K-6 Newsletter 01.02.26
- kevinhayashi
- Dec 31, 2025
- 7 min read
January 2, 2026
Dear Hill Families,
As we prepare to welcome students back to Hill Academy on January 5th, we hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful and relaxing winter break filled with rest, reflection, and time with family and friends. We look forward to seeing our students and staff back on campus soon and reconnecting as a vibrant learning community. The return to school brings renewed energy and a chance to reestablish routines that support student success.
With Term 2 coming to a close at the end of January, the weeks ahead are an important time for students to refocus, set goals, and build on the learning that has already taken place. Classrooms will be busy with meaningful learning experiences, assessments, and opportunities for growth across all grade levels. Our teachers and staff are committed to supporting each student as they finish the term with confidence and purpose.
We appreciate the continued partnership of our families and thank you for your ongoing support. We wish everyone a smooth transition back to school and are excited to begin the next stretch of the school year together. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Hill Academy on January 5th.
Casey Kirkpatrick
Director- Early Years & Junior School Vice Principal
The Hill
In this week's Newsletter:
Welcome Back
Welcome back! As we approach the end of the first semester, we want to remind you that Wednesday, January 21 will be a PD Day ahead of the first day of second semester on Thursday, January 22.
Grandparents Day Photos!
We had an amazing time hosting Grandparents Day at The Hill again this year. It was such a special day and it was great to see you all again and to meet some new friends. We have some photos from the day that can be viewed here.
TPC Toronto Special Offer
Our partners at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley would like to extend our relationship by offering the following discounts to the Hill Family:
20% off indoor simulators and lessons
20% off rooms
20% off dining (food only)
To take advantage of these discounts, simply follow the link, using the password: hillacademy to access.
Inclement Weather Protocol
We want to ensure everyone is kept up to date with the inclement weather protocol and procedures.
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.
Blueprint Nutrition
This school year, the Hill Academy has partnered with Blueprint Nutrition to provide sport nutrition education and support. Blueprint is co-owned by Registered Dietitians, Cara Kasdorf and Rosanne Robinson, and along with their team of Sport Dietitians, they work with athletes across Canada. Their team of Registered Dietitians have worked with all levels and ages of athletes - from local and rep leagues to Olympic athletes, NHL and OHL players, and professional triathletes and endurance athletes. They have expertise in working with both student-athletes and adult athletes to fuel for performance, growth and development, and long-term health. They have expertise to support your athlete, whether the goal is to hit a personal best, navigate busy tournament weekends, or just eat enough to keep up with their sport and academics.
Cara and Rosanne will be providing 4 sport nutrition specific sessions to grades 4-12 throughout the school year. If you would like to seek out additional and more individualized support, Blueprint offers different options to work together.
Two of their most popular packages for student-athletes include:
Eat to Compete Program – $710 for 4 sessions
A high-impact coaching package designed to build strong fuelling habits across training, game day, recovery, and more. Ideal for athletes who want to level up their performance with a comprehensive strategy.
Performance Meal Planning Strategy Session – $295 for a 90-minute session
A focused, one-time consult to help you map out exactly what, when, and how much your athlete should be eating - with a personalized meal plan and timeline tailored to their sport, schedule, and needs.
*Note: all sessions are held virtually via video sessions
*They offer additional packages and sessions based on the athlete’s individual needs
To get started, schedule a free 20-minute clarity call by emailing: sport@blueprintnutrition.ca or booking directly at: www.blueprintnutrition.ca. They have also put together an online Sport Nutrition resource for students. Information about how to access the resource library can be found in their Physical Education and Health Google Classroom
The Hill Eats
The Hill Academy is pleased to offer a hot lunch program crafted by The Hill Eats team to include a balanced, macro-friendly nutritional meal that is designed to fuel The Hill Academy's student-athletes.
Grades 1-6 Lunch
Monday: Cheese Burgers French Fries Honey-Balsamic Brussel Sprouts
Tuesday: Bolognese Egg Noodle Vegetable Medley
Wednesday: European Sausage Roasted Beets Yukon Gold Potatoes
Thursday: Roast Pork Loin Steamed Peas Sweet Potato Mash
Friday: Chicken Quesadilla Corn and Bean Salad
If your day student would like to be on the lunch plan, please register now!
Please be advised any feedback or special requests should be sent to lunch@thehillacademy.com
Sports Schedule
For team based sports (ie. Junior Hockey Development), check your individual team's TeamSnap for the most up to date schedule.
Foundations of Sport (1-3):
Monday: Gymnastics/Snow
Tuesday: Gymnastics/Snow
Wednesday: Swimming
Thursday: Hockey Friday: Touch Rugby
Foundations of Sport (4-6)
Monday: Touch Rugby
Tuesday: Hockey
Wednesday: Orienteering
Thursday: Tennis/Squash
Friday: Snow Shoeing
Hockey (5-6)
Monday: Hockey
Tuesday: Multi-Sport
Wednesday: Hockey
Thursday: Hockey
Friday: Snow Shoeing
View a comprehensive calendar of events by visiting www.thehillacademy.com/calendar
Thursday, January 8 - Sunday, January 12 - U15AAA at Silver Stick - Port Huron, MI
Friday, January 9 - U18 Prep Hockey @ OHO - 2PM - Whitby, ON
Friday, January 9 - Sunday, January 12 - U16AAA at NEPACK Showcase - Rochester, NY
Thursday, January 15 - First Day of Exams
Friday, January 16 - Sunday, January 18 - U16AAA at Oakville Winter Classic, Oakville, ON
Tuesday, January 20 - Final Day of Exams
Wednesday, January 21 - PD Day
Thursday, January 22 - First Day of Second Semester
Friday, January 23 - Sunday, January 25 - U18 Prep Hockey @ PPHL Frozen Frenzy - Rockland, MA
Tuesday, January 27 - Grades 4-8 Ski Day at Hockley Valley
Monday, February 16 - Family Day (school closed)
School Information
School Hours:
8:10-3:50- Junior School (4-6)
8:30-3:30- Kindergarten and Primary (K-3)
Pick Up (K-6): To ensure the safety and supervision of all students, any child who has not been picked up within 10 minutes of their dismissal time will be sent to Aftercare and charged accordingly.
This policy helps ensure that every student is accounted for and supervised at all times. It also allows staff to focus on the safe and efficient dismissal of all students. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a smooth end-of-day routine.
Uniforms
Please ensure your student-athlete is wearing the appropriate uniform for their division. Please note there are NO TIGHTS or BIKE SHORTS PERMITTED. If you have questions regarding apparel please refer to the K-3 uniform guide or the Gr. 4-12 uniform guide. Any questions, concerns or questions apparel@thehillacademy.com.
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
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 come to a complete stop at all stop signs (there are new ones on campus)
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.
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.
Annual School Calendar 2025-26
Annual school calendars are available on the website:
Teachers
Kindergarten: Ms. Hill (katelyn.hill@thehillacademy.com)
Mrs.Kieswetter: (megan.kieswetter@thehillacademy.com )
Grade 1/2: Mrs. Goverde (jodi.goverde@thehillacademy.com)
Grade 2/3: Mr. Debenham (george.debenham@thehillacademy.com )
Grade 4/5 : Ms. Kennedy (haley.kennedy@thehillacademy.com)
Grade 6: Ms. Barbe (julie.barbe@thehillacademy.com )
Director of Early Years & Vice Principal: Casey Kirkpatrick (casey.kirkpatrick@thehillacademy.com)
Attendance Protocol K-PG
ALL STUDENTS:
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 (K-8). The students will need to provide their educator with the slip upon arrival to class. High School students must sign-in at the main office.
Allergy Aware School
Hill Families, please be aware that we have several anaphylactic allergies within our school community. These include but are not limited to peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish. We do not exclude nuts, tree nuts or other big ten foods packed in lunches and for snacks but ask for awareness of these allergies. We ask that parents please help educate their students on what it means to be allergy aware.
Ways that we can all keep our school safe are:
Be aware of specific allergies within your class
Please avoid sending in these foods as part of classroom celebrations to minimize exposure to those with allergies.
Placing food on paper towel or napkin and not directly on the table
Wiping down your area after eating
If using the microwave, wiping down any splatter
Hand washing before and after eating
Being mindful of those with allergies and not eating near them if consuming food that contains an allergen
All nuts are not permitted on any of the buses.
Please see https://foodallergycanada.ca/ for additional resources to help educate on food allergies. We thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students with allergies safe.
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