PRINCIPAL POSITION PROFILE

UPPER CANADA COLLEGE 

PRINCIPAL POSITION PROFILE

To ignite boys’ curiosity, 

imagination and passion. 

To support diligence, innovation 

and excellence in all they pursue. 

To encourage compassion and 

integrity throughout their lives. 

To challenge them to make a 

difference. 

This is our mission. 

We believe in boys.

1 / Principal Search / Upper Canada College 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

2 The UCC experience 

4 UCC: 186 years of history 

6 Campus and facilities 

7 UCC-at-a-glance 

10 A decade of achievement 

12 UCC makes news 

14 Illustrious UCC alumni 

18 Role profile


The UCC 

experience 

On the list of familiar Canadian institutions, Upper 

Canada College has a longstanding entry, known for 

our commitment to educating boys and unlocking their 

potential, our teachers and staff who inspire 

and support, and our globally connected alumni. 

Upper Canada College is recognized 

nationally and globally as one of 

North America’s foremost boys’ 

schools. Educating tomorrow’s 

leaders since 1829, UCC is an 

International Baccalaureate World 

School for 1,169 students in Senior 

Kindergarten through Grade 12, 

including 88 boarders. With 100 

per cent university placement, UCC 

offers award-winning faculty and 

state-of-the-art educational and 

sports facilities. A central Toronto 

location offers easy access to a city 

The Economist voted “most liveable” 

in 2015. Its alumni network of 

8,000 includes political leaders, 

actors and Olympians. (UCC has 

graduated six lieutenant governors, 

four premiers, seven chief justices 

and four Toronto mayors). With an 

$87-million endowment fund, we are 

committed to ensuring that 

20 per cent of students receive 

financial assistance. 

AT A GLANCE 

Enrolment: 1,169 

Boarding: 88 Day: 1,081 

Grades: Senior Kindergarten through Grade 5 (International 

Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme); Grade 6 through 

Foundation Year (preparation for IB Diploma Programme); Grades 

11 and 12 (IB1 and IB2); one of Canada’s broadest programs, 

scores are generally four points higher than the world average 

Faculty: 150 (full-time) — Prep: 60 and Upper School: 90 

Student/Faculty Ratio: 8:1 

Average Class Size: 18


Where are 

they now? 

UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE DESTINATIONS 

OF UCC GRADS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS 

Canada 

Carleton University 

Concordia University 

Dalhousie University 

HEC Montreal 

Lakehead University 

McGill University 

McMaster University 

Polytechnique Montreal 

Queen’s University 

Ryerson University 

Sheridan College 

Saint Mary’s University 

Université Laval 

University of British Columbia 

University of Guelph 

University of King’s College 

University of New Brunswick 

University of Ontario Institute of Technology 

University of Ottawa 

University of Toronto 

University of Victoria 

University of Waterloo 

Western University 

Wilfrid Laurier University 

York University 

U.S.A. 

Babson College 

Bard College 

Bates College 

Berklee College of Music 

Boston University 

Bowdoin College 

Brown University 

Buffalo State 

Calvin College 

Canisius College 

Carleton College 

Carnegie Mellon 

Colby College 

Columbia University 

The Cooper Union 

Cornell University 

Davidson College 

Dickinson College 

Duke University 

Emerson College 

Emory University 

Flagler College 

George Washington University 

Georgetown University 

Georgia Tech University 

Hamilton College 

Harvard University 

The Juilliard School 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Miami University, Ohio 

Middlebury College 

New York University 

Northeastern University 

Northwestern University 

Palm Beach Atlantic University 

Parsons The New School for Design 

Pennsylvania State University 

Pepperdine University 

Princeton University 

Quinnipiac University 

Rhode Island School of Design 

Rollins College 

Santa Clara University 

School of the Art Institute of Chicago 

St. Bonaventure University 

St. Lawrence University 

Skidmore College 

Stanford University 

Trinity College 

Tufts University 

Union College 

University of California, Berkeley 

University of California, Los Angeles 

University of Chicago 

University of Denver 

University of Massachusetts (Amherst) 

University of Miami 

University of Michigan 

University of Minnesota 

University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) 

University of Notre Dame 

University of Pennsylvania 

University of Rochester 

University of Southern California 

University of Virginia 

University of Washington 

Vanderbilt University 

Wake Forest University 

Washington University in St. Louis 

Wesleyan University 

Williams College 

Yale University 

International 

Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem (HU) 

Chinese University of Hong Kong 

Czech Technical University (CZ) 

Durham University (UK) 

Eberhard-Karls-Universität (DE) 

Imperial College (UK) 

James Cook University (AU) 

The London School of Economics 

and Political Science (UK) 

Queen Mary University of London (UK) 

Royal College of Surgeons (IE) 

Sciences Po (FR) 

St. George’s, University of London (UK) 

Università Bocconi (IT) 

University College Dublin (IE) 

University of Bristol (UK) 

University of Cambridge (UK) 

University of Edinburgh (UK) 

University of Exeter (UK) 

University of Kent (UK) 

University of Leeds (UK) 

University of Manchester (UK) 

University of Oxford (UK) 

University of Sheffield (UK) 

University of St Andrews (UK) 

Yale-NUS College (SG)


UCC: 186 

years of history 

Last day at the Russell Square site 

in downtown Toronto and campus 

officially moved to Deer Park 

Year: 1891 

Old Upper School 

building condemned 

and rebuilt 

Years: 1958–60 

UCC founded by 

Sir John Colborne 

Year: 1829 

Norval Outdoor School 

property purchased; 

first Norval picnic 

Year: 1913 

1829 1840 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980


With respect for almost 200 years of tradition and history, 

Upper Canada College is also a future-facing innovator in 

Canadian boys’ school education. UCC was founded in 

1829 by the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, Sir John 

Colborne, as a non-denominational feeder school for the newly 

founded King’s College (later the University of Toronto). His 

intention was to make a difference in the lives of boys who 

would go on to make a difference to society. Fees were 

kept intentionally low at the outset, to attract a range of 

boys with the character and potential to contribute to their 

communities upon graduation. UCC was modelled after 

Britain’s top all-boys schools, most notably Eton College. The 

original campus was located downtown in Russell Square 

before it moved to its current site in 1891. The Ontario 

government stopped funding UCC in 1900; it is the oldest 

independent school in Ontario. 

First International 

Baccalaureate 

diplomas introduced 

Year: 1998 

Richard Wernham and 

Julia West Centre for 

Learning opened 

Year: 2001 

Think Ahead campaign 

launched; the largest in Canadian 

independent school history 

Year: 2012 

Jim Power became 

the 18th principal 

of UCC 

Year: 2004 

William Wilder ’40 

Arena & Sports 

Complex opened 

Year: 2008 

1990 1995 2000 2005 

2010 2015 

PAST 

PRINCIPALS 

OF UCC 

Rev. Joseph Harris 

1829–38 

Rev. John McCaul 

1838–43 

Frederick Barron 

1843–56 

Rev. Walter Stennett 

1856–61 

George Cockburn 

1861–81 

John Milne Buchan 

1881–85 

George Dickson 

1885–95 

Sir George Parkin 

1895–1902 

Henry Auden 

1902–17 

William Grant 

1917–35 

Terence MacDermot 

1935–42 

Lorne McKenzie 

1943–48 

Rev. C.W. Sowby 

1949–65 

Patrick Johnson 

1965–74 

Richard Sadleir 

1975–88 

Eric Barton 

1988–91 

J. Douglas Blakey 

1991–2004 

Dr. James Power 

2004–16


Campus & 

Facilities 

From a world-renowned learning centre to a skating complex that’s 

second to none, UCC’s facilities inspire fun, learning and resilience 

in our boys’ every pursuit. 

Learning Grounds Natural elements like a 

recovered tree, log teepee and climbing rope 

enhance our adventure-style playground. 

William P. Wilder ’40 Arena & Sports 

Complex This facility features both NHL- and 

Olympic-sized ice rinks. 

David Chu Theatre This intimate performance 

space has seating for 250 on two levels and is 

used for musical and theatre performances. 

Laidlaw Hall This dignified room is where 

Upper School assemblies and some 

performances are held. 

Student and Creativity Centre This facility 

was built to expand creative thinking 

in a way that’s dynamic, integrated and 

comprehensive. 

Norval Our 450-acre nature sanctuary along 

the Credit River is a 45-minute drive away 

and fosters lifelong environmental values. 

Boarding Our 88 boarders from 22 

countries thrive in recently renovated 

buildings. 

Swimming Pool This 18-metre pool in the 

Upper School has shallow and deep ends 

and four lanes for racing. 

George Weston Hall This 350-seat space is 

used for assemblies, musical and theatrical 

performances.


UCCat-a-glance 

A picture’s worth a thousand words. Not sure if anyone’s 

figured out yet what an “infogram” is worth. But it’s a fun 

way to share a lot of great things about UCC. 

186 

YEARS OLD 

3 

PRO 

RECORDING 

& EDITING 

STUDIOS 

TENNIS 

6COURTS 

40 

ACRES IN 

THE HEART 

OF TORONTO 

(THAT’S 22 

SOCCER 

FIELDS!) 

+ 

450 

ACRES OF 

PROTECTED 

WOODLAND 

45 MINUTES 

AWAY 

88 

BOARDING 

STUDENTS 

FROM 

22 

DIFFERENT 

COUNTRIES 

642 

DAY STUDENTS 

AT THE UPPER 

SCHOOL 

8,000 

OLD BOYS LIVING 

IN 77 DIFFERENT 

COUNTRIES 

42 

2015 GRADS 

HEADED TO U.S. 

OR INTERNATIONAL 

SCHOOLS 

15 

CISAA 

CHAMPIONSHIPS 

IN 2014–2015 

150 

FACULTY 

MEMBERS 

(57 WITH 

ADVANCED DEGREES) 

4 

INTER- 

NATIONAL 

SERVICE 

TRIPS A 

YEAR 

400 

METRE OVAL TRACK 

5 PLAYING FIELDS 

60+ 

STUDENT 

CLUBS AND 

ORGANIZATIONS 

$4.5M 

IN FINANCIAL 

ASSISTANCE 

AVAILABLE 

TO CANADIAN 

STUDENTS ANNUALLY 

2 

IB SCORES 

4 POINTS 

ABOVE 

THE WORLD 

AVERAGE 

5 CO-ED 

THEATRICAL 

PRODUCTIONS 

ICE HOCKEY RINKS 

(1 NHL, 1 OLYMPIC) 

18 

DIFFERENT 

SPORTS 

APPLE 

LAPTOP 

FOR EVERY 

STUDENT 

2 

DIPLOMAS 

AWARDED: 

IB & OSSD 

10 

HOUSES 

8 

MUSICAL 

ENSEMBLES

8 / Principal Search / Upper Canada College


TORONTO: A CITY OF NEIGHBOURHOODS 

UCC is located on 40 acres in the heart of Toronto, the largest city in Canada and one of the 

world’s most multicultural urban centres. From world-class street festivals to professional sports, 

dining, shopping and a vibrant waterfront with ferry access to Toronto Island, you’ve got the 

world’s most liveable city at your front door.


Executive Summary: 

A decade of extraordinary 

achievement 

Upper Canada College has reached many 

milestones over the past decade, executing 

upon strategic plan goals unveiled in 2007. 

The cornerstone of the ambitious plan was to significantly 

increase accessibility, among these other key objectives: 

• To significantly improve accessibility for outstanding 

students who couldn’t attend otherwise, through increased 

financial assistance; 

• To broaden the range of “big school” opportunities and 

challenges; 

• To promote a “small school” culture where every boy is 

known, in part through the creation of smaller units of 

students and faculty; 

• To focus on the development of character and emotional 

intelligence in students; and 

• To transform the boarding program into an exceptional, focused 

program that would better meet the needs of outstanding 

students drawn from across Canada and around the world. 

To these ends, the College made great strides in evolving its facilities, 

investing in professional development opportunities for faculty and, 

most remarkably, repositioning itself as a sector leader in needsbased 

financial assistance. Here’s a summary of achievements: 

• The unprecedented $100-million Think Ahead Campaign 

has raised over $95 million to date and is expected to be 

completed this year. The cornerstone of the campaign is the 

establishment of a sector-leading, needs-based financial 

assistance program. It has grown from supporting 60 boys in 

2006 to 196 boys and amounts to $4.5 million in 2015-16. 

• The UCC Foundation’s endowment has grown from $37 

million in 2004 to in excess of $87 million today, which is 

supporting the financial assistance program.


• We’re completing an extensive campus renewal plan. It 

includes the LEED gold-certified William P. Wilder ’40 Hockey 

Arena & Sports Complex, opened in 2008, with an NHLsized 

and Olympic-sized rink; the renovation of the College’s 

boarding facilities; and a comprehensive renovation of the 

Upper School including state-of-the art science labs and a 

complete reconfiguration of the first floor. 

• UCC’s boarding program has been revitalized, with a 

community of 88 boys from across the country and the 

globe who are integrated with the day population and 

enriching campus and student life. This boarding “campaign 

within a campaign,” which kicked off in 2011, achieved its 

$14-million fundraising goal. Those funds went towards 

enhanced faculty support and programming, comprehensive 

facility renovations and scholarships. 

• Opened in 2001, the Wernham and West Centre for Learning 

is a jewel in our crown of offerings. Working with each boy’s 

unique learning style, the centre teaches such lifelong skills 

as time management, deep reading, note taking and critical 

literacy. With a mandate to share findings globally, the centre 

works with teachers to share the latest studies and insights. 

• Our Character Project, launched in 2013, weaves 

opportunities for developing resilience, compassion, 

leadership and other traits into every aspect of the 

curriculum. Recent events have included an executive-level 

retreat with McKinsey Canada for our student leaders, 

mindfulness training for faculty and curriculum-based 

exercises for Prep students to develop emotional regulation. 

• Our community service program has evolved as we continue 

to find new opportunities for students to invest in the future 

of our communities, encouraging a lifelong dedication to 

making a difference locally or internationally. Our peertutoring 

program, Horizons, which pairs UCC students with 

inner-city schools, celebrates its 16 th anniversary. This 

pioneering program was the first of its kind in Canada and 

sets the bar for similar initiatives, as it continues to expand 

its summer and school-year programming. 

• Our heightened national and international profile has 

triggered growing interest in admission at the College, with 

an 18 per cent increase in applications over the last 

four years. 

• Finally, UCC students continue to excel, scoring above 

the world average on the International Baccalaureate and 

attending outstanding institutions in Canada and worldwide 

after graduation.


10 reasons 

UCC made news 

last year 

From students and faculty, to parents and alumni, UCC news always 

makes a big splash with our extraordinary student achievements, 

committed parents and award-winning faculty. Take a look: 

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 

1. Our Model UN team is going places. 

Our Model UN team remained undefeated at some of the 

best conferences in North America, taking the “best large 

delegation” title at McGill University, and then at Columbia 

University, for the second year. 

2. Our sports teams 

win championships. 

Our coaches know how 

to inspire a team and 

get the best from their 

players. Many are former 

professional athletes 

themselves and all go above and beyond to teach both skill 

and character development. We won 15 championship titles 

in 2014–15 within the Conference of Independent Schools of 

Ontario Athletic Association. Those placings included varsity 

football for the second year. We were the only undefeated 

team in regular season play. 

3. Our students 

are award-winning. 

Continuing our grand 

tradition of developing 

poised, practiced and 

dangerously good 

speakers, our Year 2 

students Adam Rothman and David Niddam-Dent captured 

the Canadian Student Debate Federation’s Junior National 

Debating title. Also, our Prep musicians know how to make an 

audience listen. Competing against several senior high school 

bands, the Prep jazz band, concert band and wind ensemble 

all earned gold at the Toronto Festival of Music. And our 

budding Prep scientists are no slouches. They earned three 

gold and four silver medals at the Toronto Science Fair. 

4. Our community service programs make a difference. 

Community service is a huge value and programmatic component 

at the College. Operating through our Community Action and 

Service program, students launched a street outreach program 

to help the homeless, working with Jay Barton (the first son 

of former UCC principal Eric Barton). UCC worked to set up a 

drop-in experience at Sanctuary Ministries of Toronto for UCC 

administration and faculty. It involved collecting sleeping bags 

and sharing lunch with homeless people. Five Grade 12 students 

kicked off the program by visiting as part of their International 

Baccalaureate Creativity, Action, Service project. The boys 

purchased sleeping bags that they took with them and shared 

lunch with individuals suffering from addiction and mental illness. 

“We purposely did not go to serve the homeless by preparing 

a meal or dishing one out for them,” said faculty character 

integrator Craig Parkinson. “We wanted to reverse the usual 

power dynamic by sitting down and sharing a meal with them.” 

Our Horizons program continues to provide opportunities 

for our students to work and bond with inner-city students at 

their schools, introducing them to music, sports and helping 

with academic tutoring, while nuturing and encouraging the 

satisfaction that comes from giving back. 

5. Our students invited 

Edward Snowden— 

and he accepted. 

Thanks to some deft 

international negotiation 

with Edward Snowden, 

the world’s most famed


fugitive, privacy advocate and folk hero to many of our 

students, our World Affairs Conference organizers had a 

sensational, once-in-a-lifetime, national press event on hand. 

He appeared by live feed to 900 students in Laidlaw Hall, 

with a complete cross-section of Canada’s national broadcast 

and print media on hand. Said valedictorian James Lutz in 

his address, “Snowden contended that the quality of our 

queries was better than those he’d fielded from members of 

Parliament and Congress.” Amazing. 

FACULTY ACHIEVEMENT 

6. Our staff and faculty 

are award-winning. 

Our Upper School math 

teachers earned the 

prestigious Secondary 

School Mathematics 

Department Award from 

the Ontario Association for Mathematics Education. (It’s the 

first time an independent school has ever won and the only 

math department award in Ontario.) And Courtney Turner 

received a Teacher Recognition Award from the Brain Bee, an 

international neuroscience organization, for acting as faculty 

advisor for the neuroscience club. Last but not least, our 

communications and marketing team earned a Bronze award 

from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education 

in the “best single ad” category. The ad appeared in the Globe 

and Mail, celebrating our youngest campaign donor, Taylor 

Harris ’09, and his $250,000 gift to the College. 

7. Our faculty get wonderful opportunities 

to become (even more) inspired and worldly. 

What better way to prepare students to thrive in a global 

culture? Our new Global Leadership Initiative is a landmark 

professional development program for faculty. By immersing 

themselves in cultures of emerging nations they come back 

with first-hand experience on how to teach about global 

complexity and making a positive difference in the world. So 

far a group has been to India, and this past summer, Brazil. 

That trip was a study in contrasts. Within 24 hours, the 

group met with students and teachers in the favellas (slums), 

spent hours with homeless families and then were swept up 

to the penthouse of one of the former corporate and political 

leaders in the country to discuss leadership, international 

mindedness and empathy. Says teacher David Brown: “This 

trip recharged our ‘teaching batteries.’ I’ll do my best to bring 

the stories, anecdotes and sense of humanity I experienced in 

São Paulo into my classes.” 

8. … and World Ball Hockey 

medal-winning teachers 

lead innovative, life-defining 

trips for students 

History teacher (and recent Masters 

World Ball Hockey bronze-medal winner) 

Fiona Marshall helms the newly launched Military History 

Immersion Program. It brings alive the stories of more than 

400 Old Boys killed in the First and Second World Wars. 

It culminates in an eight-day tour of European battlefields 

including Ypres, Passchendaele, Vimy Ridge, Dieppe and Juno 

Beach. There’s also a research component to the program, 

taking advantage of UCC’s many archival resources relating to 

the First and Second World Wars and the conflicts’ impact on 

the College community. 

9. Our faculty members 

comprise a diverse 

community of men and 

women from all over 

the world—including 

our new Middle Division 

head, Naheed Bardai. 

This fall we welcome Naheed Bardai, our new Middle Division 

head. Born and raised in Toronto, he spent the past nine years 

at The Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, where he was principal 

of the Senior School (Grade 6–12) and diploma co-ordinator. 

PARENTS’ PARTICIPATION 

10. Our parents support our students. 

From our Parents’ Organizations to our Arts Booster Club and 

Sports Booster Club, our parents are an integral part of daily 

life at UCC. Annual highlights include parent-organized events 

such as Festive Marketplace in December and Nuit Bleue, a 

spring night which transforms the school into a cabaret, art 

gallery and concert hall all at once. Parents also co-ordinate 

one-off fundraisers, for example a Mother’s Day Drive to 

collect travel-sized toiletries for moms in shelters. Sportsminded 

parents work with our “Blue Army” student generals 

to plan and co-ordinate spirit-raising activities for parents 

and students at all major athletic events, especially sports 

extravaganzas like Association Day, May Day and Winterfest. 

One of many highlights 

this year, the ABC welcomed 

our first-ever mother-son 

dinner theatre, to a sold-out 

crowd of 176 boys and their 

guests. Renowned director 

Ravi Jain ’99 brought a 

special performance of his acclaimed, two-person play A Brimful 

of Asha, starring just Jain and his real-life mom. Guests were also 

treated to a full Indian buffet dinner. Definitely an event worthy of 

a repeat performance next year.


Illustrious 

Alumni 

We’ve a well-earned reputation for producing leaders in every walk of life, for close to 

200 years. Among our ranks we count six lieutenant-governors, four premiers, seven 

chief justices, 24 Rhodes Scholars and 10 Olympic medalists. Each year we graduate 

ambitious, high-potential graduates. 

Lionel Gelber ’26: scholar, diplomat and 

founder of the world’s most influential award 

for academic work in international relations, 

The Lionel Gelber Prize 

Robertson Davies ’32: One of the leading 

figures in Canada’s literary canon, the Oxfordeducated 

writer is best known for his Deptford 

Trilogy, which includes Fifth Business 

Ted Rogers ’51: The CEO of Rogers 

Communications introduced Canadians to 

cellphones and high-speed Internet in the 

1980s and ’90s 

Michael Wilson ’55: The former U.S. 

ambassador was minister of finance in 1984 

in Brian Mulroney’s government, a position he 

held until 1991 

Bill Graham ’57: former federal minister of 

foreign affairs, then national defence 

Michael Ignatieff ’65: author, historian, 

leader of the Liberal Party and leader of the 

opposition from 2008 until 2011 

David Gilmour ’68: novelist and CBC 

broadcaster 

Jim Cuddy ’74: The singer-songwriter’s band 

Blue Rodeo has won multiple Juno Awards 

and sold millions worldwide 

Michael Evans ’84: A vice-chair of Goldman 

Sachs and global head of growth markets, he 

was also an Olympic rower and member of 

the men’s eight, the first Canadian team to 

capture gold at the 1984 Olympics 

Brendan Fraser ’87: The famous Hollywood 

actor’s roles have included the lead in George 

of the Jungle and Journey to the Centre of the 

Earth, and the adventurer Rick O’Connell in 

The Mummy series of films 

Jameel Jaffer ’90: He is deputy legal director 

of the American Civil Liberties Union and 

director of its Center for Democracy 

Galen Weston Jr. ’93: CEO of Loblaw 

Companies 

Tom Szaky ’01: CEO of TerraCycle, one of 

the world’s leading environmental, wastereduction 

companies 

Colin Greening ’05: Ottawa Senators 

hockey player 

To browse a comprehensive list of our history-making grads over 

the past two centuries, please look at a special issue of our alumni 

magazine archives, Old Times, called “Leaders & Legends” available 

at https://archive.org/details/oldtimeswin2005ucco


#UCC4EVER: 

Our alumni stay 

in touch 

What do our alumni say they still love best about the College? Why, 

opportunities to reconnect and have fun, of course! Our reunion events 

each year are much-anticipated and well-attended. And everyone saves the 

date for our signature events, including our annual Founder’s Dinner. 

Our alumni community is a tight-knit and far-flung community. 

We boast 8,000 Old Boys living in 77 countries. With 

more than 60 alumni events each year, including branch 

events in Europe, Asia and North America, our Association 

retains and nurtures ties to the College. Our Association’s 

signature alumni events include Founder’s Dinner in February, 

celebrating our inception and welcoming such high-profile 

speakers as former prime minister Brian Mulroney (a UCC 

grandfather) and The Hon. Michael Wilson ’55, former U.S. 

ambassador and finance minister. Association Day each 

September is our version of homecoming, with class reunion 

events all weekend and a day of sports and fun for our 

community. 

For a decade now, to capitalize upon our talent base and 

to support our graduates as they pursue their careers, our 

Common Ties Mentoring Program matches alumni who 

volunteer as mentors, with mentees, on a diverse range of 

career paths. A newly relaunched online database makes it 

easier than ever for our driven, talented Old Boys to meet, 

match and network within a community committed to success.




Role 

Profile 

The UCC community looks to the Principal for clear vision and 

direction, inspirational pedagogical and administrative leadership, 

sound judgment, trusted relationships, support for innovation and 

change, and embodiment of the school’s values. 

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS 

CONTEXT 

Title 

Reports to 

Reports 

Location 

Principal 

Board of Governors 

Academic Dean 

Athletic Director 

Chief Administrative Officer 

Director, Community Relations 

Executive Assistant 

Executive Director, Centre for Learning 

Executive Director, People and 

Organizational Development 

Head, Intermediate Division 

Head, Middle Division 

Head, Primary Division 

Head, Senior Division 

VP, Advancement and Strategy 

VP, Enrolment Management 

Toronto 

Upper Canada College’s greatest strength may be its people: 

the depth and capacity of the school community of students, 

parents, faculty and staff, and alumni. UCC is a leader in 

the education of boys, and its resources, including the 

renowned Wernham & West Centre for Learning, ensure that 

the unique needs of each boy are addressed with the utmost 

care and attention. For many years a leader in International 

Baccalaureate education, UCC also offers a comprehensive 

range of co-curricular programs. A passion for excellence 

underpins all of UCC’s initiatives, including its commitment 

to needs-based financial assistance. Today, 18 per cent of its 

students benefit from this commitment, and that percentage 

is increasing. Perhaps most impressive is UCC’s ability to 

deliver the challenges and opportunities of a large school, 

combined with the intimate environment of a small school, 

in which all boys have a strong sense of connection to the 

school community. 

While it has many honoured traditions, throughout its history 

UCC has continued to evolve and innovate. Complacency and 

self-satisfaction are not found here. Janus-like, the school 

learns from the past as it looks forward, reaching for the 

opportunities of the future. It is an aspirational school and 

community, open to possibilities and supportive of ideas 

that increase its capacity to deliver to students excellence 

in education and experience. The next Principal of UCC will 

be welcomed by a school that has embraced and delivered 

on ambitious strategic goals, a school that challenges itself 

to further enhance and develop its programs, access, and 

community connections.


MANDATE 

• The next Principal will develop and nurture relationships of 

trust with members of the UCC community. 

• The next Principal will seek to understand UCC’s past and 

present, in order to establish a context against which to 

imagine possibilities for its future. 

• Reaching out across the UCC community, the next Principal 

will seek perspectives on UCC’s strengths, challenges and 

opportunities, in order to develop and communicate a vision 

and strategic plan that will be clear and understood, aligned 

with the educational mission, and embraced and driven by 

the UCC community. 

• As part of the strategic planning process, UCC’s 19 th 

Principal will review and assess performance and capacity 

across a range of areas, including academic achievement, 

the IB program, character education, pedagogical practices, 

student supports and resources, expertise in boys’ 

education, support for innovation, co-curriculars, financial 

assistance, community engagement and integration, global 

citizenship, partnerships, boarding, parent and alumni 

supports, communications, and relationships, reputation, 

and impact. 

• The next Principal will continue to expand the financial 

assistance program, while also ensuring that the school 

supports and enables every student to thrive as a member 

of the UCC community. 

• UCC’s 19 th Principal will transparently and collaboratively 

review and renew core management processes, reports, 

accountabilities and measurements across the senior 

management team and the broader faculty and staff teams, 

and mobilize teams to drive needed change. 

THE ROLE 

The Principal is the educational leader of the school, 

responsible to the Board of Governors for developing UCC’s 

vision and strategic goals. In leading the school forward, the 

Principal will bring to bear international awareness in the 

educational field. The Principal will be an experienced general 

manager responsible for effective academic and administrative 

leadership of the school and for the wellbeing of its students. 

The Principal works with the leadership team to ensure that 

strategic and operational plans and their implementation 

are aligned with UCC’s mission. The Principal will have 

developed international awareness in the education field 

with a perspective of the impacts of this on the educational 

experience of the students. Living on campus, the Principal is 

a visible and active participant in the life of the school, and 

represents the school with members of the UCC community as 

well as the educational, civic, and international communities 

of which UCC is a member. 

The Principal is accountable for development 

and delivery of the school’s Vision and Strategic Plan: 

• Working with the Board of Governors and the UCC 

community to develop and communicate a vision and 

strategic plan that will take the school forward into its 

twentieth decade 

• Understanding, articulating, sustaining, and advancing 

the educational mission of UCC, in order to ensure an 

exceptional student experience 

• Leading and participating in the educational life of the 

College—guiding academic and co-curricular programs that 

will inspire joy in learning and a thirst for attainment among 

students, faculty and staff 

• Building upon and enhancing UCC’s reputation for 

academic excellence, co-curricular programs, and expertise 

in boys’ education 

• Fostering honest pride in UCC’s achievements and rich 

tradition of service 

• Supporting and mobilizing teams to further develop 

practices and initiatives that advance inclusion, characterbuilding, 

community engagement, innovation, and the ability 

to evolve and thrive in a rapidly changing world. 

A fundamental responsibility for the Principal is 

relationship-building with and beyond the UCC community: 

• With a sincere interest in all aspects of student well-being, 

nurturing and sustaining a respectful, warm, and supportive 

environment that is transparent and adaptive to the needs 

of the individual and the student population as a whole 

• Maintaining and building effective relationships with all 

constituents—students, faculty, staff, leadership team, 

parents, Governors, Principal’s Advisory Council, the 

Association Council, alumni, volunteers, donors, the UCC 

Foundation, the Upper Canada Educational Foundation 

(USA), and the Upper Canada College Foundation (UK) 

• Forging strong and beneficial relationships with peer and 

professional bodies (such as CAIS, NAIS, IBO, Conference 

of Independent Schools (Ontario), TABS, IBSC, school 

boards), other schools, universities, external stakeholders, 

community partners, media, and government 

• Building relationships of trust to enhance UCC’s 

philanthropic efforts and actively engaging in the growing 

advancement efforts needed to strengthen the school’s 

ability to deliver on its strategic goals 

• Being the poised and effective external presence of UCC, 

to the benefit of UCC’s reputation.


The Leadership and Management 

responsibilities of UCC’s Principal include: 

• Reporting to the Board of Governors on goals, priorities, 

performance, and outcomes 

• Providing direction and leadership to the Executive Team, 

ensuring clear operating frameworks, principles, policies, 

and measures are in place and understood 

• Taking a genuine interest in building rapport with students 

• Mentoring and inspiring faculty and staff 

• Communicating regularly and transparently with the UCC 

community 

• Demonstrating sound judgment and experience in leading 

financial and risk management, human resources, marketing 

and communications, enrolment management, and 

advancement 

• Overseeing the preparation and administration of a 

$50 million annual operating budget 

• Ensuring the ongoing maintenance and enhancement of 

the school’s physical plant. 

COMPETENCIES 

The 19 th Principal of Upper Canada College will be an 

educational leader who inspires, motivates, and organizes 

people to achieve goals. The Principal will balance the long 

traditions and stability of a leading boys’ school with the 

need to innovate in response to the changing needs of 

pedagogy. The Principal will provide clear direction, adapting 

his or her leadership style, and serving as a role model 

for professionalism and integrity. A strategist, the Principal 

will use foresight, environmental awareness and thought 

leadership to create a compelling vision for the future, and will 

develop distinctive strategies to achieve desired outcomes. 

He or she will foster new ways of thinking and drive needed 

change by galvanizing teams. 

Open and at ease in relating to others, the next Principal 

will build relationships across the UCC community, as well 

as alliances and partnerships externally by fostering trust, 

collaboration and teamwork. The Principal will demonstrate 

sensitivity and openness to others’ views, adapting his or 

her interpersonal style to relate well to others. The Principal 

will understand the importance of fostering an international 

perspective and world view. 

Personal attributes of the next Principal will include a genuine 

interest in students, well-developed communication skills, 

a collegial approach, a passion for lifetime learning and 

exploration, and the ability to adapt, innovate, and drive 

change in collaboration with others. Educational competencies 

include academic credibility, as well as knowledge and 

understanding of pedagogical practices, including the 

International Baccalaureate. The next Principal will be a talent 

developer and community builder, and will model the behaviour 

and values of the school. 

FIND OUT MORE 

UCC social media: Visit ucc.on.ca/news regularly and “like” 

our Facebook page. With almost 3,100 followers, our Facebook 

page offers daily posts that reach an average of almost 38,000 

people per month. 

Virtual tour and more?: Visit the UCC public website at 

www.ucc.on.ca/virtual-tour/. Also for more on our history check 

out http://www.ucc.on.ca/about/history-archives/ 

Student experience: Visit our parents’ site and click through 

the arts and athletics tabs in the top-right corner. 

http://parents.ucc.on.ca/ 

Read our alumni magazine Old Times: 

http://bluenet.ucc.on.ca/sslpage.aspx?pid=1297



Caldwell 

Partners Team 

Our goal is to ensure your experience with us and with our client 

is positive. Should you have any questions at any time during this 

confidential process, please let us know. 

Established in 1970 and headquartered in Toronto, 

Caldwell Partners is an international boutique ranked 

among the top 10 executive search firms in North 

America. With offices across North America, Latin 

America and in Europe, we offer our clients the 

substantial resources, vertical market expertise, 

and market presence of an international firm. At 

the same time, we provide the personal service 

of a boutique firm, ensuring that we have minimal 

blocking restrictions, that each assignment is tailored 

carefully and partner-led, and that the success of each 

assignment is singularly important to every employee 

at Caldwell Partners. 

Heather Ring 

Partner 

Caldwell Partners 

165 Avenue Road, Suite 600 

Toronto, ON M5R 3S4 

o | 416/934-2210 

Email: hring@caldwellpartners.com 

Janet Winship 

Associate 




o | 647/349-6303 

Email: jwinship@caldwellpartners.com 

Francene Cipriani 

Project Coordinator 




o | 416/934-2223 

Email: fcipriani@caldwellpartners.com


Upper Canada College 

200 Lonsdale Rd. 

Toronto ON M4V 1W6 

416-488-1125 

www.ucc.on.ca

PRINCIPAL POSITION PROFILE

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