Doherty
October 6, 2021
Partnership Providing Additional Mental Health Services
For the 2021-22 school year, Seven Hills has partnered with Best Point Behavioral Health to staff licensed mental health therapists on the Hillsdale and Doherty campuses. “There is a rise in mental healthcare needs throughout Cincinnati, so we wanted to provide preventative and proactive care and give families additional support,” said Counseling Department Chair Angie Bielecki. Through Mindpeace, a nonprofit that helps schools better understand their mental health needs and connects them to providers, Seven Hills has partnered with Best Point, a program by Children’s Home of Cincinnati. “We wanted to make health services more accessible for families. This way there are not long waits and students don’t have to leave campus,” Bielecki said. Licensed mental health therapists Emily Daugherty and Claudia Thomas will have dedicated spaces on both campuses. Daugherty will be working with pre-kindergarten through second-grade students and Thomas will be working with third- through 12th-graders. Parents can contact their student’s division counselor to set up a meeting with the therapists.
Lower Schools Unify Math Program
All Seven Hills Lower School students will be learning a deeper understanding of mathematics in the same way. Starting this school year, Doherty and Lotspeich Lower Schools are both using Bridges Mathematics, a curriculum that focuses on mathematical understanding and conceptual knowledge. “It is about fully understanding what is happening mathematically versus just memorizing an equation,” Head of Doherty Tracy Murch said. Head of Lotspeich Susan Miller reiterated the importance of learning critical thinking skills. “We want students to understand there may be multiple ways to solve a problem and reach the correct answer,” she said. Previously, both Lower Schools were using the same math program but different versions of it. When it was time to update the math curriculum, numerous programs were evaluated and piloted in the classroom before Bridges was selected, with an overwhelmingly positive reception from teachers at both lower schools. “It’s very hands-on with a lot of practice through games and cooperative learning,” Murch said, adding the program allows students of all skill levels to remain in the same classroom.
Doherty Celebrates Dot Day
First- through fifth-grade students explored creativity and digital art on International Dot Day in mid-September. The day stemmed from Peter Reynold’s children’s book, “The Dot,” about creativity in the classroom. Doherty students gathered in the library for STEAM activities related to the book with librarian Jo Schnirring and art teacher Kacey Watkins. Unit I students made augmented reality musical dots, Unit II students made stop motion clay dots, and Unit III students made animated dots, all through applications on their iPads, Schnirring said. Throughout the week all students read the book and decorated the Doherty Campus with colorful and imaginative dots.
Green Team Keeps Doherty Beautiful
Green Team is a club for Unit III students at Doherty that works to keep the campus beautiful. At their first meeting, they walked the grounds to inspect the gardens and plant beds while discussing ways to keep the campus beautiful. The club meets twice a month and students give part of their recess time to participate. It is student-led with the guidance and support of art teacher Kacey Watkins and pre-kindergarten for 2-year-olds teacher Julie Brackett. The students have the opportunity to photograph the campus and blog about their beautification work.
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Five Stingers Sign to Play in College
Five Stingers from the Class of 2024 signed their letters of intent to continue their athletic careers in college.
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