Happy New Year, Hill families!
It is my hope that you were able to enjoy some rest, some fun and some time with loved ones over the break. Whether you traveled long distances, or had your adventures closer to home, this time away is important to have.
I was fortunate to spend a great deal of time with my family and friends this holiday and I feel strongly that this has helped to recharge my own battery and prepare me for the return to school tomorrow. In that time, I spent time reflecting on our year; the good and the bad.
While there have been so many things to celebrate this year so far - things that I am reminded of when I walk the hallways of our school and hear our students talk about their achievements, their growth and their wins - there have also been moments of loss and disappointment. I used this break to reflect on both the good and the bad and was reminded of a quote that is repurposed in a favourite text of mine, The Coddling of the American Mind: "Prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child". While I hope that this year brings us nothing but wins, the reality is that losses are a part of the game, and what I truly hope for is the ability to help us prepare for both. As we gear up for our return to school, let's return together to prepare our children for the road ahead, and not protect them from the bumps along the way.
To a Happy, Safe and Healthy 2025!
Mrs. Christy Flynn
Director of Academics
In this week's newsletter:
Secondary School Exams
Secondary exams are scheduled for January 16, 2025 to January 22, 2025. You can see the exam schedule here. These are formal assessments that must be written on the scheduled date. Any missed exams will require a doctor's note to write on a new date. Students also need to be available on Tuesday, January 21 and Wednesday, January 22 in case of an exam being cancelled for inclement weather. For example, if there is an inclement weather day on Thursday, January 16, those exams will be rescheduled to Tuesday, January 21. Any conflicts should be communicated to Mr. Moore in order to write on a different date.
Grade 9 Guidance/Transition Meetings
Thank you to all the grade 9 students who took the time to schedule and attend their Guidance meetings over the past couple of weeks. It has been great to speak with you about your goals and your plans. Many of you had great questions about NCAA eligibility, graduation requirements and pathway planning.
If you did not schedule an appointment but would like to speak with Mrs Flynn in the new year, please use the appointment form outside her office.
Ontario University Application Centre
Ontario University Application deadline: JANUARY 15th, 2025
January 15th is the deadline for applicants to submit their completed applications to the OUAC. The OUAC will continue to process applications received after this date and distribute them to the Ontario universities; however, specific university deadlines will apply. You must let Mrs. Flynn know if you have, or plan to submit an application through the OUAC.
Inclement Weather Procedure
Depending on the weather and the conditions, one of two decisions will be made:
1. School closure- remote learning
All buses cancelled; students are to perform their schoolwork remotely. This includes before and after care.
2. School Bus Cancellation
Either specific buses or all buses are canceled, and the school remains open for staff and students that can safely travel. Before and After care will still be operating.
We will do our best to communicate our decision by 6am, utilizing email and social media channels. Decisions will be made considering the safety of students and staff on both the way to and from campus.
Kitchen Renovations
We are excited to announce that our kitchen renovations are nearing completion, with the plan to bring our food program in house beginning second semester.
We are grateful for the wonderful service Absolute Catering has provided us over the past three years.
Our new chef comes with a strong background in culinary arts, and we are looking forward to focusing on creating healthy home style meals for our student-athletes.
The cafeteria will be slightly reconfigured to ensure there is no disruption to the current-meal plan while the renovations are taking place.
More details to follow in the coming weeks.
The Hill Partners with Atiba Hutchinson
We are excited to let you know that we have partnered with Canadian Soccer Legend Atiba Hutchinson in creating a March Break Soccer Camp (March 10-14). The camp will be specific to 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 born rep soccer athletes. For more information, read here. * IMPROVED PRICING *
March Break and Summer Camps
The Hill is excited announce the following upcoming camps:
March Break Soccer Camp - March 10-14
March Break Hockey Camp - March 11-13
Multi-Sport Summer Camp - June 30-July 4
Boys Lacrosse Camp - July 14-18
Girls Lacrosse Camp - July 21-25
Multi-Sport Summer Camp - July 28-Aug 1
Hill Student-Athletes can use the code "COACHCAM" for 15% off Summer Camps. Stay tuned for more Summer Camp announcements!
Sports schedules can be found in the image below for the week of December 16-20. Stay up to date by checking TeamSnap for your individual team's calendar.
(click on image to enlarge)
Daily Timetables
Daily timetables are available in the Hill Families > Parent Resources section of our website, alongside other helpful links for parents.Â
Code of Conduct Forms
Code of Conduct Forms are past due if they have not been handed in! Please ensure your student-athletes has complete this.
Junior School received a paper copy from their homeroom teacher and can access a digital copy to print on their homeroom Google Classroom.
High School can assess a copy of their period 6 Google Classroom.
Labeling Items
With so many activities and practices happening daily, it's easy for items to get misplaced. To help keep track of uniforms, equipment, and personal items, we kindly ask that all student-athletes have their belongings clearly labeled with their name. This simple step ensures that lost items can be quickly returned and helps maintain organization throughout the day. Thank you for helping us keep our athletes focused and prepared!
Safety and Security
In preparing for your student-athlete for the school year, we want to remind everyone about the safety and security considerations of arriving and leaving the campus.
For all:
Please follow the posted speed limits
Please note and follow the one-way driveway and the stop signs
Please follow the directions of the staff who are supervising pick-up and drop-off times.
Parking lots are to be used for anyone waiting to pick up students. There is no parking in the fire routes, crosswalks or kiss and ride areas. If you arrive before the designated pick-up times, you will be directed to park in the lots.
Fire routes are allocated to help Fire and Emergency Services access buildings quickly in the event of an emergency. Blocking these routes, even to drop off or pick up students, can be dangerous for everyone.
Accessible parking spaces are for the exclusive use for individuals holding valid accessible parking permits. Please do not use or block any accessible spaces without a valid permit.
Absences and Late Arrivals
School success is closely tied to good attendance. When students miss learning time, they often struggle with understanding concepts, completing assignments, and performing well on assessments. Consistent attendance helps your child(ren) stay connected both academically and socially. We encourage you to commit to having your child(ren) attend school every day and arrive on time. Regular attendance builds positive habits that will last a lifetime. If your child is absent from school, please remember to email attendance@thehillacademy.com to report the absence.
If your student athlete is going to miss their Phys. Ed or sport period for any reason, please remember to email DGlisic@thehillacademy.com.
Late Arrivals
If your child arrives late to school, please park in the designated parking areas and walk them into the main office to receive a late slip. The students will need to provide their educator with the slip upon arrival to class.
Cell Phone Policy
In April of 2024, Ontario's Ministry of Education introduced guidelines and restrictions for cell phone use by students in schools. Following suit, students in Kindergarten to Grade Eight will need to keep cell phones on silent and out of sight for the entire school day (including breaks). Students in Grades Nine to Twelve will not be permitted to use cell phones during class time unless explicitly instructed by their educator.
For more information on the Ministry of Education's announcement, visit here.
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