Middle School Blast Sep 19, 2025
Key Dates
Friday, Sept. 19 — A1. Homecoming and All Family Cookout, 5-9 p.m. The Cookout ends at 7 p.m. Spirit Night Grades 1-6, 6:45 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 22 — B1. Grades 1-8 Winter Sports Registration Begins
Tuesday, Sept. 23 — A2.
Wednesday, Sept. 24 — B2.
Thursday, Sept. 25 — A3
Friday, Sept. 26 — B3. Between the Pages Author Visit
Tuesday, Sept. 30 — Middle and Upper Choral Concert, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 31 — Sixth Grade Creepy Critters
Photos of the Week
Middle Schoolers show off their pajamas on the first day of Homecoming Spirit Week.
What to Know Now
Homecoming Starts Tonight!
Homecoming and the All Family Cookout is tonight, Friday, Sept. 19, starting at 5 p.m. Events continue throughout the night and on Saturday, Sept. 20. Check out the full schedule of Homecoming events. We hope to see you to celebrate this joyous occasion! Go Stingers!
Between the Pages Author Visit: Jen Wang — Friday, Sept. 26
We are excited to have young adult author and artist Jen Wang visit on Friday, Sept. 26! Seven Hills Middle and Upper School students will have a chance to hear Ms. Wang speak and have books signed. Books are available for purchase on the day of the event from local bookstore Downbound Books. Students are welcome to charge book purchases to their school account or pay via cash or card. We encourage you to have a conversation with your child ahead of the visit about which books are best for them and whether or not they will be purchasing any.
- “Stargazing” $11
- “The Prince and the Dressmaker” $15
- “In Real Life” $12
- “Ash’s Cabin” $15
- “Lumberjanes Bonus Tracks” $1
Parent Association News
Middle School Parent Community Meeting
Parent community meetings will be on the following dates at 8:15 a.m. in the Sixth Grade Commons:
- Nov. 21
- Feb. 19, evening meeting at 6 p.m.
- April 24
Sixth Grade Sneaker Ball — Canceled
Due to some scheduling and venue constraints, we are re-evaluating some other potential (and fun!) options for the sixth grade event. Stay tuned!
Questions or interested in volunteering with the Middle School PC?
Contact Susan Schaefer (mom of sixth grader Drew)
Announcements
Important Attendance Reminder
We would like to take a moment to remind you of the Middle School’s tardy policy. Classes begin promptly at 8:20 a.m. Arriving on time ensures that students are physically settled, mentally ready, and prepared to learn. Even a few minutes late can cause a rushed, distracted start for the student and disrupt the learning environment for others.
Tardy Policy and Consequences:
- Fifth unexcused tardy: Lunchtime detention
- Each additional unexcused tardy: Additional lunchtime detention
- Eighth unexcused tardy and beyond: Before-school detentions
Our goal is to help students avoid detentions by encouraging consistent, on-time arrival. Families can support this by setting earlier alarms, adjusting transportation routines, or preparing school materials the night before.
Please note that traffic delays — except in extreme circumstances such as weather, major accidents, or closures — are not considered an excused reason for tardiness. We strongly encourage you to plan for extra time in the morning routine to account for unexpected delays.
If you have any questions about this policy or would like to discuss ways we can support your child’s success, please feel free to reach out to Dean of Students Victor Harris directly.
Thank you for your partnership in helping all students begin each day ready to learn.
Real Talk Series: “Seen and Unseen Challenges” — Friday, Oct. 17
As part of our school’s commitment to building a community where everyone feels seen, valued, and included, we’re preparing the next installment of our Real Talk Series. This series is all about hearing powerful stories and perspectives from people with different experiences. These conversations are designed just for your Middle Schooler — to spark curiosity, open minds, and help us all better understand and celebrate the diversity that makes our Seven Hills community so special.
The first of two panel discussions this year, “Seen and Unseen Challenges,” will give students the chance to look beyond the obvious and learn about chronic challenges their peers and teachers face daily, including hearing impairments, mobility difficulties, food allergies, and medical conditions, such as respiratory issues and severe migraines.
We believe this is an important step in helping our students develop empathy and respect for one another. Should you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Madame Kalubi or Kristin Suer. Please print, sign, and return opt-out form to your child’s advisor if you DO NOT want your child to participate in “Seen and Unseen Challenges.” It will include advisory activities around this topic and the Real Talk panel presentation on the morning of Friday, Oct. 17.
Save the Date — Sixth Grade Creepy Critters, Friday, Oct. 31
The sixth grade will be celebrating our annual Creepy Critters Day the morning of Friday, Oct. 31, and parents will be invited in to spend some time with their child(ren) that morning. We will be working to schedule the activities to accommodate those parents who will also be attending the Lower School Halloween parades. More details to come!
LEAD Together: Learning, Educating, and Discussing Together
Parents and caregivers, please join us for LEAD Together: Learning, Educating, And Discussing Together. Join us for one or all events to learn alongside other families and faculty members. These book talks, speaker series, and other sessions will be led by various faculty and staff groups and our Parent Community. Registration is now open. RSVP today! The LEAD Together flyer includes all events for our first semester. Stay tuned for our second semester flyer.
