March 21st, 2021 HILL Message (from Academic Director Rick Kunc): Obviously, COVID-19 has had a wide range of impacts on many people. One of the impacts that this has had on my professional world is it has greatly impacted my ability to go into classrooms and witness what is going on. And that is unfortunate because it is one of the best parts of my job. I have tried observing activities when teachers have moved their class into large spaces like the cafeteria, or when they have gone outside. And every so often I stand in a doorway and catch a few minutes of what is going on. Last week I was doing just that and I heard this exchange between one of our students named Asher and another student. Asher said, “I didn’t say, I don’t know it, I said I don’t know it YET!” I cannot express how happy I was to hear that. I have no idea what they were talking about, and really it doesn’t matter. It was Asher’s attitude that I loved. Imagine if we went through life with that attitude toward learning. I just don’t know how to do it YET. It is hopeful, it is resilient, it is positive. It demonstrates a belief in oneself. We talk about taking individual responsibility for our success. This is a great example of that. In the classroom, I will seek to understand. I will work to solve that math problem, demonstrate the science experiment, or write that paper in a clear way. I may not be able to do it now, but if I continue to work at it, I will be able to do it eventually. I also think about how this applies to training. We ask our student-athletes to commit to continuous improvement. And they may not be able to do 5 unaided pull-ups right now, but through continued hard work and development, they will be able to eventually. So here’s to Asher, and his willingness to articulate the difference between not knowing and not knowing YET.
Quote of the Week: “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them." -Michael Jordan ____________________________________________________________________________
Other Notes and Important Information: Register Now for Hill Academy Summer Camps! Summer camp registration is now open! Hill students will receive 30% off camp fees. Space is limited. Visit https://www.thehillacademy.com/hill-summer-camps to learn more. Monday Morning Assembly: There is a Monday morning assembly. Secondary students will tune in by clicking the Microsoft Teams link below at 8:30 am: Monday Morning Assembly Smoke-Free Ontario It was disappointing to learn that some of our students have been using vape or e-cigarettes on school grounds and on our Hill Academy busses. We want to assure our community that we are committed to holding our students accountable for their behaviour and that we will not tolerate this. Any student caught with vape/e-cigarette paraphernalia will be suspended from school and any student caught using a vape/e-cigarette on campus will be expelled. Parents; we ask that you speak to your students about the consequences associated with smoking, including the health risks around vapes, tobacco, etc. Encourage students to be open with you about what they bring to school each day - it is their health and their reputation at risk. If you want more information on the risks, fines, etc. on the use of vape/e-cigarettes, please see the resources from Health Canada here. Ontario Literacy Test 2021 (OSSLT) The EQAO has released the following statement: “EQAO will be field testing the online Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) from March 2021 until June 2021.” We have not received any information about how this will affect our students but will continue to keep you up to date if we are granted access to these tests. Graduation Requirements 2020-2021 The Ministry of Education has changed two of the requirements for students who are planning to graduate in 2020-2021. Graduating students for the 2020-2021 school year: are not required to complete the literacy graduation requirement must complete a minimum of 20 hours of community involvement (reduced from 40 hours) Guidance at The Hill Academy A reminder to visit the Guidance website HERE. In the next few weeks, the Guidance team will be providing reports for students to track their graduation progress. Individual meetings will be held with students to review graduation progress and post-secondary goals. Feel free to contact guidance@thehillacademy.com with any questions or concerns. Spring Weather Clothing As the weather gets warmer, we will continue to embrace opportunities to be outside. Students are reminded to have footwear for both the indoors and outdoors. As well as masks for indoor and outdoor activities. Mental Health Resources There are a lot of valuable resources available to families who are navigating this unusual time together. One such resource is the CMH page on COVID-19 Mental Health response found here. Our staff is also available and we encourage students or families to reach out to us. We are also building onto our Wellness Resources on the Guidance website here Absences Just a reminder that all attendances are to be reported to attendance@thehillacademy.com. Please make sure to note the reason for your absence. Daily Covid-19 Screening The Kinduct Covid-19 screen must be completed every morning prior to coming on to campus. All students with at least one symptom of COVID-19, even mild symptoms, must stay home, self-isolate, and are recommended to get tested. Household members, including siblings, also must self-isolate while the symptomatic child is awaiting test results. This will catch COVID-19 infections even sooner and help keep our school open for all children. If your child is staying home with a symptom, you need to notify attendance and you will receive follow-up information regarding the course of action that is required. We thank everyone for their cooperation in keeping our campus safe. Visitors on Campus We have a new screening process for all visitors to campus, including parents coming into the building. When you come to the main entrance, there is a QR code to scan and fill out a Covid-19 Screening form. This must be completed prior to entering the building. Once this is complete please let Ms. Bush know and sign the visitor log. We appreciate your cooperation in completing this. Stock Talks with Mr. Siskos This week at the Hill Academy marked the first session of “Stock Talks”. Led by Mr. Siskos, “Stock Talks” is an interactive student club that takes a deeper look at the stock market as a whole. Its main purpose is to provide students with the opportunity to learn about the various components of the stock market including its history, current trends, and famous investors. Mr. Siskos is looking forward to working with these students! Graduation Robes We are placing an order for graduation robes for our Graduation ceremonies in June 2021. Both grade 8 grads and grade 12 grads will have a ceremony that will include speakers, awards, and certificates/diplomas. Please have your graduate complete the Google forms below to order a robe that will fit your student-athlete. Refer to the size guide below. Grade 8 Graduation Robe orders here. Grade 12 Graduation Robe orders here.