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5-12 Newsletter 10.27.24

kevinhayashi

Hello Hill Community, 


This year, I am working with the PG Leadership class, and we’ve been reading Legacy by James Kerr, which explores the New Zealand All Blacks. Below is an excerpt that serves as a powerful reminder for all of us, taken from the chapter on Embracing Expectations, a cornerstone of our non-negotiable value at The Hill.


“By embracing a fear of failure, we can lift our performance, using a healthy loss aversion to motivate us. Equally, it pays to hoist our sights if we aspire to be world-class: to create for ourselves a narrative of extreme, even unrealistic ambition. It doesn’t matter if it’s true, reasonable, or possible; what matters is that we do it.”

— Kerr, 2013, p.96


As we approach the two-month mark of the school year, the initial "honeymoon" phase—filled with new teams and classes—has passed, and the life of a student-athlete is now in full swing. As the demands increase for our student-athletes; travel for competition becomes more frequent, assignments and tests start to pile up, bodies are sore from weeks of consistent training; we encourage our students to lean into this non-negotiable. Pursuing ambitious goals requires courage and vulnerability. As the All Blacks remind us: “Don’t be a good All Black. Be a great All Black. Don’t just be satisfied with reaching your targets. Aim higher.”


On Friday morning, our U15 Hockey team, participating in the Eastern Exposure Tournament in Boston, had a visit from Hill alumnus Mick Thompson, who is currently at Harvard. Mick exemplified the spirit of embracing expectations with contagious enthusiasm, constantly raising the bar for himself and those around him. It’s no surprise that he continues to thrive at the next level.


Have a great week!


Sincerely, 


Tory Merrill

Principal


In this week's newsletter:

 
Halloween

Many of our students enjoy dressing up in costumes to celebrate Halloween. While participation is not mandatory, it is intended to be a fun experience for those who wish to take part. We kindly ask that costumes be appropriate and not disrupt the regular school day. Students are also welcome to wear orange and black if they prefer.


Halloween Bake Sale

On Thursday October 31, The Hill Student Leadership will be hosting a Halloween Bake Sale during the lunch periods. If you would like to help by providing baked goods, please fill out this form.


Photo Retake Day

Photo retake day has been scheduled for Wednesday, December 4. If you missed photo day, please be prepared for retake day.


Grandparents Day

** SAVE THE DATE **

For grandparents of students in grades 5-8, we will be hosting a Grandparents Day on Thursday, December 5. More details to come.


Guidance Appointments

Students are welcome to book guidance appointments with Mrs. Flynn on the schedule posted outside the Admin office. Please note that grade 12s should be scheduling these meetings as soon as possible as University applications and other post-secondary options are now opening their portals.


OUAC

The Ontario University Application Center is open for graduating students. Please visit the site for information on applications, deadlines and other.


Take Our Kids to Work Day, 2024

Take Our Kids to Work Day is a Canadian program dedicated to inspiring the next generation of leaders, is proud to announce its 30th anniversary celebration in 2024. The Students Commission of Canada (SCC) is creating new opportunities for both virtual and in-person experiences. This year, on Wednesday, November 6, students are encouraged to participate in Take Our Kids to Work day by joining a family member or friend at their place of business. The theme for Take Our Kids to Work 2024: Breaking Barriers, Transforming Communities, and although it has been typically for grade 9 students, there is no age limit for student participation. Please email guidance@thehillacademy.com if you are planning to take your student-athlete to work with you on November 9th, and visit the Students Commission of Canada website for more details.


Power School Student and Parent Portal

Students and parents can access the Power School Portal using login information provided. If you need a letter providing access, please email christy.flynn@thehillacademy.com


Sports schedules can be found in the image below for the week of Oct 21-25. Stay up to date by checking TeamSnap for your individual team's calendar.

(click on image to enlarge)


Photo of the Week

Mr. Collins grade 7 and 8 students have been researching Canadian historical figures over the past couple of weeks. Part of their presentation was a costume/props to help get into character. Great work by all of the students who took part!


Daily Timetables

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



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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