K-6 Newsletter 11.21.25
- kevinhayashi
- Nov 21
- 8 min read
November 21, 2025
Dear Hill Academy Families,
Embracing the spirit of compassion and goodwill, we are thrilled to embrace the global celebration of World Kindness Day. This annual observance prompts us to contemplate the profound influence of kindness and its ability to uplift both individuals and communities.
World Kindness Day serves as a poignant reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can set off a ripple effect, contributing to the creation of a more harmonious and compassionate world. At The Hill Academy, we are committed not only to fostering academic and athletic excellence but also to cultivating empathetic and caring individuals.
In alignment with our commitment to kindness, we extend an invitation to students, teachers, and parents to engage in acts of kindness throughout the week. Whether it's a warm smile, a thoughtful gesture, or a helping hand, every act, regardless of its size, plays a role in building a culture of kindness within our school community.
Remember, kindness is contagious, and its effects are enduring. By fostering a culture of kindness within our school, we not only contribute to a positive learning environment but also empower our students to emerge as compassionate leaders in the future.
Let's unite and make a collective effort to spread kindness every day. Small gestures can yield significant impacts, and together, we can make a difference.
Casey Kirkpatrick
Director- Early Years & Junior School Vice Principal
The Hill
A reminder that the school will be closed Thursday November 27 and Friday November 28 for American Thanksgiving.
In this week's Newsletter:
Feather Awards
The Feather Awards highlight one or two students from each class who consistently exemplify our H.I.L.L. Values and demonstrate well-rounded growth in academics, character, and community engagement. We're thrilled to share this semester's recipients:
Eva Ford
Frank Gallo
Finley Griffin
Charlie Bennett
Gigi Gallo
Simon Nisker
Taylor Hyland
Kenzie Peters
Congratulations on your achievement!
Cross Country Photos
Photos from our Cross Country medal ceremony can be found here.
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.
Grandparent's Day - December 3
We are thrilled to host some of the most special people in our lives this December on Campus, as we welcome Grandparent's and special friends of our Kindergarten to Grade 6 student-athletes.
Our special guests will have an opportunity to warm up with a hot beverage, have a treat, and make a holiday craft with their grandchild. We kindly ask that those attending RSVP to ensure we have an accurate number of expected guests.
Wednesday December 3:
8:45AM-9:45AM : Kindergarten - Grade 3
9:55AM-10:55AM : Grade 4 - Grade 6
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: Homemade Chili Con Carne
Tuesday: Grilled Chicken Ceaser Potato Wedges
Wednesday: Creole Gumbo
Thursday: PD Day
Friday: PD Day
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: Hockey
Tuesday: Netball
Wednesday: Swimming
Thursday: PD Day Friday: PD Day
Foundations of Sport (4-6)
Monday: Touch rugby
Tuesday: Hockey
Wednesday: Netball
Thursday: PD Day
Friday: PD Day
Hockey (5-6)
Monday: Hockey
Tuesday: Hockey
Wednesday: Mutli-Sport
Thursday: PD Day
Friday: PD Day
View a comprehensive calendar of events by visiting www.thehillacademy.com/calendar
Friday, November 21 - Sunday, November 23 - U18 Hockey at PPHL - Essex, MA
Friday, November 21 - Sunday, November 23 - JV, Varsity, Prep - NHSLS Showcase - Baltimore, MD
Thursday, November 27 - Sunday, November 30 - U16AAA at International Silver Stick Whitby AAA Finals - Whitby, ON
Thursday, November 27 - American Thanksgiving - School Closed
Friday, November 28 - American Thanksgiving - School Closed
Tuesday, December 3 - Grandparent's Day at The Hill
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.
Winter Jackets:
Winter jackets have arrived, if you have pre-ordered your jacket you may pick it up at the front office.
Additionally, there is a very limited quantity that are in stock and can be purchased, while supplies last.
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.
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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