225 Broadway Street, Mississauga, Ontario, L5M 1J1, Canada
20490 Porterfield Road, Caledon, Ontario, L7K1T2, Canada
225 Broadway Street, Mississauga, Ontario, L5M 1J1, Canada
20490 Porterfield Road, Caledon, Ontario, L7K1T2, Canada
2007
2006
100
235
JK to 8
JK to 12
Coed
Coed
Day
Day, Homestay, Boarding
English
English
Academic
Sports
Traditional, Montessori
Traditional
5 to 16
6 to 18
Dedicated gifted school
$10,000
$13,500 to $22,100
$44,600 to $49,600
No
Yes
0%
40%
None
7 to 12
$0
$2,500
9
16
0%
32%
90%
100%
JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Rolling
Yes: grades JK - 8
No
No
No
information not available
information not available
One of the reasons that private school is attractive is because there is no assumption that one size fits all, and Guiding Light is a great example of that. It presents both traditional and Montessori instruction in consort with the values and lessons of the Catholic church. It’s not for everyone, though for some, it provides a strikingly tailored fit. The ideal family is one that is active within the Catholic faith and looking for a school that will support that spiritual life. Families who enroll are drawn by the strength of the academic program, as well as by the breadth of extra-curricular offerings, all offered within a very close-knit school community. There is no other school like it, and for the families that enrol, that's perhaps Guiding Light's greatest strength.
View full reportIt’s perhaps easy to wonder why Hill Academy isn’t more widely known, though perhaps for those involved in high school sports in Canada and the US, it is. Which, frankly, is appropriate. It’s a high school program based in the values, dedication, and energy associated with sport, with the daily schedule organized in order to allow students to excel in both academics and athletics. The lessons overlap, and students compete in math contests as successfully as they do sporting events. The ideal student is one looking to grow in both areas, and to do it alongside peers of a like mind, approach, and ability. The school’s success is evident in the careers—again, both academic and athletic—of its alumni, who operate at the top of their fields not only on Ontario, but throughout North America.
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"Focus of the school is not simply in academics but also helping develop the children into good people."
Felix Wong - Parent (May 08, 2018)
My children love their experience at Guiding Light. The school provides a warm, welcoming, and safe...
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"Students heighten their education at Guiding Light Academy with various forms of teaching outside of workbooks..."
Vania Padua - Parent (Mar 17, 2021)
A large part of our worries as parents is wondering what our children’s experience will be at scho...
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"The teaching staff at Guiding Light Academy is highly knowledgeable about their subject and I love how creative they are in..."
Cindy Flandes - Parent (Mar 17, 2021)
Guiding Light Academy has been a home away from home for all my children. I am mother to seven child...
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"My daughter just completed grade 8 and said it was the best year of her life.
Caren Morrison (Elson) - Parent (Jun 22, 2023)
My daughter just completed grade 8 and said it was "The best year of her life". Being part of a scho...
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"For any young person who is willing to put in the hard work and take full advantage of the opportunities by attending The Hill Academy, it is the perfect fit."
Brenda Burman - Parent (Aug 28, 2023)
Both our sons have had a terrific experience since starting at The Hill Academy. The opportunity for...
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"The quality of instruction at The Hill Academy is very high."
Sam Kane - Parent (Feb 29, 2024)
Our Son Matt, recalls his experience at The Hill Academy as a moulding experience but in a spectacul...
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"Guiding Light Academy is a Catholic private elementary school in Streetsville, Mississauga. We offer an enriched curriculum for JK, SK & Grades 1 to 8 that far exceeds the Ontario standard. We focus on spiritual development, academic excellence & an extensive co-curricular program that includes music, gymnastics, sport, drama, elocution & dance. The Spiritual Guidance is under the full responsibility of The Heralds of the Gospel & Lumen Veritatis Academy. Each school day begins with Daily Mass at our local Parish."
"The Hill Academy is Canada's premier independent school for students in JK- Grade 12/Post Graduate. The 134-acre Caledon campus offers outdoor education, bright classrooms & elite training facilities. The Hill provides a transformational experience and exceptional academic/athletic programs that focus on individual attention, character growth, leadership development & physical literacy. With small class sizes & dedicated staff, our Graduates are prepared for the demands & rigor of post secondary education."
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"Our forest campus, offers day/boarding/homestay students a serene environment to excel academically with our small class sizes, dedicated, caring staff & bright classrooms. Daily character development & outdoor education benefits students physically, emotionally, and socially as they set the foundation for lifelong wellness & good health. Access to physical education backed by Sports Science, ensures athletes can reach their post secondary aspirations of playing a sport at the next level."
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"While students are engaged in an outstanding academic program, they are working at a level of athletic training normally available only at the College/University level. The Hill provides the foundation for academic, athletic, & personal development enabling each individual to maximize their full potential to succeed at the next level. Athletic & academic scheduling is completely integrated to ensure that each student-athlete is achieving excellence academically & athletically all under one roof"
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"The relationships formed between our teachers/coaches & students is something we pride our school on. It is these bonds and family connections truly make The Hill Academy a FAMILY and make a difference in the lives, and experience that our students have during their time at The Hill."
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"Teachers, Coaches & Staff at The Hill truly care about every Hill student & family. With intimate class sizes & direct one-on-one communication, meaningful relationships are formed that last a lifetime. It is these relationships that help students excel academically & athletically through daily accountability, social-emotional development, leadership opportunities, and high expectations for every member of The Hill Community."
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We at Guiding Light Academy are blessed to share the integral role of guiding our children during the formative years of their lives.
Through outstanding learning and teaching, with constant reinforcement of core values, we strive to prepare our children for the tapestry of life.
On a personal note, I have founded and managed School of Knowledge, Sharjah, U.A.E., for the last 30 years. My gratification is when my students, now young adults, feel that the best years of their lives were the ones spent in our care! This sense of achievement is what I endeavour to bring to the field of education in Toronto as well.
The Hill Academy is a unique academic and athletic platform to enable dedicated student athletes to get to the next level. Respect and Prepare are the core values of this platform, and are enforced on a daily basis in order to achieve academic excellence, athletic excellence and personal growth. In an athlete-centered approach, every phase of the student-athlete’s experience at the school is designed to fully prepare them to succeed at the next level.
The Hill Academy student-athletes pursue their dreams and goals with the full support of classmates, teachers, coaches and administrative staff. Our goal is to help student-athletes reach their academic and athletic goals as well as experience personal growth. The Hill Academy dedicates all of its resources to ensuring the success of its student-athletes, in a positive and energizing environment.
Traditional
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Traditional curricula tend to be very content-based and rooted in the core disciplines. It is a structured approach that involves the teacher delivering a unified curriculum through direct instruction. Students usually learn by observing and listening to their teacher, studying facts and concepts in textbooks, and completing both tests and written assignments - which challenge students to not only demonstrate their mastery of content but their ability to analyze and deconstruct it critically. Class discussions are also used to create critical dialogue around the content of the curriculum.
Traditional curricula tend to be very content-based and rooted in the core disciplines. It is a structured approach that involves the teacher delivering a unified curriculum through direct instruction. Students usually learn by observing and listening to their teacher, studying facts and concepts in textbooks, and completing both tests and written assignments - which challenge students to not only demonstrate their mastery of content but their ability to analyze and deconstruct it critically. Class discussions are also used to create critical dialogue around the content of the curriculum.
Particularly popular in the younger grades (preschool to elementary), but sometimes available all the way up to high school, Montessori schools offer an alternative vision to the standard lesson format of most classrooms. Instead of listening to whole-class lessons, Montessori classrooms allow students to choose which "tasks" or activities interest them. These tasks centre around special Montessori puzzles - their essential feature being they contain a right answer and allow for selfcorrection. A strong emphasis is therefore placed on lessons being concrete and rooted in practical experience, along with students developing a sense of self-sufficiency, confidence and curiosity.
Not applicable
The Enriched Curriculum at Guiding Light Academy provides your child with the opportunity to learn and grow spiritually, physically, and emotionally through creative learning. At Guiding Light Academy, we focus on three key Elements including Spiritual Guidance, Academic Excellence, and Co-curricular Activities. We combine traditional methods of academic learning with aspects of social interactive learning. Our main goal is to provide a learning environment that inspires life long learning, encourages strong self -development, and instills deep spiritual values.
The Hill Academy is in accordance with the Ontario Ministry of Education and as such follows the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum. The Hill Academy is a unique independent school that offers a program specifically designed for dedicated student-athletes. While students are engaged in an outstanding academic program, they are working at a level of athletic training normally available only at the College/University level. The Hill provides the foundation for academic, athletic, and personal development enabling each individual to maximize his or her full potential and ultimately reach and succeed at the next level. The athletic and academic scheduling is completely integrated and complementary to ensure that each student-athlete is achieving excellence both academically and athletically. Students at The Hill Academy can earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma and will be supported by a broad range of courses, post-secondary counselling, SAT/ACT preparation and college scholarship services, ensuring the student has access to the best post secondary opportunity.
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These math programs feature an equal balance of “Traditional” and “Discovery” methods.
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Systematic-phonics programs teach young children to read by helping them to recognize and sound out the letters and syllables of words. Students are then led to blend these sounds together to sound out and recognize the whole word. While other reading programs might touch on phonetics (either incidentally or on a “when needed” basis), systematic phonics teaches phonics in a specific sequence, and uses extensive repetition and direct instruction to help readers associate specific letter patterns with their associated sounds.
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Programs that balance systematic and process approaches equally likely have an emphasis on giving young students ample opportunities to write, while providing supplementary class-wide instruction in grammar, parts of sentences, and various writing strategies.
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Science programs that balance expository and inquiry learning equally will likely have an equal blend of tests and experiments; direct, textbook-based instruction and student-centred projects.
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Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught
Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught
Physics
Not applicable
These literature programs draw in equal measure from “Traditional” and “Social Justice” programs.
Not applicable
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Ancient lit
English lit
World (non-Western) lit
European (continental) lit
American lit
Canadian lit
Ancient lit
English lit
World (non-Western) lit
European (continental) lit
American lit
Canadian lit
Not applicable
Usually focused on teaching history and geography at an early age, the core knowledge approach uses story, drama, reading, and discussion to teach about significant people, places, and events. Breadth of content and knowledge is emphasized. The curriculum is often organized according to the underlying logic of the content: history might be taught sequentially, for example (as students move through the grades).
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These programs represent an equal balance between the perennialist and pragmatic approach to teaching the humanities and social sciences.
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These programs feature an equal blend of the audio-lingual and communicative styles of language instruction.
Not applicable
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Hebrew
ESL
Spanish
Russian
Latin
Japanese
Italian
Greek
German
French
Chinese-Mandarin
Chinese-Cantonese
Hebrew
ESL
Spanish
Russian
Latin
Japanese
Italian
Greek
German
French
Chinese-Mandarin
Chinese-Cantonese
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Not applicable
These programs have an equal emphasis on receptive and creative learning.
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Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Not applicable
A major effort is made to integrate the development of digital literacy throughout the curriculum and in everything students do. Digital literacy is understood to be a fundamental skill in the 21st century: it therefore follows, the idea goes, that teachers should find ways to connect every lesson back to technology. Effort is made to ensure the use of technology is meaningful and advances students’ skills beyond what they would otherwise be from using computers outside the classroom.
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Web design
Robotics
Computer science
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Academic
Academic-based preschools and Kindergartens are the most structured of the different types, and have a strong emphasis on math and reading readiness skills. These programs aim to expose children to what early-elementary school is like. While time is still allotted to free play, much of the day is built around explicit lessons guided by the teacher. Classrooms often resemble play-based ones (with different stations set up around the room), but at an Academic program the teacher leads students through the stations directly, and ties these activities to a whole-class lesson or theme.
Academic-based preschools and Kindergartens are the most structured of the different types, and have a strong emphasis on math and reading readiness skills. These programs aim to expose children to what early-elementary school is like. While time is still allotted to free play, much of the day is built around explicit lessons guided by the teacher. Classrooms often resemble play-based ones (with different stations set up around the room), but at an Academic program the teacher leads students through the stations directly, and ties these activities to a whole-class lesson or theme.
The Enriched Curriculum at Guiding Light Academy provides your child with the opportunity to learn and grow spiritually, physically, and emotionally through creative learning. At Guiding Light Academy, we focus on three key Elements including Spiritual Guidance, Academic Excellence, and Co-curricular Activities. We combine traditional methods of academic learning with aspects of social interactive learning.\nOur main goal is to provide a learning environment that inspires learning, encourages strong self -development, and instills deep spiritual values.
Information not available
Standard-enriched
The main curriculum accelerates beyond the pace of the provincial one; ALL students do the work of OLDER public-school peers in tangible and measurable ways. This accelerated pace is maintained by the teachers and school, (through textbook selection, topic selection, grading, assignment standards and expectations, etc).
Broadly-speaking, the main curriculum -- like that of most schools -- paces the provincially-outlined one. This pace is steady and set by the teachers and school. The curriculum might still be enriched in various ways: covering topics more in-depth and with more vigor than the provincial one, or covering a broader selection of topics.
Our small class sizes allow us to spend one on one time with every child ensuring that the course material and pacing is customized to each child.
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Rigorous
A school with a “rigorous” academic culture places a high value on academic performance, and expects their students to do the same. This does not mean the school is uncaring, unsupportive, or non-responsive -- far from it. A school can have a rigorous academic culture and still provide excellent individual support. It does mean, however, the school places a particular emphasis on performance -- seeking the best students and challenging them to the fullest extent -- relative to a normal baseline. High expectations and standards – and a challenging yet rewarding curriculum – are the common themes here. Keep in mind this classification is more relevant for the older grades: few Kindergarten classrooms, for example, would be called “rigorous”.
A school with a “rigorous” academic culture places a high value on academic performance, and expects their students to do the same. This does not mean the school is uncaring, unsupportive, or non-responsive -- far from it. A school can have a rigorous academic culture and still provide excellent individual support. It does mean, however, the school places a particular emphasis on performance -- seeking the best students and challenging them to the fullest extent -- relative to a normal baseline. High expectations and standards – and a challenging yet rewarding curriculum – are the common themes here. Keep in mind this classification is more relevant for the older grades: few Kindergarten classrooms, for example, would be called “rigorous”.
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"We honour and distinguish our brightest students, using them as examples for other students to follow."
"We honour and distinguish our brightest students, using them as examples for other students to follow."
Balanced
Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation.
Balanced
Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation.
Spiritual
The goal is to cultivate "individuals with inner resourcefulness, strong faith and respect for God or a higher power."
Physical
The goal is to cultivate "strong, ?exible - bodied and active individuals, in tune with the joys of movement, sport and wellness."
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CompetitiveComp. |
RecreationalRec. |
CompetitiveComp. |
RecreationalRec. |
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Badminton |
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Baseball |
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Basketball |
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Canoeing/Kayaking |
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Cricket |
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Cross-country skiing |
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Cycling |
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Downhill skiing |
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Equestrian |
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Fencing |
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Field Hockey |
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Figure Skating |
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Football |
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Golf |
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Gymnastics |
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Ice Hockey |
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Ice Skating |
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Lacrosse |
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Martial Arts |
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Mountain biking |
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Racquet Ball |
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Rowing |
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Rugby |
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Running |
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Sailing |
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Skateboarding |
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Snowboarding |
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Soccer |
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Softball |
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Squash |
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Swimming |
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Tennis |
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Track & Field |
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Volleyball |
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Weightlifting |
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Wrestling |
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Archery |
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Curling |
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Ultimate |
Ballet and Classical Ballet
Yoga
Yearbook
Student Council
Scouting
Science Club
School newspaper
Round Square
Robotics club
Radio club
Poetry/Literature club
Photography
Paintball
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Club
Online Magazine
Musical theatre/Opera
Math Club
Jazz Ensemble
Habitat for Humanity
Foreign Language Club
Environmental Club
Drama Club
Debate Club
Dance Club
Computer Club
Community Service
Choir
Chess Club
Band
Audiovisual Club
Astronomy Club
Art Club
Animation
Ballet and Classical Ballet
Yoga
Yearbook
Student Council
Scouting
Science Club
School newspaper
Round Square
Robotics club
Radio club
Poetry/Literature club
Photography
Paintball
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Club
Online Magazine
Musical theatre/Opera
Math Club
Jazz Ensemble
Habitat for Humanity
Foreign Language Club
Environmental Club
Drama Club
Debate Club
Dance Club
Computer Club
Community Service
Choir
Chess Club
Band
Audiovisual Club
Astronomy Club
Art Club
Animation
7 - 12
0%
40%
$0
$2,500
90%
100%
JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Rolling
Yes: grades JK - 8
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Guiding Light Academy aims to develop all around students with a focus on Catholic values, an intensive academic program and an extensive co-curricular program. We expect a student of Guiding Light Academy to have a deep understanding of the Catholic faith, a strong focus on academics and have the ability to sing and dance on stage as part of a performance.
Hill students are curious, driven, passionate and want to be at The Hill. They want to be surrounded by likeminded peers and want to succeed at every level in anything they do. They understand that they must put in hard work in order to see results both in the classroom and in sport/physical fitness. Hill students are kind, thoughtful, and want to leave a positive legacy in their school, the community and the world. They are challenged to be accountable and hold high expectations for themselves. Hill students want to be active for life through physical fitness and mental wellbeing.
As part of the application requirement, we ask that the parents along with the child meet with the school's admission team to discuss the child and the school's curriculum.
The Hill Academy offers admission on a rolling basis however with limited positions available and small class sizes, enrollment can close at any time. It is recommended that you apply early. The application is completed and submitted online.
Before you begin please have the following items ready to upload:
http://www.thehillacademy.com/admissions/application-process/
