Middle School Blast Oct 27, 2023
Note from Bill …
Today, we celebrated our annual Middle School Pumpkin Day!
The sixth grade started their day with Creepy Critters Day, a fun and interactive event incorporating creative writing, termite experimentations, and other entomologically related activities that immerse students into the world of creepy critters.
After lunch, all students, grouped in SWARMS (mixed grade level teams of 10-12 students), competed in our annual Pumpkin Day, where they created pumpkin-themed displays around a central theme. Following heated design sessions and a final judging, teams were honored with a variety of awards! And, to top it all off, this evening will be our first seventh and eighth grade dance, all in the spirit of Halloween (costumes encouraged but not required)! If your child does dress up for this event (including Halloween next Tuesday), please help us ensure that their costume is socially appropriate and does not stereotype, mock, or poke fun at another person/group or human condition.
By the end of today, you should receive an email from Seven Hills allowing you to access your child’s first quarter teacher comments. These are timely reports written by our teachers for all students, allowing you and your child to assess how the first quarter has gone and to have meaningful discussions with your child about their current academic performances.
Parent-Teacher Conferences (which occur on Nov. 9 and 10) will also give you the chance to meet with teachers of your choice to discuss how your child has been doing at this point in the academic year. Please be on the lookout for an email from Seven Hills on Monday, Oct. 30, allowing you to schedule conferences with teachers of your choice. This sign-up period will close on Nov 6.
Key Dates & Events
Friday, Oct. 27 — Seventh and Eighth Grade Fall Party, 7-9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 31 — Halloween
Tuesday, Nov. 7-Wednesday, Nov. 8 — Upper School Preview Day
Friday, Nov. 17 — Pizza and Play
Announcements
Parking Lot Reminder: Numbered Spaces Reserved for Students
Parking spaces with numbers are assigned spaces for students. Please do not park in any numbered space. If you are a visiting parent, please park in the short-term parking spots in Lot A (the main lot adjacent to the Upper School and Lotspeich) or the spaces without numbers near the Resale Shop. Additionally, spots 201-208 across from the Red Barn are unassigned and available for visitors.
Upper School Preview Day
The Upper School has a busy day planned for the eighth graders! Students will follow an Upper School class schedule, have Dewey’s lunch in the Hillsdale Commons, take part in a Q&A with seniors, and tour our Personal Challenge sharing event, where they will see projects completed by our juniors and seniors.
- Tuesday, Nov. 7: Eighth grade students with last names beginning with the letters A-J
- Wednesday, Nov. 8: Eighth grade students with last names beginning with the letters K-Z
- Click here for the invitation from the Upper School
- If you have any questions, email Vicky Hausberger here
Middle School Parent Community Upcoming Events and Happenings
For any MSPC-related questions or to volunteer, please contact Lauren Boymel or Katya Trevino. Just like that, we’ve wrapped up the first quarter. We hope the entire Middle School community is doing well and has enjoyed all the fun events thus far!
Pizza and Play
Please save the date for Pizza and Play on Friday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. Middle Schoolers will be invited to gather for pizza and a hang out, followed by a showing of the Middle School theater performance on opening night. More details to come.
MS Parent Community Meetings
Please save the date for our November MSPC meeting, a delightful wine and cheese evening, held on Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. in The Schiff Center. Future MSPC meeting dates are as follows in the sixth grade commons:
- Feb. 23, 8:30 a.m.
- April 4, 8:30 a.m.
- May 3, 8:30 a.m.
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 this sign-up genius is required.
Walking Club — New meet-up location
We are a group of parents that 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, Nov. 8, from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Subsequent dates are Nov. 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)
October 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. View a Parent Connext Powerpoint Presentation here and a Parent Hub October Tips sheet here about bullying and resiliency factors. Please feel free to connect with your student’s building counselor if you would like more conversation or support around this topic.
Resale Shop
It’s time to clean out closets, cabinets, drawers, etc., and bring what you don’t need any more to the Resale Shop! We are in need of household items, clothing, artwork, furniture, linens, etc. We are open from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and we are located across the street from the main entrance on the Hillsdale Campus.
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 from 11-1:15 p.m. — that’s all there is to it! No experience is needed. The Spirit Shop is located just outside Kalnow Gym on the Hillsdale Campus. If interested, please contact Lindsay Cassady here.