Happenings (January 21, 2025)
DECA Members Advance to State
Members of our DECA chapter showcased their talents at the District 2 competition on Friday, January 10th, in St. Paul. This event brought together over 900 students from 15 schools.
Our students competed in various categories, including innovation projects, case studies, independent business plans, project management, sales demonstrations, and employment interviews.
We are proud to announce that 55 of our DECA members have advanced to the state competition, taking place in Minneapolis from March 2–4!
Click here to view the list of state qualifiers.
Spring Sports Registration
Spring Sports Registration is OPEN! Please click here to register.
Saturday, February 15, 2025
Vadnais Heights Commons
655 East Country Rd F, Vadnais Heights, MN 55127
Social Hour: 5:30-7:00 PM
Buffet Dinner: 7:00 PM
Dance: 8:00-10:00 PM
$140 per couple, $60 for each additional daughter.
We welcome grandfathers, uncles, or a family friend.
Please RSVP HERE by Friday, February 7th
Hosted by the Hill-Murray Fathers Club
Theatre Parent Group Meeting
Metro East All-Conference Musicians
World Language Department Star Students
Click here to view the December World Language Department Star Students!
Motivational Speaker Comes to Hill-Murray to Empower Young Women
A group of student leaders from G.L.O.W. (Girls Leading Our World) sponsored an empowering event for young women in grades 9–12. They hosted motivational speaker Kate Gladdin, who has worked with teen girls worldwide to help them build skills in empowerment and resilience.
Kate’s presentation provided relatable examples and practical strategies for navigating everyday teenage challenges. She emphasized the importance of taking control of our responses to the situations we encounter. Her message left students with valuable tools to challenge unhelpful thoughts, reframe negative beliefs, and develop a growth mindset.
A highlight of her presentation was the concept of the “3 R’s of Response-ability,” a powerful framework for pausing, reflecting on struggles, and choosing responses that lead to empowerment.
The three R’s are:
RECOGNIZE– Where is the problem really coming from – separate facts from thoughts.
REFLECT– What do you do when you’re thinking and feeling this way?
REDIRECT– Redirect your mind to find more useful, empowering thoughts to focus on, that create more helpful feelings & action for you.
It was exciting to see these young female leaders recognize the importance of this opportunity for growth and bring a speaker with such an empowering message.
Click here to find out more about the work Kate Gladdin is doing and to learn helpful strategies to support your student. Please feel free to contact the Hill-Murray Counseling Department to learn more about helpful and empowering resources for your student.
Pioneer Premier Auction
Check your mailbox for the official “Save the Date” for the annual Pioneer Premier Auction and make plans to join us on campus at “The Cosmopolitan” on Saturday, April 26th! Click here for details!
Track & Field Parent Meeting – Sunday, Feb. 23
There will be a track and field parent/athlete meeting Sunday, February 23rd at 4:00 PM in the cafeteria. There will be important information about uniforms, attendance, and practice schedules, as well as a variety of competition shoes for families to look at. Please email head coach Olivia Rodriguez (orodriguez@hill-murray.org) with questions.
Senior All Night Party Planning Meeting – Thursday, Feb. 20
Attention Junior and Senior Parents:
The next Senior All Night Party Planning Meeting is coming up on Thursday, February 20th.
If you are interested in helping, please join us at the planning meeting.
When: Thursday, February 20th
Time: 5:30 PM
Where: Hill-Murray Cafeteria
Please reach out to the Chairs with any questions at hmseniorparty@gmail.com.
Follow us on Instagram: hmseniorallnightparty2025
The Nicholas Center – Open Tutor Positions
We are currently recruiting tutors for positions within The Nicholas Center. These positions offer a rewarding opportunity to work closely with students who have diverse learning needs and abilities. Please click here to learn more if you or someone you know is interested.
2025-26 Technology Fee Updates
The Hill-Murray technology fee helps our school ensure your student is empowered with software and hardware to support their educational needs. Beginning next year, the technology fee will include our insurance program versus being offered separately.
We have upgraded our insurance program through Apple Care. It will allow up to two repairs per school year (including screen replacements), free of charge. This program creates an equitable opportunity for every Hill-Murray family to avoid out-of-pocket expenses throughout the school year.
Tech Fees will be charged each semester:
High School Tech Fees: $155 per student, per semester.
Middle School Tech Fees: $35 per student, per semester.
Please contact the Business Office at cerickson@hill-murray.org if you have any questions.
Enrollment Fees: March & April
Click here to view information about the March and April enrollment fees as well as the opt-out process.
2025-26 New Student Admission Applications
We are thrilled by the enthusiasm surrounding Hill-Murray School and have high expectations for another successful enrollment year come next fall. We are currently accepting applications for the 2025-26 academic year.
Hill-Murray offers Rolling Admissions. Once an application is complete (including the online application and transcripts), our Admissions Committee will review it and provide a decision within 7-10 business days. While there’s no official application deadline, we strongly encourage you not to wait! To maintain optimal class sizes for all students, we anticipate wait pools for the 2025-26 year. It’s an exciting time to be a Pioneer, and we appreciate you as a valued member of our community!
Please share this LINK with your friends, family and anyone who you think would be a great addition to the Hill-Murray family.
Contact Krissy Pohl at kpohl@hill-murray.org (Middle School) or Emily Sharockman at esharockman@hill-murray.org (High School) in Admissions with any questions.
*Please note, this is for NEW students interested in attending next fall.
Community Connection: Film Screening of “Counted Out”
The Pioneer Institute for Health and Wellness (PIHW) invites all Hill-Murray community members to a film screening and discussion of “Counted Out.” Learn about how math influences our daily lives and how we can shift our mindset so that we learn and utilize math to support our daily functions. Click here to learn more.
Middle School Innovation and Entrepreneurship Club
Our Young Innovators Club focuses on capturing our middle school students’ spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. Students will look at real-world problems and develop innovative ideas. Opportunities and resources to develop these ideas will be provided, and students will develop a “pitch” for their idea. These activities will culminate in an entrepreneurial “Shark Tank” showcase in May. The club will meet twice a month during WIN time during the school day. Interested students should come to the first meeting on Tuesday, February 4th during WIN A in room 120. Contact Kelly Donnelly at kdonnelly@hill-murray.org for more information.
Click here to view the registration form.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities Full Ride Scholarship Opportunity
We are asking ALL University of Minnesota Twin Cities applicants to assemble in the Auditorium on Wednesday, January 29th from 8:40-8:50 AM, on our usual Late Start day, for a very special and important 4 YEAR FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT, GUARANTEED TO GO TO 1 HM SENIOR.
Save your family upwards of $200K in undergrad tuition! Only 52 seniors applied to University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Usually, only 5-9 apply for this scholarship. That gives you 1 in 9 chances to win $200K.
We hope to see you there!
Join us for these HMMC upcoming events:
Friday, February 7th, 6:00 PM at Hill-Murray: Women’s Expo Relax, Reset. Retail. Please join us for an evening of immersive & soul nourishing sound bowl yoga experience with our very own, Edie Brennan. Add in a little retail therapy, and shop our very own Hill-Murray moms and alumni vendors.
- RSVP for Yoga: Please Save Me a Mat!
Friday, February 14th, 11:30 AM at St. Paul Monastery: Valentine’s Day Bingo and cookie decorating with the Sisters. Start the morning with a prayer service, followed with BINGO and cookie decorating, sharing your afternoon with the Sisters. No need to RSVP.
Saturday, March 1st, 9:30 – 11:30 AM at Hill-Murray: Rise and Shine. Chef Ryan Siess, Hill-Murray parent, will guide us on a culinary journey of sourdough bread making.
- RSVP: Count me In!
2025-2026 Academic Calendar
Please CLICK HERE to view the 2025-26 Academic Calendar.
College Scholarship Opportunities
Attention parents and students in grades 9-12: take advantage of valuable scholarship opportunities for college!
Hill-Murray has compiled a comprehensive Scholarship Spreadsheet that includes national scholarships, free scholarship search engines, and local scholarships. Students of any grade level can register on multiple search engines to explore additional opportunities. Scholarships available to students in grades 9-11 are highlighted in yellow for easy reference. This resource is also accessible via your Naviance homepage.
Please remember, scholarship searches should always be free. Avoid any service that asks for payment—everything you need can be found through research and time at no cost.
A Good Time for a Check-In
As the second semester begins, this is a great time for you and your child to reflect on the habits and strategies that worked well in the first semester, as well as identify areas for improvement. These could include academics but also extend to other aspects of daily life, such as sleeping and eating habits, organization of school materials and home space, and the use of free time.
Here are some questions to consider and discuss together:
- In what areas of school and life is your child feeling most confident? Least confident?
- Where has your child shown the most growth since August 2024? (Is your perspective the same or different from your child’s?)
- Where is your child seeking more independence and opportunities to take healthy risks? How can you support them in this?
Adolescents can experience significant development in just a few months, and face-to-face conversations offer valuable insights into your child’s life. If you have concerns or questions you’d like to discuss further, please contact Middle School Counselor Lisa Valentine at 651-748-2224 or lvalentine@hill-murray.org.
Labyrinth Activity in Pioneer Pathway Classes
This semester, Pioneer Pathway students—comprising all 6th graders and over half of the 7th graders—wrapped up their class with a reflective activity involving walking and writing on labyrinths. These exercises helped them process what they learned about themselves throughout the semester.
Students walked a temporary labyrinth set up in the Chapel in small groups, guided by the “3 R’s”: Release, Receive, Return.
- Release distractions and worries on the journey to the center.
- Receive calm and guidance in the center.
- Return with hope, healing, and ideas for meaningful actions.
Following this activity, students responded to the writing prompt:
This semester in Pioneer Pathway, these are some of the things I learned about myself . . .
This could be a great conversation starter with your child!
When the weather warms up, students will have the opportunity to walk the outdoor labyrinth next door at St. Paul’s Monastery by signing up for Mrs. Valentine’s WIN time offerings.