SEMESTER IN REVIEW
As we begin a new school year, we want to take one more look at some of the outstanding accomplishments that marked the second semester of 2012–2013.
The Seven Hills School
august 2013
Ready for a great 2013–2014 Celebrating outstanding achievement
All of Seven Hills’ nine semifinalists in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program qualified as finalists.
By
During last May’s Advanced Placement season, 105 sophomores, juniors, and seniors took a total of 218 college-level AP exams; an astonishing 96% of them earned college-qualifying scores of 3 or higher. Furthermore, 37% of the scores – including 27 individual scores in English, 13 in history, 21 in biology, chemistry, and physics, six in BC calculus, three in computer science, and four in foreign language – were 5’s, the highest score possible. To put this in perspective, 61% of AP students nationwide earn even one passing score of 3 or above; at Seven Hills, that figure is 96%! The mean score for Seven Hills was 3.94 out of 5.0, considerably higher than the 2.87 mean for AP students nationwide. Finally, this year 55 of our students were recognized as AP Scholars, meaning that they scored 3 or above on at least three Advanced Placement exams.
June, the Class of 2014 had these SAT scores: Middle 50% of SAT Scores: Combined 1650–2140; average 1895 Reading 540–710; average 622 Math 550–720; average 636 Writing 560–710; average 626
On the SAT Subject Tests taken in June, our students’ average score on the 200-800 scale was 695. SAT Subject Tests Average Score Math I 662 Math II 710 Chemistry 714 Environmental Biology 695 Molecular Biology 730 Physics 790 U.S. History 658 World History 770 French 650 Spanish 790 Literature 677
Statement of Educational Philosophy The Seven Hills School Statement of Educational Philosophy was developed as part of the School’s strategic planning in 2012–2013. The Statement includes Our Approach to Teaching, Our Environment for Learning, and Our Commitment to Character.
Our Approach to Teaching • We believe that learning should be engaging and relevant. • We use teaching methods designed to ensure that students acquire the intellectual and social skills they need to thrive in an increasingly complex global community. • We focus not only on the acquisition of knowledge, but on inquiry, discovery, and the application of skills to meaningful problem solving. • We teach students to make choices, to manage their time, to think critically and creatively, and, above all, to take responsibility for their own learning.
• We are committed to exploring educational best practices and to adapting our instructional methods to advances in technology and By June, the Class of 2014 had these ACT scores. developments in the world. Middle 50% of ACT Scores: English 26–33; average 29 Our Environment for Learning Math 25–32; average 28 Reading 27–33; average 29 • We believe that students learn best when they work in an atmo Science 25–34; average 29 sphere of open inquiry and mutual respect. English/Writing 25–31; average 28
Composite
25–33; average 28.4
Twenty-five percent of the Class of 2014 has earned at least one perfect score on a section of the SAT or ACT or on a Subject Test.
• We believe that the School should provide a safe, supportive, and challenging environment, with clear goals and high expectations for student achievement and conduct. continued next page