K-6 Newsletter 12.12.25
- kevinhayashi
- 5 days ago
- 10 min read
December 12, 2025
Dear Hill Academy Families,
There are a few times each semester that you can usually feel the energy collectively shift amongst our entire community. The excitement at the beginning of the year, the sleepy stretch around midterms, where the days are a little longer, and daylight a little shorter. Then there are these two weeks right before the winter break where you can feel the energy pick back up.
As a student these days were always some of my favourites, and now as an educator, I understand why. With the snow on the ground, joy shows up in the simplest ways; sliding on a snowy hill, baseball in the snow, building forts with friends running and walking with the snow beneath our boots…the joy of the season is visible.
The season brings people together; spirit days this coming week will bring our youngest to oldest students side by side, celebrating, laughing and sharing the excitement of the season. The anticipation of the break; to spend with family, to celebrate the new year, and to rest and recuperate.
At the heart of all of this, everything that happens here at the Hill, at home, in your community; is gratitude. Grateful for a season that turns the outdoors into a brand new playground, grateful to teachers for the time and energy spent making this time, like all times, special and engaging. Grateful for time with friends and family, for gifts that may be received. Grateful for the opportunities we have, grateful for the learning and experience this year may have offered.
Our students feel it, too. While meeting with our middle school student leadership to plan spirit week, one grade seven student asked to share an idea. He wondered if, rather than the student council collect funds for school events, if for this spirit week, we could gather items needed by the food bank. A simple idea, yet such a clear example of how even our younger students look for ways to share the joy they feel.
So, with that, while we all know how much energy will be brought, and be required; by our staff, students, and families in this last week before the break, I hope we lean into gratitude, move through each day with a little extra spark, and head into winter break full steam (of fun!) ahead.
Emily Walko
Director of Student Success & Primary French
The Hill Academy
In this week's Newsletter:
Winter Weather Reminder
As we move into colder weather, we kindly remind parents and guardians that students must come to school dressed appropriately for outdoor conditions each day. Our classes spend a portion of their day outside, and proper winter gear, such as boots, snow pants, a warm coat, hat, and gloves, is essential to ensure students stay comfortable and safe.
Thank you for your support in helping our students enjoy their outdoor time!
Apparel Flash Sale
We will be having an apparel flash sale on Wednesday, December 17 from 10-1 in the lower flex area of the Main Building. Stop by and pick up some of these last chance items, or find the perfect holiday present!
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.
The Nest
The Nest has been officially open for a week now! We hope your student-athlete has had a chance to stop by and say hi and see what we're all about.
Conveniently located in the Main Building in the lower flex area, The Nest will offer a variety of baked goods, snacks, protein bars, coffees, and drinks to start, with smoothies and additional menu options rolling out in the coming weeks. We’ll also have a suggestion box available — we’d love to hear your ideas!
Please note that the canteen is cashless. Payment can be made by tap, and we are also introducing pre-paid Cash Cards ($25 and $55), available for purchase on our website. All Cash Cards will be kept at the canteen and managed by staff for easy use. Canteen hours will be Monday-Friday 11-1 and 3:15-4:15, but will be reevaluated in the new year.
We look forward to continuing to build and add to The Hill experience in 2026 and beyond!
Hill-iday Spirit Week
The Student Leadership Council is excited to invite you to celebrate Hill-iday Spirit Week with us! We will be collecting donations of non-perishable food items for the Orangeville Food Bank.
Monday, December 15 – PJ Day Roll out of bed and head to school in your comfiest pajamas!
Tuesday, December 16 – Jersey Day OR Twin Day Students have two fun choices today:
Jersey Day: Wear your favourite team jersey: any sport, any player, any style.
Twin Day: Don’t want to wear a jersey? Pick a friend and dress alike! Matching outfits, colours, or themes all count.
Wednesday, December 17 – Monochrome (Sweatsuit) Day Dress in one colour from head to toe. If you have a matching sweatsuit, this is your moment! If not, simple matching in any single colour works perfectly.
Thursday, December 18 – Ugly Sweater Day Festive, funny, loud, sparkly, or truly so ugly...bring out your most wonderfully ugly sweater and wear it proudly!
Friday, December 19 – Casual / Anything-But-Uniform Day Show off your personal style! Students may wear any casual outfit they choose, as long as it follows the school dress code.
Primary Holiday Concert
We're thrilled to welcome our K-3 Parents to our Primary Holiday Concert on Tuesday, December 16 at 4:30PM.
We will be collecting non-perishable food items, personal care items and toys as part of the Town of Orangeville's Holiday Drive at the door. Please RSVP here.
Grades 4-6 Holiday Showcase
In addition to our Primary Holiday Concert, our Grade 4-6 Student-Athletes will be welcoming parents for their Holiday Showcase, which will be held on Wednesday, December 17. Doors will open at 8:30AM. Please RSVP 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: The Athlete’s Bowl (salmon, quinoa, roasted veggies)
Tuesday: Turkey Burger on a whole wheat bun, including coleslaw
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken Ceaser Salad with Potato Wedges
Thursday: Grilled Cheese Tomato Soup Meatball
Friday: Pinwheel Cold Cut Sandwiches Served with Potato 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.
~ KINDERGARTEN SKATING FRIDAY DECEMBER 19 ~
Foundations of Sport (1-3):
Monday: Hockey
Tuesday: Basketball
Wednesday: Swimming
Thursday: Orienteering Friday: Football
Foundations of Sport (4-6)
Monday: Football
Tuesday: Hockey
Wednesday: Basketball
Thursday: Golf
Friday: Orienteering
Hockey (5-6)
Monday: Hockey
Tuesday: Multisport
Wednesday: Hockey
Thursday: Hockey (3 on 3 tournament)
Friday: Orienteering
View a comprehensive calendar of events by visiting www.thehillacademy.com/calendar
Monday, December 15 - PJ Day
Tuesday, December 16 - Jersey Day or Twin Day
Tuesday, December 16 - Primary Holiday Concert
Wednesday, December 17 - Apparel Flash Sale
Wednesday, December 17 - Monochrome (Sweatsuit) Day
Wednesday, December 17 - Grades 4-6 Holiday Showcase
Thursday, December 18 - Junior School Hockey 3 on 3
Thursday, December 18 - Ugly Sweater Day
Friday, December 19 - Casual/Anything But Your Uniform Day
Friday, December 19 - Last Day Before Winter Break
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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