20490 Porterfield Road, Caledon, Ontario, L7K1T2, Canada
2379 Trafalgar Road, Unit 6, Oakville, Ontario, L6H 6K7, Canada
20490 Porterfield Road, Caledon, Ontario, L7K1T2, Canada
2379 Trafalgar Road, Unit 6, Oakville, Ontario, L6H 6K7, Canada
2006
1997
235
84
JK to 12
Preschool to 3
Coed
Coed
Day, Homestay, Boarding
Day
English
English
Sports
Academic
Traditional
Montessori
6 to 18
8 to 18
$13,500 to $22,100
$13,195 to $14,195
$44,600 to $49,600
Yes
No
40%
0%
7 to 12
None
$2,500
$0
16
12
32%
0%
100%
95%
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Preschool, JK, SK, 1, 2, 3
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Rolling
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
No
No
No
No
information not available
information not available
It’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.
View full reportTrafalgar Ridge Montessori School is an established, proven, Montessori program that reflects the core of the method—respect, community, purposeful engagement, motivated learning—within a setting crafted to deliver it. The staff see themselves as a natural support of the families that turn to them, not merely teachers of students, adding further strength to the program. The extended hours and summer camp programs take the offering beyond the hours of the school day and through the holiday months, something that parents rightly appreciate—it adds a consistency, and a sense of the familiar, throughout the calendar year. The school has parent association, which says a lot, actually. It’s unique to schools of this size and focus, though signals a dedication to communication and transparency. The program and the school culture no doubt benefit from that level of parental involvement.
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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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"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."
"Trafalgar Ridge Montessori School has provided "Quality Education in a Nurturing Environment" since 1997. The fundamental principle governing our approach to learning is that the "whole child" (emotional, intellectual, social & physical) must be the focal point of the activities so each student can develop at their own pace. We embrace multiculturalism and the uniqueness of each member of our school community and offer Montessori programs from Preschool to Grade 3."
"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."
"Our forte is personalized care and early learning for each of our unique students. We treat children as an extension of our family and support the parents in helping them raise amazing and happy citizens of the world. Another measure of success is the overwhelming positive feedback we receive from our Alumni. Our goal is to prepare students for continued positive growth on their educational journey once they move on to different schools."
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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"
"Affordable true Montessori quality education. One to eight Teacher to Student ratios for Preschool but also for Junior and Senior Kindergarten. Structured learning program and daily French instruction. Music and dance are integral parts of the curriculum. Off & on- site physical education program. Information technology and coding for Elementary students."
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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."
"The exterior frontage of the school perceives it to be quite small but in reality we have spacious classroom and a bright interior environment. Our playground is nature based and spacious."
"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."
"The owner has been actively involved at TRMS since the school was established in 1997. First as a parent, volunteer and teacher and later as administrator and for the past 21 years as owner and Director. She has a reputation for her commitment to each student and their family. "There is no greater privilege or responsibility than educating young minds. Each child in our care must be treated with the upmost integrity and in a loving and nurturing manner at all times." S. Lescure"
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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.
Choosing a school, that is most appropriate to the individual needs of your child, is a major decision for parents. Many questions arise but the most important is whether the school’s educational and social philosophy meets the parent’s own expectations and standards.
Trafalgar Ridge’s philosophy is based on the principle that each child will achieve their personal best in all areas of their development! Education involves the progress of self-motivated, responsible and self-disciplined children. From a very young age we bring children, through purposeful activities, to independent learning and self-initiative, enabling them to achieve their highest potential. Self-esteem is achieved and skills vital to a fully functioning member of society are developed.
Our students work independently as well as cooperatively, learning to respect the needs of others as well as their own. A love of nature and a deep sense of responsibility for others and their environment are fostered. Also, the child should have fun and develop new friendships. Most importantly self esteem is nurtured so that each child is proud of their ability and is confident in what they can achieve.
A child’s school should be an extension of their family, providing a safe environment in which they can explore ideas and feelings. Parents who enrol their children at Trafalgar Ridge are required to attend and participate in all information meetings arranged by the school to foster open communication channels for the benefit of the children.
All this in an multicultural environment that embraces diversity and teaches children to celebrate their cultural heritage and that of others!
It is our aim to direct each child to achieve their personal best by allowing them to develop at their own pace.
Please contact us to arrange a tour of our school and to meet our passionate and dedicated teaching team.
We hope to see you soon!
Montessori
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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.
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.
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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.
TRMS offers the full Montessori curriculum from Preschool to Grade 3 focusing on developing the whole child by introducing them to all areas of learning including language, STEM, social studies, art, music and physical education. French enrichment is included at all grade levels. We also focus on character education and social emotional wellness. We strive for happy students who love life and learning!
Equal Balance
These math programs feature an equal balance of “Traditional” and “Discovery” methods.
We offer a two fold Math curriculum that encompasses Montessori and traditional Math. We offer coding for grades 1 to 3.
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Phonics-intensive
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.
The Montessori curriculum is mostly focused on phonics however whole language concepts are also introduced during early reading and onwards. Reading comprehension and deciphering information occurs once the child starts to read beginning phonics readers. A comprehensive reading program is introduced during the Casa years.
Systematic approach
The systematic approach to teaching beginner writing focuses on directly imparting explicit sentence construction strategies, along with planning, revising, and editing skills. Students are asked to learn these explicit strategies and skills and practice them before applying them in more holistic writing assignments. Grammar and parts of sentences tend to have a central role in systematic writing instruction.
Learning to write works in conjunction with early reading literacy. From Preschool onwards children learn to formulate letters, words and sentences. A strong focus on grammar and creative writing skills occurs in Senior Kindergarten to Grade 3.
Equal Balance
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.
STEM is introduced from Preschool through exploration and inquiry. Elementary grade 1,2,3 students participate in a mandatory annual STEM FAIR.
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
Not applicable
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
Core Knowledge
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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Communicative
The communicative method of language acquisition emphasizes the use of the target language in authentic contexts. The approach commonly features interactive group work, games, authentic texts, and opportunities to learn about the cultural background of the language. Drills and quizzes may still be used, but less frequently than with the audio-lingual method.
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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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Creative
Creative arts programs are studio-driven. While historical works and movements may still be taught to add context to the program, students mainly engage in making art (visual, musical, theatrical, etc). The goal is use the actual practice of art to help educate students’ emotions, cognition, and ethos.
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Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Medium integration
Effort is made to integrate the development of digital literacy through the curriculum. However, this is not a dominant focus.
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Web design
Robotics
Computer science
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Physical development is essential for the growing child. We offer movement breaks both structured and free style (recess) throughout the day. In addition an off site structures physical education program is offer for JK to Grade 3 which can include multi-sports, Zumba and skating, swimming depending on the grade level.
Montessori
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.
Montessori programs aimed at preschool and Kindergarten- aged children allow young learners to choose which “tasks” or activities interest them. These tasks centre around special Montessori puzzles -- the essential features of these puzzles being they contain a “right answer” and allow for self-correction. A strong emphasis is therefore placed on learning being concrete and rooted in practical experience, along with children developing a sense of self-sufficiency and confidence. Specially trained teachers act as guides, introducing children to progressively more difficult materials when appropriate. A Montessori classroom is typically very calm and orderly, with children working alone or, sometimes, in small groups.
If you want to learn more about Montessori education, check out our comprehensive guide. You can also check out our guide to Montessori preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.
We offer a lower Casa (preschool) and Upper Casa (JK SK) well-rounded Montessori program taught by Accredited and experienced Montessori teachers.
Standard-enriched
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.
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.
We allow the child to progress at their pace.
Supportive
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 “supportive” academic culture focuses more on process than short-term outcomes: academic performance is a welcomed side-benefit, but not the driving focus. This does not mean the school lacks standards, or has low expectations for its students: a school can have a supportive academic culture and still light the fire of ambition in its students. It does mean, however, the school provides a less intensive culture than schools with a “rigorous” academic classification, and is focused more simply on instilling a love of learning and life-long curiosity.
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"We honour and distinguish our brightest students, using them as examples for other students to follow."
"We intentionally avoid all forms of public distinction between students in terms of academic performance."
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.
Physical
The goal is to cultivate "strong, ?exible - bodied and active individuals, in tune with the joys of movement, sport and wellness."
Intellectual
The goal is to cultivate "academically strong, creative and critical thinkers, capable of exercising rationality, apprehending truth, and making aesthetic distinctions."
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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
40%
0%
$2,500
$0
100%
95%
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Preschool, JK, SK, 1, 2, 3
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Rolling
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
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.
Families who are seeking a nurturing environment for their child to develop in all areas of learning at their pace. Students who complete the full Montessori program at both the Casa and Lower Elementary level achieve the best foundation in their early education.
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/
Contact the school for program information, then to schedule a tour.
