H-M Happenings (November 11, 2022)
Speaker Series: How Play and Humor Fuel Innovation
Hill-Murray is excited to welcome Dr. Barry Kudrowitz as part of our distinguished speaker series! Join us Tuesday, November 15th for a creative and informative presentation by Dr. Kudrowitz on “How Play and Humor Fuel Innovation.” This presentation will focus on the connections between creativity, humor, and play across STEM disciplines and the benefits of playful attitude in creative problem solving and ideation. For more information about the talk and to read Dr. Kudrowitz’s bio, click here. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Picture Retake Day
We will have an additional photo retake day on Tuesday, November 29 from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m in the Commons.
This retake day is for those students who may have had a blurry photo, OR for those students who wore a ‘hoodie’ in their original school photo.
Please fill out the attached google doc if your student plans on having their photo retaken on November 29.
As a reminder, please make sure that your student is:
In uniform: a Hill Murray polo (black, green, or white).
NO Spirit Wear may be worn in this photo.
Boys: must be clean shaven, hair cuts are off the collars, and out of the eyes.
Senior Photos and Baby Ads
Senior Photos and Baby Ads for the 2022-2023 Yearbook are DUE by December 21, 2022. CLICK HERE to submit your information.
Don’t Forget to Register for Winter Sports!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Boys & Girls Alpine Ski
Girls Basketball
Boys Basketball
Girls Hockey
Boys Hockey
Band & Orchestra Christmas Concert
Purchase tickets HERE
Our production of Joseph will be collecting items for students at North Metro Flex Academy and we need your help!
Some students at North Flex Academy are in need of New or Gently Used Clothing items:
- Youth Large to Adult Medium Sizes
- Solid color Polos in school colors, Navy, White, Lime Green, Yellow or Pink
- Navy and Khaki Pants
- Long Sleeved t-shirts to wear under polos (solid colors- Navy, white, Lime green, yellow or pink)
- Crew neck solid color sweatshirts
Items students could always use at North Flex Academy
- Coats for 4th to 8th graders
- Snow Pants for 4th to 8th graders
- Shoes
- Socks
If you are able to help, we will have two bins by the Auditorium doors for you to donate items. We will be collecting until Monday, November 21st.
We suggest hitting up Target, Kohl’s, Wal-mart, or any of your favorite clothing stores! If you have any questions please feel free to email Ms. Walth. Thank you for any help you can give!
Winter Art Fair
The high school art students have created brand new art prints and ceramics that are for sale in the Winter Art Fair which takes place on Friday, November 18th and Saturday, November 19th from 6-8:30pm before and during the performance of Joseph. Student art works from the previous couple of years will also be displayed and on sale.
NEW THIS YEAR: Hill-Murray student artists have the choice of selling their work and keeping 85% of the profits, or donating those proceeds to fund the art program of a school in need. This year, student charitable donations will fund the art program at DeLaSalle Blackfeet School in Browning, Montana.
If you’d like to purchase a student artwork that’s earmarked for charity, do stop by! Original artwork makes a great Christmas gift!
Aquaponics Club
The Hill-Murray Aquaponics club harvested their first batch of lettuce for the year! Last month they grew mint which Chef Paul turned into delicious mint brownies in the cafeteria. This month’s lettuce was given to parents at conferences. James Pond, Swim Shady, and all the other fish are excited for the next batch!
Honors French
Honors French 4 and 5 students recently completed a unit on poetry and music. They read and analyzed poetry from writers such as Victor Hugo, Léopold Sénghor, and Jacques Prévert, as well as songs from Edith Piaf, Stromaë, Carla Bruni, and more. Each student wrote an original poem in French using the letters of their French first name and last name. For another original poem, students were given 5 French words and asked to create an original poem in French, incorporating those words. Bravo aux élèves en Français 4 et 5! Les poèmes sont fantastiques et superbes!
Mock Trial
The Mock Trial team is working hard under the leadership of captain Meghan Rose. This year’s case is a civil case about medical malpractice. Mrs. Solid is the new advisor this year.
Creative Movement
Karla Nweje is a choreographer, performer, literary artist, and arts educator. Through the art of dance, she paints moving portraits that entertain, inform and provoke thought. When so inspired, she merges words with movement to make these portraits all the more vivid. Students were able to engage in her performance poetry, learn more about her art, and make connections to their own art forms!
Hill-Murray is ALL IN on PBL!
PBL is the acronym for Project Based Learning, a dynamic approach to instruction and learning that engages students and promotes deeper learning and understanding. PBL aligns with our strategic plan of encouraging our students to become leaders who are inquisitive, compassionate, and resilient. The key components of excellent PBL instruction and student learning are:
- Sustained inquiry; allowing students to deeply engage in the learning
- Encouraging student voice and choice in their learning and the products they create
- Engaging in effective peer to peer assessment and feedback throughout the learning process
- Allowing for student self-assessment; reflecting on their progress towards growth
- Solving real-world problems
- Presenting their work to a larger audience than just their classmates
Mrs. Kelley Barbato, Director of the Middle School, and Ms. Elizabeth Marin, French Teacher and PBL Instructional Coach, attended the PBL World Conference for Instructional Coaches and School Leaders for a week in June this past summer. They came away from the experience with multiple resources and ideas to share with their colleagues. Each semester, Ms. Marin and Ms. Becky Fandrich, Theology Teacher, teach a semester-long cohort style workshop to a small group of teachers, allowing time for each teacher to create one or more high-quality PBL projects for their class, and a rubric to effectively assess student learning. In future issues of Happenings we will focus on an aspect of PBL, and highlight some examples of the amazing projects our teachers and students are creating!
Star Students
Click here to view the World Language Department Star Students for October!
AP Test Information
Parents of a students taking AP classes, please CLICK HERE for information about the cost of taking an AP exam this spring.
Tuition Assistance – Applications Due January 13
The application for Tuition Assistance for the the 2023-24 school year is open in TADS. Click here to access the application through TADS. Parents received an email with important information that is needed to complete the application. Click here to read the email. This application will also be used to apply for Need-Based Scholarships so no additional application is required. Applications are due January 13, 2023.
2023-24 Scholarship Applications
Hill-Murray scholarship applications are now available for the 23-24 academic year. All scholarship information can be found HERE. The scholarships are broken down into Need-Based and Non-Need Based Scholarships. Those families who complete the TADS application for financial assistance will automatically be considered for the Need-Based Scholarships. There is no additional application to fill out for these scholarships beyond the TADS application. However, If a student is chosen for one of these scholarships, they will then need to submit an essay, thank you, and student profile information in order to accept and receive the award. Any student, regardless of whether or not they fill out the TADS application, can apply for the Non-Need Based Scholarships. The application for these scholarships can be found HERE. If you have any questions about this process please contact Mrs. Bates (dbates@hill-murray.org) Completed applications are due by Friday, Jan 13th. Don’t delay! Get started on your application today!
Internships for Students
Do you own a small business near Hill-Murray School? We have 14 business education students who are seeking a local internship for the upcoming 2022 – 2023 school year. Students will be able to work remotely and could potentially be on site. Students would be able to help with:
- Writing social media drafts / posts
- Writing drafts for website updates
- Creating documents using word processing or spreadsheet software
- Light filing
- Setting up for events
- Conducting research and more!
Students would be available 3-4 days a week for about 1 hour per day.
For more information, please contact Adam Glickman at aglickman@hill-murray.org
1. NOT ME! Self-Defense Workshop – Saturday November 12th, 9-11:30am.
The NOT ME! Self-Defense Workshop is THIS Saturday! Hosted by the Mothers Club, this program is geared towards the moms and daughters of Hill-Murray and delivers a new level of impactful personal safety awareness. Register here.
2. Holiday Centerpiece Making Event (Mothers Club)- December 7th, 5:30pm
The Hill-Murray Mother’s Club, along with Merriment Interior Design and TyHitchcockCreates, invite you to a Holiday Floral Workshop on Wednesday, December 7th at Merriment (520 Commons Drive, Floor 2, Woodbury, MN 55125), Cocktails & Appetizers 5:30pm-6pm, Workshop 6pm-8pm. Participants will create and bring home a beautiful holiday floral centerpiece. The cost is $45 per person, and limited to the first 25 people who sign up. Click here to register.
3. Monthly Mothers Club Coffee – Friday, November 18th
The next monthly Mothers Club coffee gathering is Friday, November 18th from 8:00-9:00 a.m. at Mac’s Diner in North St. Paul. Stop by to meet other H-M moms and enjoy a coffee drink sponsored by the Mothers Club.
School Trips
CLICK HERE for information on the France trip in the summer of 2023.
Senior Panoramic
The Lifetouch code for the Senior Panoramic has now expired. If you would like the opportunity to still purchase a Senior Panoramic, order forms are available in the Office of Student Life.
Early Release Dates
Friday, November 18 – 11:20am, regular bussing at 2:30pm
Semester One Final Exams
Friday, December 15 – 12:15pm, regular bussing at 2:30pm
Friday, December 16 – 11:10am, regular bussing at 2:30pm.
Thanksgiving Office Hours
Wednesday, Nov. 23 – no school; offices closed
Thursday, Nov. 24 – no school; offices closed
Friday, Nov. 25 – no school; offices closed
