Doherty Blast Apr 24, 2026
Key Dates
Friday, April 24 — Upper School Play, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 25 — Upper School Play, 2 p.m.
Friday, May 1 — Senior Circle. All School Spirit Day. All School Cookout for Students
Friday, May 1 — Doherty Carnival, 5-8 p.m.
Thursday, May 7 — LEAD Together: Screen Smart at Seven Hills
Saturday, May 9 — Early School Ribbon-cutting Ceremony, 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 9 — Science Spectacular, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 13 — Board of Trustees Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 16 — SNAAP Year-End Celebration, 3 p.m.
Friday, May 22 — Fifth Grade Breakfast, 8:45 a.m.
Friday, May 22 — Pre-kindergarten Olympic Day
Monday, May 25 — Memorial Day. No School
Tuesday, May 26 — K-5 Olympic Day and Fifth Grade vs Faculty Kickball Game
Wednesday, May 27 — Last Day for Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten
Thursday, May 28 — Closing Program Grades 1-5
Photos of the Week
Kindergarten through fifth grade heard from author Kelly Starling Lyons about her work and what it is like to be a writer during the Lower School Author Visit in the Lotspeich library.
What to Know Now
Upper’s Spring Play “You Can’t Take It With You” — April 24 (sold out) and April 25
The Upper School theater department is proud to present its spring comedy “You Can’t Take it with You.” This Pulitzer Prize winning show features Martin Vanderhof and his large extended family of charming eccentrics. The Friday, April 24 show is sold out, but there are still tickets available for the Saturday, April 25 show at 2 p.m. on The Schiff Center. The show is appropriate for all audiences. Tickets are on sale now. Buy your tickets!
Happier Parenting Webinar with Dr. Laurie Santos
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the LEAD Together event this past week. If you weren’t able to make it on Wednesday, you can access the webinar and the resources. As Dr. Santos noted, more than 40% of college students report being too depressed to function most days. In this webinar, Dr. Santos highlights five evidence-based insights for happier parenting and how to help our kids flourish at all ages and stages of development.
Parent Community News
Carnival Spirit Week
We’re excited to kick off Carnival Week with a fun-filled Spirit Week from April 27-May 1! Each day, students are invited to participate by dressing according to the daily theme. It’s a great way to build excitement, show school pride, and celebrate together as a community.
Get Ready for the Doherty Carnival!
We’re gearing up for this year’s Carnival, and we can’t do it without our incredible parent community! The secret to a successful event is the support of volunteers like you.
How You Can Help
We’ve kept the commitment light so everyone can still enjoy the fun. Please consider signing up for a 30-minute slot to:
- Run a carnival game
- Supervise an inflatable
- Help with setup (two hour commitment) or tear down (one hour commitment)
Announcements
Summer Program
As a reminder, below is our cancellation policy for Summer Program. Final payment is due May 1:
- A $50 per program deposit is due at the time of registration. All deposits are non-refundable. All fees are due in full by May 1. You may pay via credit card or check. If your registration is not paid in full by May 1, your registration is canceled and deposit forfeited.
- If registering after May 1, the program fee is due in full upon registration.
- If payment is not received by above dates, your child may lose their spot.
- All program changes and cancellations must be completed by May 15. Families who cancel their Summer Program enrollment by this date will receive a full refund minus the $50 deposit per program.
Screen Smart at Seven Hills — May 7
Do you want to set up healthy technology boundaries at home before the summer starts? Do you want to learn recommended practices for technology use at home?
Please join us on May 7 to:
- meet our new Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Tony DePrato.
- get the first look at our grade-level Screen Smart guides for school and home technology use.
- bring personal devices to learn how to set up parental controls and get tips about creating age-appropriate guardrails.
- chat with Upper School students, counselors, and others to learn more about student technology use.
We’ll offer this session at three different times: 8:30 a.m. in the Lotspeich Library, 5:30 p.m. in the Upper School Library, and 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. The Zoom session will not include the full workshop that the in-person sessions will have; videos and handouts will be sent out in the call. RSVP for Screen Smart.
You’re invited! Early School Ribbon-cutting Ceremony
Join us on Saturday, May 9, at 9:30 a.m. for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Taft Early School addition. There will be crafts, activities, refreshments, and tours of the new space! After the ceremony, join us at the first Science Spectacular, which starts at 10 a.m.
Science Spectacular — May 9
Please join us on Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. to celebrate science at Seven Hills. Middle and Upper School students will be leading booths for our Early and Lower School students to take part in science-related activities. Please join us for an hour or the whole event!
Activities include hands-on stations across multiple science disciplines, interactive demonstrations, a nature walk, and a native species planting project in our creek bed. We’ll also have food to purchase with a variety of food trucks, including coffee, food, and Kona Ice.
Holiday Care — May 28-June 5 (Held at Doherty)
The end of the school year is approaching, and we have child care covered from May 28-June 5. Details below:
- All dates hosted at the Doherty Campus
- Hours: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Cost: $76/day
Please note that on May 29 for the closing at Doherty, students may join us for the half day!
Register via Veracross or click the green button in your parent portal that says End of the Year Holiday Care at Doherty. Spaces are limited!
Doherty Closing Program
The Closing Program for Grades 1-5 will be on Thursday, May 29, 8:45 a.m. in the courtyard (gym if raining). Students are asked to wear appropriate attire for a special occasion, no jeans or shorts. School ends at 11:30 a.m., however, you are welcome to take your student home immediately following the program. The courtyard can get very hot so be sure to bring plenty of water.