Hello Hill Family,
Wow, has time flown this semester. It is amazing that we're knocking on the door of American Thanksgiving and getting ready for the holiday season. It has been a great start to the school year! For those that I haven't had the opportunity to meet yet, my name is Kevin Hayashi and I'm the Director of Marketing (feel free to say hello when you see me around campus).
I want to take a quick minute to stop and reflect on, what I believe, should be a great point of pride for parents. Since coming to The Hill Academy, the one thing that has stood out so blatantly to me is the character development that is happening each and every day. Since day one of meeting each member of the Merrill Family, I couldn't help but not how genuine their character and integrity was. I have been amazed each and every day how our student-athletes here at The Hill exude many of those similar traits.
A story I love to tell is from the first school day game I had a chance to go to. The arena was buzzing with the excitement of the students as they gathered in the stands ready to cheer on our Prep Hockey Team. The camaraderie between students was already present even though it was only the first week of school, the score on the scoreboard was tilted heavily in our favour, but that wasn't what impressed me the most.
What impressed me most was after the game, when I saw one student-athlete (a very accomplished hockey and lacrosse player) stop to pick up some popcorn that one of the younger students had dropped earlier. This led to his teammates stopping to help, and then his sister and her friends, and then students who didn't even know who started it. It's exactly that type of contagious character development that I see on display every day at the school, and something that your children have the opportunity to absorb all the time.
What I believe you should find pride in though, is the fact that this happens every day. Next time you drive by the front doors, take a second to see how many times the door is held open and the 'thank you's' that follow. They're little things, but as John Wooden once said; little things make big things happen.
Have a fantastic week, and enjoy the rest this coming weekend,
Kevin.
Kevin Hayashi, Director of Marketing
In this week's newsletter:
Lunch & Learn Info Session: What is a PG Year?
Grandparents Day
We are thrilled to welcome grandparents of our Grades 5-8 student-athletes to celebrate the start of the holiday season with a morning of arts and crafts with their grandchild(ren) on Thursday, December 5.
Grades 5-6 : 8:30am-9:30am
Grades 7-8 : 9:45am-10:45am
To RSVP, please follow this link.
Photo Retake Day
Photo retake day has been scheduled for Wednesday, December 4. If you missed photo day, please be prepared for retake day.
Upcoming PD Days:
November 28/29, 2024- School Closed
NLI Signing Day
On November 13th, The Hill Academy celebrated the first seven of the class of 2024 commitments to NCAA programs. Read along about the day in our latest media release.
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.
Lunch & Learn: Online Info Session
What is a PG Year?
Current Grade 12 Families are invited to join us on Monday November 25 at 1:15pm for an online session to learn more about a Post Grad Year. Please RSVP HERE
OUAC
The Ontario University Application Center is open for graduating students. Please visit the site for information on applications, deadlines and other key details.
Toys for Tots
We will be accepting donations for Toys for Tots through Friday December 6. Donations of new, unwrapped toys will be accepted under The Hill Christmas Tree, located in the lower flex area of the Main Building. Monetary donations will be totalled and our on-campus residence students will shop for toys in nearby Orangeville to place under our gifting tree! Contributions can be sent to accounting@thehillacademy.com with a note "Toys For Tots".
(Click image to enlarge)
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 and 2013 born rep soccer athletes. For more information, read here.
Sports schedules can be found in the image below for the week of Nov 18-22. 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.
Comments