Dear UA families,
It seems that the mild winter days are coming to an end and next week’s weather forecast shows a quick drop in the temperature with more rain and even some snow. For our junior students, please make sure that the students have weatherproof outdoor gear at all times and are ready to brave the weather for outdoor play.
The UA Student Life Team is exploring more innovative opportunities for the development of physical literacy in the spaces that are available to us at all grades, as physical activity supports children’s mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Colourful decals have been added to the second-floor hallway and have proven to be a major success with our junior students, who are showing creative ways of movement using these coloured deckles.
We are also very encouraged by our families’ participation in the Annual Appeal. We are about 34% to our $250,000 goal to finish our deck spaces culminating in a playground on our 4th-floor deck. We know that these spaces will benefit our students and their learning. You can still contribute by donating a Parent Equity Unit here or donating online. Thank you for helping us finish off these spaces!
This week we have had many discussions at Junior, Middle, and Senior levels around inclusion and belonging. Inclusion is when every member feels they belong to the community and is empowered to make decisions in its best interest. At assemblies and in conversations with students we have discussed what inclusion feels like, looks like, and sounds like in different settings and how we can create a culture of belonging. These conversations are part of a bigger discourse in society and it is paramount that we continue discussing these issues to develop understanding at home and at school.
On a final note in light of the police incident last week that caused the temporary closure of the Braid Street Skytrain station: if your children commute using transit, please let them know that in situations such as this, they are always welcome to return to school as it is a safe place.
Respectfully yours,
Ms. Khatereh Dadar
Associate Principal
