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5-12 Newsletter 04.06.25

Building Resilience in Young Athletes


At The Hill Academy, we believe resilience is one of the most valuable qualities a young athlete can develop. Sports provide the perfect environment for students to navigate challenges, push through adversity, and build a strong growth mindset that benefits them both on and off the field.


Resilience in sports is about bouncing back from setbacks, whether it’s losing a game, struggling with a new skill, or facing an injury. These challenges are not roadblocks but stepping stones to improvement. When athletes learn to embrace failure as a learning opportunity, they gain confidence in their ability to overcome obstacles. Encouraging a growth mindset, where effort, persistence, and learning from mistakes are valued, helps students stay motivated and continue striving for excellence.


Beyond the game, the skills developed through resilience extend into academics, relationships, and personal growth. Athletes who learn to manage pressure, stay positive, and set goals are better equipped to handle the demands of school, friendships, and future challenges. Coaches, teachers, and parents play a key role in fostering this mindset by celebrating effort over outcome, reinforcing positive self-talk, and teaching students to focus on what they can control.


At The Hill Academy, we are committed to providing a supportive environment where students can develop mental toughness, perseverance, and the ability to turn setbacks into comebacks. By nurturing resilience now, we are preparing our young athletes for success not just in sports but in all aspects of life.


Let’s continue to encourage our student-athletes to take on challenges with determination, passion, and a belief in their ability to grow!


Casey Kirkpatrick

Director- Early Years & Vice Principal

The Hill


In this week's newsletter:

Early Dismissal - Friday, April 11th

Please be advised that Friday, April 11th, will be an early dismissal day due to the Lacrosse game. Buses will depart campus at 3:05 PM, and all other students must be picked up by 3:00 PM. There will be no supervision on campus past 3:15 PM.


If students plan to attend the game, they must be picked up by 3:00 PM and supervised by an adult at the field. Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring a smooth and safe dismissal.


Power School Parent and Student Portal

Please note that the Power School parent and student portal will be closed on Friday, April 4 while teachers enter midterm reports. The portal will be active again once reports are given to the students.


Join us at Legacy Field for Prep Lacrosse vs. Culver and WRA

The Prep Lacrosse team will be hosting two games in early April: Friday April 11th at 4pm vs. Culver Academy and Sunday April 13th at 12pm vs. WRA. Details are being finalized, but we look forward to welcoming families, friends and lacrosse fans for these important home games! More details to follow.


Elective Course Fair - April 9

On Wednesday, April 9th, high school students will attend an electives fair during the assembly. They will have the chance to ask questions about the different elective options available to them when making their course selections for 2025-2026. They can make their selections and submit their choices here.


Junior School Sport Period – Attendance Reminder

If your child plans to stay back from their scheduled sport period, an email must be sent in the morning to both their specific coach and the Vice Principal. This ensures proper supervision and helps us keep track of all students during this time.


Thank you for your cooperation!



Vice Principal: Casey Kirkpatrick- casey.kirkpatrick@thehillacademy.com

Hockey: Brett Robinson- brobinson@thehillacademy.com

Lacrosse: Graydon Hogg- graydon.hogg@thehillacademy.com

Foundation of Sport: Tanner Poole- tanner.poole@thehillacademy.com


Grade 8 and Grade 12 Grad Photos

We have received the revised date for Grade 8 and Grade 12 Grad Photos: April 14th. A schedule of times will be released closer to the day, but please mark your calendars.


Save The Date! Junior Athletic Banquet and Senior Athletic Gala

Stay tuned for more details to follow, but we wanted to ensure everyone had the dates of the Grade 5-8 Junior School Athletic Banquet and the the Grade 9-12+PG Senior School Athletic Gala.


Junior School Athletic Banquet: Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Senior School Athletic Gala: Wednesday, June 11, 2025



The Hill Eats

Below is the menu for next week.

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Phys Ed This Past Week

Here is an overview of what was covered in Phys Ed this past week:



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Grade 10 Guidance Meetings

Starting next week, Grade 10 students are encouraged to sign up for Guidance meetings with Mrs. Flynn to go through graduation requirements, course selection, NCAA eligibility and more. Sign-ups for meetings are outside the Academic Administration office. Please come with questions!


Mental Health Champions in Elite Youth Sport – Project Overview

This year, athletes and parents at The Hill Academy are invited to participate in a research study on the role of Mental Health Champions in elite youth sport organizations. This is a pilot project in partnership with researchers at the University of Toronto. Young athletes often have stressful experiences in sport, and some athletes experience concerns related to their mental health. For this project, the researchers want to learn about how parents and elite youth athletes may benefit from having Mental Health Champions within a team/sport-related organization. Mental Health Champions are people who will be selected to receive training on mental health in sport, and they will provide information and resources this year for parents and athletes around the topic of mental health among elite youth athletes. For more information about the project, please see the information booklet.


Parents and athletes are invited to complete one survey now and another survey at the end of the year. Parents and athletes will also be invited to participate in focus group interviews at the end of the year to share their experiences during the project.

If you are interested in taking part in this research project, please see the following links for more information and to complete the first survey for the study:

If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to contact the primary researcher, Dr. Katherine Tamminen (katherine.tamminen@utoronto.ca)


Community Involvement Hours

Students who plan to graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma are required to collect at least 40 community involvement hours before graduation. Mrs. Flynn has posted a list outside of her office for 2025 graduates and the number of community involvement hours currently recorded. Please check the list.


There are many opportunities to collect these hours. Below you will find links to some of the events upcoming in certain communities, and students should connect with Mrs. Flynn about finding ways to complete the required hours:


Encouraging Student Independence

At Hill, the "I" in H.I.L.L. stands for Independent Thought, and we encourage our Student-Athletes to advocate for themselves. Whenever possible, please have your child reach out directly to their teacher or coach regarding any questions related to their classwork or sport. If an issue remains unresolved and requires further discussion, parents are welcome to contact staff by email during the week (8:00 am - 4:00 pm) to arrange a meeting.

Respecting Teacher/Coach Focus

Continuing with the theme of encouraging independence, we want to ensure that the expectations of teacher/coach communication remains in the best possible position moving forward. Please ensure that meetings/communication is guided toward the weekday (8:00 am - 4:00 pm) timeframe unless otherwise advised.


Additionally, during busy tournament and game weekends (or evenings), we kindly ask that parents avoid contacting coaches with questions related to the games (such as playing time, tactical decisions, etc.) or requesting meetings. Coaches are fully focused on supporting our athletes through games, reflecting, and planning for upcoming events during these times. Please know that coaches are always available to address health and safety concerns if they arise, as is our on-site athletic therapy team.


Summer Camps At The Hill

The Hill is excited announce the following upcoming camps:


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 this week. Stay up to date by checking TeamSnap for your individual team's calendar.


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Daily Timetables

Daily timetables are available in the Hill Families > Parent Resources section of our website, alongside other helpful links for parents. 



Cold Weather Policy

As the winter season is now upon us, we want to remind everyone of our cold weather policy to ensure the safety and well-being of our students while they are outdoors. Please review the guidelines below, which outline how we manage outdoor recess and activities during periods of extreme cold and wind chill:


  1. Dress for the Weather

    Students should wear warm, layered clothing, including hats and gloves, when outdoors. Proper attire is essential for staying comfortable and safe during colder temperatures.

  2. Temperature Guidelines for Outdoor Recess

    - When the wind chill or extreme cold is between **-20°C and -24°C**, outdoor recess will be limited to a maximum of 20 minutes (or less based on our professional discretion, if it is extremely windy)

    - When the wind chill or extreme cold is **below -25°C**students will remain indoors for recess and other activities.


We kindly ask parents to ensure their children are dressed appropriately for the weather each day. Layers, insulated outerwear, and waterproof boots are strongly recommended during this season.


Thank you for your support in keeping our students safe and comfortable during the colder months.


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.


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.




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