall at the Prep School
Welcome reception | 5:30 p.m.
Main presentation | 6:30 p.m.

Register here

Upper Canada College will be hosting the Toronto Public Health (TPH) Year 7 vaccination clinic on Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Weston Hall at the Prep School. It will also offer catch-up opportunities for Year 8 students who missed a vaccination.

Vaccinations that will be made available at the clinic for year 7 and 8s:

● Meningococcal* — to prevent meningitis 

● Human papillomavirus — to prevent cancers 

● Hepatitis B — to prevent liver cancer 

Under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), immunization against designated diseases—including meningococcal disease—is required by law for all school-attending children, unless a valid exemption is provided. Please ensure your child's records are up to date, as local public health units can enforce a school suspension of up to 20 school days if requirements are not met.

Year 7: Consent forms were recently distributed in class and should have already been returned to your child's teacher. If you have not yet returned the form, we kindly ask that you complete and submit it as soon as possible. 

Year 8: If your child is attending a catch-up session, you do not need to fill out a new consent form. Otherwise, you may review and submit a new consent form if you would like your child to receive a vaccine they did not sign up for in Year 7.

Year 9 to 12: This is a reminder that they may be eligible to receive routine vaccines free of charge through a Toronto Public Health (TPH) community clinic. This applies to any student in Year 7 or higher who has missed a vaccine or needs to complete an unfinished series.

The available vaccines include:

• Meningococcal: Protects against meningitis

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Protects against various cancers

• Hepatitis B: Protects against liver cancer

To book an appointment, please review the parent package and consent form, then schedule your visit online using the TPH Appointment Booking System. If you have any questions, you can consult your family doctor or call Toronto Public Health directly at 416-338-7600.

Sincerely,

UCC Health Centre

Dear UCC Community,

The nomination period for two of the College’s highest honours closes on Friday, Oct. 30 at midnight, and I hope you’ll consider nominating one or more extraordinary community members for these awards. 

Please see information regarding the nomination process and deadlines for the Old Boy of Distinction Award and John D. Stevenson Award. More information about these community awards and how to nominate is available here.

Thank you in advance for nominating fellow UCC community members and helping the College recognize the profound impact of our alumni and volunteers! 

Sincerely,

Chanakya Sethi ’03
President, UCC Association

Financial assistance applications for the 2027-2028 academic year will once again be processed by Financial Aid for Canadian Students (FACS). This third-party service provides an independent assessment of the application and makes confidential recommendations directly to the College’s financial assistance review committee. Awards are made to eligible families on the basis of assessed need and may vary from year to year. You can complete the application online at www.applefinancialservices.ca. The application fee is $137.50.

Current families must apply or reapply by the November 13th deadline so the College can ensure that all returning student applications are assessed and decisions are made before re-registration decisions are required early in 2027. Failure to include important data, documents or incomplete applications may jeopardize the assessment of your application.

An informative “Frequently Asked Questions” section regarding the application process is available on the Financial Assistance page of the UCC website. Helpful guidance material is also available on the FACS site.

Sincerely,
Colleen Papulkas
Manager, Finance