Happenings (April 23, 2024)
Saturday, April 27th is Pioneer Premier Auction day!
Unable to attend?
Help us celebrate our “Award-Worthy” red carpet event by purchasing your favorite silent auction items or making a donation at pioneer.givesmart.com. Any level of support is appreciated!! Pioneer Premier Auction proceeds benefit all the students of Hill-Murray School!
Still looking for ways to get involved? Adults and students are needed to volunteer from set-up to clean-up, and everything in-between!
Click here to find a position that interests you.
Grandparents Day is Friday, May 3rd from 7:30-9:30 AM (RSVP due April 24). We want you to extend the invitation to your grandparents (or special adult) to join us for:
- 7:30 AM Check-in begins at the Hill-Murray Fieldhouse (Parking in West lot)
- 8:00 AM Prayer service and brief program
- 8:30 AM Enjoy refreshments, tour the school, and visit photo station
- 9:30 AM Departure
RSVP HERE by Wednesday, April 24th
Note: May 3rd will be a late-start school day with classes beginning at 10:00 AM. Students who are not attending Grandparents Day should arrive at school after 9:45 AM. There will be space available for students who are not attending Grandparents Day yet need to arrive at school earlier due to transportation reasons.
If you have any questions, please contact Katie McNulty, Director of Advancement, at kmcnulty@hill-murray.org or (651) 748-2219.
Campaign Tours
Learn more about the strategic direction of the school and its Believe. Belong. Be Bold Comprehensive Campaign. As we look to raise $40 Million in the next five years, a timely priority will be adding to the campus footprint with an expanded student union and wellness/athletics studio. These proposed spaces offer enhanced learning opportunities, dining seats, and community gathering opportunities. Our aim for Capital Improvements is clear: to raise $7.5 million by June 2024. This will fund the opening of a new Student Union Center and the expansion of our Pioneer Institute for Health and Wellness before the start of the 2025-2026 academic year.
We invite you to schedule an in-person “campus campaign tour” with Hill-Murray Foundation Executive Director, Chris Zupfer and our Advancement Team. Click here to schedule your tour. Everyone is welcome for these informational sessions!
Senior Out of Uniform Day
Wednesday, May 1st, will be a themed out of uniform day for seniors. Seniors may wear a shirt that represents their post-secondary plans. This can include employment, college, a sports jersey, etc. We ask that students wear their regular uniform bottoms.
Pioneers will be out serving on Saturday, May 18 to provide helping hands and to bring the spirit of service to our community.
CLICK HERE to see a list of service ideas.
It’s easy to participate – just follow these steps!
- Get a group of family, friends or alums and find a service project for any time of day on May 18 or contact Judy Schwartz at jschwartz@hill-murray.org to help at Hill-Murray from 9:00 AM – Noon that day.
- CLICK HERE to register your group and choose your t-shirt sizes.
- Send someone to H-M to pick up your group’s t-shirts the week before the event, May 13-17 7:30am-3:00pm or May 18 9am-noon. Out of town? We will mail them to you!
- Go have some fun on May 18 giving back to our community! Share your photos on social media using #PioneerDayofService
Questions? Contact Judy Hajlo Schwartz ’79 jschwartz@hill-murray.org or (651) 748-2445
Important Yearbook Information
Parents and Guardians,
Greetings from the Hill-Murray Omega Yearbook staff! As difficult as it may be to believe, we are done creating the 2023-2024 volume of the yearbook. Therefore, at this time, we need to bring a couple of financial issues to your attention.
First, the cost of this year’s book is $75. We have kept this cost very competitive, and the price is still the same as the last eight years. However, we are also very aware of the financial difficulties that many families are experiencing, and we realize that this is a significant expense for many people.
That said, we will bill for this year’s yearbook in the same way we have done in the past. Each student will have $75 added to his/her tuition statement as an expense for the book.
If you do NOT wish to purchase the yearbook for any or all of your children, please let Brock Buesing know via e-mail at bbuesing@hill-murray.org, or drop a physical note at Hill-Murray. If you want your children’s yearbook, you need to do NOTHING to order a book. Please let Mr. Buesing know no later than Friday, May 3rd.
Thanks for your consideration, and we sincerely hope you will be pleased with the final product of this year’s Omega.
Sincerely,
Hill-Murray Omega Yearbook staff
Brock D. Buesing, Yearbook Advisor
You are invited to a Hill-Murray School Art Exhibition at St. Paul’s Monastery! Come explore the Hill-Murray student art gallery now through Friday, May 24th, and join us for a special reception and awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 15th from 6:00-7:00 PM.
Click here to purchase tickets.
DECA Members Prepare for Nationals
Five of our DECA members are busy preparing for DECA’s upcoming International Career and Development Conference and Competition, which will be held in Anaheim, CA at the end of April. These students will be among 23,000 others from around the world who will attend this event. This will be the largest DECA conference to date, and our DECA members are excited for this opportunity!
Members left to right: Santiago Keefer, Ella Bergstrom, Abigail Haldorson, Audrey Niese, Samuel Lavine
HOSA State Leadership Conference
The HOSA Club had an amazing experience at the State Leadership Conference in St. Cloud from April 7th – 9th. Students participated in competitions, explored the career fair, and networked with fellow HOSA clubs. We want to extend special recognition to some of our outstanding members:
- Mya Bertram and Avery Rossow, who secured 5th place in CPR/First-Aid.
- Isabella Afonso, who achieved 5th place, and Alice Hu, who earned 3rd place, in the Anatomy Test.
- Preslee Strohmeier, Caylin Bauman, and Kaelin Bennerotte, who claimed 5th place in Mental Health Promotion.
- Our Anatomy Avengers—Zach Frey, Charlie Breien, Jacob Dinzeo, and Austin Mjanger—who placed 3rd in the Anatomage tournament.
- Lastly, congratulations to Isabella Afonso and Lindsey Phelan, our State Champions, for securing 1st place in Community Awareness!
We are incredibly proud of all our participants!
Adoration in the Hill-Murray Chapel: Friday, May 10th
Hill-Murray parents are invited to participate in the spiritual practice of Adoration in the Hill-Murray Chapel on Friday, May 10th anytime between 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM. Adoration refers to the time when the Blessed Sacrament (the consecrated host) is placed on the altar and the faithful spend time with Jesus in the Chapel in quiet prayer and reflection. To sign up for a time, please click here. Contact Dr. Skinner at sskinner@hill-murray.org if you have any questions.
8th Grade Parent Volunteers Needed
We are looking for 8th grade parents to join us on our day of service with the 8th Grade Retreat on Friday, May 31st at Feed My Starving Children. You would need to be at Hill-Murray at 8:00 AM and would be back at Hill-Murray by 12:30 PM. This is a great opportunity to spend some time with your 8th grade student and participate in a service experience. Please click here to sign up. Email questions to Dr Skinner at sskinner@hill-murray.org. Thank you!
Bussing for Families in District 622: 2024-25 School Year
If you live in District 622 and are interested in having your student receive bussing services, please click here to fill out the form. Please keep in mind that you must live within District 622, and that when District 622 is not in session, bussing is not provided. Hill-Murray will provide your information to the district, and they will then be in contact with you during the summer with route information. The deadline to complete this form is Saturday, June 1st. Please reach out to Jen O’Gary with any questions at jogary@hill-murray.org.
Carpooling for the 2024-25 School Year
If your family is interested in being included on a carpool list for the 2024-25 school year, please click here to fill out the form. All of the interested families’ contact information and home addresses will be gathered onto a spreadsheet. In July, that spreadsheet will be shared with all of the families that are on it. At that point, you can reach out to those in your area to set up carpools. The deadline for completing the form is Saturday, June 1st, 2024. Please reach out to Jen O’Gary at jogary@hill-murray.org with any questions.
PSAT Testing for Juniors: Fall of 2024
Hill-Murray will be offering the computer based PSAT/NMSQT to junior students next school year on Wednesday, October 23rd at 8:00 AM. This day is planned to be a late start, but students will need to arrive at school at 7:30 AM on this day. This PSAT test is a predictor of how a student will do on the SAT and is the qualifying exam for the National Merit Scholarship Competition. This is not a college entrance exam. Over 1.6 million high school students take the PSAT exam each year, and less than 1% advance in this competition.
If you intend for your student to take the PSAT, please email Jen O’Gary at jogary@hill-murray.org by Monday, June 3rd so exams can be ordered. If Jen does not hear from you, we will assume your student will not take the PSAT. In addition, you must notify us at the time you commit to taking the PSAT test if your child has an Academic Achievement Plan and will be requesting testing accommodations. Counselors will submit all testing accommodation requests, and the College Board will determine accommodation eligibility and approval. Please inform us of any requests in your response to this email.
If you have any questions about the PSAT, please call or email your student’s counselor.
Ms. Amy Cosgrove (A-G), acosgrove@hill-murray.org, (651) 748-2259
Mrs. Jenny Vinck (H-N), jvinck@hill-murray.org, (651) 748-2241
Mr. Aaron Goulet (O-Z), agoulet@hill-murray.org, (651) 748-2493
Mr. Charlie Cicalello (A-L), ccicalello@hill-murray.org, (651) 748-2426
Ms. Carrie Egan (M-Z), cegan@hill-murray.org, (651) 748-2238
The Hill-Murray Mothers Club invites you to the following events:
Coffee to celebrate Mother’s Day
- Friday, May 10th at 8:00 AM
- Mac’s Diner: 2526 7th Ave E suite 127, North St Paul, MN 55109
Day of Service: Saturday, May 18th, 2024
- The Hill-Murray Mothers Club will be doing “Spring Clean Up” from 9:00 – 11:00 AM at The Pillars Hospice Home (6025 Upper 35th Street N Oakdale, MN 551128). The Pillars is a locally based non-profit providing in-home and inpatient hospice care for the body, mind, and spirit of people nearing end of life and those who love them.
CSGA Summer Enrichment Academy
Be a part of CSGA Summer Enrichment Academy at Hill-Murray! Explore various summer programs including theatre, STEM, art, and more. Click here to learn more about CSGA Summer Enrichment Academy. Click here to enroll in a class.
Summer Sports Camps Registration
Be a part of the fun! Registration is open Summer Sports Camps at Hill-Murray! Summer sports camps are a great way to stay active this summer, and we have something each student can enjoy. Sports at Hill-Murray help students create lasting friendships, foster teamwork, and build confidence, all while staying active and having fun in the process. If you have a student interested in a summer sports camp who is not a current Hill-Murray student, please click here for special registration instructions.
2024 TNC Summer Programs
Summer Reading Program
Click here for information about the 2024 Summer Reading Program Information and Registration
Brilliant Strengths
Click here for information about the Brilliant Strengths Summer 2024 Course for Children with Dyslexia
St. Paul’s Monastery Sub-Prioress Election
In case you missed the news in the most recent President’s Perspective on Tuesday, April 16th, we are delighted to share that Sr. Linda, OSB, was chosen by Sr. Catherine Nehotte, OSB, to continue her role as Sub-Prioress, and she will continue to serve on the Campus Ministry Team at Hill-Murray School. Please keep Sister Catherine, Sister Linda, and all the sisters in your prayers.
Driver’s Education Course
(for students 14+)
This 30-hour program will be conducted by a certified instructor from the A+ Driving School and will fulfill the state driver’s education requirement. The course will address the “how to’s” and “why’s” of safe driving. The format of the class will be lecture and active discussion. After completion of the program, students will be able to set up and participate in behind-the-wheel sessions to meet the six hour state requirement. Classes will meet at Hill-Murray. All registration can be done through A+ Dirving School. Click here to register. Need to miss a few classes? No problem – make-up classes will be provided.
Class Dates: June 10-14 & June 17-21
Class Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Registration: www.APlusDrivingSchool.net
