October 14, 2022
Dear UA Parents,
I hope you have enjoyed hearing from the other members of the UA Senior Leadership Team over the last few weeks in this space. It felt very odd to have Thanksgiving weekend and have family members showing up in shorts and t-shirts because the weather is so warm. I guess we should appreciate the good weather while we have it, but I have some sweaters that I am ready to wear.
Earlier this week I sent out an email to the UA community announcing the start of our ‘Let’s get Moving’ Annual Appeal. We have some big things that we want to do at the school to improve the amenities and provide students with more opportunities to move!! I am confident that our UA families will be able to meet the lofty goal of $250,000.00 in order to make these grand plans a reality for our students. To donate today and get us closer to our goal of being able to upgrade the play decks, fourth floor deck playground and the new rooftop deck, please click here.
I am also excited to let you know that the Board, with participation from staff leaders, has commenced the development of UA’s next strategic plan. The work that has been done to date has focused on the Vision and Mission which has sparked some excellent conversations about where UA is currently at and opportunities for the future. As this process unfolds, we will engage parents, staff and students in gathering feedback for the development of the new strategic plan which will become the guiding document for UA from 2023 through 2028.
Many of you may remember that last June, UA was accepted as a Candidate School with Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS). This was a positive achievement as it means that the CAIS accrediting body believes that UA is operating at a level worthy of pursuing full membership with CAIS. As a Candidate School, we have 3 years to complete a self-study to demonstrate competency across 12 standard areas, made up of approximately 100 Indicators of Effective Practice. Currently, I am working with members of the Board and UA Staff to complete the documentation process for all of the Indicators of Effective Practice. This process will be ongoing for several months in anticipation of a CAIS Accreditation Team visit in the 2023-2024 school year. Once UA has successfully made it through the accreditation process we will join over 90 schools that all commit to undergoing a reflective and collaborative school improvement process, meet National Standards, and participate in research and professional learning. This will be an important step in the evolution of UA.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Yours in education,
Mr. Slinger
Head of School
