October 9, 2025
First Staff Social Today - The Fortunate Fox
TODAY is the day of our first Staff Social! Please walk over to the Fortunate Fox for some scintillating conversation, yummy nibbles, and community building. We hope to see you there!
PD Day Survey
Teachers, please complete before Friday, October 10.
In preparation for the upcoming PD Day on Friday, the planning team would like to capture a bit of information about your experience with teaching and assessing Learning Skills & Work Habits. We ask that you kindly complete this very brief survey before Friday, October 10.
OISE MT Candidates
Reminder: There are no TC classroom visits on Oct 16. They will return again on Thursday October 23. October 30 will be the last observation day until January, as the teacher candidates will be doing placements in schools over November.
First Lockdown Drill Will Be October 14
As a reminder for your planning purposes - Please do not share this with students at this time.
The first lockdown drill will be Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. (Block I)
The third fire drill will be the week of October 20, 2025.
Please review the Lockdown protocols here. Teachers please speak to your Block I classes about what will happen during a lockdown. Students should be aware they will hear a siren, and they should move away from the door against the back wall of the room and remain quiet. Please also warn them that they will hear banging and someone trying to open the door, simulating an intruder trying to get into the space.
Standby Coverage, Instructions to Students During the M4 Experiential Education Trip to Montreal October 15-17
M4 Teachers who are not away on the M4 Trip to Montreal will be on Standby Coverage during their M4 periods.
If you teach a class with M4 students that also has student in another grade with whom you will be working, please let the Main Office know and please provide your attendance to the Main Office during your class.
If you teach a class with M4 students that has students in another grade but will not be working with the non-M4 students and you would like them to work quietly in the library, please let them know that they should check in at the Main Office (for attendance) and then proceed immediately to the Evans Library to check in with Ms. Courtney.
M4 teachers not teaching a mixed-grade class, and who are not assigned morning standby coverage, are kindly asked to remain in their workrooms during class times so the main office can easily reach them if needed.
Instructions To Students in Mixed-Grade Classes and M4s Not Going to Montreal During the M4 Montreal Trip
Students who are in M4 classes but not in M4 will be advised to sign in at the Main Office and proceed to the Evans Library for a study period. M4 students will be advised not to be at school while their grade is away.
Weekly Wellness Tip 01
Welcome to your first weekly wellness tip! Stay tuned for a different tip each week!
Morning Routines that Work
The way you start your morning shapes the rest of your day. Try one small shift this week, like prepping your lunch the night before, giving yourself 5 minutes of quiet before students arrive, or writing down your top three priorities. A little structure at the start can reduce stress later.
Flu/COVID Vaccine Clinic
UTS has partnered with the local Shoppers Drug Mart to offer a Flu Shot/COVID booster clinic to all staff. The clinic will be held on November 5 in the Lang Innovation Lab.
You can choose to get both vaccinations or just one. Please indicate your interest here.
If you have any questions, reach out to Adi Sood.
Echo Chamber Creative Residency
We’re excited to welcome Aaron Schwebel, UTS alum and director of Echo Chamber — a performance series blending chamber music, dance, and physical storytelling — for a creative residency beginning this month. Aaron and his team will be developing a new musical work about Canada in the Jackman Theatre on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and select Friday afternoons, starting October 14. To connect with the project or involve your classes, reach out to Mel Shaddick or anyone on the Music and Drama team.
M3 Drama Excursion – November 12
M3 Drama students will be away for the afternoon on Tuesday, November 12 for a Drama excursion to the Tarragon Theatre. They’ll be attending a matinee performance of Childish and will return to school by the end of the day. Students should be reaching out to their period 4 and 5 teachers in the coming weeks.
POST-NDTR: Actions to Take Part-In
Hello all! Still thinking about something that would be
TOUR of Native Canadian Centre of Toronto LAST CALL (as permission forms need to be sent) An after-school walking tour hosted by Native Canadian Centre of Toronto with a group of UTS students/staff on October 14—-sign up here; limited spots available. Tour starts at 3:30pm and ends at 5:00 pm. Students would leave Period 5 at 3:20 pm.
Listen to Secret Life of Canada Podcast with Falen Johnson & Leah Simone Bowen on the Indian Act and its impact on Indigenous communities. Come to a discussion group on October 21 at lunch. Register here.
BOOK CLUB LAST CALL: Sign up to be a part of a book group, and get a free copy of Valley of the Birdtail. Come to biweekly book discussions with students & staff. Starts on Thursday October 9. Limited copies available. Book discussion would be at lunch on every other Thursday until the end of December.
See Emma’s suggestion for a visit to UT Art Museum’s Earthwork Exhibition.
Presto Tickets
If you would like to request one-way Presto tickets, please email accounts.payable@utschools.ca at least one week in advance of your trip. Please include the number of one-way tickets needed, GL coding and department manager approval. The Finance office will notify you when the tickets are ready to be picked up. Thank you!
