Lotspeich Blast Oct 3, 2025

First LEAD Together Event — Monday, Oct. 6

Our first LEAD Together event for families and faculty is on Monday, Oct. 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m., in the Lotspeich Library. Childcare and pizza dinner will be offered for our Lisa Damour webinar viewing and discussion. Registration is now open. RSVP today! We have a few childcare spots left, so please RSVP to claim your spots. The LEAD Together flyer includes all events for our first semester.

Damour opened with idea that “the kids who do well over time know how to work and how to do work that they don’t feel like doing.” She focused on how to support our kids in becoming more emotionally durable and adaptable. This webinar is great for parents of kids of all ages.

Big Little Talks: Parent DEI Book Series — Tuesday, Oct. 7

Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 7, for our first session of Big Little Talks, a DEI book series, where we’ll review a kid’s book about racism along with other impactful titles that help guide conversations with kids. We’ll meet at 9 a.m. on the Doherty Campus and again at 6 p.m. in the Lotspeich Library. RSVP here. We look forward to seeing you there!

Fall Break Movie Night — Wednesday, Oct. 8

Kick off the fall break right! Join the Upper School Black Student Union on Wednesday, Oct. 8, for an awesome movie night with face painting, pumpkin painting, and more. We will be watching “Soul.” If you haven’t seen it, it is a must see, and if you have seen it, it is worth seeing again! Activities will start at 6 p.m. along with pizza, drinks and snacks in The Schiff Center lobby. The movie will begin at 7:15 p.m., but no food or drinks are allowed into the theater so come early and enjoy the fun and community! All proceeds go to charity. Hope to see you there!

Limited Spots for Holiday Care on Records Day — Monday, Oct. 13

There are limited spots available for Holiday Care on the Hillsdale Campus for pre-kindergarten for 2-year-olds through fifth grade on Monday, Oct. 13. Please email Jill and Christina. The pre-kindergarten group is currently on a waitlist. Our next Holiday Care dates are Nov. 12-14. Registration will be open when we return from Fall Break.

Seven Hills Unplugged Returns — Starting Tuesday, Oct. 14

Back by popular demand, Seven Hills Unplugged returns to the Hillsdale Campus this fall every Tuesday! Families from pre-kindergarten for 2-year-olds through eighth grade are welcome to enjoy some after-school open play and screen-free fun! New this year, the ECC playground space is available for ECC families to connect! See the flyer for details. Rain-out locations will be shared each week, as needed.

The Honeycomb! A Community Service Opportunity for all Lower School Students

The Honeycomb is a Lower School community service initiative where students come together to spread kindness, responsibility, and community — our Hive values — in action. Meeting twice a month after school, we learn how even the smallest acts can make the biggest ripples. Our second session is on Oct. 16 at Lotspeich. Each opportunity has a small fee to cover the cost of supplies for our projects! Register for ONE or ALL of our sessions!

Photo Retake Day Details

We will have one Lower School Picture Retake Day on Tuesday, Oct. 21. We will receive and pass back the photo packets, usually the week before, to allow you to look at them. The photographer spends quite a bit of time with each child and is willing to take photos for anyone absent on the original day, and also to retake photos if there is a photographer error only (photo blurriness, eyes shut, red eye).  If you choose to have her reshoot, please send in the original packet of photos for return please.

The Lower School Book Fair is Just Around the Corner!

We’re thrilled to announce that the Bookshelf in Madeira and the Lower School libraries are teaming up to bring the Book Fair back to our school. Here are all the important details:

• Dates: Nov. 5-16
• Location: Lotspeich and Doherty libraries
• For Students: During their library class, students will have the opportunity to preview the exciting 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 Parent Teacher Conferences on Nov. 12-13.
• Online Orders: On Nov. 5, you’ll receive an email with a link to the website for ordering books. It’s a great way to explore even more options and make your selections.
• Delivery: Most books ordered from the Book Fair will be delivered directly to your child’s classroom before winter break.
• 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.