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5-12 Newsletter 05.04.25

Updated: 6 days ago

Hello Hill Family,


Every week in the gym, we start with our Quote of the Week. Two weeks ago, the quote was:

“Focus on the things you are for, not the things you are against.”


This message has stayed with me as we approach the final stretch of the school year. I first came across this quote in James Clear’s weekly newsletter, where he wrote:


"Focus on the things you are for, not the things you are against. Many people spend large chunks of their day thinking about what they hate. They are always telling you about something they dislike: this food, that subject, this political party, that coworker. You are more than your frustrations. Build your identity around what you love."


Seeking out and embracing the positives in life can profoundly impact both you and those around you. It’s easy to complain or dwell on the negative—but people are drawn to teammates, peers, and coworkers who choose to see the good in their circumstances. Conversely, those who fixate on what they hate often create a toxic environment.

If we constantly focus on what could be better, we risk overlooking and undervaluing what we already have.


As we head into these last six weeks, I hope we can all make a conscious effort to focus daily on the things we’re for—whether it’s one of your final bus rides with your team this year, a beautiful day outside, or a great lunch with friends.


Drazen Glisic

Director of Sports Science and Athlete Performance, The Hill Academy


In this week's newsletter:

Junior School Athletic Banquet Tickets On Sale!

Junior School Athletic Banquet tickets are now available. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday June 10 at 5:30pm for the festivities. All Student-Athletes in Grades 5 to 8 are expected to attend.


Hill Families are encouraged to attend and celebrate the accomplishments of our amazing Student-Athletes during this unforgettable event! Guest tickets are limited to 2 per student in Junior School.



Senior School Athletic Gala Tickets On Sale!

The Senior School Athletic Gala will once again return to Hockley Valley Resort. All Student-Athletes in Grades 9 to PG are expected to attend.


Hill Families are encouraged to attend and celebrate the accomplishments of our amazing Student-Athletes during this unforgettable event!



Tick Season Awareness

As the warmer weather approaches, we are entering tick season. We encourage families to be mindful during this time, especially when children are playing in grassy or wooded areas. Thank you for partnering with us in keeping our students safe and healthy during outdoor activities.


Here is a link to Ontario Public Health, which provides further information about ticks: https://www.ontario.ca/page/tick-borne-diseases


Reminder: Sign-Out Protocol

A reminder that all high school students must be signed out by a parent or guardian if they are leaving campus during the school day—for any reason, including appointments or lunch. Please email attendance@thehillacademy.com. Thank you for your support in keeping our students safe and accounted for!


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


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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Summer Performance Training

Contact Coach Dre for more details or to sign up: dglisic@thehillacademy.com 


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. 



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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