Vista Hills Public School is located on the western edge of Waterloo, near the city limit and Wilmot Township. Built on the height of the Waterloo Moraine, the largest such landform in Waterloo region, the name of our school is taken from the pleasant views of the naturally raised areas of land that were created during the ice age and the retreating of the Laurentide ice sheets.

In early 2016, we asked our community to nominate a school mascot, and the best suited suggestion was the red-tailed hawk.  We are proud to be known as the Vista Hills Hawks and have already adopted some of the main characteristics of the red-tailed hawk: proud, territorial and protective of its home.

The exterior design of our school is inspired by the winter landscape in rural Ontario with the dark earth tone brick and white metal panels representing snow drifting over the open fields. The building is an incredible facility with futuristic curves, artistic entrances and two-storey lobby, large outdoor play and protected areas and bright, modern colour accents. Corridors filled with natural light and bright learning environments filled with the latest technology can be seen and enjoyed by all. The vision for the school and its community is “living and learning in a 21st-century culture of innovation and collaboration, with a foundation of
solid character and strong community.”

Since our doors opened for the first day on September 6, 2016, we have taken pride in creating a “learning hub” for the residents of the Vista Hills Community. Opportunities for collaboration between and among the staff, students, parents and community-at-large have resulted in a positive school culture and foundation for learning.  We have established an innovative, 21st-century approach to character and community development at Vista Hills.  We have become a “HERO Generation” school, a first of its kind. We are engaging and empowering our students, creating happy, successful and high-performing individuals through an emphasis on the key drivers and attributes of Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, Optimism as well as Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness.  As a result of this focus, our motto is:

“Vista Hills Hawks are HEROs.
We give others GEMs every day.”

Students, staff and parents of Vista Hills look forward to living out this motto and having it spread to the surrounding neighbourhood, the city and region of Waterloo and into the global village in which we live, contribute and impact.