Welcome to autumn everyone,
It is hard to believe that the summer has come to a close. The school year is now in full swing with teaching and learning underway, clubs having started, and our first athletic games/ competitions happening this week. It definitely feels like we are into the routines now that autumn brings.
This past week we held a few significant community events. Last Sunday our PAX hosted our Annual Community Cleanup with more than 80 people participating and contributing positively to UA’s surrounding neighbourhood. On Tuesday, UA hosted our first, ever Golf Social at the Westwood Plateau Golf Academy. We had 11 foursomes demonstrate some UA resilience as everyone braved the rains to complete their rounds. After the golf, we had a fun social in the clubhouse with dozens of prizes handed out to participants. Watch for information in the New Year about a bigger golf social event in 2024!
Yesterday our students and staff participated in our first earthquake/fire/evacuation drill of the year. It is important that we make sure that everyone in the building knows what to do in an emergency. Everyone did an excellent job, especially on the evacuation to the Wesgroup parking lots down the laneway where we mustered. A successful drill, with more to come next month.
This morning our Kindergarten to Grade 3 students were formally welcomed into their houses in the Junior Assembly. The Grade 12 House Team Leaders were there to cheer them on and it is always so great to see the energy and pride these young students had with their new teams. This afternoon we had our Middle and Senior Spirit Assembly where all of the students wore their house team colours and we conducted our annual UA house team ‘sort’. The Grade 4’s as well as all of the new students to the school were welcomed to their house teams to the noise of earsplitting cheers from their new teammates. This is always such a fun event. This year’s house teams program now includes ALL K to Grade 12 students and will make for so many great events year-round. As part of the assembly, our staff and leadership students get the student body pumped up for our annual Terry Fox Run at Hume Park and the first house team competition of the year. Once again our students impressed, running in honour of Terry and everyone else who has been impacted by cancer.
Next week we will be hosting our Truth and Reconciliation Assembly. This assembly will allow our students to reflect on their understanding of truth and reconciliation and learn more about why we have the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, and a school holiday on Monday, October 2 to observe it. We will be encouraging all students and staff to wear an orange shirt on Friday, September 29 if they have one for the assembly. I hope you all take some time to reflect on your own personal stories and consider all of the factors that have occurred over generations for you to be in this place. The more we consider the past, the better equipped we are to make the future a better place for everyone.
Yours in education,
Mr. Slinger
