Magnanimous Curiosity
March 10, 2025
Students teach a poetry lesson.
A presenter at a recent conference shared a question worth considering by everyone associated with schools, including parents, students, teachers, and all who work in schools: What do we hope happens when education happens? What might happen if all the well-intentioned efforts of students, teachers, and parents synergistically united to create powerful, authentic learning? Audience members were dedicated independent school educators from around the globe, and after a couple of minutes of sharing, someone shared a phrase that has stuck with me: magnanimous curiosity.
Students debate with dean of students whether the Pardoner from “Canterbury Tales” would be expelled from Seven Hills.
Recently at the Upper School, we’ve seen magnanimous curiosity as our students have excelled not only in the classroom but also in Science Olympiad, robotics, mock trial, HOSA, academic team, drama and music productions, intramurals, SWARMS, student government, athletics, another incredible year at the Scholastics, and so much more. At a student’s direct invitation, we were even privileged recently to have an in-person visit from a sitting Congressperson. These student-led, adult-supported programs certainly bode well for a world that too often feels trapped in mediocrity.
Magnanimous curiosity has foreshadowed unification as Upper School students have served on the architectural and environmental design teams, begun a Lower School tutoring program, contributed to Real Talk and Global Education Day in the Middle School, participated in sports clinics for younger students, and even passed along the wisdom gained through the Turkey Tango.
Although August seems months away, this is also a time of magnanimous curiosity as we work together to help find the right combination of classes that will help students tell their unique stories. The college admissions process can be intimidating, but research has shown that students who find and develop passions across disciplines have better confidence, mental health, and success that last throughout their lives. To help with this discovery, we’ve proposed new, experiential courses for 2025-26 including leadership in action, sports performance, $1,000 and change, and schools in focus. These new courses focus on learning by doing, and they will complement our existing program in new and powerful ways. Thank you to the 140 parents who joined us in one of the three sessions about course requests last month. The process is just beginning, but we value your input and partnership in this journey.
Magnanimous curiosity. What do we hope happens when education happens? What are the questions that will be asked by today’s students that will guide the discoveries of tomorrow? How can we help students have the courage to take the next step, small or big? That’s the journey, and we’re so excited to be on it with you.
Seven Hills Scholastic Recap
Seven Hills students received more recognitions than any other school in the Regional Scholastic Writing regional competition, which includes 50 public, private, and parochial schools from Southern Ohio as well as parts of Indiana and Kentucky.
Read more about Middle and Upper School Scholastic performance.
Sophomore Jackie Katuska’s Submission
The Female Path to Power: A Study of Gender Roles in Macbeth
Who has the power? People often debate this question. Since the beginning of time, people have expected men to be the answer to this question, but as time passes and people learn, this answer becomes even more inaccurate and unjust. Boys, you are so wrong. You underestimate us. In fact, even in 1603, though at the time women were typically depicted as assistants to men, William Shakespeare used Macbeth to portray the opposite of the social norm and to defy the gender hierarchy. Shakespeare displays this power relationship through many dominant female characters. Lady Macbeth and the witches emphasize this authority by harnessing traditional male power, which generates inevitable consequences dependent on natural expectations concerning power …
