Doherty Blast Jan 19, 2024
Dear Doherty Families,
It’s been quite a week weather-wise! The students have gained a newfound appreciation for outdoor recess after several days of indoor activities. Please make sure your child comes to school prepared for outdoor conditions, including wearing hats and mittens or gloves.
On Monday, we commemorated the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Our pre-kindergarten for 2-year-olds through kindergarten students are actively contributing to the realization of Dr. King’s dream through their Peace Tree. Students are adding a leaf to the Peace Tree, making a promise to help make this dream a reality. You can check out the tree located in the kindergarten hallway.
Unit III has been engaged in discussions about online safety, specifically focusing on their responsible use of the internet. As many students explore the realm of social media, they are encountering associated challenges. As parents, navigating when to allow your child to enter this digital world can be challenging. To support you in this, all Unit III parents are invited to a community meeting on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. in The Schiff Center on the Hillsdale Campus. This meeting, also open to Middle School parents, will address the impact of smartphones and social media on our children’s social and emotional development. Head of Middle School Bill Waskowitz will introduce the Wait Until 8th parent program to alleviate the pressure felt by both students and parents.
Save the date for our STEAM fair for kindergarten through fifth grade families on Jan. 28 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Middle School. Led by eighth grade students under the guidance of their science teacher, Ken Revell, this promises to be an exciting event you won’t want to miss! No RSVP required. More details and volunteer opportunities can be found below.
Don’t forget, it’s re-enrollment time. Re-enrollment contracts for the 2024-25 school year are now available via your Veracross Parent Portal. To secure your student’s space for next fall, kindly submit the re-enrollment contract and deposit by Monday, Jan. 22.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Tracy
Key Dates & Events
Sunday, Jan. 28 — STEAM Fair at the Middle School
Jan. 29-Feb. 2 — Prevention Solutions Week
Friday, Feb. 9 — Doherty Parent Community Meeting
Friday, Feb. 16 — Faculty Professional Development Day. No Classes.
Monday, Feb. 19 — Presidents Day. No School. All buildings and offices are closed.
Announcements
Re-enrollment Contracts Reminder
Re-enrollment contracts for the 2024-25 school year are available via your Veracross Parent Portal. To secure your student’s space for next fall, please submit the re-enrollment contract and deposit by Monday, Jan. 22. Thank you.
Lower School STEAM Fair — Sunday, Jan 28, at the Middle School. RSVP No Longer Required.
Kindergarten through fifth grade families are invited to an exciting morning of STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math! This annual Seven Hills Lower School STEAM event will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the new Middle School on the Hillsdale Campus, and you are invited to this free event! Your child will walk through the Middle School visiting 18, hands-on STEAM stations covering topics such as elasticity, electroscopes, drone racing, circuits, pulled string art, and more. All stations will be led by eighth grade students under the direction of their science teacher, Mr. Ken Revell. As your child completes each station, they will receive a stamp on their STEAM passport. As you leave, they’ll turn in their completed passports to be eligible to win a STEAM raffle prize! You really don’t want to miss this fun and educational event. If you already RSVP’d, thank you. If you have not, don’t worry about it. Just show up on Jan. 28! A few parent volunteers are needed to help with registration and direct participants. Please fill out the volunteer form. For questions, contact Susan Schaefer.
Save the Date — Books for Lunch 2024!
The 2024 Books for Lunch committee, chaired by Seven Hills parents Lisa Briquet and Lalitha Chunduri, is honored to present this year’s guest author, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Andrew Sean Greer! Please join us in the Madisonville Ballroom at The Summit Hotel on Feb. 2 for lunch, community, and an engaging address from Greer. Please visit 7hills.org/BFL to purchase tickets and learn more about the events, Greer, and his work.
Delay The Phone! Parent Meeting — Feb. 8, 2024
All Unit III parents are invited to a community meeting, along with Middle School parents, on Feb. 8, starting at 7 p.m. in The Schiff Center on the Hillsdale Campus, to understand the serious and detrimental effects that smartphones and social media have on our children’s social and emotional development. As a part of understanding this important issue, Head of Middle School Bill Waskowitz will also be introducing the Wait Until 8th parent program to help reduce the pressure felt by both students and parents over kids having smartphones. No need to RSVP; just show up for this important meeting that is focused on what is best for our children.
Lost & Found
There are quite a few coats, hats, gloves, etc. in the lost and found. If your child is missing anything, please stop by Jones Hall to see if there are any items you can claim.
Summer Program 2024 — Mark Your Calendars
Make 2024 the best summer ever! Make friends, discover new passions, and create memories that last a lifetime! With eight weeks of action-packed camps, beginning June 17 through Aug. 9, there are all kinds of adventures and opportunities for your child to explore to make this the best summer ever. Priority registration for Seven Hills families opens at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13.
February Holiday Care — Registration Required.
- Friday, Feb. 16 — 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Lotspeich
- Thursday, Feb. 22 — 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. at Lotspeich for Grades 1-5
- Thursday, Feb. 22 — 3-6 p.m. at Doherty and Lotspeich for Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten
- Friday, Feb. 23 — 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Lotspeich
PC Corner
Winter Family Social
Please join us on Friday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Urban Air Adventure Park. The entire space will be closed to the public at this time and will be just for Doherty students and their families. The school will be closed for professional development so this will be a good way to get some energy out! Attractions include trampolines, warrior courses, climbing walls, tubes playground, ropes courses, and much more (some height restrictions apply). Sign up for Urban Air.
The cost is $20 for ultimate tickets (age 6 and older). Ultimate tickets are valid for all attractions in the facility. The cost is $10 for deluxe tickets (age 5 and younger). Deluxe tickets do not include access to the climbing wall (must be 41” tall), sky rider and ropes course (must be 48” tall), or laser tag. If your 5-year-old or younger child is tall enough and wants to participate in ultimate attractions, you will need to purchase an ultimate ticket instead.
Parents and chaperones do not need to purchase a ticket for themselves if they are not participating. If the cost of attending this event prevents your child from participating, please Tracy Murch to discuss financial assistance. All requests are strictly confidential. Tickets are limited and must be purchased by end-of-day Feb. 8!
PC Meeting
There will be a PC meeting on Feb. 9 to discuss Carnival preparation. If you are interested in volunteering, please join; time and location coming soon!