K-6 Newsletter 10.24.25
- kevinhayashi
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
October 24, 2025
Hello Hill Families,
Autumn has arrived here at The Hill, and our campus is looking absolutely stunning with the vibrant colours of the changing leaves! It’s a wonderful time for our students to enjoy the outdoors, whether during recess, outdoor learning, or sport.
As the weather continues to change, please ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for the day, including warm layers, jackets, hats, and gloves as needed. Spending time outdoors is an important part of our program, and being properly dressed helps students stay comfortable and focused while they enjoy the fresh air.
We also ask that all clothing and personal items be clearly labelled with your child’s name. This helps us ensure that belongings are returned promptly and prevents items from getting lost.
Let’s make the most of this beautiful season together!
Casey Kirkpatrick
Director of Early Years & Vice Principal (K-6)
In this week's Newsletter:
Coming Soon
🤫 The Canteen is launching in the coming weeks! We’re excited to introduce this new space for our student-athletes and staff. It will be a place to enjoy a quick snack, a fresh coffee, a sweet treat (pending Coach Dre’s approval), and so much more.
Take a sneak peek at our rendering! Soon, you can look forward to wholesome snacks, freshly prepared meals for our Hill Families, and a variety of other novelties. Stay tuned for updates—exciting things are on the way!
Parent-Teacher Interviews
Parent-Teacher and Parent-Interviews are scheduled for November 20th and 21st. Grade 1-6 Parents will have an opportunity to book a virtual appointment using Pick-A-Time. Kindergarten parents are invited to book either in-person or virtual meetings with the Kindergarten teachers. We look forward to meeting with you soon!
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: European Sausage, Roasted Beets, Caramelized Sweet Potato
Tuesday: Chicken Caesar, Potato Wedges, Caesar Salad
Wednesday: Cheese Burger, Grilled Corn on the Cob
Thursday: Beef Meatballs, Sautéed Cabbage Soybean & Carrots, Basmati Rice
Friday: Halloween Special 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
Picture Re-Take Day - October 28
A Picture Re-Take Day for students has been scheduled for Tuesday, October 28. If your student-athlete missed photo day, please have them wearing their proper uniform, including their Hill polo shirt that day.
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 - Pickleball
Tuesday - Lacrosse (helmets are mandatory)
Wednesday - Soccer
Thursday - Hockey (Helmets and skates are mandatory)
Friday - Multi-Sport
Foundations of Sport (4-6)
Monday: Golf
Tuesday: Soccer
Wednesday: Football
Thursday: Soccer
Friday: Multi-Sport
Hockey (5-6)
Monday: Hockey
Tuesday: Soccer
Wednesday: Hockey
Thursday: Hockey
Friday: Multi-Sport
View a comprehensive calendar of events by visiting www.thehillacademy.com/calendar
Thursday, October 23 - Sunday, October 26 - U18 Prep Hockey at Kingston Fall Bash
Thursday, October 23 - Sunday, October 26 - U15AAA at Eastern Exposure Cup in Boston, MA
Saturday, October 25 - U16AAA vs. Buffalo Jr. Sabres - Teen Ranch - 4:30PM
Sunday, October 26 - Middle School Boys at the 3Nation Lacrosse Classic in Elmira, NY
Tuesday, October 28 - Picture Re-take Day
Tuesday, October 28 - Prep Lacrosse vs. Canisius University - Buffalo, NY
Wednesday, October 29 - Halloween Bake Sale
Friday, October 31 - Halloween Trail Walk, Costume Contest, Assembly
Friday, October 31 - Sunday, November 2 - Prep Lacrosse at Fall Terp Classic - Annapolis, MD
Friday, October 31 - Saturday, November 1 - Junior Varsity/Varsity at Tully Cornfield Classic - Tully, NY
Thursday, November 20 - Parent-Teacher and Parent-Coach Interviews
Friday, November 21 - Parent-Teacher and Parent-Coach Interviews - School Closed
Thursday, November 27 - American Thanksgiving - School Closed
Friday, November 28 - American Thanksgiving - 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.
This Week's Store Feature:
Stay warm under your gear during outdoor sports periods and practice, on the ice or even on the side lines. Grab them before they are gone. Sizes in women’s and men’s. Snug fit because they are designed to keep you warm and dry.
Dual-layer fabric with an ultra-warm, brushed interior & a smooth, fast-drying exterior
Material wicks sweat & dries really fast
Mesh underarm panels for added ventilation where you need it
Raglan sleeves
Fitted: Streamlined fit that’s not too tight or too loose.
87% Polyester/13% Elastane
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!
Student-Dedicated Resource
This year, Ms. Walko will be working as student support. She will be working with students from Kindergarten through Post-Grad to help them achieve academic success. If you, as a student, or your child as a parent, require classroom support, accommodations, or have an IEP in place, please reach out to Ms. Walko directly so we can ensure supports are in place as quickly as possible.
Students are also welcome to stop by the Resource Room (Room 104) to check in or ask questions. Please contact Ms. Walko with any questions at emily.walko@thehillacademy.com.
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.
Before and After Care Available
We are proud to offer an exceptional before and after school program for the 2025/26 school year. Our program is designed to provide a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment that supports children’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development.
Our before and after school program is available for students from Kindergarten through 8th grade, and is designed to complement their school day.
If you are interested in learning more about the Before and After Care available please visit this link.
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:
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 (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.
We want to thank you for entrusting The Hill Academy with your child's academic and athletic journey. We believe we can achieve great things together, and we can't wait for to get started!
Our Newsletter emails are to keep you informed as to what is happening on campus and upcoming dates and details. The Hill Academy Newsletter will be sent out every Friday at 6pm with information and messages for the upcoming week.
If there is a different or additional email address that you would prefer to be on our distribution list, please email info@thehillacademy.com.
2026-27 Admissions
Applications are now being accepted for the 2026-27 school year for SIBLINGS of current students or referrals. Please visit the application portal HERE to apply. Contact Julie Packard jpackard@thehillacademy.com with questions.
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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