Seven Hills Breaks Ground on Middle School Expansion and Renovation Project

Members of The Seven Hills community came together on June 1 to break ground on the Middle School Expansion and Renovation project. The project will create three, grade-level common areas in the Middle School and increase the size of the Middle School from 22,950 square feet to 35, 625 square feet. Existing classrooms and lab spaces will be renovated and doubled in size to promote flexible seating. The Innovation Lab will also double in size and have increased student capacity. The expansion and renovation was designed with help from the Board of Trustees Facilities Committee, Head of Middle School Bill Waskowitz, faculty, and many others. “We’re here to celebrate a milestone moment in the history of the school,” said Head of School Chris Garten. “This is a project we’ve been planning together for a decade and we’re so thrilled to finally see it come to fruition.” Garten thanked those in attendance, which included Middle School students and faculty, current and retired members of the Board of Trustees, as well as Board Chair Steve Baggott and former Board Chair Jen Stein, and many other members of the Seven Hills community. Garten also thanked the Seven Hills administrative team, Director of Development Margo Kirstein and Director of Finance Robert Horne, for their invaluable efforts on the project. Garten put a spotlight on Waskowitz and the talented Middle School faculty. “We are incredibly lucky to have the group that stands in front of us with Bill Waskowitz at the helm,” Garten said. “Since Bill came to Seven Hills in 2010, he and his faculty have worked tirelessly to develop a program that is designed to meet the unique developmental needs of students this age.” Garten also shared words from Waskowitz, who was unable to attend the groundbreaking. “This is a day I and my Middle School colleagues have dreamed of for almost a decade,” Waskowitz wrote. “Like Chris, I’m deeply grateful for all who’ve worked so hard to make this new facility a reality and I thank you from the bottom of my heart… I’ve devoted my life to working with students this age and today is among the proudest moments of a long and fulfilling career. So, thanks to all of you and especially to our students for filling our days with joy.”