Hello Hill Family,
As a coach, at various times I find it beneficial to step outside the sports world and look at best practices across different walks of life: music, art, science, nature, etc. This is where I’ve discovered some of the most impactful insights on coaching.
One came from comedian Bill Murray, when improvising, his focus is to just “try and make someone look good.” This is a great mindset to have in sports. It creates this positive energy that is reciprocated.
I think concepts like this translate because there are consistencies in high performance and there is this cool interplay between mental, emotional, physical, spiritual.
Another example I recently came across was in an episode of the podcast Finding Mastery, Meg Lafauve, Pixar screen writer. Pixar’s slogan for its writers is “fail quickly.”
She described her process of writing a screen play. There is struggle, there is self doubt, there are many iterations before getting to a final version. She mentioned 26 versions of a screen play before it was released. This is very similar to the development process in sport.
She described having to “get to the Lava,” which is basically her heart/soul/guts that produces the best work. One of the conditions to get to the lava is vulnerability and removing fear of failure.
Writers create characters to detach themselves in order to express vulnerable things they may not be able to themselves. If you’ve seen the movie CUJO, the dog was a representation of author Stephen King’s battle with alcohol and drug addiction.
You see this in sports as well. Justin Jefferson becomes Jett or Kobe Bryant becomes the Black Mamba. Coach Thompson at The Hill mentions your competitive self vs your personal self. This way you are not defined personally by your actions in sport.
As coaches at The Hill it’s our responsibility to create an environment where our players are able to access the lava and create that encourage an interplay.
If I were to think about what that environment would look like, a blend these words come to mind: Rest, joy, community, fun, creativity, perspective, challenge, encouragement, intensity, humour, security, chaos.
If we can direct our focus toward creating this kind of environment, then a lot of amazing byproducts will come from it.
Brodie Merrill
In this week's newsletter:
Chef Michael and the New Meal Plan
We had a great first week with Chef Michael, and received some great feedback so far from students. Below is the menu for next week. Day students can still join the meal plan for just second semester if they would like. For more information and to sign up, please fill out this form.
PowerSchool Parent and Student Portal
Please note that the parent and student portal for Power School was disabled on January 16 until Semester 1 reports are sent home. Students received a copy of their semester 2 schedules last week.
Guidance Appointments: Grade 11
Students in grade 11 are encouraged to book meetings with Mrs. Flynn in the coming weeks to discuss NCAA eligibility, university applications and course selection. Please use this link to book an appointment with Mrs. Flynn.
Community Involvement Hours
Students who plan to graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma are required to collect at least 40 community involvement hours before graduation. Mrs. Flynn has posted a list outside of her office for 2025 graduates and the number of community involvement hours currently recorded. Please check the list.
There are many opportunities to collect these hours. Below you will find links to some of the events upcoming in certain communities, and students should connect with Mrs. Flynn about finding ways to complete the required hours:
Encouraging Student Independence
At Hill, the "I" in H.I.L.L. stands for Independent Thought, and we encourage our Student-Athletes to advocate for themselves. Whenever possible, please have your child reach out directly to their teacher or coach regarding any questions related to their classwork or sport. If an issue remains unresolved and requires further discussion, parents are welcome to contact staff by email during the week (8:00 am - 4:00 pm) to arrange a meeting.
Respecting Teacher/Coach Focus
Continuing with the theme of encouraging independence, we want to ensure that the expectations of teacher/coach communication remains in the best possible position moving forward. Please ensure that meetings/communication is guided toward the weekday (8:00 am - 4:00 pm) timeframe unless otherwise advised.
Additionally, during busy tournament and game weekends (or evenings), we kindly ask that parents avoid contacting coaches with questions related to the games (such as playing time, tactical decisions, etc.) or requesting meetings. Coaches are fully focused on supporting our athletes through games, reflecting, and planning for upcoming events during these times. Please know that coaches are always available to address health and safety concerns if they arise, as is our on-site athletic therapy team.
Phys Ed This Week
Below is an overview of what the focus was this past week in Phys Ed with through their journalling, the Player Development Program, Social Emotional Learning and Health.
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The Hill Partners with Atiba Hutchinson
We are excited to let you know that we have partnered with Canadian Soccer Legend Atiba Hutchinson in creating a March Break Soccer Camp (March 10-14). The camp will be specific to 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 born rep soccer athletes. For more information, read here. * IMPROVED PRICING *
March Break and Summer Camps
The Hill is excited announce the following upcoming camps:
March Break Soccer Camp - March 10-14
March Break Hockey Camp - March 11-13
Multi-Sport Summer Camp - June 30-July 4
Boys Lacrosse Camp - July 14-18
Girls Lacrosse Camp - July 21-25
Multi-Sport Summer Camp - July 28-Aug 1
Hill Student-Athletes can use the code "COACHCAM" for 15% off Summer Camps. Stay tuned for more Summer Camp announcements!
Sports schedules can be found in the image below for this week. Stay up to date by checking TeamSnap for your individual team's calendar.
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Daily Timetables
Daily timetables are available in the Hill Families > Parent Resources section of our website, alongside other helpful links for parents.
Cold Weather Policy
As the winter season is now upon us, we want to remind everyone of our cold weather policy to ensure the safety and well-being of our students while they are outdoors. Please review the guidelines below, which outline how we manage outdoor recess and activities during periods of extreme cold and wind chill:
Dress for the Weather
Students should wear warm, layered clothing, including hats and gloves, when outdoors. Proper attire is essential for staying comfortable and safe during colder temperatures.
Temperature Guidelines for Outdoor Recess
- When the wind chill or extreme cold is between **-20°C and -24°C**, outdoor recess will be limited to a maximum of 20 minutes (or less based on our professional discretion, if it is extremely windy)
- When the wind chill or extreme cold is **below -25°C**students will remain indoors for recess and other activities.
We kindly ask parents to ensure their children are dressed appropriately for the weather each day. Layers, insulated outerwear, and waterproof boots are strongly recommended during this season.
Thank you for your support in keeping our students safe and comfortable during the colder months.
Inclement Weather Procedure
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.
Code of Conduct Forms
Code of Conduct Forms are past due if they have not been handed in! Please ensure your student-athletes has complete this.
Junior School received a paper copy from their homeroom teacher and can access a digital copy to print on their homeroom Google Classroom.
High School can assess a copy of their period 6 Google Classroom.
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
In preparing for your student-athlete for the school year, 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 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. There is no parking in the fire routes, crosswalks or kiss and ride areas. If you arrive before the designated pick-up times, you will be directed to park in the lots.
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.
Absences and Late Arrivals
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. The students will need to provide their educator with the slip upon arrival to class.
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