Upcoming CAIS Accreditation Visit

UTS is pleased to be undertaking our first Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) Accreditation visit from December 1 to 4, 2024. This visit marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to excellence.

The CAIS Accreditation process provides our school an invaluable opportunity to reflect on our educational practices, share our successes and identify areas where we can continue to grow. As part of the process, we completed a School Self-Study over the past year that evaluated all aspects of our school – from academic programs and student life to governance and financial stewardship – against the comprehensive framework provided by 12 rigorous national CAIS standards.

Accreditation is not merely an obligation; it is a privilege that ensures UTS remains accountable to the highest standards of independent education. Through this five-year process, we demonstrate our commitment to providing an exceptional experience for our students while staying aligned to our mission and values. It also ensures that we remain a vital part of a network of Canada’s leading independent schools, continually learning and sharing best practices to enhance the education we provide to your children.

Preparing for this visit has been a collaborative effort involving many members of our school community, and I am grateful for the time and energy devoted by our staff to this undertaking. During the visit, the CAIS Peer Review team, which consists of 11 independent school educators and administrators from across Canada, will engage with students, staff, parents and alumni, offering us valuable external perspectives on our strengths and opportunities for growth.

We look forward to their visit and thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to ensure UTS continues to grow, reflect and evolve as a leading independent school.

Murray Sinclair: A Man Whose Life Touched Millions

Last Monday, Canada lost a great leader and an even greater man: Murray Sinclair C.C., an Anishinaabe whose legacy touched millions across our country. A champion of Indigenous rights, Sinclair was a former senator and judge who led Canada's landmark Truth and Reconciliation Commission into the country's residential schools. Through hearings across Canada, he gathered firsthand testimony from survivors of the schools, and developed the 94 Calls to Action that are helping to guide our country towards meaningful change in relations with our Indigenous peoples.

Throughout his trailblazing life, Murray Sinclair bravely broke ground, becoming Manitoba’s first Indigenous judge in 1988, and only the second Indigenous judge in the country. His spirit name is Mazina Giizhik-iban (The One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky), with the iban recognizing he is now an ancestor.

Across the nation, many tributes have been made in his memory. A national memorial took place in Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre arena to honour his legacy, with several Indigenous leaders and politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, attending. A sacred fire was lit in his honour outside the Manitoba legislature, recognizing that his efforts continue to touch the lives of Canadians long after he is gone.

Earlier this year, UTS was honoured to have Murray’s son, Dr. Niigaan Sinclair, who like his father comes from the St. Peter's (Little Peguis) Indian Settlement in Manitoba, speak to our Assembly on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. At the memorial for his father, Niigaan recalled a moment when he asked his father why he was so compelled to keep fighting, even in the face of brutal racism and indifference. He says his father answered simply: “I was called.”

The life of Murray Sinclair serves as an inspiration for all Canadians, and compels us to ask what we each can do to make a difference. Thanks to his profound efforts on behalf of Canada’s Indigenous peoples, he has built a legacy for the generations. We can honour his memory by following the path he has laid out for our country, invoking the spirit of Reconciliation in our daily lives and upholding the Commission’s Calls to Action with our own actions.

To quote Murray Sinclair: “This is not a time for the timid. It is a time for the daring…Let us dare to live greatly together.”

The Predictably Unpredictable

"We can't predict the future. We don’t know what will happen in the next five years. We need to educate our children for unpredictability."

These words from Sir Ken Robinson's landmark 2006 TED Talk, "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" resonate even more powerfully today. Robinson, who passed away in 2020, championed creativity over conformity in education, urging schools and school leaders to think beyond the constricts of traditional schooling which, he argued, had not fundamentally changed since the mass education movement of the 19th century. In our current era of unprecedented change, his message feels prophetic.

At last week's CAIS Heads and Chairs Conference in Halifax, educational leaders grappled with challenges that would have seemed unimaginable even a few years ago. The consensus was clear: leading schools must become catalysts for systemic change if they are to remain relevant in the years ahead. A commitment to excellence now demands that we prepare students for a future marked by unprecedented uncertainty.

Consider how little the traditional classroom has evolved since our own school days. While technology has been added and methodologies tweaked, the fundamental structure remains largely unchanged. This incrementalism – making small adjustments rather than bold transformations – stems from a natural tendency to trust what worked in the past. Yet this comfort with the familiar may be our greatest vulnerability in preparing students for tomorrow's challenges.

The luxury of optional change in education has expired. We stand at an exciting crossroads: the opportunity to reimagine learning for an unpredictable future. Guided by research and talking with experts across disciplines and different industries, we're identifying the essential skills our students will need to succeed in whatever field they choose. This isn't just about adapting to change – it's about empowering UTS students to thrive in it.

UTS students should never be mere recipients of education. We want them to be active architects of their own futures. By embracing uncertainty, cultivating creativity and developing adaptive skills, they will transform challenges into opportunities. The unpredictability that once seemed daunting now becomes their greatest strength – a canvas of infinite potential where imagination, resilience and deep thinking will paint the extraordinary landscapes of tomorrow.

Finding Connection: The Surprising Impact of Going Phone-Free

When we implemented our device-free policy this fall, the changes were straightforward: phones stay in lockers, social media is blocked on school Wi-Fi and gaming isn't permitted during school hours. Though we were uncertain about enforcement challenges, we believed it was the right direction for our students.

You may wonder how it’s going. We’re happy to report the results have exceeded our expectations.

Today, our halls resound with more laughter and conversation. The learning stairs, once lined with students silently absorbed in phones or gaming on laptops, are now the site of animated discussions and genuine connections. We even observe the occasional student taking a moment for quiet reflection – something rarely seen before. While these observations may be anecdotal, the positive changes are unmistakable.

Differences aren’t only seen in the halls. Teachers report a noticeable change in their classrooms: many students appear calmer, happier and maintain focus for longer periods. The transformation extends beyond academics – our open gym during lunch hour has seen remarkable growth in participation. Students who previously sat isolated with their phones now engage in pickup basketball and volleyball games. Even our library has evolved, maintaining its role as a space for collaborative learning while fostering a more tranquil but still vibrant atmosphere.

The research that guided the device-free policy is compelling: studies show that merely having phones present reduces students’ cognitive capacity, and multitasking prompted by a device significantly impacts academic performance. Our aim isn't to vilify technology – we love technology and innovation. Our aim is to encourage its purposeful use while prioritizing student wellbeing and academic excellence.

The initial success we’re seeing reinforces what we suspected: supporting our students' emotional and physical health strengthens both their learning, their friendships and their overall wellbeing. While we continue to explore additional ways to help our students thrive, these early positive changes are encouraging.

We invite parents to join us on January 9 for an evening with Paul Davis on Online Safety for Adolescents. After all, true excellence extends beyond academics – it's about nurturing well-rounded, emotionally healthy young people who are ready to engage with the world, one phone-free conversation at a time.

UTS Family Survey Executive Summary

I’ve always believed that feedback is a gift. Whether positive (always lovely to receive) or negative (sometimes difficult to hear), feedback is essential to growth and improvement. As a doctoral student, I remember many meetings with my advisor, sitting together to review my research, pouring over mounds of data and pages of writing. Of course, it would have been wonderful to hear that everything I produced was flawless from the start and that no changes were necessary. But that’s not how the iterative process of feedback in the service of growth works. 

I learned to see those feedback sessions as gifts – an indication of the care being shown to me. The time taken by my advisor to provide feedback was a sign of respect and a belief that, with continued effort, the outcome I was working toward could be even better. 

Last June, UTS families provided us with the gift of feedback through our annual family survey. The information we gathered is helping us better understand the experience of our community, and will inform our ongoing efforts to make UTS the best that it can be for every UTS student. 

Overall, the feedback from those who completed the survey was exceptionally positive, and points to the value our families place in a UTS education. As with any survey, some findings point to areas where we can and will do better, and I want families to know we are listening and excited to undertake work in these areas.   

We have prepared a UTS Family Survey Executive Summary that highlights the findings. It is a snapshot of our school at a point in time that will serve as a benchmark for growth over the course of this year.

Thank you to everyone who participated.

House Spirit

Yesterday, our entire student community came out to University of Toronto’s Varsity Stadium in full House spirit ‒ not at all dampened by a little bit of rain! ‒ to take part in the decades-long UTS tradition of House Track for some friendly competition, fun and fresh air. Like the students who came before them, they engaged in events such as running races, three-legged races, speedwalking, hula-hoop contents and other tests of strength, speed and agility. Decked out in brilliant House colours: red for Althouse, green for Lewis, yellow for Crawford, blue for Cody, they shone through the rain. New students and staff who hadn’t yet been sorted, were sorted into UTS Houses for their time at our school, a school tradition that hails back to September 1957. The Houses are another way we build community, giving students a home away from home. Amid the friendly competition, it is not about winning or losing but the time we enjoy together, which is why traditions such as House Track are so important for our school.

Reconciliation: a Future of Hope

On Monday, we came together in Withrow Auditorium to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Students and staff wore orange shirts in recognition of the more than 150,000 children forced to attend residential schools. Our speaker, Dr. Niigaan Sinclair, shared that September 30th was chosen as Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation because it was historically the day when First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation children were taken from their homes.

We learned that our speaker, Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair is Anishinaabe and was born on St. Peter's (Little Peguis) Indian Settlement in southern Manitoba. A professor at the University of Manitoba, Dr. Sinclair is also a renowned author, writer and speaker on Indigenous issues, with an award-winning column in the Winnipeg Free Press.

Speaking to our community, Dr. Sinclair explained how deepening our understanding of Indigenous history, cultures, traditions while working towards Truth and Reconciliation is vital for our future as Canadians. Indigenous population growth is outpacing average growth across Canada. As First Nations, Inuit and Metis populations grow in size, so too will they grow in influence and importance. Deepening our students’ understanding of Indigenous culture and ways of knowing prepares them for a future of shared action as they enter the workforce. Dr. Sinclair believes that educating students who represent the economic future of our country is vital. Education will ensure they are ready to build mutually beneficial relationships and work in partnership with Indigenous peoples. It is through partnership that we can create sustainable growth and economic prosperity, thereby strengthening the fabric of our nation. It was an optimistic message that pointed to a future of hope.

Also during the assembly, students and staff listened to a video of a residential school survivor speaking about the lasting impact residential school had on their life and their community. We observed a moment of silence while the names of children who died in Canada’s residential schools were displayed, and then listened to a moving performance of “Lost and Found,” composed by UTS Composer-in-Residence Cris Derksen for UTS students, played by the Junior and Senior Strings Ensemble. Cris is an internationally respected Indigenous cellist and composer from Treaty 8 Northern Alberta, and an example of one of many extraordinary Indigenous Canadians making a difference in our country.  

After the assembly, our academic Department Coordinators met with Dr. Sinclair to discuss how to bring Indigenous perspectives into our school as a whole. Students and staff were given the opportunity to reflect on the keynote, and asked to commit to one action they can take this year to play their part in working towards Reconciliation, as well as to provide input on what we can do as a school. 

At UTS, our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation is a mindset that we hope will encourage a more equitable school community and a more sustainable world. As families, we all have an opportunity to consider what we can do to help further the process of Reconciliation for the good of our country.

Fix Injustice, Not Kids

UTS is a community that is passionate about learning, not just for our students but for everyone. Coming next month, we are so pleased to offer you an opportunity to learn from visionary U.S.-based educator and author Dr. Paul Gorski. The author, co-author or editor of 12 books including his most recent, Fix Injustice, Not Kids and Other Principles for Transformative Equity Leadership, Paul is an inspiring speaker with important messages for our community. 

Founder of the Equity Literacy Institute, he has worked with educators  in 48 states and 12 countries. Dr. Gorski brings 25 years of experience helping educators, nonprofit workers, and others in building deep and meaningful equity practices that put the student at the centre, which is so important to our school as we begin to implement work on our new Strategic Plan.  

Please reserve your free ticket here 

This exciting presentation takes place at UTS on October 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. 

This event is open to the public and I am making a special invitation to all our families and guardians to join us in exploring how to create real impact and transform our school into a place where all students thrive. I am very excited about this event, and expect it will be an inspiring evening for everyone. 

 Looking forward to seeing you there.

Curriculum Night and Strategic Plan Launch

Dear UTS Families,

I hope your family is settling into the new school year! The connections between students, families, faculty and staff form the heart of our school, creating a supportive environment where our students thrive both academically and personally.

To celebrate and strengthen these connections, you are invited to attend these upcoming events which offer opportunities for you to engage with fellow parents, learn more about what is planned this year for your child’s classes, meet our dedicated staff and experience the vibrant spirit of UTS.

Curriculum Night and Strategic Plan Launch
Tuesday, September 17, 2024

UTS Parents’ Association Coffee Reception (from 4:45 to 5:20 p.m.)
Strategic Plan Launch in the Withrow Auditorium (5:30 to 5:50 p.m.)
Curriculum Night (6 to 8:30 p.m.)

Family BBQ
Friday, September 20, 2024

Your presence and involvement help make UTS more than just a school for your child. With your support, we become a community that builds friendships and connections for life. 

I look forward to seeing you and connecting with you in person this week.

Welcome to a new school year at UTS!

Excitement was in the air this morning as students and staff came together for our first whole school assembly. Rousing applause accompanied our new F1, M3 and senior students as they filed into Withrow Auditorium, a long standing tradition that formally welcomes them into the UTS family. Our new Co-Captains (collectively known as “Navy”) and our incoming House Captains brought delight and positivity as they highlighted the year ahead. And what better way to build school spirit than to have Ms. Wan, Ms. Jenkin and Mr. Nachshen, all proud alumni of UTS, lead us in the school cheer!

Our goal this year is to build community, ignite school spirit and ensure a thoughtful approach to how we work with and support one another.  Our new timetable, improved processes, mobile-device free school day and a continued focus on deep learning, both inside and outside the classroom, will support our focus on school improvement. A huge thank you to our entire community for completing the UTS Core Agreements and Contact Confirmation before school started today. It might sound like a small thing, but it’s not! This efficiency allowed our front office and IT staff to focus solely on the needs of our students today – a true gift that benefitted all!

I look forward to sharing more with our families about the exciting changes ahead at UTS. We will be sharing our new Strategic Plan with families on Curriculum Night, and I am excited to talk more about our focus on academic excellence, building an inclusive community and providing each student with the opportunities to develop into lifelong learners with integrity and purpose.