As we move towards the end of Term 4, the energy and commitment across our College communities in Kellyville and Castle Hill have been inspiring. This time of year is always busy, with many tasks to complete before we close the chapter on another successful school year. Among these important responsibilities is the selection of our student leaders for the year ahead—a process that truly showcases the talent and character within our student body.

Over the past couple of weeks, students completed their nomination forms and demonstrated courage and confidence by delivering speeches in front of their peers. Standing up and sharing their vision for leadership is no small feat, and every participant should be proud of their efforts.

I’ve been reading Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley and highly recommend it. One quote really struck me:

“We become our habits, and our kids become us. Which means who our children are becoming is tightly connected to who we are becoming—personally and communally.”

Our habits, personal and family, shape us—and our children—over time, often in small, barely noticeable ways. I saw this recently when I rushed bedtime with my 5-year-old and skipped our usual devotional. She reminded me, and I’m grateful we did it. This small habit is teaching her the importance of daily time with God—something I hope she carries for life.

On 11 November, our College held a respectful Remembrance Day ceremony to honour those who sacrificed their lives in service to our country. Floral wreaths were laid as staff and students gathered in silence to reflect on the meaning of the day.

The ceremony was led by our Prefects, who read thoughtful words and guided us through the event with dignity. At 11:00 a.m., the College observed two minutes of silence, creating a powerful moment of unity and remembrance.

The event reminded us of the importance of honouring the past while working toward a peaceful future.

At a time when academic demands, social pressures, and digital distractions are all intensifying, it’s easy to overlook the basic foundations of wellbeing—especially sleep. Yet experts warn that this is no small issue. ‘Teenagers are the most sleep-deprived segment of the population. This is a very under-recognised problem and the cost to society in the healthy development of young people is profound,’ says Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.

Year 2 students enjoyed an exciting excursion to Warragamba Dam, where they learned how Sydney’s drinking water is stored and managed. They explored the Visitor Centre, viewed interactive displays, and took part in hands-on activities that helped them understand how water is collected, stored, and delivered to homes.

The excursion gave students the chance to explore many aspects of modern water supply while also learning about the importance of saving water. The program is linked to the Year 2 Science curriculum, supporting their classroom learning with real-world experiences. The kids had a blast of a time and came back buzzing with excitement from everything they had learned and seen.

Congratulations to Chloe (Year 4) for representing HZSA at the CIS Primary Girls Cricket Trials last week! Competing against talented Year 5 and 6 players, she impressed selectors with her skill, determination, and sportsmanship, earning a place on the CIS team for next February in Armidale.

Chloe reflected, “I really enjoyed trying out. The competition was tough, but I had fun and made new friends.”

Well done, Chloe—an outstanding achievement! Your HZSA and Hills Adventist College community is very proud.

This term, our Junior School is delighted to bring students from both campuses together for weekly swimming lessons at Waves, Baulkham Hills. Each session offers a balance of learning and fun, with 30 minutes dedicated to structured swimming instruction followed by 30 minutes of water play on the splashpad. Our program not only helps children build essential water safety skills but also encourages social interaction and confidence in the water.

This week, our Year 7 students explored the local community as part of their Geography studies, investigating whether Kellyville is a great place to live, work and play. During the excursion, students examined a range of liveability factors and completed activities such as rating the suburb and sketch-mapping their surroundings.

The results were overwhelmingly positive. Most students rated Kellyville highly for safety, environmental quality, access to services, social connectedness and overall aesthetics. Their observations highlighted the suburb’s welcoming atmosphere and well-planned layout, reinforcing why Kellyville remains a vibrant and enjoyable place for the community.

We are proud to share that Aarush recently attended the 2-day CIS U15 Cricket trials. The nomination criteria for these trials were exceptionally tough, with only the most skilled and dedicated players being considered.  His incredible performance earned him a well-deserved place on the CIS U15 Boys Cricket Team.

Later this month, Aarush will represent CIS at the NSW All Schools Cricket Championships in Maitland. There he will trial for a place on the 2026 NSW All Schools U15 Boys Cricket Team.   We wish Aarush the very best of luck as he takes on this exciting challenge!

A few weeks ago, our College gathered for the Senior Leaders Assembly, a special event celebrating leadership and the start of a new chapter for our senior students. During the assembly, we proudly announced the 2026 Prefect team and recognised the Year 11 cohort as they officially stepped up into Year 12.

If you haven’t already, please submit enrolment applications for siblings starting school in 2026 as soon as possible. Applications submitted after March 2025 may result in your child being placed on a waitlist.

As a general reminder, we encourage all families to submit enrolment applications as early as possible to assist with planning and to secure a place.

Planning for staffing and resource allocation is now in progress as we prepare for the 2026 school year.

We would like to remind families that, in line with the College’s Enrolment Policy, a minimum of one full term’s notice is required for any student withdrawal. If your child will not be returning to Hills Adventist College in 2026, please complete the Notice of Withdrawal form (linked below) and submit it to the College Registrar.

We love your pets! However, we kindly request that they stay off both our Castle Hill and Kellyville campuses during drop-off and pick-up times.

This helps us maintain a safe, clean, and comfortable environment for all students, staff, and visitors. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in keeping our campuses welcoming for everyone.

Thank you for helping us make our college a safe place for learning!

We are excited to share the range of extra-curricular opportunities available to Hills Adventist College students in Term 4. These programs are offered during and outside of school hours and are facilitated by private providers. Please note that all activities are at an additional cost to parents.

We’ve had a fantastic start to the term and are thrilled to continue welcoming both new and returning children to Extend After School Care. Our wonderful team — Rakhshan, Chelsea, and Evano — have been enjoying a mix of arts and crafts, STEM challenges, outdoor games, and themed activities that keep children engaged, creative, and connected.

We love including children’s ideas in our program, so their suggestions continue to play an important role in what we do.

We’re looking forward to the rest of Term 4 being filled with laughter, learning, and new adventures!

As a heads-up for planning, the Term 1 dates for 2026 have been confirmed. Please note the important start dates:

Wednesday, 28 January : Year 7, Year 12 students, and Year 11 Peer Support Leaders only start
Thursday, 29 January : Year 1–6 and Year 8–11 students start (Castle Hill & Kellyville Campuses)
Monday, 2 February : Kindergarten students start (Castle Hill & Kellyville Campuses)
Thursday, 2 April : Term 1 ends ✅

If you have any questions, please contact the College Reception. We look forward to sharing the full 2026 term dates with families soon.

There is plenty of fun for all ages at the Hills Christmas Fair! We hope you can join us on Sunday 30 November for an evening of family fun, brought to you by Hills Adventist College, Kellyville Adventist Church, and the Home and School Association.

There will be something for everyone at the Hills Christmas Fair, including:

🌟Christmas markets
🌟Delicious food stalls
🌟Jumping castles and face painting
🌟Live performances, including performances from our talented students
🌟A petting zoo
🌟And more!

If you are able to help with volunteering on the day, we would love your support. There are a wide range of volunteer roles on the night, such as helping with set-up, supervising the jumping castles, assisting guests at the welcome desk, and more. Volunteer sign-up is easy, online and a great way to connect with our community. If you would like to sign up, please click on the link below. Please note that all volunteers need a valid Working with Children Check.

Click here to volunteer for the Hills Christmas Fair.

Join us on December 6 at Kellyville Church for our Kids Church Service, where the kids take over church! If you’ve been thinking about visiting, this is a fun day to join us. The service starts at 10 am—arrive early for a complimentary coffee and a good seat.

Afterwards, at 11:30 am, we’ll have connect groups for adults and Playhouse & Treehouse activities for kids to explore the day’s message.

We’ll finish with lunch together, and we’d love for you and your family to join for any or all of the day!

📣 You're Invited!

Join us for our upcoming Home and School Meeting on:

🗓 24 November
🕢 7:30 PM
📍 Library – Kellyville Campus

We’ll hold a short meeting followed by light refreshments.

For catering purposes, please RSVP using the link below:
👉 RSVP Here

We look forward to seeing you there!