Capital Campaign

Reimagining one school

Building a new home for Lower School, uniting our identity across divisions.

For five decades, operating on two campuses has served Seven Hills well and built rich communities of learning. Both the Doherty and Hillsdale campuses have nurtured and developed strong leaders of character, who embody our values of excellence, respect, and commitment to community. As our community grows and we look ahead to the next 50 years, we have a rare opportunity to bring our strengths together on one campus and build a world-class program through multiage learning, outdoor education, and spaces that support project-based learning and play-based learning.

The One Campus. One Community. One Seven Hills. campaign is our opportunity to create new, student-centered spaces that will bring our whole community together on one more connected, vibrant, and inspiring campus, starting with the 2027-28 school year, to shape the future of Seven Hills:

Doherty and Lotspeich will come together in two thoughtfully designed settings: an expanded Nellie Leaman Taft Early School and a newly constructed Doherty Lotspeich Lower School. Together, these new learning environments will create a more connected experience for our youngest learners while providing inspiring places designed to nurture curiosity, encourage discovery, and foster a strong sense of belonging.

The campaign also gives us the opportunity to reimagine the center of campus through a new campus greenspace, the renovation of Founders Hall, and a new Athletic Facility located in the current Commons space, designed primarily to serve our Middle and Upper School students.

The future campus map reflects a connected and intentional experience that students will follow throughout their Seven Hills journey. Students will begin their educational journey in the Early School and Lower School on the north end of campus, surrounded by natural areas and just a short walk from shared state-of-the-art facilities, including the Field House and The Schiff Center. As they grow, students will move naturally toward the south end of campus, where the Middle School and Upper School academic buildings are located.

Together, these changes create a campus designed to grow with our students. From their first days in The Early School through their final years in the Upper School, students will benefit from greater access to shared spaces, stronger connections across divisions, and a campus that makes it easier for all of us to learn, gather, collaborate, play, and grow together.

Unifying to Elevate

Through a significant capital investment, we will strengthen each student’s educational experience through:

• The creation of a “community within a community” on the north end of campus, an intentionally designed early childhood and lower school hub that nurtures connection, belonging, and growth.
• Outdoor learning in natural areas throughout our ecologically diverse campus.
• Focus on multiage learning, encouraging children to learn from one another and lead.
• Guided self-discovery, empowering students to pursue electives of choice.
• Project-based and play-based learning, developing critical thinking and collaboration.
• Purpose-built spaces for specials to immerse students in the subject matter.

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ONE SEVEN HILLS CAMPAIGN CHAIR

Hear more from our Campaign Chair Anna Topalidis on what the campaign for One Seven Hills means to her — in her own words. 

Campaign Priorities

Enriching student life across all ages

With this campaign, we are embarking on an ambitious campus transformation that will create inspiring spaces for our students, strengthen our community, and build a lasting foundation for generations to come. Our vision includes:

A new unified Doherty Lotspeich Lower School: The creation of a new Lower School on the Hillsdale campus will bring together our Lotspeich and Doherty Lower Schools students beginning with the 2027-28 school year in one state-of-the-art, LEED-certified building.

An expanded Nellie Leaman Taft Early School: Completed in the summer of 2026, the expanded Nellie Leaman Taft Early School creates a unified home for our youngest learners.

A new greenspace in the center of campus will create a welcoming space for students to gather, connect, and enjoy the outdoors. This area will bring together students across divisions and become an integral part of daily campus life.

A new state-of-the-art workout Athletic Facility focused on Middle and Upper School students supporting a wide range of activities and programs.

Renovations of Founders Hall to meet the needs of our unified student body.

The Doherty Lotspeich Lower School

Defining our Lower School program through built and natural spaces.

Thanks to the visionary leadership of the Seven Hills Board of Trustees, the school now owns the land beyond the Field House, Early School, and Ellmarie Drive — the future home of the Doherty Lotspeich Lower School.

Long before the plan to unify, our Lower School educators worked to align curriculum between our two Lower School programs and live out our educational philosophy. Now, teachers, administrators, students, and parents have an opportunity to build a brand-new Lower School in a location designed not to limit our program, but to expand and enhance it. Surrounded by 400-year-old oak trees, the new lower school space will feature flexible classrooms, art and music studios, a science lab, a library, and inviting indoor and outdoor learning spaces that make nature and exploration part of every child’s school day.

FLY-THROUGH RENDERING VIDEO OF THE NEW Lower School Building

Watch this fly-through rendering video to take a journey through the new Lower School building.

Renderings of the New Lower School Building

Explore the vision for the new Lower School building by browsing the renderings below. 

Construction PHOTOS AND Timelapse

Get a glimpse at progress on the construction site! Flip through the carousel below and watch the timelapse on the last slide.

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Campus greenspace

In the heart of campus, where the Lotspeich Lower School building currently stands, a new campus greenspace will create a vibrant gathering place for all students to use and enjoy. Evidence shows that access to nature fuels creativity, engages the senses, and enhances student health and well-being. More than an open space, this greenspace will become a shared part of campus life where our community can come together and where nature inspires learning, connection, and discovery every day.

ATHLETIC FACILITY

The Hillsdale Commons will be transformed into a state-of-the-art workout facility focused on Middle and Upper school students. Situated next to Kalnow Gym, housing the existing weight room for athletic teams, this new Athletic Facility will be used for physical education classes, strength and conditioning, fitness, and wellness, creating new opportunities for all students to build healthy habits.

FOUNDERS HALL RENOVATION — Completed

To meet the needs of our unified student body, Founders Hall underwent renovations in the summer of 2026, including a modernized and expanded kitchen. Founders will become a dining hall dedicated to Middle and Upper School, as the new Doherty Lotspeich Lower School will house a kindergarten through fifth grade dining hall. Separating Middle and Upper School lunch from the Lower School schedule will create greater flexibility in the daily schedule, giving older students and their teachers more freedom to make the most of their time on campus.

In the aerial photo above, see Founders Hall’s completed kitchen expansion in the foreground.

EARLY SCHOOL ADDITION — COMPLETED

Growing our enriching early childhood program.

The Nellie Leaman Taft Early School, nestled at the north end of the Hillsdale Campus, is where a student’s Seven Hills journey will begin. With winding paths and a gated, natural playscape designed for outdoor exploration, discovery is around every corner—all within a safe, nurturing environment.

Thanks to the One Campus. One Community. One Seven Hills. campaign, this expansion came to life in spring 2026 and will become home to all Early School students beginning with the 2027-28 school year.

The new addition features six play-based pre-kindergarten classrooms, a flexible multipurpose room, and dedicated spaces that support students, families, and faculty.

In the aerial photo above, the seamless addition of the Early School building can be seen pictured on the left.

Learn More About Our Campaign

This brochure offers an in-depth look at our One Seven Hills campaign — including our vision and campaign priorities. 

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Questions?

For questions, please contact Director of Development Margo Kirstein at development@7hills.org or 513.728.2437.