April 11, 2024

Written By UTS

Fostering Brilliance

The Power of Pink
For the past 11 years, UTS has worked with students to honour and celebrate the International Day of Pink. The purpose of the day is to “create a more inclusive and diverse world.” As a school community, Day of Pink matters deeply to us. Many 2SLGBTQ+ youth report being bullied or harassed and we want to show them how much they matter and how much we care. 

To celebrate our shared commitment to this work, activities on this day have always been multifaceted, including an assembly with one or more speakers, followed by a block party that brings the strength of our whole community together outside our school. We wear the pink shirt to challenge social norms and stand up against bullying towards 2SLGBTQ+ community members, and we take the day as an opportunity to learn more about their issues and experiences. 

Over the years, we have been honoured to host powerful and engaging speakers, and yesterday’s assembly continued this tradition. Our three guest speakers, as well as UTS Guidance Counsellor Catherine Wachter, generously shared their lived experiences and social change work with our students.  

They covered the gamut from the historical fight for equal rights and representation to the contemporary struggles faced by Queer refugees from around the world, from recounting experiences of isolation to celebrating community.

One of our guests, Kimahli Powell, the chief executive officer of Rainbow Railroad, spoke about the persecution 2SLGBTQ+ people still face around the world and the organization’s ongoing efforts to bring people to safety.  

Over the last five years, UTS has directed the Day of Pink fundraising efforts at the school to Rainbow Railroad. In partnership with TD Canada Trust’s Queen and Ossington branch, we have raised over $20,000 to date. We take deep pride in the fact that we have made such a positive impact on so many lives through this day.

The assembly ended with UTS Guidance Counsellor Catherine Wachter’s retelling of why we celebrate Pink Day.

Her profound and brave account of the blatant homophobia she faced and the importance of finding community was one of the most moving moments I have ever experienced at a school.

Please take the time to watch this part of the assembly.

Yesterday was a tremendous learning opportunity for all who attended. Understanding the scope of historic and contemporary struggles faced by the 2SLGBTQ+ community lies at the heart of the inclusion and empathy we seek to foster at UTS. 

I am proud of the open conversations we have as we encourage every member of our community to stand tall, knowing they are seen, valued and supported. I am proud of our teachers who work to bring hearts, minds and action together with and for our students. I am immensely proud that every year on April 10 we come together as one to speak out against bullying and listen to the multiplicity of voices that bring us closer to understanding each other.

Thank you to the Day of Pink Organizing Committee and to staff advisors Catherine Wachter and Chris Walasek for the deep personal commitment and positive energy they demonstrate every year to create a meaningful Day of Pink for students and staff at UTS.

Dr. Leanne Foster

Late Start - Monday, April 15

A late start is planned for Monday, April 15. Classes begin at 10:30 a.m.

Parent/Guardian Meeting for M3 Parents

April 25

There will be an informational meeting for parents and guardians of M3 students for the upcoming Ottawa trip. 

It is scheduled for April 25 at 6 p.m. on Zoom (link). 

The meeting will be recorded for those who are unable to attend. If your M3 student is not attending the trip, you do not need to attend the meeting. 

Indigenous Book Fair

April 25

On Thursday April 25, UTS is hosting an Indigenous Book Fair.

The book fair will be open to students starting at lunch and parents are invited to come in and shop afterschool between 3:45 to 5 p.m.

The Indigenous bookseller GoodMinds and a few local Indigenous artists will have their shops set up in the Atrium and the multipurpose room.

We hope you will come and support this event.

F1 Drama/Geography Performance

April 18

The Drama and Geography departments have come together to bring the Dora-award winning play, Finding Home, to our F1 students on Thursday, April 18 at noon in the Jackman Theatre. Students will be dismissed from period 2 at 11:30 a.m. and have a short lunch break. At noon, they will experience this exciting piece of theatre, while enhancing their learning around ecosystems, urban ecology, the salmon life cycle, and friendship! Any questions, please contact Melissa Shaddick, Gowsi Thirunavukkarasu or Mike Farley.

Service Saturday

April 27

F1 and F2s are reminded to save the date of Saturday, April 27 from 10:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. for their second, annual Service Saturday. Foundation students will be put in groups of 20 and will be partnered with an organization. 

They will participate in an empathy-building session for that organization, followed by a pizza lunch and then community service for that organization, all in-house at UTS! 

Students are reminded that unless there is a conflict that they can’t get out of, to participate in this impactful day. 

If a student can’t make it, please contact Catherine Wachter at catherine.wachter@utschools.ca.

First Aid Certification Opportunity

July 2-3

For students currently in M3 and above, Mr. Sood (School Nurse) will be running a reduced cost ($75) Standard First Aid and CPR/AED C class. 

Taking place July 2 and 3 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., students will learn the skills to deal with a variety of health emergencies, as well as how to properly perform CPR and use an AED. 

Upon successful completion, students will receive their Red Cross Certification. 

Please click here to register. 

UTS Parents’ Association 2024-25 Nominations Open

We are inviting all those interested in joining the UTSPA Executive Committee for the 2024-25 school year  to submit an expression of interest using this form. The deadline for submitting your expression of interest is Monday, April 22, 2024. We appreciate your interest in joining the UTSPA Executive Committee.

UTSPA General Meeting - May 1, 2024

UTSPA invites you to attend the General Meeting with UTS' Kimberley Tavares, PhD, Deputy Principal on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. The topic at this conversation will be Why Do We Need to Talk About That? Having Courageous and Difficult Conversations about Equity & Inclusion with Children and Teens. Please register with this link for this hybrid event. On behalf of UTSPA, we look forward to welcoming our fellow parents and guardians with this opportunity to engage and grow together.

Register for UTS Summer Camp

Register for UTS Summer Camps here. Camps range in ages from Grade 4 to Grade 11, and include Photography, Creative Writing, Character Design and Global Health. Please email camps@utschools.ca for more information.

Hosting Opportunity

We are looking for a few more families to participate in our great German summer program by hosting a German student and by participating in the unique Maximum City camp. UTS host students will also be first in line for taking part in a trip to Frankfurt next Spring! 


UTS will arrange ‘getting to know each other’ activities and some sightseeing. Host families provide a supportive homestay for students from June 21 to July 2. If your family is open to new experiences please consider hosting one of the friendly, English-speaking students from our partner school in Frankfurt. Simply complete this expression of interest form and we will get back to you with the details.

Volunteer Opportunity: Summer Experience Program Hosts

UTSPA is hosting our annual Summer Experience Program this summer 2024.

Please sign up to become a host, which involves giving our M4 and S5 students a brief experience of your work environment and sharing your knowledge, thoughts and enthusiasm about your profession with them! The length can range from a half-day to a week-long experience.   

The Program is a work placement experience aiming to give M4 and S5 UTS students experience in different industry sectors through real-world working environments.

You can also contact Program co-leads at christine.wong@utschools.ca and randy.pang@utschools.ca.

Learn more about the UTSPA Summer Experience Program

Flame Fresh Lunch Menu

Here are the April menus from Flame Fresh including the list of ingredients.

For April in addition to the regular menu they are offering a vegetarian menu in hopes of ensuring there are options for everyone.

Please check out their tasty new vegetarian options. 

Mindful Munch Lunch Menu

UTS is also offering a hot lunch menu through Mindful Munch, which is brought to you by Basil Box! You can see the April menu here.

Please place your order for April here.

UTS Together Giving Days

UTS Together is a dedicated philanthropy initiative for parents and guardians.

Save the date! May 6 to10. Watch for updates in your inbox!

Close the Gap

You should have received your spring appeal in your mailbox recently.

Please help close the gap by making your donation today - to make sure all UTS students who face barriers to a UTS education are supported for the 2024-25 school year. 

All donations will count towards UTS Together parent giving days, scheduled from May 6 to 10!

S6 Parents: Graduation Diploma Frames

This is a reminder that graduation diploma frames are available for pre-order until April 18.

Check out grad gifts at the UTS Shop.

UTS Shop - New Items

New Items at the UTS Shop! Get this great looking licence plate frame and show your UTS pride!  Also - introducing our RFID Pouch - a sleek and secure solution for safeguarding your essentials! This pouch features two compartments, an internal key chain, and RFID protection, ensuring the utmost security for your car fob and cards. The built-in clip provides on-the-go protection without compromising style. Shop these and many other items at the UTS Shop!

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