What an incredible day it has been! We kicked things off with an energetic Sports Day Pep Rally, featuring fantastic performances from both UA’s Rock Band and the UA Staff Band. It’s always a treat to see so many talented people who walk our halls every day shine on stage! Our Sports Day was skillfully led by some UA’s Grade 9 students, as our Grade 10–12 students have spent the last few days, as well as next week, completing their final end-of-year assessments. If you see any Grade 10–12 students around, please offer them a word of encouragement as they are all working incredibly hard these days!
I’m excited to share some high-level results and updates from our recent community survey. Firstly, we are thrilled to learn that UA families are very happy with what the school has to offer, particularly praising the quality of our staff and the strong sense of community. Your comments repeatedly highlighted how much you value these essential aspects, and we truly believe our community is something special.
We also look to the survey for valuable guidance and feedback. The most common constructive theme we heard was a desire for ‘more’. While our middle and senior students already enjoy many extracurricular opportunities, there’s a clear desire for more options at the junior ages. Families also expressed a wish for greater clarity on our assessment practices and what the proficiency scale truly means. Additionally, we heard that our younger families aren’t always fully aware of the breadth of offerings available at the Senior School, which is something we will actively work on for next year. In the meantime, feel free to explore the Middle School Course Guide and the Senior School Course Guide to see what’s available. Finally, there’s a strong desire to know more about our Graduates and Alumni, whom we are so proud of. We are developing new ways to share those stories with you. We have heard you, and please stay tuned for more updates!
On a very exciting note from the survey, due to overwhelming parent desire and the incredible dedication of our Carnival Volunteer Committee, the UA Carnival will indeed return next year! Save the date for April 11, 2026, and if you’re interested in joining the Carnival Committee, please email Urban Academy PAX. We will also be hosting a wonderful 25th Anniversary UA Gala Celebration on February 28, 2026, at the Hilton Metrotown. Save the date for this event, too, where we will be honouring our past, looking to our future and celebrating together!
None of these wonderful initiatives would ever be possible without the incredible support of our parents. We want to extend a huge thank you to all our key volunteer groups: the Hot Lunch team, the Used Uniform Committee, the UA Board, Class Parents, PAX, Carnival, traffic volunteers, parent drivers, and so many others. Your contributions allow us to provide the kind of experience our students and families have come to cherish at UA. We appreciate you more than you know!
There are a few people that I would like to especially thank. Our Parent Volunteer Coordinator, Harm Hayre, is completing her three-year commitment. We are so grateful for Harm and the work that she has done to place and organize volunteers and support all of the initiatives at UA. We will miss you, but are grateful to Seema Kanji, who will step into this important role for September. Not stepping down, but someone always worth thanking is Lana Vijay, who leads the colossal work of Hot Lunch at UA, as well as the Used Uniform Store. Thank you, Lana, we appreciate you! And of course, a big thank you to our parent volunteers who sit on the UA Board, led by Kate Begent-Connors. They continue to work hard, looking ahead so that UA can be well prepared for a bright future.
Finally, I’d like to express our gratitude to Tina Parmar and Zakkiya Janmohamed, who have served as Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively, for PAX. They are now at the end of their three-year terms. They have been a fantastic team! As PAX Chair, Tina has been a passionate leader and a true community-building force. We will miss her leadership, planning skills and attention to detail, but she won’t go far as she has once again agreed to lead the Carnival Committee! Thank you, Tina. We are very fortunate to have two wonderful parents stepping up as PAX Co-Chairs for the coming year: Suman Ghataurah and Parveen Rai will be sharing leadership duties, and we are excited for their vision.
Over the years, it has become even more clear to me that at Urban Academy, the vibrant spirit of our community is truly one of our greatest strengths. Every event, every program, and every moment of connection is nurtured by the dedication and generosity of our families. It’s through these countless acts of giving back – from volunteering at events to leading committees – that we build a place where every student can thrive. As Helen Keller wisely said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Thank you for being the heart of UA, for your unwavering support, and for creating a truly remarkable experience for us all.
Yours in Developing Urban Academy,
Ms. Sonja Kennedy, Director of Development