Dear Parents and Guardians,

We’re pleased to let you know that Upper Canada College will have the opportunity to participate in an anonymous survey as part of a research study administered by the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University (HFH). This will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 7 for students in Years 6–7. 

This survey will provide us with baseline metrics on our new UCC wellbeing framework to guide the College’s wellbeing programming. This allows us to periodically measure the impact of our programs over time, ensuring our significant investment in student wellbeing is producing the desired, positive outcomes for your son.

We’re excited to be partnering with Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program to gather data from our students that will inform program planning and implementation, including professional learning for faculty. This will help us continue to leverage our strengths and address specific needs and challenges in our community that align with the priorities of the wellbeing framework. 

The survey is part of a global study led by researchers at HFH, including Dr. Tyler VanderWeele, Dr. Brendan Case and Dr. Christina Hinton, to better understand which students and schools around the world are flourishing, and how we can leverage strategies from our global network of schools. 

Outlined below is key information about the survey and a supplementary document from Harvard with further details for those who are interested.

Key information:

The Flourishing Schools Survey will cover many aspects of student and community wellbeing, including individual student flourishing (self-rated health, happiness, meaning, character, relationships, and material security), community wellbeing (good relationships, common mission, effective leadership, and healthy practices and rules), self-rated student character (including kindness, bravery, fairness, creativity, forgiveness, and others), and students’ sense of how much their time at school has contributed to their personal and ethical growth.

• The survey will be administered in advising/class time, and will take about 20 minutes to complete. 

• Students’ responses will be completely anonymous, and will be collected directly by HFH using the survey software Qualtrics and stored according to Harvard’s information security policy.

• Researchers at HFH will use these aggregate data to publish academic (peer-reviewed) papers on the flourishing of students and schools. Anonymized data will be retained for future research at the research team’s discretion, but none of the data collected will be tied to your child in any way. No individual responses will be shared with UCC, although administrators will receive a high-level summary of the school’s results to inform wellbeing program planning and delivery.

• Participation in this survey is completely voluntary, and students will be free to stop taking the survey at any time and for any reason.

More information about the survey can be found here. 

If you would prefer that your child not participate, please fill out this form by Dec. 22, and we’ll ensure that they do not receive the survey link. If you have additional questions, please contact tjagdeo@ucc.on.ca.

Tina Jagdeo

Director of Wellbeing and Pluralism

Dr. Julia Kinnear

Vice-Principal, Learning and Academic Innovation

We continue to work on ensuring that the flow of traffic during our busy arrival and dismissal times is safe, efficient, and comfortable. This is a reminder of the details outlined below. We ask that families please review this important information.

Drop off / arrival at school

• When entering the drop-off loop at the Prep, families must pull their car forward as far west as possible before coming to a full stop.

• Student greeters in Years 6 and 7, or a Prep employee, will do their best to help each family by opening their car door, saying good morning and welcoming your child to school.

• We request that families please not park and get out of their car or stop for extended periods of time during morning drop off. 

• If families would like to walk their child to the Prep’s front entrance, please park at the east end of the William P. Wilder ’40 Arena & Sports Complex parking lot. There is ample parking in this location.

Pick up / dismissal

• Families must avoid blocking the drop-off lane. This is a safety issue as the drop-off lane is also a fire lane and provides access to the Prep’s accessible parking space.

• We have arranged the following as reminders for our community:

  • A large “no parking” sign has been placed immediately south of the Prep’s Peacock Arch.

  • “No parking” and “fire lane” road markers are painted on the pavement.

  • A “stop sign” at the entrance to the arena parking lot

We also remind families to avoid opening the Parkin surface gate when arriving for pick-up. Our security team will open the gate once students finish using the space.

In addition, please be reminded that all visitors are asked to check in at the front desk reception to receive an identification badge. 

Thank you as always for your ongoing support and partnership.

We are incredibly proud to celebrate the community service contributions of a number of our Year 6 and Year 7 students. Through a special partnership with Comfy Cases, these students have been dedicating their recess time to a truly thoughtful project.

Our enthusiastic volunteers have been using their morning recess to sew colourful pillowcases for children who are facing illness. These pillowcases are donated to hospitals and cancer care facilities across the province, providing a small but significant source of comfort and brightness during a difficult time.

Once again, we're excited to offer a year-end trip for our Year 7 students to the Niagara Region. The trip will be June 3–5. All Year 7 families will be emailed the Niagara Trip letter, including the permission form, on Friday. Please complete the permission form at your earliest convenience.

Please review this document for a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the trip, the packing list, and the draft itinerary.

Sincerely,

Gareth Evans
Assistant Head of the Preparatory School | Middle Division

The winter session of the hot lunch program will begin after the winter break on Tuesday, Jan. 6. 

Please Email Janet Brock by tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 19, if you would like to either opt in or out of the lunch program.  

Please do not email if you are already signed up and will continue participating in the hot lunch program.

Colour House On Vacation is a house competition that occurs over the winter break. In this competition, students are encouraged to email photos of themselves wearing their house colours while on winter break to Mr. Bushey. The House that sends in the most pictures will receive 1000 points (maximum of 2 pictures per student). Please contact Mr. Bushey for more details.

Michael Bushey

Prep Leadership Coordinator

Harry Potter Mystery Club
Step into the magical world of Hogwarts with our Harry Potter Mystery Club—an exciting after-school adventure designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving. Through interactive games, hands-on activities, and STEM-based challenges inspired by the wizarding world, your sons will decode clues, brew “potions,” engineer magical creations, and unravel weekly mysteries. It’s the perfect blend of fun and learning, where imagination meets innovation and every young wizard can discover the magic of STEM!
SK to Year 3, Wednesdays from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $249.99
Please email Brent Crawford to register.

Global Music Explorers

Join us on a musical journey around the world with Global Music Explorers! In this dynamic after-school club, students will dive into diverse musical styles and traditions, discovering how rhythm, melody, and culture connect people across the globe. Through hands-on activities, pattern recognition, and interactive sound exploration, your sons will become active participants in this universal language—learning, creating, and experiencing the rich tapestry of world music in an engaging and inspiring way.
Year 4 to 7, Wednesdays from 4 to 5 p.m.
Cost: $249.99

Please email Brent Crawford to register.

Warm Wishes, 

Brent Crawford

After School Program Coordinator

Thursday, Jan. 15 | 8:30–10 a.m.
Raising Digitally Healthy Kids: Boundaries, Balance, and Connection

Dr. Stella Dentakos and Dr. Rachael Lyon — two registered psychologists with SickKids and private practices — will explore timely themes of technology, wellness, and modern parenting. Today’s parents face an ever-changing challenge: how to raise resilient, responsible, and emotionally healthy children in a digital world.

Dr. Dentakos and Dr. Lyon will share practical strategies to help families set healthy boundaries, create balance, and strengthen real-world connections amid online distractions.

Join the PPO for a morning of coffee, connection, and conversation.

RSVP for January 15.

The Parents’ Organization and Prep Parents’ Organization would like to send a warm and appreciative THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to the Festive Auction and Festive Marketplace!

It was heartwarming to see everyone celebrating the season and supporting this annual initiative that directly benefits our students. Whether you enjoyed watching student musical performances, participating in the ever-popular Snowball Grab or the gingerbread house draw, sampling the delicious treats at the bake sale, or simply connecting and catching up over a coffee and some holiday shopping, we were thrilled to see both students and parents enjoying all that Festive has to offer!

A big congratulations goes out to Malcom Dimitrieff of 4B who won the Gingerbread school house, and Graydon Bowmen of 4C who won the Leafs tickets!