Closing Ceremony

Lotspeich celebrated its fifth graders during closing exercises on June 3. Fifth graders entered the ceremony to fourth graders playing handbells under the direction of music teacher Robin Wilson. During the closing ceremony, fifth grade teachers Danielle Levine and Laura OGrady shared heartwarming anecdotes about the graduating students and their remarkable contributions to the Lotspeich community.

Faculty and administration at Lotspeich also presented awards to fifth grade students based on academic achievement, a love for learning, citizenship, character, and leadership. The following awards were presented during the closing ceremony.

The Joy in Learning Award was presented to George Ficks. The recipient of this award “exemplifies the Lotspeich philosophy of finding joy in the pursuit of learning; sharing that learning in a selfless, helpful manner with others; and enjoying the quest of learning in all its facets.”

The Theodore C. Wuerfel Merit Award was presented to Kai Vadivelu. The award was created “to recognize a Lotspeich student who has demonstrated academic achievement, breadth and scope of interests beyond the classroom, leadership, citizenship, and character.”

The Elisabeth Greenwald Mapes Award was presented to Chloe Griess for exemplifying “the Seven Values of Seven Hills. This student is a well-rounded individual who is eager to learn, help others, and promote the best values of Seven Hills.”

The Eileen Driscoll Literary Award was presented to Ezra Gleiner for “demonstrating a love of literature and joy in the printed word.”

Third grade presents wonders of Cincinnati

What makes Cincinnati unique? Third graders in teachers Sarah Gaunt and Yael Newman’s classes put the city’s many local treasures on display when they presented their Cincinnati Living History Museum projects to classmates, friends, and family in Founders Hall in late May. Before the museum’s opening day, students spent weeks selecting a location, business, or organization to research. Third graders loved reporting on their famous selections, which included Graeter’s, the University of Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Observatory.

Lotspeich Celebrates!

The school year can’t end without Water Day, Field Day, and tennis baseball! The Early Childhood Center was filled with joyful laughter on May 28 as pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students jumped in kiddie pools, ran through sprinklers, and more. As a special surprise, Hamilton County firefighters stopped by to spray the students with their hose, which caused the students to squeal with delight.

On May 30, first through fifth grade students enjoyed some friendly competition during the annual Field Day on the upper field. Students raced to pop balloons, pull teachers on sleds, eat popsicles, and more.

On the last day of school, fifth grade students faced their toughest competition during a game of tennis baseball: their teachers! Head of School Chris Garten also joined in the fun. Both teams scored incredible runs, and in the end, the teachers won.

Fifth grade trip to Dearborn, Michigan

As part of their final social studies unit, “Liberty and Justice for All,” Lotspeich fifth graders utilized part of their trip to Dearborn, Michigan, to answer the question, “How can we design an interactive museum exhibit to teach others about the expansion of liberty and justice in America?” Fifth grade teachers Laura OGrady and Danielle Levine’s classes toured the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Historical Society, and The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. Students collected stories about how different people and groups worked to secure their rights and freedoms. They were also tasked with examining exhibits through the eye of a museum curator — critically analyzing ways museums can effectively and engagingly share information.

“Students used their knowledge to collaborate in small groups to design scale models of their exhibits based around student-selected topics that fit within our theme,” OGrady said.