Hello UA families,
If we’re lucky, on occasion, we get to experience an event or significant moment that you know will stay with you for some time. I have been fortunate enough to experience two this past week! The first was the UA Gala held on Saturday evening. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make that event a success. From donating items, to attending, to bidding on the auction items and the committee for their work in making it happen, led by Gala Chair Maeghan Dewar and Vice Chair Naomi Thé, it was an incredible success! The event helped us reach our goal of finishing our Senior spaces and decks, including a playground this summer. Thank you!
Another piece that Mr. Slinger announced on Saturday is that we started on our journey to raise funds for an activity bus. With so many field trips, sports teams and other excursions taking place, a bus would be a game-changer, especially for parents who are continuously asked to carpool students to and from these events. If you would like to continue to support this UA fundraising initiative we would welcome you to do so here.
The second incredible moment that took place this week was a special full-school cultural assembly on Wednesday. We were privileged to have three special guests from Anishinaabe Plains Ojibwe, Nehiyaw Treaty 6 and the Isga Nakoda Paul Band come and share their Indigenous cultures, spirits, stories, music, and dance with us. We had the chance to witness some exceptional hoop dancing where students were able to see a variety of wildlife reenacted as Eli Gosselin-Rattlesnake danced to the music of the ancient drum. Experiences like this are a privilege for both students and staff to take part in, and can’t help but deepen our understanding and appreciation for other cultures. To conclude the assembly we all took part in a full school circle dance around the drum (which actually made for three large circles-within-circles) in the gym. Following the assembly our Grade 8-12 students also had the opportunity to meet our guests for a Q&A session. What a special experience we were all able to share!
And finally, I am grateful to be able to share another piece of news announced this last weekend. We are unbelievably proud of our Grade 12 students who have now all heard back from the universities that they have applied to. Not that we had any doubt, but we are excited to share that they have all received acceptance to their top schools of choice. From U of T, SFU and UVic, UBC’s Sauder School of Business and Capilano University Performing Arts, we have students going to a variety of schools and programs. We have no doubt that they will be successful! Even from my office, I hear the communal cheer from all of our parents behind all of our students saying ‘go kids go’. So thank you for being part of the early story of what we know will be life-long success for all of our graduates, and beyond that, all of our Urban Academy Students!
Yours in Developing UA Together,
Sonja Kennedy
