Middle School Blast Sep 22, 2023
Note from Bill…
It’s been a fun and busy week in “the Middle,” all of which led up to our spirited pep rally Friday afternoon! Please be sure to attend the many Middle School athletic contests this afternoon, followed by this evening’s All School Picnic and fireworks!
As we are now settling into the routines of school, I want to make sure that our parent community feels connected and informed as to all that is going on at school. Using our new Veracross platform allows for enhanced communication between school and home. Below are some valuable resources to assist you in becoming more proficient with Veracross:
- For a quick introduction to some of the basic features (My Children, My Calendar, Directories, and Updating Family Profile), watch this short video. Here are the slides seen in the video.
- To efficiently access student schedules, watch this short video. Here are the slides seen in the video.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please contact techsupport@7hills.org.
- These resources will also be posted in the Parent Portal.
It is hard to believe that this Friday marks the mid-point of quarter one! Please be sure to work with your child to check in on how they are doing in their classes. Teachers will have their grade books (accessible through Schoology) up-to-date by no later than next Tuesday, Sept. 26. This affords you a great opportunity to talk with your child as to how the start of the year has been going, especially in relation to their progress in classes. I would also suggest you do some “investigative parenting” as to how your child is feeling about the social and emotional components of Middle School. Listed below are some good “starter questions” if your child isn’t that open to sharing how they are feeling about school:
- What was the best part of your day?
- What was the worst part of your day?
- Tell me about one of your friends.
- Who do you eat lunch with?
- Which teacher makes you laugh?
- Which class is the hardest right now?
- What’s the funniest thing that happened today?
- What class do you wish you could skip this week?
- How can I help you?
- Is there anything you want me to know?
Obviously, if you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher, adviser, or me.
Key Dates & Events
Tuesday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. — Middle School Chorus Concert, The Schiff Center
Thursday, Oct. 5 & Friday, Oct. 6 — Fall Break. No School
Monday, Oct. 9 — Faculty Professional Development Day. No School
Announcements
Homecoming Schedule
Please see the flyer for the detailed schedule of the Homecoming events on Friday, Sept. 22, and Saturday, Sept. 23. We hope to see you all there!
Winter Sports Registration
Winter sports registrations are now live. Please log in to your Veracross Parent Portal to complete registration forms before Friday, Sept. 29.
Author Visit — Friday, Sept. 29
We are excited to have young adult author Pablo Cartaya visit on Friday, Sept. 29! Seven Hills Middle and Upper School students will have a chance to hear Mr. Cartaya speak and purchase his books to be signed! Books are available through preorder or purchase on the day of the event. Students are welcome to charge book purchases to their school library account or pay via cash or check. If your child would like to preorder one of the below titles, please email librarian@7hills.org or ask them to see Mrs. Bloom or Ms. Whitt in the library.
- “The Last Beekeeper” — $10
- “Leo El Magnifico” — $13
- “Each Tiny Spark” — $9
- “Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish” — $9
- “The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora” — $9
- “El Épico Fracasode Arturo Zamora” (Spanish edition) — $9
Middle Chorus Concert — Tuesday, Oct. 3, 7:30 pm.
Students should be seated in the chorus room by 6:50 p.m, wearing black on bottom, white on top, boys in a tie. For this concert, we are combined with the Upper choruses. Please plan to stay for the entire concert, which should finish around 8:15 p.m.
Neurodiversity Real Talk — Oct. 13
As part of the school’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice, and equity, the Middle School is continuing the Real Talk Series to create ongoing opportunities for students to hear directly from people of different backgrounds and points of view. We hope these conversations will give our students a chance to attain a certain level of understanding and acceptance of the diversity at Seven Hills. Neurodiversity is the first of three panelist discussions we will host this year. Advisory activities precede this presentation to familiarize our students with this topic. During this Real Talk discussion, panelists will share how they overcome their challenges and the stereotypes they face and celebrate their successes as learners.
Please print, sign, and return this form to your child’s adviser if you DO NOT want your child to participate in Neurodiversity, which includes advisory activities around this topic and the Real Talk panel presentation on the morning of Oct. 13.
Alternate Routes during Dismissal
During dismissal from the Hillsdale Campus, Red Bank Road can become quite backed up as cars head toward Red Bank Expressway. Did you know there are alternate routes to reach main roads like I-71 and Montgomery Road? This map highlights these alternate routes to ease your commute and cut down on traffic congestion as you leave campus.
MyKidsSpending Update
The Seven Hills Business Office would like to thank all our families for their patience as we integrate MyKidsSpending (MKS) in both our kitchen and Spirit Shop. Most families have been successful in loading funds onto their accounts, but for those families yet to deposit funds, please don’t hesitated to reach out to John Brooks via email or by phone at 513.728.2388 for assistance. You can also visit the Business Office with cash or a check, and we will be happy to deposit the funds into your student’s account.
Please note that funds deposited in MKS are available for use in both the kitchen and Spirit Shop. The transactions will be commingled together when you view your student’s transaction on the MKS website. If you prefer your student not to use their MKS account in the Spirit Shop, the store also takes cash and credit cards as forms of payment.
Middle School Parent Community
Fall events are in full gear! We look forward to seeing you all at the many fun events this month!
MSPC Upcoming Events and Happenings
Middle School Fall Parent Socials
Please save the date for your Fall Parent Social. You won’t want to miss out on this fun event.
- Sixth Grade Fall Parent Social — Sunday, Oct.1, 4-7 p.m. RSVP and see more event details.
- Seventh Grade Fall Parent Social — Saturday, Sept. 23, 7 p.m. RSVP and see more event details.
- Eighth Grade Fall Parent Social — Saturday, Sept. 30, 7-9 p.m. RSVP and see more event details.
The Sixth Grade Dance Party — Friday, Oct. 13, 6:15-8:15 p.m.
Your sixth grader will have a blast! RSVP, make payment, and view more event details.
The Seventh and Eighth Grade Dance — Friday, Oct. 27, 7-9:30 p.m.
More details to come. Interested in chaperoning? Sign up via the SignUpGenuis.
Walking Club — New Meet-Up Location
We are a group of parents who get together bi-weekly on Wednesdays after morning drop off to talk and walk the lower soccer field. All divisions are welcome, and no RSVP required. This group provides you a great opportunity to connect with other community members all while getting your steps in! Please park in the lower field parking area. Campus guest passes will be passed out to ensure visibility, for security purposes. When inclement weather occurs, we gather at Element Eatery to chat. Our next meet up is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept 27, from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Subsequent dates are Oct. 11 and 25, Nov. 8 and 29, Dec. 13, and Jan. 10, 2024. I look forward to chatting with you soon. Carolyn Klein (Mom of Spencer, 11th grade, and Courtney, seventh grade)
Spirit Shop Volunteers
We are seeking volunteers to help in the Seven Hills Spirit Shop. All are welcome to join the fun and spread Stinger pride! Make lifelong friends in the Spirit Shop. Work one shift per month, 11 a.m.-1:15 p.m. That’s all there is to it! No experience needed. The Spirit Shop is located just outside Kalnow Gym on the Hillsdale Campus. If interested, please contact Lindsay Cassady.
For any MSPC related questions or to volunteer, please contact Lauren Boymel or Katya Trevino.