I hope everyone is excited about tomorrow鈥檚 UA Gala!! I am very excited to see how the gym is transformed into a Monte Carlo style casino. It will be the first opportunity we have to use our new floor coverings for the gym. The UA Gala is an opportunity for our community to come together in a social environment to tell stories and celebrate everything about UA. It is also an opportunity for us to share some of the projects that we are looking to complete over the next 18 months.  There are several ways to support UA from a philanthropic standpoint including the Annual Appeal,  donating of Parent Equity units, and participating in the live and silent auctions surrounding the Gala. If you haven鈥檛 checked out the list of live or silent auction items available to bid on, the auction closes at 10:00 pm tomorrow and student art at 10:15 pm. I am looking forward to seeing many of you tomorrow night.

On another note, I am happy to let you all know about some facility updates. If you were unaware the 3rd floor athletic deck has been closed since spring break. The weight of the wet snow that fell over spring break weighed down the netting and caused three of the fence posts to bend. Rather than just a quick repair, we took the opportunity to replace all of the fencing on the deck with taller posts to help keep the balls from going over the edge, and we completed the last section of turfing of the deck. I am pleased to let everyone know that the deck reopened today for student use. I am also excited to report that Wesgroup has moved their construction offices out of the house across the lane from the school, and UA is now the tenant of the property. We have four months to prepare the lot for use by our students for the start of next school year. We are working with some consultants about possibilities for the lot, once we have a plan we will put a call out to UA families to see if there is anyone able to help us with completing aspects of the project. 

The move of the Wesgroup office is possible because the building at 150 Braid (renumbered from 100 Braid) is progressing well. They are now able to move their offices into the building. Currently, they are at their peak in terms of the number of contractors on site with over 250 people working on the site on a given day. Please keep this in mind during drop-off and pick-up as there are a high number of workers moving around, not to mention many new contractors arriving on the site that do not know our routines and protocols. Thanks for your diligence and patience as we continue to work closely with Wesgroup to make sure the roads and walkways around UA and the Wesgroup site are safe for everyone. Construction will continue through late spring/summer 2025, but they should complete all of the floors at some point this summer, which will be followed by all of the interior finishing through next school year. They are currently pouring concrete for the 30th floor, so I expect they will get to the 36th and final floor just as we break for summer vacation.

Finally, a reminder to please check the UA calendar for the upcoming events. The weeks leading towards the end of the school year are full of different events from performances and competitions, to camp and graduation. We don鈥檛 want you to miss out on any of the fun. Speaking of fun, I hope everyone sends good vibes to the Canucks as they look to win the series against Nashville this tonight!! I loved seeing all the Canuck gear around the school today for the second Friday in a row. Go Canucks Go!!

Yours in education,
Mr. Slinger

We had a wide range of cross-grade buddy activities including Grow a Seedling, Mini terrarium building, Nature Walk and Talk and Neighbourhood Clean Up. These cross-grade activities are a wonderful opportunity to build community connections and develop student agency and advocacy. Thanks to the UA Green Team and Sustainability SAT for these activities! For me personally, it鈥檚 always so fascinating to watch the strong leadership capabilities of our Senior students and the growing confidence in our Junior students when they work together on these joint projects. I believe having JK to Grade 12 students in one building is a huge asset and I am always grateful to our teachers who plan for learning partnerships whenever possible.

Another community event this week was our annual Jean Up Day on Thursday led by UA Students. Thank you all for your support and generous donations. 

And finally, we are excited to share that the annual gala鈥檚聽聽is now up and ready to bid on. Included in there you will find some wonderful student art made by classes who are proud to be able to showcase their talents. Feel free to share the auction with family and friends. Funds raised go toward all the extras we鈥檇 like to see for UA Students!

Have a great weekend, everyone! 

Respectfully yours,
Khatereh Dadar

We came back to a bustling school on Wednesday with the Spring Arts Showcase preparations in full swing.  On Thursday our Grade 3 to 12 students not performing were able to Skytrain down to the Anvil Centre to watch the dress rehearsal. It was great that so many of the students were able to see the show and I expect the cast appreciated having an audience for the first run-through. Our youngest students will have the opportunity to see some of the numbers from the show in our own theatre in the next couple of weeks. 

Congratulations to all the students in the cast and the staff members who put on the Spring Showcase last night. There was a great crowd there to take it in. I know I was thoroughly entertained by our three show choirs, then the Jr. & Sr. Theatre Company who performed Finding Nemo Jr. and Newsies Jr. respectively. I had a sense of pride in the accomplishments of our students. Having had 4 years to observe the growth of some of these students is a wonderful perspective, it is truly amazing to see how far many of them have come with their skills and confidence. I appreciate the work and dedication it takes from all involved to make a show like this happen. 

Today was an excellent day of collaboration for the staff. Most of the Pro-D was dedicated to staff collaborating on our CAIS accreditation work in preparation for our CAIS visit next school year. The conversations are rich and are focused on school improvement across a wide range of standard areas. 

For the Canuck fans reading this鈥irst playoff game in a long time on Sunday.  Go Canucks Go!!.

Yours in education,
Mr.聽 Slinger

I just have a few notes to share with regard to community involvement. There are some parent leadership opportunities opening up for next year, one of which is a Parent Social Coordinator who takes the lead on a handful of Grade 6+ student socials throughout the school year. Thank you Sonya Das Gupta for leading the charge this school year, I know the students appreciate it!

We are not long away from a fantastic Gala fundraiser at UA on Saturday, May 4. Picture this, the UA gym will be decked out with our new floor covering (thank you PAX for raising funds to purchase this), a beverage upon arrival, a full sit-down dinner, cocktails, entertainment, dancing, casino games, a student art showcase and so much more. It will be a wonderful dinner out in our reimagined space with the UA community, parents, staff 鈥� and some friends.聽聽are still available, singles or purchase a table of 8, so please join us! Thank you to our Committee for making this happen. Also, welcome to MNP LLP and Pacific Graders as sponsors of the event!聽

I鈥檓 looking forward to seeing many of our families at the Spring Arts Showcase next week (Thursday, April 18) featuring our Show Choirs, Jr. Theatre Company performing Finding Nemo Kids, and Theatre Company putting on Newsies Jr. All families are invited to attend, even with younger students who may not be part of it. So please feel free to聽join us聽at the Anvil Centre for that as well.聽

Thank you to all of our parent volunteers who keep things running so smoothly at UA, we couldn鈥檛 do it without you!

Yours in Developing UA
Sonja Kennedy

Over and above some primetime drama learning, this experience provided students with the unique opportunity to work in a university science lab, perform DNA electrophoresis, and learn from experienced science professionals. After some shocking twists and turns, students were able to determine the suspect and solve the mystery. This experience was a fun and engaging way to apply their knowledge of genetics and biological science in a real-life scenario. It is not unusual for students to list 鈥榝orensic scientist鈥� as a career they wish to pursue, so it was a great opportunity for students to see what that may actually be like!

Beyond the Classroom

As 麻豆直播 teachers, whenever we get the chance, we jump at opportunities for students to take their learning out beyond the classroom. This is a deep connection we have to future-focused education and bringing learning to life! The day at Capilano University wasn’t just a field trip, it was a hands-on experience that connects what students are learning with the practical world of forensic science. Win-win!

On Monday, April 8 there will be a solar eclipse. This is a rare event with the last one occurring in our part of the world in 2017, and before that was 1979. After Monday鈥檚 eclipse, we will have to wait approximately 20 years until the next one. In order to avoid the risk of permanent damage, we will keep students indoors during the eclipse and the blinds will be down in classes.聽

It is important not to look directly at the eclipse, so for this reason, we will be adjusting the day schedule so that students are not outside during the peak time of the eclipse. Some of our classes will be doing special projects related to this event.

Fortunately, we do not have to wait two decades until the next UA Gala, that event is coming up in 4 weeks. I hope parents will consider to this important annual event as early bird sales end shortly. We are very excited to be hosting the Gala in the school. This is a significant event in the UA calendar and we require your support to make it a success! It is a wonderful opportunity to connect with friends and create new friends from the UA community. Please read on for more information. I look forward to seeing you all at A Night In Monte Carlo.

I would like to encourage everyone to please make sure to check the UA calendar for the next few months as the final term of the year is packed with many different events. A reminder that tickets to the spring showcase on April 18 have gone on sale this week. All information is published on the school website and the Parent Hub, with highlights being published in the Weekly Update each week.聽

Yours in education,
Mr. Slinger

The Plot Thickens With Split Findings 

Students carefully measured the mass of each type of Oreo cream filling, recording their findings with precision. They learned about the importance of conducting several trials to ensure their data was valid and reliable. The results? After meticulous measurement and analysis, to everyone鈥檚 surprise, half the class found the filling to be less than double the regular filling and the other half found the filling to be greater than double the regular filling! One thing is certain, it looks like the class will need to do more research! What to do with the leftovers鈥�

Connecting the Dots: Lab to Real-World Issues

The students then followed up the lab with an article connecting the research question to the recent issue of 鈥渟hrinkflation鈥� in daily consumer products. They were able to begin to understand the connection between marketing, overhead costs and the economy鈥� big thinking for Grade 7鈥檚! 

This experiment not only satisfied their sweet tooth (after the lab was over) but also provided valuable lessons in scientific methodology and critical thinking. It’s a testament to the fun and discovery that can be found in the most unexpected and tastiest of places! Perhaps this would be a fun family experiment one weekend? Food for thought!

Our basketball program reached new heights this winter, with Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7 boys and Grade 6/7 girls teams showcasing exceptional teamwork and skill development鈥� and even a little hardware! Our Junior Boys and Girls teams faced formidable challenges, showcasing their ability to compete at a high level growing leaps and bounds through the season with every passing game.

Celebrating Achievements: Lions’ Basketball Season Highlights

What an amazing basketball season by our Lions and we as a community have a lot to be proud of.  While we are incredibly proud of their achievements, a less tangible, but perhaps even more important gift that the basketball program has given to UA is the sense of camaraderie, school spirit and support that was born this season. Many students, staff and parents cheered on the home team both in the Lions’ Den and in competitor gyms, what a ride it has been!

But it is athletics, and athletics are competitive, so we are incredibly proud of all of these accomplishments:

• Grade 6/7 Girls: finished second at their ISEA Gr7 B Championships
• Grade 7 Boys: finished second at their ISEA Gr7 B Championships
• Grade 8-10 (JR) Girls: qualified for GVISAA Playoffs and played in a Fraser North Zone Wild Card game 
• Grade 9-10 (JR) Boys: played in a crossover game to get into the GVISAA Playoffs, played in a Fraser North Zone Wild Card game and finished third at the UA Invitational.

As we bid farewell to the winter athletics season, we鈥檇 like to thank the dedicated athletes and supportive families for making this season what it was. 麻豆直播 is also very fortunate to have such committed and knowledgeable coaches, both staff and a few incredible parent volunteer coaches 鈥� thank you to David Terepoki Grant and David Galler 鈥� who worked tirelessly to make this season a roaring success. We are already making plans and looking forward to what I know will be a fantastic 2024/25 basketball season in the Lions鈥� Den!

As you likely would have heard this聽week聽from your Class Parent (thank you Class Parents!) the community is coming together to support our largest fundraising event of the year, 鈥樷��. This is a significant event to help raise funds for the student 鈥榚xtras鈥� like tech, athletic equipment, experiential opportunities, fine and performing arts resources, and so much more.聽

Our parent-run Gala Committee is amazing for making this event possible, but they need the support of the community to pull it off. One of the most important parts is that parents attend! It is a great opportunity to connect with other parents, bring friends, have a fun meal out, do a little dancing, get the competitive bidding juices flowing, and even play some casino games this year. Take advantage of $125聽until April 6, and celebrate with the community at 麻豆直播 on May 4. You will also be treated to delectable nibbles and treats from two of our UA family businesses:聽聽for appetizers and聽聽for desserts. Thank you to the Abdullah and Terepocki Grant families for contributing in this way鈥� I know I am looking forward to it!

Another thing that I want to share is a shift in our storytelling/info-sharing as a school. We probably know all too well the answer to 鈥榳hat did you do today?鈥� can result in a brief or very high-level response from students鈥� or even on occasion 鈥榥othing鈥�! The reality is that your kids have some very interesting opportunities throughout the day that you probably would love to hear more about. Instead of waiting for quarterly newsletters to come out, we will be sharing these stories as teacher- and student-written Blog Posts on our website. If you would like to catch up on any of the following or learn more about what opportunities UA students are having, head over to the UA Blog:聽This is UA Life. Some more recent posts include:

• Grades 1鈥檚 & 4鈥檚 venture to the BIG science lab with Senior Buddies
• UA Students Take Part in Climate Action Summit
• Grades 8鈥檚 and 9鈥檚 take on Quebec Carnival
• Diplomacy is Not A Spectator Sport: Model UN

If you are staying close to home over the break and would like to live vicariously through 23 of UA鈥檚 Senior Students (and 4 amazing staff chaperones), please follow along on our聽聽as they journey through Japan on an 8-day trip of a lifetime. This group is learning about culture and adventure on their annual Senior Trip. We are looking forward to hearing about all of their time away when they return.聽

And now, enjoy your children for the next few weeks and we will see you at the Gala!

Yours in developing UA,
Sonja Kennedy