Upper School Blast Sep 1, 2023
Dear Families,
We’ve had a great return to school, and the hallways and classrooms of Upper are full of smiling faces. Students and teachers alike are excited about the new year and about the many projects that we are working on in 2023-24. It was likewise great seeing so many of you at Parent Night last week. I hope that you were able to meet lots of teachers and other Upper School staffers and that you left with a sense of what makes our classes so engaging for the students.
At our first Upper all-school meeting in The Schiff Center earlier this week, I said that two major themes for me this year are community and communication. High school is a four year journey to adulthood, and a big part of that journey involves making oneself part of a community beyond home. I’ve asked the Upper Schoolers to think about how they can contribute to the community and how they can welcome others to it. The students can join the teachers in our goal of making sure that every Upper Schooler feels seen, known, and valued.
Seniors in the Young Family Library on the first day of school
On the topic of community, I wanted to say a few words about what we call “community time,” the session that runs from 2:45-3:15 p.m. each afternoon. We use that time for one of four purposes:
- Advisory: Advisory is a home base within the Upper School. Students check in with their adviser each morning and have a longer meeting once a week during community time. Each adviser has a group of about 10 students and can therefore get to know their advisees well and serve as a bridge between school and home.
- Class Meetings: These grade level meetings, which are run by the student government representatives, focus on issues that are important to each of our four years. This week, for example, the juniors focused on college counseling, while the ninth graders prepared for their retreat.
- All-School Meetings: These pull the whole division together in one place. We’ll see scenes from the school play, listen to performances by the chorus and orchestra, hear from fascinating alumni guest speakers, and make sandwiches together for a local food pantry.
- Extra Help: During these sessions, all of the teachers are available to work with students on academics. While Upper Schoolers may choose to leave at 2:45 p.m. on these days, let’s all encourage them to take advantage of extra help. It’s a great resource and a great way of building their relationships with teachers and their level of mastery with course material.
Speaking of community building, we’ve just wrapped up a terrific Freshman Retreat at Camp Ernst! This overnight trip helped our ninth graders to bond as a class and to look ahead to the next four years of Upper School. Whether the students have been at Seven Hills for nine years or nine days, I believe they are all feeling like part of our community.
Freshmen on retreat at Camp Ernst
Two quick notes on the topic of communication. This is the first of our weekly Blasts, a Friday round-up of all of the important goings-on and upcoming events in each division. Reading it each week will keep you in the know! Secondly, I hope everyone has had a good experience getting used to Veracross, our new database. Here at school we’ve been really happy with it and are already seeing many ways that it will help us to stay more connected to families.
Below please find a series of announcements and updates about life in Upper. Have a great three-day weekend!
Best,
Matt
Matthew Bolton, Ph.D.
Head of the Upper School / Head of School-Elect
The Seven Hills School
Key Dates & Events
Monday, Sept. 4 — Labor Day. No School
Tuesday, Sept. 5 — Day B5. Extra Help (2:45-3:15 p.m.)
Wednesday, Sept. 6 — Day A1. Advisory (2:45-3:15 p.m.)
Thursday, Sept. 7 — Day B1. Class Meetings (2:45-3:15 p.m.)
Friday, Sept. 8 — Day A2. Extra Help (2:45-3:15 p.m.)
Announcements
Experiential Learning Updates
Parents are invited to participate in our Job Networking and Career Mentoring Program for current students and recent alums. Whether you offer a job shadow experience, conversation with a student about a career path, or something else, we welcome your participation. Please use this Job Networking and Career Mentoring form to indicate your interest. Questions can be directed to Karen Glum or Margo Kirstein.
Parents of Juniors: The deadline for juniors to turn in a Challenge Contract is Sept. 22. Once submitted, contracts will be reviewed by the Challenge Advisory Board for approval. Blank contracts can be found in students’ Challenge Project Schoology course.
Schedule Change Deadline
Each semester, students have the first couple of weeks to make changes to their schedules. This year, the deadline for final changes to be approved is by the end of the day (11:59 p.m.) this coming Tuesday, Sept. 5.
In order to have changes made, the following steps must be completed by that deadline:
- Student contacts the registrar to see if desired changes are possible.
- If changes are possible, student contacts the following to have them email approval to registrar@7hills.org:
- Parent
- College Counselor (for grades 10-12)
- Mrs. Hausberger (for ninth grade)
- Student also speaks with (not emails) any teachers whose classes they are dropping and asks them to email registrar@7hills.org to confirm this conversation has happened.
Changes will appear in Veracross as soon as they are made. It may take up to 24 hours for the changes to then appear in Schoology.
Please note that the registrar may not make schedule changes for the following reasons:
- Desire to have or not have particular teachers
- Desire to be with or not be with particular students
Feel free to contact registrar@7hills.org with any questions.
College Counseling Presentation for Senior Parents/Guardians — Sept. 5
Senior parents and guardians are invited on Tuesday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. via Zoom to join the college counselors for an overview of the fall application process, student and parent expectations, financial aid, and more, with time for your questions and comments. The Zoom link can be found on the Class of 2024: College Counseling Schoology group. A recording and slides from the presentation will be posted to the group within two days.
Best Point Counseling Services
Seven Hills continues its partnership with Best Point, a prominent local mental health provider, and is able to offer mental health counseling services on campus. Haley Muth is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with experience working with children and families in the mental health field. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Xavier University and her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from the University of Cincinnati. Haley’s office is currently located in the eighth grade wing of the Middle School, however she is capable of working with students in third through 12th grade.
Haley offers services related to the following: depression/anxiety/ADHD, parenting strategies, learning strategies/classroom support, sleep problems, trauma, loss/grief, crisis intervention and response, family support/parenting support, impulsivity/aggression, relaxation techniques, and practicing and applying new skills at home and at school. Haley Muth can be reached at 513.822.8512 or via email at muthh@bestpoint.org
You can access these services for your student or child by contacting your school administration, your child’s teacher, or by submitting a referral on the Best Point website. Call 513.272.2800 if you need further assistance!
Parent Volunteering
If you are interested in being part of the volunteer team, please reach out to Regina or Marnie, or you may sign up in our SignUpGenius link.
Fall Parent Socials — RSVP today!
Join us for a long-standing tradition among the Seven Hills Parent Community. Fall parent socials are the perfect opportunity to connect, relax, and socialize with other parents from your student’s grade. We look forward to kicking off the 2023-24 school year with you all!
- Ninth Grade Parent Social – Saturday, Sept. 30, at Fulton Yards Coffeehouse and Spirits, 3-5 p.m. RSVP here!
- 10th Grade Parent Social – Friday, Sept. 29, at the Kennedy Residence, 6:30 p.m. RSVP here!
- 11th Grade Parent Social – Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Huguenin Residence from 5:30-7:30 p.m. RSVP here!
- 12th Grade Parent Social – Friday, Sept. 8, at the Anand Residence, 6:30 p.m. RSVP here!
Parent Walking Club
We are a group of parents who get together biweekly on Wednesdays after morning drop off to talk and walk the track on the upper 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! When inclement weather occurs, we gather at Element Eatery to chat. Our walking dates are Sept. 13, Sept. 27, Oct. 11, Oct. 25, Nov. 8, Nov. 29, Dec. 13, and Jan. 10, 2024, all from 8:30-9:30 a.m. I look forward to chatting with you soon, Carolyn Klein (Mom of Spencer, 11th grade, and Courtney, seventh grade).