SEMESTER IN REVIEW
As we begin a new school year, we want to take one more look at some of the outstanding accomplishments that marked the second semester of 2012–2013.
The Seven Hills School
august 2013
Ready for a great 2013–2014 Celebrating outstanding achievement
All of Seven Hills’ nine semifinalists in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program qualified as finalists.
By
During last May’s Advanced Placement season, 105 sophomores, juniors, and seniors took a total of 218 college-level AP exams; an astonishing 96% of them earned college-qualifying scores of 3 or higher. Furthermore, 37% of the scores – including 27 individual scores in English, 13 in history, 21 in biology, chemistry, and physics, six in BC calculus, three in computer science, and four in foreign language – were 5’s, the highest score possible. To put this in perspective, 61% of AP students nationwide earn even one passing score of 3 or above; at Seven Hills, that figure is 96%! The mean score for Seven Hills was 3.94 out of 5.0, considerably higher than the 2.87 mean for AP students nationwide. Finally, this year 55 of our students were recognized as AP Scholars, meaning that they scored 3 or above on at least three Advanced Placement exams.
June, the Class of 2014 had these SAT scores: Middle 50% of SAT Scores: Combined 1650–2140; average 1895 Reading 540–710; average 622 Math 550–720; average 636 Writing 560–710; average 626
On the SAT Subject Tests taken in June, our students’ average score on the 200-800 scale was 695. SAT Subject Tests Average Score Math I 662 Math II 710 Chemistry 714 Environmental Biology 695 Molecular Biology 730 Physics 790 U.S. History 658 World History 770 French 650 Spanish 790 Literature 677
Statement of Educational Philosophy The Seven Hills School Statement of Educational Philosophy was developed as part of the School’s strategic planning in 2012–2013. The Statement includes Our Approach to Teaching, Our Environment for Learning, and Our Commitment to Character.
Our Approach to Teaching • We believe that learning should be engaging and relevant. • We use teaching methods designed to ensure that students acquire the intellectual and social skills they need to thrive in an increasingly complex global community. • We focus not only on the acquisition of knowledge, but on inquiry, discovery, and the application of skills to meaningful problem solving. • We teach students to make choices, to manage their time, to think critically and creatively, and, above all, to take responsibility for their own learning.
• We are committed to exploring educational best practices and to adapting our instructional methods to advances in technology and By June, the Class of 2014 had these ACT scores. developments in the world. Middle 50% of ACT Scores: English 26–33; average 29 Our Environment for Learning Math 25–32; average 28 Reading 27–33; average 29 • We believe that students learn best when they work in an atmo Science 25–34; average 29 sphere of open inquiry and mutual respect. English/Writing 25–31; average 28
Composite
25–33; average 28.4
Twenty-five percent of the Class of 2014 has earned at least one perfect score on a section of the SAT or ACT or on a Subject Test.
• We believe that the School should provide a safe, supportive, and challenging environment, with clear goals and high expectations for student achievement and conduct. continued next page
Educational Philosophy
continued
A few of the curriculum units funded by 2013 summer grants for teachers
• We believe that learning is relationshipbased, that students learn best when teachers fully understand their students’ interests, motivations, and individual styles of learning.
For the fourth year, thanks to endowment funds raised by Seven Hills’ successful Critical Assets Campaign and a generous grant from an educational foundation, Seven Hills was able to fund summer curriculum development and renewal grants for teachers.
• We believe that the School should provide the widest possible range of opportunities for students to explore personal interests and develop individual talents.
These summer grants enable our talented faculty to design ambitious interdisciplinary projects that engage students in exploring the global community, in innovative thinking or creative problem solving, in opportunities for collaboration or in using instructional technology for research and presentation. Sample grants from each division follow.
• We believe that extracurricular and athletic activities should be open to all students who wish to participate, regardless of their innate ability.
Our Commitment to Character • We believe that the School, in partnership with our families, plays a critical role in helping students develop character and core values. • We strive to nurture the intellectual, aesthetic, moral, and social skills our students will need to become engaged citizens and responsible leaders. • We see our teachers, administrators, and staff as role models, mentors, and collaborators, engaging with students in meaningful and mutually respectful ways. • We value individuality and believe that a rich diversity of backgrounds and perspectives enriches our community. • We encourage students and faculty to be actively involved in their communities, making us all more aware of the needs of others.
These grants are in addition to the grants that were given to every Middle and Upper School teacher to redesign
Upper School English teacher Meredith Brown received a grant to research, plan, and ultimately propose a course for ninth graders. The first semester course would focus on study skills and global “successful student” topics: time management, organization, note-taking, test and exam prep, writing across the curriculum, and extensive and effective use of iPads. The course will also cover ethics and academic integrity. Doherty Unit II teacher Joan Claybourn received a grant to integrate her current separate units on ecology, water, and insects into one unit for third grade science, using the rainforest as the overall theme. The unit includes the use of technology, field trips, experiments, and collaborative group work.
their courses for the new block schedule. Chemistry teacher Linda Ford said, “The AP Chemistry curriculum has gone through a major overhaul that emphasizes conceptual learning, critical thinking skills, and inquiry-based lab experiences. This approach will enable students to spend less time on factual recall and more time on developing the reasoning skills to engage in best scientific practices.” Ford continued, “New curriculum will include replacing the existing lab program of 24 data-driven experiments with 16 new inquiry-based experiments. New test questions have been developed that require students to examine data in tabular or graph formats, relate several concepts, and reason important scientific relationships. There is a de-emphasis on the necessity for mathematical calculations currently required. POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) modules will be developed for the six ‘big ideas’ and seven ‘science practices’ within the new curriculum to enhance the important critical thinking skills of the new curriculum.The course will be modified to fit the entire AP curriculum into the new block schedule format.”
Middle School Curriculum Coordinator and Team 6 Science Leader Jennifer Licata used her summer grant to develop an outline for a potential curriculum for Middle School advisories that would continue to be developed throughout next school year and possibly implemented in 2014–2015. She planned to create an outline for each grade of the year’s major topics, which could include study skills, time management, organization; social/emotional issues like bullying, social media, peer pressure, and stereotyping; and service to others. Lotspeich Math Resources teacher Liz Lorenz designed the fifth grade unit, Real World Math, which will be broken into four- to six-week mini courses, applying mathematical concepts from the classroom in an authentic, real-world, project-based learning approach. Each session (mini course), the students will “tackle” an issue at Seven Hills posed by faculty and staff of the school. They will use research and math skills to find a solution to the problem. Students will utilize the information they gather and their mathematical findings to create a proposal stating their suggestions on how to improve the issue, which they will share with the appropriate members of the Seven Hills community.
Outstanding academic achievement and more in 2012–2013 Two seniors were named candidates in the 2013 Presidential Scholars Program, one of the nation’s highest honors for graduating high school seniors.
2013 National Merit Scholarship finalists
A junior received the Youth Leadership Award presented by the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. This prestigious honor is given to one high school student in the region each year. Upper and Middle Latin scholars continued their tradition of outstanding results at area Certamen events, culminating with a spectacular showing at the Ohio Junior Classical League State Convention in which 710 students from 28 schools participated. At State, Seven Hills finished second in Academic Per Capita (academic points divided by number of students) and fourth in Overall Sweepstakes (total points from academic tests, creative arts, graphic arts, and club projects—everything, regardless of club size). The Level 1 (eighth grade) Certamen team won the State Championship. A senior came in second in the state out of 710 in Over-
Seven Hills Statement of Educational Philosophy
all Sweepstakes and was second in Academic Sweepstakes and first in Creative Arts Sweepstakes. The student also earned Best In Show for Latin Recitation, and an eighth grader earned Best In Show for Dramatic Interpretation. Twenty-six Upper students participated in Model UN at Earlham College, representing Argentina, Russia, Kenya, and the UK. Five Seven Hills students won awards—Most Engaged Delegate for the UNESCO Committee, Most Engaged Delegates for the Historic Security Council, and Best Content in the UNICEF Committee. Upper’s three Mock Trial teams competed in this year’s district competition, and one team advanced to the regional competition. As a result of their outstanding performance on the AMC math competition, a senior, a junior, and a sophomore qualified to participate in the next round—the AIME—for the top 2.5% of participants nationally. Since a junior’s Science Fair project won
State Champion Eighth Grade Certamen team
“We teach students to make choices, to manage their time, to think critically and creatively, and, above all, to take responsibility for their own learning.”
awards at the regional and state competitions last year, she was invited to submit an abstract for a poster presentation at the annual Ohio Academy of Science meeting. The student was also invited to become a Junior Member of the academy. The varsity Academic Team had a perfect 8-0 season and finished first in the league. Eight Seven Hills students competed at the OCTM Math Competition at Xavier University. The Seven Hills team placed first at the XU test site, ninth in the state among schools of any size, and second in the state for schools the size of Seven Hills. Individual results included a First Place locally. The Upper School’s Science Olympiad teams had outstanding results at the regional Ohio Science Olympiad Tournament and qualified to compete at the Ohio Science Olympiad State Tournament. Individual results included Second Place in Experimental Design and Technical Problem Solving; Third Place in Circuit Lab and
“We strive to nurture the intellectual, aesthetic, moral, and social skills our students will need to become engaged citizens and responsible leaders.” Seven Hills Statement of Educational Philosophy
Forensics; and Fourth Place in Designer Genes, Water Quality, Disease Detectives, and Dynamic Planet. A senior and a junior were honored for their volunteer service with both the senior and junior awards in the 48th Annual Simon Lazarus Human Relations Awards, sponsored by the American Jewish Committee, Cincinnati. A fifth grader and a seventh grader represented Seven Hills in the Scripps Ohio District II Regional Spelling Competition. At the Cincinnati Chapter MATHCOUNTS competition, the Seven Hills team captured First Place and qualified for the State Competition in Columbus. At the MATHCOUNTS State Competition, the Seven Hills team placed sixth, and an eighth grader placed 21st. A fifth grader finished second and received Honorable Mention at the very competitive Kentucky Music Teacher Association Bluegrass Elementary Piano Competition at Morehead State University. At the Ohio High School Mathematics Invitational Olympiad (OHMIO), a junior placed third in the individual competition and 10th in the individual ciphering competition, and he was a member of the Second Place team in the team pressure round. He placed seventh overall. At TechOlympics Expo 2013, Seven Hills had two freshmen participate and two seniors and a
junior serve on the INTERalliance Leadership Council, involved in running the event. Seven Hills finished in 13th place out of some 30 schools, using only the scoring of the two freshmen. An eighth grader was one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2013 Ohio National Geography Bee. A team of four Upper students had an impressive showing at the High School Programming Competition at Miami University. Twenty-nine teams from four states competed in a grueling four hour challenge to solve and code solutions to difficult problems under stressful conditions. The team did well at their first competition, and all but one of their submissions were 100% accurate on their first try. Middle and Upper students consistently earn top rankings in the state and nation on the National Spanish Exam, the National Latin Exam, and the National French Contest. A junior was accepted to participate in the 2013 High School Diplomats Program. The HSD Program brings together 40 American and 40 Japanese students for a ten-day cultural enrichment experience at Princeton University. A fifth grader’s article on his experience at the
Ohio Young Birders Conference was published on the blog site of the American Birding Association. A junior was awarded First Place for Grade 11 in the Ohio Mathematics Contest at Wright State University. A sophomore placed fourth out of 132 area students on the Ralph E. Oesper Examination for first-year chemistry students. This test is given annually by the Cincinnati Section of the American Chemical Society. A junior placed in the top 12 out of 120 area second-year chemistry students on the International Olympiad Qualifier examination. In the Mathematical Association of America’s American Mathematics Competition (AMC), designed for high school students, a seventh grader and an eighth grader were awarded Certificates of Achievement for their scores of 90 or above on the AMC 10. This is the test that ninth and tenth graders take. Middle Schoolers also earned top honors in the AMC 8 and OML math competitions. Fourth and fifth graders earned high honors on the Continental Math League contest and the Ohio Math League competition. MATHCOUNTS team
Examples of learning through inquiry, hands-on discovery, technology, collaboration English 10 Honors and English 12 students receive both visual and audio grading of their essays through the teacher’s use of the screencasting iPad app Explain Everything, which enables the teacher to provide spoken suggestions to accompany his written notes. Eighth grade art students created stop motion animations with their iPads.
graders learned about the environment and about how to protect it through hands-on teaching methods and authentic experiences. Students searched for macro-invertebrates in the streams to determine water health. Fourth graders had a great time exploring Camp Kern, where experiences included lessons on natural history and Pioneer Ohio. First graders studied U.S. symbols and incorporated math and graphing into their Social Studies unit. They made predictions on whether the students (if they stood shoulder to shoulder) would be longer, shorter or equal to the Statue of Liberty’s foot, which is 25 feet long. They tried it and graphed their results. In the Physics Olympic events, teams worked collaboratively to compete in the gravity car and the egg drop contests.
AP Physics B and Physics Honors students were given the assignment of working with a partner or alone to build a musical instrument on which at least one of them could play a 1-octave major scale. This instrument had to be a wind instrument or a string instrument. Sixth grade Latin students used their iPads to create podcast infomercials (using music, images, vocal persuasion) to “sell” a Roman god/ goddess of their choice; use a flashcard app that lets students quiz themselves on weekly vocabulary; create an e-newspaper depicting life in ancient Rome; and more. At Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center, fifth
Fifth graders were engaged in exciting explorations as part of a social studies unit designed by their teacher with her summer 2012 curriculum development grant. The fifth grade’s unit, Age of Exploration, added the focus, Into the Unknown, which used new technolgy and text to help students understand how great explorers have found their way by land, sea, and air. Pairs of students researched many explorers then created their own comprehension study guide sheet. Student-generated questions were compiled in an iBook that was downloaded onto classroom iPads. Seventh grade Algebra students learned about the stock market and how it works when they played a virtual stock market game (www.weseed.com) in which they were given $10,000 to buy stock.
Fifth grade science students put food waste to good use when they created compost jars, then recorded changes in their jars, like temperature, on their compost observation charts. Kindergartners studied the birds in the school yard and learned what makes a bird a bird. The children measured and compared their own “wingspans” to birds found in Ohio, and they participated in experiments to expand their learning about the different adaptations of birds’ wings, beaks, feet and nests. The children made bird food and feeders to create a classroom life list to compare and contrast the birds, food, and preference for feeders. Unit II math classes worked on building their money concepts by bringing in examples of different currencies from around the world. In the science lab, armed with magnifying glasses, they explored interesting coins and paper money from almost 20 countries. Sixth grade science students learned about the process of cell division by creating animations of mitosis as part of a claymation project using their iPad cameras. As part of Unit I’s study of space, first graders
“We focus not only on the acquisition of knowledge, but on inquiry, discovery, and the application of skills to meaningful problem solving.” Seven Hills Statement of Educational Philosophy
“We believe that learning is relationship-based, that students learn best when teachers fully understand their students’ interests, motivations, and individual styles of learning.” Seven Hills Statement of Educational Philosophy
did an experiment in which students dropped a marble onto the moon’s surface (flour and cocoa) and hypothesized what would happen.
Unit III students created a Current Events website on which students worked as a team to publish three or four news stories each week.
As part of seventh graders’ study of plate tectonics, they created projects including stopmotion animation, iMovies in which students act as newscasters or explorers, Keynote presentations, and 3-D models.
First graders got to experience “broadcasting.” Each student group was assigned a planet to research, and they learned about bullet points and how to take notes. Their information was adapted into a script for each group. The students acted as the weather person or news anchor from that planet. Their art teacher helped them create backdrops for their planets.
On their Math Exploration Days, Math Data Day, and the 100th Day of School, second graders explored weights in pounds, developed readiness for division, explored area and patterns, measured length to the nearest inch, found the median in a set of data, and celebrated 100 in various ways! Several fifth grade math students completed a Soil and Mulch project in which they used the math concepts and skills from their core curriculum to help the science teacher determine the amount of soil and mulch she would need for her school garden, beds, and compost piles. The third graders went on a fossil hunting field trip at Trammel Fossil Park where many different time periods are represented in one area. Portraying John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, John Dickenson, and other representatives, Unit III students reenacted the Second Continental Congress where they debated declaring independence from Great Britain and signed the Declaration of Independence.
In conjunction with their study of Earth Day, Pre-Kindergarten four year olds conceived and constructed inventions including Earth Ray and Pollution Blaster that were designed to solve global problems. For their Make-It Shake-It Challenge, seventh graders had to design and build a tower to withstand an earthquake. Students researched building design principles, met with an architect, hand-drew a plan and elevation, designed a 3-D drawing of their tower on laptops using Sketchup, and built their towers out of spaghetti, toothpicks, dowel rods, and a wooden base. Seventh grade science students built solar stills out of trash (food wrappers and beverage containers) to find out if one could survive with only contaminated water to drink. Fifth graders experienced colonial American history through hands-on, multidisciplinary activities throughout the year. Fourth grade math students used Geogebra on their iPads to deepen their understanding of geometric concepts of lines, line segments, and angles. Geogebra is an interactive online tool for learning geometry. It also uses and teaches
algebra, statistics and graphing. Unit III fifth graders created a fun and challenging Estimation Carnival for all students.
Seventh grade science students answered questions like “What do we know about Earth’s past?” through an activity called Clues in Poo. Students described the diet, habitat, and health of an imaginary organism, then created a model coprolite (fossil feces) produced by the organism. Students also Skyped with a paleontologist and leading expert in the study of coprolites. Unit III students held their World Geography Summit, when each homeroom researched a world issue and came up with solutions to the issue. Topics covered were climate change, natural disasters, water, and world hunger. Unit II’s experiential study of economics includes students earning “dollars” by completing agreed upon classroom tasks and tracking their progress on individual spreadsheets, then redeeming their accumulated earnings, in goods or services, provided at one of three “businesses” that their classmates have designed and executed. Each group had to create a business plan, maintain an inventory, schedule service clients, lease classroom space, and pay for marketing and advertising.
Celebrating outstanding sports achievement Seven Hills had an outstanding winter sports season, including a sectional championship and individual athletes making their marks in the league, district, and state and setting new school records. The Cincinnati Enquirer recognized as Winter AllStars seven Seven Hills athletes in boys basketball, girls basketball, boys swimming, girls swimming, and gymnastics.
Bowling was added as a varsity winter sport, and a freshman advanced to districts with qualifying scores of 239, 189, and 205. The varsity boys basketball season included a sectional championship. Players earned All-League, All-City,
In varsity girls basketball, one player scored her 1,000th career point as a junior! She and two other players earned All-League, All-City, and All-District honors.
One senior signed last year as a junior to play women’s soccer for Div. I Rice University, and eight seniors committed this year to play sports for their colleges in women’s volleyball, squash, and swimming; men’s tennis, soccer, baseball, and golf.
Two gymnasts earned All-District awards. A senior cheerleader was named to the All-League First Team. One sixth grade boys basketball team completed an undefeated season with a 15-0 overall record and CYO Division II City Tournament Championship. It was an impressive spring sports season at Seven Hills, including a league championship and individual honors in the league, district and region. The boys varsity tennis team finished 15-5 after competing against the top teams in the state. The team finished first in MVC league, second in the city and third in the state. Five players advanced to districts and three advanced to the state competition. Enquirer Spring All-Star selections included two First Teams and four Honorable Mentions. With a schedule against jv and varsity teams, the JV Gold tennis team had a 14-3 record. The JV Blue tennis team also finished with a winning record, a Third Place in the St. X doubles tournament, and Fifth Place in the GCTCA. The varsity baseball team finished third in its division, and players earned All-League honors. The softball team competed in the sectional championship game, and players earned All-League, All-District, and Enquirer All-Star Honorable Mention recognition. Two softball players earned Enquirer All-Star Honorable Mention.
Photos by Keith Neu
The swimming and diving team had 21 individuals who had one of the Stingers’ most accomplished seasons. Among the accolades achieved were three All-Ohio award recipients; seven swimmers represented at the Ohio State Meet; six Seven Hills records broken; one diver placed 10th at the District Meet; and nine swimmers made the MVC First Team.
and All-District honors. The junior varsity boys basketball team finished with a 16-6 record.
On the boys lacrosse team, a senior was named Second Team All-Region for attack, and a sophomore was named Second Team All-Region as a goalie. The track and field team had eight regional qualifiers, including two district champions in long jump and two district runners-up in the 200m and 3200m. The Middle School boys tennis team had an 8-4 record and won the tournament championship.
Second semester fine & per forming ar ts sampler
“We believe that the School should provide the widest possible range of opportunities for students to explore personal interests and develop individual talents.” Seven Hills Statement of Educational Philosophy
Doherty’s Pancake Breakfast and Student Art Auction was a huge success! The all-school (Beginnings through Unit III) event raised $4,816.59 for student Aloyo Stella and her school, UNIFAT in Uganda, as part of Seven Hills’ Unified for UNIFAT effort in all divisions. The service learning project showcased student talent and creativity (citing just a few examples): 63 canvases of original artwork auctioned; 10 poetry books of 51 original poems about Unifat, Aloyo Stella, and service learning written by Unit III students for each table; a keynote presentation created by Unit III; 10 beautiful centerpieces made by Kindergarten and PreKindergarten, six bid boxes made by Extended Day, and 36 letters written by Unit II, securing the coffee donation from Lookout Joe’s. Crochet Fever in the Lotspeich art studio! The visual arts played a significant cross-curricular role in classroom projects and special events in all
divisions, including Global Education Days, Cultural Connections, Bird Day, Insect Day, the visits of children’s book authors/illustrators, musicals, and more.
at Doherty and Lotspeich, at Open Mic and Poetry Slam events at Upper, and in rotating art displays from all divisions in the Andress Art Gallery.
Puppet shows are popular in Creative Dramatics at Doherty and Lotspeich.
Bravo to the cast, directors, and crew of Upper’s stunning production of The Three Musketeers! The play was directed primarily by members of the Directing class.
Poetry exploration and presentations throughout the grades prepare the students for their annual Poetry Cafe as fifth graders. The Poetry Cafe is an event where the students perform their original poetry. After creating original works of poetry in various genres, the students began working on creating voice and movements when presenting their works. The result was a spotlighted and black backdropped “stage” on which the “poets” presented their poetry to parents and faculty. The first grade spring show, Mother Goose Rhymes, and the third and fourth graders’ performance of It’s A Musical World delighted their audiences. A wide range of student talent was on display at talent shows in Middle and Upper, at music and poetry recitals and instrumental concerts
Coffee House celebrated Upper’s amazing arts and artists, with an emphasis on visual art. Eighth grade art students created symbolic representational self-portraits from direct observation. They looked at the work of Joan Brown and Frida Kahlo for inspiration. On the annual Japan and China Day, second graders performed songs and folktales from Japan and China.
Impressive spring choral and instrumental concerts at Upper and Middle earned standing ovations from their audiences.
Fifth grade musicals (above) Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears, A West African Folktale and (at right) Joust were outstanding.
Upper’s The Three Musketeers (above), primarily directed by the Directing class, and Middle’s Aladdin (left) were dazzling theatrical productions.
From left, Doherty’s new ECOgarden; Lotspeich Pre-Kindergarten “birds” fly to Middle’s Bird Day; Dr. Dave Russell shows a banded bird on Bird Day; children’s author Candace Fleming visited Seven Hills.
One more look at a few of the special events that marked the second semester of 2012–2013
From left, Books for Lunch 2013 presented bestselling alumna Curtis Sittenfeld; International Dinner; Doherty Pre-Kindergarten Mini Pig Marathon; Lotspeich second grade Cincinnati Living History Museum.
From left, Middle’s Hair Fair for Locks of Love; Doherty Pre-Kindergarten flight to France; our newest alumni, the Class of 2013.
Now we’re ready for a great 2013-2014!