Tootin' Hills Home

Tootin’ Hills School is celebrated through its mascot, a train engine. Outside the principal’s office, a mural depicts ‘The Little Engine That Could’, from Watty Piper’s 1930 children’s classic of the same name. “I think I can; I think I can” – these are the words that sum up the collective attitude of our school community. Tootin’ Hills Elementary School serves a student population of approximately 375 students, kindergarten through grade six. We embrace a diverse population both culturally and socio-economically. In addition, we have an Intensive Learning Needs program for children with autism. There is an incredible amount to accomplish at every grade level in the areas of literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and in the arts. Our rigorous curriculum sets the stage for our success. We highly value collaboration with families– a partnership that promotes year-round learning and nurtures the desire for life-long learning for our students. At Tootin’ Hills School we have well-rounded and highly capable students. They are the foundation of our success and we are very proud of their accomplishments academically, artistically, and athletically. We are continually impressed with their achievements. Every adult in our school recognizes his or her role in promoting and supporting such achievement. Every adult in our school also acts as a role model and as a teacher. Tootin’ Hills School is built on the character ideals of Respect, Responsibility, Caring and Integrity. We believe that developing these character traits, in addition to promoting a positive growth mindset, are as important as academic achievement in developing the whole child. Our parents are a constant, visible presence in our school. They encourage and motivate their children. They are present as volunteers in classrooms, managing projects, working as members of our PTO, or simply lending a hand for an hour or two. They can be counted upon to support the efforts of their children and of our teachers. They are highly educated, understand the value of educational achievement and generally provide rich life experiences for their children outside of the school day. They, too, are the foundation of our success and we who teach are ever so grateful for their continual support and collaboration. Our teachers work extremely hard at the craft of teaching and learning. They are continually working at refining their skills and improving their effectiveness. As members of Professional Learning Communities, they are enthusiastic about their collaborative efforts toward instructional improvement and student achievement. The professional development that results from these relationships is of the highest quality. The development of teacher leadership skills is also a hallmark of our school. Teachers are actively involved on committees and in groups dedicated to continuous improvement across the district. We are proud of our many building-based programs: involvement in Open Choice; art club; student council; building buddies, cultural enrichment, field trips; the multitude of programs sponsored by our Parent-Teacher Organization; and Camp Jewell Outdoor Education program. Tootin’ Hills School’s success continues to depend on collaboration– parents/guardians, children, teachers, and the Simsbury community. We will not be truly successful until 100% of our students reach 100% of our goals every year.

Attendance Reporting
Reporting an Absence

To report a student’s absence from school, a parent/guardian should notify the school by emailing the attendance inbox before 9:00 a.m. An email that contains the information below will serve as absence notification for a “parent excused absence”; a handwritten note is not needed.

Please include: 

• student’s full name
• grade
• reason for absence
• date
• daytime phone number where a parent/guardian can be reached to verify the email or note if needed

If email or written notification from a parent/guardian has not been received, the absence will remain “unexcused”. In addition, the assistant principal’s office will continue to contact the family and student to acquire proper documentation. Students may receive a consequence for failure to do so. Students who miss school for an excused absence have two (2) days to make up work, unless an alternate plan has been made with the teacher. The Simsbury Public Schools reserves the right to randomly audit email documentation received to determine its authenticity.

The complete Attendance policy can be found in the Student/Parent Handbook.

Attendance Email Address:

Tootin' Hills - tootinattendance@simsburyschools.net

Please visit our Curriculum page for elementary curriculum information.

• World Language Enrichment (Google site)
• Simsbury K-6 Mathematics website (Google site)

Daily Schedule
REGULAR OPENING & CLOSING TIME: 8:15–2:50

Children who do not ride the school bus should not arrive at school more than 15 minutes before scheduled opening of classes.

ALTERNATE CLOSING TIMES

EARLY DISMISSAL SCHOOL HOURS: (Professional Development, Elementary Report Card Conferences, day before Thanksgiving, and last day of school)

Elementary Early Dismissal Times: 12:00

Squadron Line: 12:30

2025-2026 Letter Day Calendar

• Tootin' Hills Annual Report
• Tootin' Hills School Improvement Plan
• Tootin' Hills School Profile & Performance Report
• For more information on School Profile and Performance Reports, visit the State Department of Education's website.
• Tootin' Hills Safe School Climate Plan
• Tootin' Hill Air Quality Reports
• Summer Learning Academy
• Challenging Behavior Reporting Form
• Personal Electronic Device Contract (applies to Grades 4-6)

We have updated the process of issuing emails to communicate with our families. All emails will now be generated via the SchoolMessenger Communicate system and there is no need to register for this service.

Email notices from Tootin' Hills School, including the principal's weekly message and other pertinent school news, will be sent to you automatically.  Please be certain the email you provide via the yearly enrollment process is current. District emails will also be issued to the email address you provide by the same process.

Visit our District and School Communication page for more information.

Kindergarten Registration (Enrollment website)

1. Eligibility Information 2026
2. Kindergarten Registration Instructions
3. CT Health Assessment Record
4. Alternate Transportation Form 2026
5. Daycare Centers by School District
6. Exempt Attendance Form

• Tootin' Hills Summer Math
• Governor's Math Challenge
• The Governor's Summer Reading Challenge