September 3, 2021
Dear UA Parents,
It was a great week at UA! The teachers arrived back to work on Monday which allowed us to all reconnect and hear about everyone’s summer. The new staff members have quickly been accepted into the UA family and like all the staff, they are keen to get the new school year started. Wednesday marked the return into the building for members of our parent community. It was wonderful to see so many families take part in our Back to School Celebration. The energy was very positive and there is a wonderful anticipation about the start to this school year.
As many of you are aware, the Federal and Provincial Governments have declared September 30 a statutory holiday – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – for federal and provincial employees. Urban Academy has changed our school calendar to honour the holiday. I would like to encourage all members of our UA community to use this day off to participate in some of the many events that will be occurring in communities around the country on this day. It is important that we all continue to reflect on our country’s past so that we can truly move forward with reconciliation and creating a Canadian society that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive for everyone. The school will have some focused learning in the week of September 30, and we will encourage our students and staff to wear orange shirts to school on Wednesday, September 29.
As we return to school we need to remember the COVID protocols that are expected to be followed by everyone to help keep everyone healthy. Please remember the following:
Do a daily health check with your children every morning.
Do not send your children to school if they are sick.
Masks are mandatory in Grades 4-12 and are recommended for younger students.
All eligible members of our community are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated
Our community has demonstrated an excellent level of compliance and respect in following the guidelines over the past year, and we expect that our community will do the same this year.
Next week it is important for everyone to be aware that we have two construction projects happening around the school – our own 5th Floor construction project and the Wesgroup Construction at 100 Braid. It is imperative that our families follow the drop-off and pick-up plans as we have communicated (we have included an underground drop-off etiquette outline below). The construction work crews have had two months without any school traffic. They are all aware of our return to school on Tuesday, but the reality and efficiency of our systems need to be seen to fully comprehend. We also need to remember to respect our neighbours and only park in spots that are allowed throughout the neighbourhood. I would like to encourage anyone who is able to walk, bike, or take transit to do so. Parents should consider dropping older students off up the road from the school and have them walk a couple of blocks to reduce congestion in and around the school. Thanks in advance for your assistance. It is likely that everyone will need a little extra patience as we all get back into the routines of drop-off and pickup.
Parents, please make sure you do read all of the information in this update as there are some slight adjustments to the schedule for dismissal, calendar items, forms to be completed, and other important information.
The start of the school year is always an exciting time filled with lots of energy. The UA staff is ready to welcome your children back to school. Enjoy the long weekend, and we will see you all on Tuesday.
Yours in education,
Mr. Slinger
