Lotspeich Blast Dec 15, 2023
Dear Parents,
This week, we want to celebrate the hard work of our students and the creativity of the projects designed by our talented teachers.
Our kindergartners commemorated the Festival of Lights as the culmination of learning about different holidays and traditions celebrated around the world. Parents were treated to displays of light representing Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, Las Posadas, Dia de los Muertos, and St. Nicholas’ Day. They even created candles to represent our own Seven Hills community! The celebration culminated in a performance of two songs, directed by Mrs. Wilson.
Our second grade students demonstrated incredible creativity and knowledge in their recent Bridges Project. Over the past few weeks, the students have been immersed in exploring various types of bridges, showcasing their understanding of architectural concepts and engineering principles. On Wednesday morning, Founders Hall was filled with a buzz as our students shared their hard work with parents, teachers, and students of all ages.
The projects they’ve completed are a testament to their hard work, enthusiasm, and the support they receive at home. From beam bridges to suspension bridges, each design reflects their grasp of the subject matter and their unique creativity. We admire their efforts and applaud their accomplishments in this project!
In addition, our fifth graders transformed our Project Math and ATB classrooms into a mini golf course. Students tapped into their creativity and teamwork skills to design and construct a unique mini golf hole, considering angles, distances, and obstacles. As part of the project, students found the area and perimeter of their mini golf greens and drew a scale drawing of them. As others visited their mini golf course, fifth graders collected data on the performance of their classmates as they navigated through each hole. This data will be analyzed in the new year, allowing the students to apply their mathematical knowledge to real-world scenarios.
As we enjoy the Winter Break and celebrate the various holidays that bring warmth and joy to our homes, we hope you find special moments to spend with your children. Cherish the time together, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, recharged and ready for more exciting learning and growth. Thank you for your continued support, and may your holidays be filled with laughter, love, and the magic of the season.
Warmly,
Susan
Key Dates & Events
Saturday, Dec. 16-Monday, Jan. 1 — Winter Break
Tuesday, Jan. 2 — Faculty Professional Development Day. No School.
Wednesday, Jan. 3 — School Resumes
Monday, Jan. 8 — Re-enrollment Contracts Issued
Monday, Jan. 15 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No School.
Monday, Jan. 15 — Flexible Tuition Forms Due
Monday, Jan. 22 — Re-enrollment Contracts Expire
Announcements
Spring Sports Registration
The athletics department is excited to announce that registration is still open for the 2024 spring sports programs. Parents of students in kindergarten through grade 12 can log into the Veracross parent portal and follow the appropriate link (located in the parent links section) to register and complete payment by the deadline of Friday, Dec.15. If you had already registered for kindergarten through sixth grade please log back in and register again and complete payment. Veracross had a glitch that has now been fixed. Thank you!
2024 Baseball (Grades 1-6): Team practices are scheduled to start tentatively the week of March 4, with sessions taking place twice per week at the Hillsdale Campus. Games will be held during the week and on weekends.
2024 Lacrosse (Grades 3-6): Team practices are set to begin tentatively the week of March 4, taking place twice per week at the Hillsdale Campus, with games scheduled on weekends.
2024 Softball (Grades 1-6): Practices will be held twice per week starting tentatively the week of March 4 at the Hillsdale Campus, with games during the week and on weekends.
2023 Track and Field (Grades K-6): New this year! We’re thrilled to extend our track and field program to kindergartners this year. Practices are generally once per week, starting around the week of March 4 at the Hillsdale Campus, with meets scheduled on Saturdays throughout April and May.
We look forward to an exciting and active spring season. Your participation and support make these programs a success. Should you have any questions or need assistance with the registration process, please don’t hesitate to contact Amy Ilg. Thank you for your attention to these deadlines and for encouraging your children to participate in our spring sports.
Looking Ahead To Middle School!
Doherty and Lotspeich parents of current fifth graders are invited to join Head of Middle School Bill Waskowitz on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, starting at 7 p.m to learn about our Middle School program. No need to RSVP; simply sign in to the Zoom meeting that is designed to give our soon-to-be Middle School parents a sense of what life is like, in the Middle! Look for an email from the Middle School with the Zoom link. Questions? Please feel free to contact Bill Waskowitz via email or by phone at 513.728.2451.
December Parent Connext — Brought to You by the Counseling Department
Seven Hills values partnering with parents to address the development of the whole child. Parent Connext allows us to explore some of today’s most relevant topics in your child’s social/emotional development, while offering practical tools for parenting. Please feel free to connect with your student’s building counselor if you would like more conversation or support around this topic.
Robotics Competition Volunteers Wanted
After a successful event last year, Seven Hills fifth grade will once again host a robotics competition. One thing that made it so successful was the many volunteers who helped out. We are looking for volunteers for this year’s event. Please see all the details and sign up via SignUpGenius.
Enrichment
Winter Enrichment will run on both campuses from Jan. 16 to March 1. Registration will begin upon our return from Winter Break. Programs this session will include:
- Chess
- Dance
- Cincy Ninja Kids
- Pre-K Science: Journey in the Jungle … and more!
Girls on the Run
We are pleased to be able to offer Girls on the Run to our third through fifth graders again this year! This is a self-esteem building program that culminates in a 5K in May with other GOTR teams across the city. Practices this year will be 3:30-4:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.
Registration is done through a lottery by GOTR headquarters, so only 16 girls can participate. The lottery will open at the end of January and the season will begin at the end of February! Please reach out to Christina O’Donnell with any questions.
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.
Summer Program 2024 — Mark Your Calendars
Make the summer of 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 and going 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, 2024.
Parent Community News
The Parent Community would like to wish you all a fun, safe, and healthy Winter Break! We’re so thankful for our first half of the year filled with costumes, coffees, meetups, and movie nights! We’ll see you all in January!
Save the Date:
- Euchre Night — Thursday, Jan. 18
- Parent Community Meeting — Friday, Jan. 26
- Lower School STEAM Fair — Sunday, Jan. 28
- Teacher Appreciation Week — Valentine’s Day week
Parent Euchre Night Is Back!
Doherty and Lotspeich parents: join us for a night of parental socializing (and cards) at MadTree! If you’re new to the glorious game of euchre, don’t fret — it’s (relatively) easy to learn, and you’ll be among patient Midwesterners. The hardest part is not getting wing sauce on the cards. Let us know you’re coming by grabbing a “euchre player” slot in the sign ups here. See you at the table with the blue and yellow balloons! No interest in cards but still want to hang? Come on out! Our next one is Jan. 18 – mark your calendars now, and sign up early so we can gauge interest.
The Official Start of Grade Level Meetups — Turn on Schoology Notifications!
Please be sure to turn on your email and text notifications for Schoology. All announcements and updates about grade level meetups will be shared via Schoology in the grade level group of your child. We don’t want anyone to miss out, so please download Schoology and adjust your settings. If you have any questions, please reach out to Alisa Pitocco or Kelly Carrier.
Our hope is that these new grade level meetups can serve as a supplement to other Parent Community activities and give families an opportunity to enjoy some quality time with just their grade.
Staff Appreciation Notes — Spread the Love!
Take two minutes to say “thanks” with a staff appreciation note! Make someone smile with a staff appreciation note!
Yearbook Photos — Please Submit!
The yearbook needs your pictures! Please send photos to lotspeichyearbook@7hills.org to be added to the yearbook!
Parent Basketball Group
All parents are invited to join the Seven Hills Parent Basketball Group (PBG). The PBG is a weekly standing pickup basketball game at the Hillsdale Campus for parents of students in all divisions of the school. The court will be open to parents starting at 7:45 p.m. and the pickup game(s) will begin at 8 p.m. Day of sign up via SignUpGenius is required.