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UTSPA Annual General Meeting
June 7, 2007
Building the Future Strategic Plan – Parent Input
Guiding questions:
1. What makes UTS unique?
- not sure
- it is a special place, but I’m not able to
put finger on it
- happy two kids are here; jealous I (as a
parent) can’t be a student
- exposed to so many things at a critical time
in life; kids grow in this environment
- importance of human cultural heritage and the
part it plays in the curriculum, as they shape the world; ROA
- students feel respected and appreciated
- passion and dedication from teachers
- open to communication
- cultural and open mindedness
- amount of independence kids have
- great teachers; relationships with kids
- experience of teachers (sabbaticals)
- encouraging and accepting environment
- incredible academics
- students are phenomenal; feed off each
other’s high expectations
- creative chaos
- activities being student-driven/centred;
powerful….teamwork, leadership
- the magic around the acceptance process
- everyone makes you feel special and you feel
special; we feel at home; even the parents feel special
- UTS culture; no groups/cliques…everyone is
friends
- environment—community, excellence,
relationships
- energy in the building
- unique curriculum
2. Imagine that you have a young child (2 or 3 years old). What
does UTS have to look like in ten years when that child is entering grade
seven, for you to send your child here?
- Great and meaningful relationships in life
- Being healthy and happy and doing what you
love
- Allow child to find themselves to find their
ideal job; knowledge as opposed to marks
- Be able to communicate in a meaningful way
- Not to lose the independence—become too
structured
- More leadership opportunities for students
who aren’t as confident; planting ideas not just clubs; leadership
should be embedded in UTS structure
- More opportunities to partnership; i.e. MaRS
- Mentorship, coaching, goals and how this can
help students deal with procrastination
- Teaching success skills for real life;
learning habit-changing skills; internal dialogue
- Excellence is a habit and we should make it a
daily one
- Balance between grades and inspire them to
build habits of experience
- Holistic approach, i.e. balance between
science and art
- Community outreach, responsibility and
involvement…meaningful
- Ancient studies; we shouldn’t just be
fascinated in invention but also our history
- Focus on what we would like kids to be like
when they leave the school; best adults possible; to give back to the
community
- Wouldn’t want school to change as this could
change nature of the students; i.e. concern about tuition increase and
how it might affect the type of student
- Rebuild the concept of a lab school
(university)
- Keep the tuition affordable
- Physical appearance: integrate history with
progressive (technology); retains tradition but incorporates
sophistication of the new world
- Continue to review grading issue
- Make a place for group work; spaces for
activities other than classroom work; moveable walls; this will change
the teaching styles of the teachers
- Innovative spaces; increase storage
- Increase security
- Improve our teaching innovation; we don’t
want to be a cookie-cutter high school
- Distance learning; packaging courses
