Upper School Blast Oct 20, 2023
This week, we welcomed a visiting team to campus as part of our ISACS (Independent School Association of the Central States) Accreditation process. They were an experienced, insightful group who seemed to come away from their visit really impressed by what they saw at Seven Hills. Many of the team members commented to me about what great hosts the upper schoolers were. At the close of their visit, ISACS asks the team to share with us a series of commendations and recommendations. The commendations were truly affirming, and the recommendations are a source of encouragement and good counsel as we work to serve students and advance the school’s mission.
Coming up next week: PSATs! As a reminder, we do not have classes on PSAT day, Wednesday, Oct. 25. Seniors don’t take the PSAT, but are encouraged to work on their college applications in the Commons. Freshmen who are not taking the PSAT generally choose to stay home. If it’s helpful to you in terms of childcare, they are welcome to come to school at the regular time and spend the morning in the cafeteria and the gym. All students will be dismissed after the PSAT ends (around lunchtime).
See below for more information about the PSAT and other upcoming events.
Best,
Matt
Key Dates & Events
Monday, Oct. 23 — A1. Advisory
Tuesday, Oct. 24 — B1. All School Meeting
Wednesday, Oct. 25 — B4. PSAT
Thursday, Oct. 26 — B2. Extra Help
Friday, Oct. 27 — A2. Extra Help
Announcements
The digital PSAT is on Wednesday, Oct. 25. This format is new to everyone in every high school across the United States, and we are working hard to make your test day experience run as smoothly as possible. Students need to arrive by 8:15 a.m. and report directly to your testing room. There will not be advisory check-ins. The test begins at 8:30 a.m., and the PSAT cannot accommodate late arrivals. Students must remain in their testing room until the end of their exam time period. Students are dismissed after the test, but they are allowed to remain on campus for the rest of the school day. The Young Family library and Founders will be open for students who are staying on campus. Students will be able to buy lunch in the cafeteria after the exam.
- With standard time, the PSAT takes 2 hours and 14 minutes, plus breaks.
- With time and one-half (+50%), the PSAT takes 3 hours and 21 minutes, plus breaks.
- With double time (+100%), the PSAT takes 4 hours and 28 minutes, plus breaks.
You may bring: a snack to eat during the break, a pencil or pen to use on the provided scratch paper, and your calculator. If you do not bring a calculator, you will be able to use one that is embedded into the test format. The embedded calculator is the Desmos Graphing Calculator, a fully digital, accessible graphing calculator used for computational, graphing, statistical, and other mathematical purposes. Please ensure your device is fully charged when you arrive on test day. In case you need to charge your device, please bring your own charging cable. School charging options will be limited on test day. Your device must maintain a charge for at least three hours. If you have any questions regarding the PSAT, please see your college counselor.
During the PSAT administration on Wednesday, Oct. 25, you are not required to report to school, but we hope you’ll use this extra time to work on your college applications! The Commons will be open from 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and reserved for seniors who would like a quiet place to work. College counselors will be available between 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. for drop-in meetings.
Important Information for the Taiwan Trip
The first deposit for the Taiwan trip is due by midnight on Oct. 20. Parents also need to make sure their kids’ passports are not expiring before September 2024.
First Edition of “The Hive” Out Today!
The Upper School’s online newspaper, “The Hive,” published its first edition today! Read it by clicking here. Keep up with The Hive’s updates by following its Instagram account here.
Donate Blood on Oct. 26 in the Upper School Library
According to the Red Cross, every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. It is essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries. The Upper School Red Cross Club and HOSA are partnering to host a blood drive on Oct. 26 in the Upper School library, 10:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. Parents are encouraged to click here to sign up (and bring a friend!). Students 16 and older are also able to donate (16 year olds must bring a parent consent form you can download here, signed by a parent).
Marine Lab Trip June 8-11, 2024 — Deposit due Oct. 27
We had a very good turnout at the parent and student informational meetings, and many more inquiries have been made since then! In order to reserve a spot on the trip, a nonrefundable deposit of $500 is due to the Upper School office by Oct. 27. There are 23 spots available in total, and they are reserved in the order that checks are received. Checks should be made payable to Seven Hills with Marine Lab and the student’s name in the memo line. Please direct any questions to Karen Glum.
Student/Family Volunteer Opportunity
As part of People Working Cooperatively’s “Prepare Affair” event, Stingers, their friends, and families will come together on Saturday, Nov. 18 to rake leaves for people who are elderly or living with physical limitations. We’ll meet in the Resale Shop parking lot across from the school at 10 a.m. Gloves, rakes, and bags will be provided for each volunteer so be sure to register each person separately. Please note — you will need your own transportation between school and the homes where you will rake leaves. Make the following selections when registering:
- Sign up as a “crew member” by Wednesday, Nov. 15
- Crew leader name: Karen Glum
- Volunteer team name: The Seven Hills School
- Nov. 18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (or when finished)
- Please use this registration link. Be sure to select “next,” then review and hit “submit” on the next page. You should receive an email confirmation of your registration.
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. You can find a printable copy of the map here.
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 Field. All divisions are welcome and no RSVP is 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, and 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, Oct. 25 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Subsequent dates are 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)
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.
We need your help
We encourage you to tell your friends, family members, and co-workers about upcoming admission events for prospective parents. Please refer interested families to 7hills.org for details and to register. Thank you in advance!