March 5, 2021
Dear UA Parents,
Once in a while, you may see some new names penning the UA Weekly Update. I am happy to be the first guest writer bringing you our recap of the week! And what a full week it has been.
Some of you may remember that it was two years ago on this very day that we opened our doors at 466 Rousseau. We had just had a wonderful (in-person) Gala celebration the weekend prior, and on March 5, 2019, Urban Academy students were welcomed into their new home. Though there was still a little work to be done, we were able to start settling into what has become a welcome space for learning, growing, and discovering for all who enter the building – students, staff, and parents alike. Happy facility birthday, Urban Academy!
We had some other highlights this week, one being a beautiful day that our Grade 4-6 students were able to spend snowshoeing and tubing up at Sasquatch Mountain. The photos that we have seen showcase many, many happy students on a sun-drenched mountain. Always good to get students outside experiencing all that BC has to offer.
Another highlight of the week was seeing Mr. Slinger present the top three reader prizes per grade group in a number of our primary and middle school cohorts. As he bounced from classroom to classroom he came across many proud readers who may have disclosed that they had been reading instead of whatever they should have been doing (homework, sleeping, etc.) throughout the duration of the Read-A-Thon. He shared his favourite book and had a literary discussion with our middle school students, and it was evident that the love of literacy and the joy of reading is alive and well!
Urban Academy staff are working hard to ensure that our students are experiencing as much normalcy as possible at school. Some of our teachers have found more opportunities to take their classes outside and in-school field trips such as the French magic show and High Tech High Touch have been a hit. However, we also realize that the pandemic has impacted both parents and students and we want to share information regarding the Neufeld Conference with our families. They have put together a program focused on supporting the mental health of children, which will be taking place virtually on April 16 and 17. More info can be found on their website: https://web.cvent.com/event/b1e1a905-8e81-4a49-8dca-bdcb7860a9aa/summary.
We hope you have a restful and safe weekend and we’ll see you Monday.
All the best,
Ms. Kennedy
Director of Development
