Prep School January 8, 2026
Prep School January 8, 2026
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Friday, Jan. 9
👕UCC Spirit Wear
U12 Hockey and Basketball Tournament
Saturday, Jan. 10
U12 Hockey and Basketball Tournament
Sunday, Jan. 11
Association Family Skate, 2:30–4:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 12
6L at Norval until Thursday
Wednesday, Jan. 14
🕖 Student late start
Thursday, Jan. 15
☕ Parent Coffee morning and Speaker event: Raising Digitally Healthy Kids: Boundaries, Balance, and Connection, 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Friday, Jan. 16
👕 Winterfest: Blue and white clothing
SK at Norval
Whole school rally, 4–7:30 p.m.
Prep Leadership Team
Dear Prep Families,
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2026 at the Prep!
We hope the holidays provided you all with time for rest and rejuvenation, as well as connection with family and friends.
On Monday, faculty and staff participated in a full day of rich professional learning focused on the IB Approaches to Learning, pluralism book clubs and student belonging. We were thrilled to welcome Prep students back on campus on Tuesday! We're focused this week on the joy of being back together, reengaging in learning and supporting our students in reestablishing school routines.
As I shared before the holidays, I’m due to welcome a baby in May. To support my parental leave, Principal McKinney has appointed Gareth Evans as Interim Head of the Prep School. Mr. Evans is currently the Assistant Head of the Middle Division, and is well known to all in our Prep community. He'll provide consistent leadership working closely with faculty, staff and families to support our youngest learners. Known for his collaborative and thoughtful approach, Gareth brings experience from across the College, including teaching both the Primary and Middle divisions, as well as roles in boarding and admissions. His understanding of our students, programs and community will be invaluable as he guides the Prep School through this period, including welcoming our inaugural JK students.
We have designed an intentional transition plan where Mr. Evans will be joining me at certain events throughout the winter. I’m confident that it will be a seamless transition for students and families and that exceptional learning and wellbeing will continue in the Prep during my absence. David Girard will continue to lead the Primary division, and we'll be announcing an interim Assistant Head of the Middle Division as a replacement for Mr. Evans in the coming months.
Please enjoy this week’s edition of Prep Heads Up, which highlights the need-to-know details for families for the coming weeks. We're looking forward to celebrating Winterfest next week—with opportunities all week long to show our incredible school spirit. Go Blues!
Your partner in learning,
Report cards will be released to parents via Bluenet on the afternoon of Wednesday, Jan. 28 at approximately 4 p.m. For instructions on how to access report cards, please click here.
The purpose of the report is to summarize learning so far this academic year, with observations on your child’s progress as well as skills and concepts that are being addressed in class. In addition to subject marks, comments on your child’s adoption of the IB Learner Profile and IB Approaches to Learning skills (ATLs) will be included. While we recognize grades as a snapshot of performance, we ask you to pay particular attention to teachers’ comments, which offer insight into strengths and areas for future growth.
Report cards are only one element in our system of communicating student learning, which includes feedback on assessments, portfolios, conferences and celebrations of learning. We encourage you to discuss the report with your child to assist with goal setting. The information in the report card will help students identify next steps in their learning, with the support and guidance of their teachers and families.
For support in understanding the MYP report card, please refer to the MYP Assessment Handbook 2025-26, which outlines the rubrics used in each course as well as the assessment criteria.
As always, should you have any questions, you may reach out to your child’s form adviser or specialist teacher directly.
Dianne Jojic
PYP Coordinator
MYP Coordinator
The Prep is participating in UCC’s Winterfest on Friday, Jan. 16! Winterfest is an opportunity for all members of the UCC community to show their school spirit and support for the numerous winter athletic teams. Students and faculty will be attending games throughout the day and wearing blue and white casual clothing to show their school pride.
We're looking forward to celebrating our school spirit with the Prep community!
Assistant Heads of the Preparatory School
We understand how important it is for Year 7 students to feel supported and comfortable during their lunchtime. To help achieve this, there is assigned seating for Year 7 students on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
There are three key reasons for this approach:
Orderly and safe lunch service: With 132 Year 7 students navigating the lunch hall, assigned seating helps maintain an orderly and safe serving process. This ensures everyone receives their lunch efficiently, reduces congestion, and eliminates unnecessary running to available tables and chairs.
Developing social skills: Assigned seating provides a structured opportunity for students to interact with peers outside their immediate friend groups. This supports them in developing important social skills and building new relationships, which is crucial for settling into school life as they grow older.
Ensuring inclusivity: Our priority is that no student feels isolated or alone during lunchtime. Assigned seating guarantees that every student has a place at a table with other students.
We also recognize the importance of choice and flexibility and have carefully introduced more seating options as the year progressed. Students enjoy choosing their own seating arrangement on “Flexible Fridays.”
We believe these measures strike a balance between providing a supportive and structured environment for our new Year 7s and allowing them increasing independence while navigating a very busy dining area. We greatly appreciate your support and understanding as we work together to create a positive and inclusive experience for all our students.
Sincerely,
Assistant Head of the Preparatory School: Middle Division
The much-anticipated Prep School MYP Project Week will take place this year from Tuesday, March 3 to Friday, March 6, and offers students in Years 6 and 7 the opportunity to participate in an interdisciplinary unit examining important global topics. Year 6 students are exploring the topic of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 13, Climate Action, and Year 7 students are examining the topic of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, Good Health and Well-being, through a series of speakers, special guests, field trips, and group activities.
Teachers and team leaders have prepared extensively for this dynamic learning experience, and will continue to set students up for success by introducing key topics, terms and skills. Everyone is really excited about this unique educational and collaborative event.
The regular school day timing will not change, and drop-off and pick-up will not be impacted. Student attendance is very important during this immersive experience.
Please note that if a student is away for a portion of the week, they will still be responsible for producing and sharing a culminating activity with their form adviser so that it can be assessed and included on their June report card. This includes students participating in the French Exchange.
Sincerely,
Assistant Head of the Preparatory School: Middle Division
100 students have signed up to write the AMC8 math contest on Jan. 22 at 3:45 p.m. All participants received an email on Jan. 5 requesting them to register with AMC8 by tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 9; please follow up with your son if they are participating in this contest.
Riyaz Ismail
Middle Math Learning Leader
Join the PPO for a morning of coffee, connection, and conversation.
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.
Thursday, Jan. 15 | 8:30–10 a.m.
Raising Digitally Healthy Kids: Boundaries, Balance, and Connection
One of our most popular PPO events is back in February! The Used Uniform Sale happens in the hallway of the William P. Wilder ’40 Arena & Sports Complex and is an amazing way to shop sustainably, get great deals and fundraise for UCC! The event is volunteer-run and all proceeds go back to the PPO to support and fund future events.
Wednesday, Feb. 4 | 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 5 | 8 to 9:30 a.m.
Donations: Please drop off gently used uniform items in the Used Uniform blue box under the main staircase of the lower level at the Prep. Please no stained or ripped clothing.
Volunteers: The Used Uniform Sale committee is looking for volunteers with a couple of hours to spare. Help is needed to sort and organize donations, at the sale, or to assist in the teardown. Please sign up here if you can help out. Your time is greatly appreciated!