Doherty Blast Sep 25, 2026
Key Dates
Friday, Sept. 25 — No School for Students. Parent Teacher Conferences
Tuesday, Sept. 29 — Seven Hills Association of Rainbow Events (SHARE) Parent Forum, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 30 — New Parent Cocktail Social, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 7 — Parent Association Board Meeting, 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, Oct. 8 & Friday, Oct. 9 — Fall Break
Monday, Oct. 12 — No School. Records Day
Tuesday, Oct. 13 — No School. Faculty Professional Development Day. LEAD Together Event: “Neuromyths: False Ideas About the Brain and Learning,” 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 14 — Doherty PA Meeting, 8:30 a.m. Board of Trustees Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 15 — Picture Day for PK2 and Picture Retake Day
Saturday, Oct. 24 — Doherty Lotspeich Combined Trunk or Treat, 4-6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 30 — Halloween Parade, 8:45 a.m.
Photos of the Week
Mother's Nature 2 Inc. pays a visit to Doherty, using puppets and props to teach kindergartners about apples and John Chapman.
Listen to The Blast
Click the play button below to listen to this week’s Doherty Blast, read by an automated reader. Please note that the Key Dates section is not included in this audio.
What to Know Now
Announcement Labels:
ES – Pre-kindergarten families
LS – Kindergarten through fifth-grade families
ES/LS – Pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade families
ES/LS: The Lower School Book Fair Is Open A Few More Days
The Lower School Book Fair will remain open today and through the weekend. Here are all the important details:
- Online Orders: To place an online order or see what’s available, browse the Lower School Book Fair website.
- Dates: Sept. 17-27
- For Students: During their library class, students will have the opportunity to preview the books available at the Book Fair right in the Lotspeich and Doherty libraries.
- For Families: For added convenience, we’ll also have book browsing available during conferences today, Sept. 25.
- Delivery: Most books ordered from the Book Fair will be delivered directly to your child’s classroom by early November.
- Questions? If you have any questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Lotspeich librarian Lori Suffield or Doherty librarian Jo Schnirring.
LS: Upcoming Parent Webinar: Executive Function Needed to “Do School” — Tuesday, Sept. 29
Our school has access to the 2026-27 ISACS Parent Series. This is a series of six webinars for independent school parents and caregivers.
The first webinar is with executive function expert Sarah Ward. She’ll go into greater detail about executive function skills, such as working memory, time awareness, and task initiation and organization. This webinar is great for parents of children in grades 3-12.
Register for the webinar to join live on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m. or access the recording later.
For more details about this webinar and future webinars, please visit the ISACS Parent Series website.
ES/LS: After The Bell (ATB)
ATB Drop-in
We are currently at capacity for ATB drop-in for:
- Pre-kindergarten 2-year-olds
- Pre-kindergarten
- Grades 1–3
We cannot accept additional drop-in registrations for these groups until space becomes available.
Fall Enrichment Programs
If you registered for the Annual After The Bell Plan, please use the code Annual26-27 at checkout to receive your 50% discount on our fall offerings.
Stinger Staycation (Formerly Known as Holiday Care)
Doherty and Lotspeich students will join together at Lotspeich for Stinger Staycation.
- Registration is now open: Oct. 12 & 13
View all 2026–27 Stinger Staycation dates.
You can find both the Fall Enrichment and October Stinger Staycation registration links in your Veracross Parent Portal. Please scroll to the bottom of the page to access the links.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Jill Romerill.
ES/LS: Thank You
Thank you to the Doherty PA who fed our teachers and staff during parent teacher conferences. Everyone enjoyed a great meal and was fueled for a night of celebrating student achievements!
Parent Association News
ES/LS: Seven Hills Association of Rainbow Events (SHARE) — Parent Forum on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 6:30 p.m.
All Seven Hills parents, caregivers, and staff are welcome to attend our kickoff event for the new school year. Whether you are an LGBTQ+ parent/caregiver, raising an LGBTQ+ child, or an ally, come join us in the Upper School library for a relaxed evening of meaningful conversation and light refreshments.
Register for the event and connect with fellow families, share experiences, ask questions, and build community.
Can’t make it to the parent forum but want to stay informed? Join the SHARE mailing list.
ES/LS: Stinger Strolls Walking Group — Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 8:30 a.m.
Real community happens in simple, everyday moments. Come walk with us around East Walnut Hills to clear your head, make new friends, and share conversation as we kick off the morning.
- Meeting Spot: In front of Jones Hall
- Future Dates: Oct. 16, Oct. 28, Nov. 6, Nov. 18, Dec. 2, Dec. 11
- Questions? Text or call Shireen Desai (pre-k and kindergarten mom) at 513.560.2248.
ES/LS: Doherty PA Meeting — Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 8:30 a.m.
Our first gathering brought such great energy and honest conversation, and we’re excited to keep that momentum going! No long lectures or formal reports — we’ll be keeping the same small-group setup as last time. We’ll grab coffee, check in on how our upcoming plans are coming together, bounce ideas off of each other, and figure out how to support our event leads without anyone feeling overwhelmed.
Whether you were at our first meeting or couldn’t make it, there’s always a seat at the table for you! Come connect, share your perspective, and help us shape what’s next for our community!
The meeting will take place in Jones Hall upstairs in Room 12.
ES/LS: Trunk or Treat — Saturday, Oct. 24, on the Doherty Campus
Trunk or Treat is all about opening up our space and having fun together as a big community! Families decorate their trunks, hand out treats in the parking lot, and give the kids a safe, fun spot to trick-or-treat. Costumes are encouraged, but totally optional.
- Day-of Hosting Team: An event like this comes together when we build it together! We’re looking for a few hands to help set up the parking lot and welcome families on the day of the event. If you’d like to jump in and help host, let us know!
- More Information Coming Soon: We’ll share more details — including parking and trunk sign-ups — shortly.
ES/LS: Parent Coffee, Halloween Parade — Friday Oct. 30
Join us for coffee in the driveway at 8:30 a.m., followed by our Halloween parade at 8:45 a.m. Come cheer on our pre-kindergarten for 2-year-olds through fifth grade students as they show off their costumes and celebrate Halloween together!
ES/LS: Want to Jump In & Get Involved?
We believe every family brings something special to Doherty. Building a great community isn’t about filling volunteer checklists — it’s about bringing your unique ideas, talents, and energy to the mix.
If you have an idea to share, a skill you’d love to offer, or just want to help out with an upcoming gathering, please reach out directly to Natalie Martin or Stephanie Helmer, or drop a note in our Community Connection form. We look forward to hearing from you!
Announcements
ES/LS: Upcoming LEAD Together Event: “Neuromyths: False Ideas About the Brain and Learning” — Tuesday, Oct. 13
Our next LEAD Together event takes place on Oct. 13, starting at 5:30 p.m. in the Schiff Center. Come hear from Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D., a leading voice in mind, brain, and education, about “Neuromyths: False Ideas About the Brain and Learning.” Tracey will be working with our teachers throughout the school day, and this evening event is an opportunity for parents and caregivers to learn from her as well. Parents and caregivers of children of all ages — from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 — are welcome. Sign up for the event to let us know you’re coming. Need childcare? No problem! Sign up by Oct. 6 to secure childcare.
ES/LS: Priority Admission Deadlines
- Pre-kindergarten-Grade 5: Nov. 15
- Grades 6-12: Dec. 1
Because we have limited space in several grades and our application pool is quite competitive, we recommend completing the application process as early as possible. Sibling admission applications are given priority status within the applicant pool as long as we receive the admission application by Nov. 15 for pre-kindergarten-grade 5 and Dec. 1 for grades 6-12.
To submit an admission application for another child, please log in to your Veracross Parent Portal. Using the column icon at the top of the page, select “Admission,” then “Manage Candidate Applications.” You will then be able to select the box with a plus (+) sign, “Add a New Candidate/Applicant.” The application fee is waived for current families using the waiver code ABC.
Re-enrollment for the 2027-28 School Year for Currently Enrolled Students
Families of currently enrolled Seven Hills students do not need to submit an admission application for their children. You will receive detailed re-enrollment information in January.
Athletics
LS: 2026-27 Winter Sports Registration — Closes on Wednesday, Sept. 30
Winter sports registration is officially open for grades 2-5! Please register your student(s) for the upcoming season through Veracross. Registration will close on Wednesday, Sept. 30. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact k6athletics@7hills.org. We can’t wait to see your student-athletes out there this winter!