Doherty Blast Sep 4, 2026
Key Dates
Monday, Sept. 7 — Labor Day. No School
Wednesday, Sept. 9 — Doherty Parent Association (PA) Kickoff, 8:30 a.m. Board of Trustees Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 10 — Pre-k and Kindergarten Picture Day
Friday, Sept. 11 — Grades 1-5 Picture Day
Monday, Sept. 14-Friday, Sept. 18 — Spirit Week!
Thursday, Sept. 17 — Book Fair Begins
Friday, Sept. 18 & Saturday, Sept. 19 — Homecoming
Friday, Sept. 18 — Family Grill Out, 5-7 p.m. Youth Recognition Night, 6:45 p.m.
***Late Addition to The Blast*** Thursday, Sept. 24 — Parent Teacher Conferences, No School for students
***Late Addition to The Blast*** Friday, Sept. 25 —Parent Teacher Conferences, No School for students
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.
Photos of the Week
During the first spirit day of the year, our young Stingers show off their Seven Hills pride outside on the school steps.
NEW! Listen to The Blast
Click the play button below to listen to this week’s Upper School Blast, read by an automated reader. Please note that the Key Dates section is not included in this audio.
What to Know Now
Note for Pre-kindergarten/Kindergarten Families
This year, pre-kindergarten is in its own division, the Early School, and kindergarten is a part of the Lower School (kindergarten through grade 5).
Because many of our announcements are campus-based, you will continue to click on Doherty to find Early School information. Announcements are labeled as follows:
Announcement Labels:
ES – Pre-kindergarten families
LS – Kindergarten through fifth-grade families
ES/LS – Pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade families
ES/LS: Calling All Parents — Family Interview Interest Form
Are you interested in being interviewed as part of our schedule redesign process?
This year, we are redesigning our schedule across all divisions for the 2027-28 school year when we come together as a unified campus. As part of this process, we are shadowing students and interviewing faculty members, students, and parents. In these interviews, we are hoping to learn more about your experiences with how we use time at Seven Hills.
These 30-minute interviews are conducted one-on-one by a faculty member. If you’re interested in participating, please fill out a family interview interest form by the end of the day TODAY.
Questions? Reach out to Laura Leonard.
ES/LS: First LEAD Together Event, “Beyond the ABCs: Is Your Child Truly School-Ready?” — Wednesday, Sept. 9, and Thursday, Sept. 10
Coming up soon is our very first LEAD Together event, “Beyond the ABCs: Is Your Child Truly School-Ready?” We are thrilled to share this wonderful learning opportunity for our families from Beginnings through first grade. For more details about this event and how to RSVP, check out the event flyer.
ES: Picture Day — Thursday, Sept. 10
Picture day for pre-kindergarten is Thursday, Sept. 10. Be sure your student brings their best smile! View the Doherty picture day flyer for more information.
LS: Picture Day — Thursday, Sept. 10 & Friday, Sept. 11
Picture day for kindergarten is Thursday, Sept. 10. Picture day for grades 1-5 is Friday, Sept. 11. Be sure your student brings their best smile! View the Doherty picture day flyer for more information.
Parent Association News
ES/LS: Doherty PA Kickoff, Doherty Room 12 — Wednesday, Sept. 9, 8:30 a.m.
Join us for the Parent Association Kickoff — your go-to event for everything you need to know about the year ahead! We’ll share an overview of all the exciting events and initiatives planned, highlight the many ways to get involved, and give you a chance to connect with other parents. Everyone is welcome!
Want to get involved? Check out our Connection and Community interest form or contact Natalie Martin or Stephanie Helmer.
ES/LS: The Seven Hills Network of African-American Parents (SNAAP) Back-to-School Cookout — Saturday, Sept. 12, 2-5 p.m.
SNAAP is kicking off the new school year with a Back-to-School Cookout on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 2-5 p.m. at the Winton Woods – Cherry Hill Shelter.
The event will bring together Seven Hills families from Early, Lower, Middle, and Upper School for an afternoon of food, fun, fellowship, and plenty of Stinger spirit! It will be a wonderful opportunity for families to connect, build community, and celebrate the start of another great school year.
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: You Belong Here
If you attended parent night, you likely heard from your Parent Association (PA) divisional chairs. But if you’re still scratching your head about what PA actually is — or you’re curious to learn more — we’ve got you covered! One of the things that makes Seven Hills special is its strong sense of community, and the Parent Association helps bring that community to life. The best part? You’re already a member. There’s nothing to join and no dues to pay — simply by being part of Seven Hills, you belong!
View the Parent Association brochure to meet your PA leaders, see what the PA looks like in each of our divisions as your family moves through the School, and find ways to get involved.
Announcements
ES/LS: Spirit Week Dress Up Days — Sept. 14-18
The week leading up to Homecoming is a Spirit Week across divisions. Help your student(s) get involved. Check out the flyer below to see the daily themes.
ES/LS: Homecoming — Friday, Sept. 18
Homecoming is a wonderful opportunity to come together and celebrate our Seven Hills community, and we want to make sure even our youngest Stingers can join in the fun! While the full timeline of events is still being finalized, the grill out will begin at 5 p.m. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., all pre-k and kindergarten students from both campuses will have access to the Early School playground until 7 p.m., giving our youngest Stingers a safe and fun way to be part of the Homecoming festivities.
ES/LS: Introducing our LEAD Together Lineup for First Semester
We are excited to Learn, Educate, and Discuss (LEAD) Together with new programming for this year. Through these collaborative sessions, we hope to foster strong partnerships among families and educators to support student learning, belonging, and success.
As we get closer to each event, we will share more detailed information in the Blast. Please see this semester’s lineup on the flyer below, and RSVP for all events through this Google form.
ES/LS: Field House Lot Closed Remainder of School Year
As construction progresses on the new Lower School building, the Field House parking lot (Lot H) will be closed for the remainder of the school year. The drop-off and pick-up area and accessible parking spots are still available. A new parking lot recently opened off of Ellmarie Drive and is available for use while the Field House lot is closed.
ES/LS: After the Bell
We are excited to welcome both new and returning families to our After the Bell (ATB) program! As detailed in our welcome back email, all After the Bell registration options are available in your Parent Portal under “My Children” on the left side of the homepage.
ATB Annual Plan
- Waitlist for pre-kindergarten for 2-year-olds
- Limited availability for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade
ATB Daily Plan
- Waitlist for pre-kindergarten for 2-year-olds
- Limited availability for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade
- Daily registration closes each Monday at 9 a.m.
Music Lessons
Violin lessons are available for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
- Lessons are offered based on instructor availability.
- To inquire about lessons, please email Jill Romerill, and she will connect you with an instructor.
An update about piano lessons: We wanted to let you know that unfortunately, Anna Vinnitsky will not be able to continue as our piano instructor this school year. We are so grateful to Anna for her dedication, time, and commitment to our students. We truly appreciate all she has done to share her love of music with our students and wish her all the very best in her future endeavors!
Please be patient with us as we begin our search for a new piano instructor. We know how much our students enjoy their piano lessons, and we will work to find a wonderful instructor as quickly as possible. Thank you so much for your patience and understanding. We will keep you updated as we have more information to share!
Enrichment Offerings
We offer four enrichment sessions throughout the school year. Fall I offerings will be announced soon!
Stinger Staycation Days
Formerly known as Holiday Care, Stinger Staycation provides care on select days when school is closed. Check out the 2026-27 Stinger Staycation dates.
We look forward to a wonderful school year and to seeing you and your children in After the Bell!
— Jill and Christina
Athletics
LS: Mark Your Calendars — Winter Sports Registration Opens Sept. 16
Registration for winter sports will open on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and close on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Be on the lookout for an email from the athletic department with a direct link to register. To find out more about the Seven Hills athletic program and our winter teams, visit gostingers.com.
If you’re already looking ahead to spring and fall 2027 sports, please note the registration dates below:
- Spring sports registration: Opens Dec. 2 and closes Dec. 16.
- Fall 2027 sports registration: Opens April 14 and closes April 28.
LS: Homecoming and Youth Recognition Night — Friday, Sept. 18
Save the date for Friday, Sept. 18, for a fun evening of homecoming festivities. Our youth teams will be recognized after the varsity girls soccer game on the upper field around 6:45 p.m.