EXPLORIS 7TH GRADE BLOG

This years Theme:

"One Degree More: Shifting Systems, Shaping the Future"

Sweet & Savory Party!!

7th Grade Families!!

To celebrate the end of the trimester, our crew will be hosting a Sweet and Savory Party on Friday, December 19th from 11:00–12:15 PM! We’re inviting students to bring in either a sweet or savory snack, enough to share with their crew.

We’re also hoping to set up a Hot Chocolate Bar to make the celebration extra cozy. To make this happen, we’ll need some help gathering supplies. If you’re able to donate, please use our SignUpGenius to sign up for any items you can contribute. Every little bit helps and is greatly appreciated!
Thank you so much for your support in helping us create a fun and festive experience for our students!

Thank you!

Human body museum showcase "UPDATE!!!"

7th Grade Families!!

We’re excited to invite you to our Museum Showcase at RUMAH on Thursday, January 8th from 1:00–3:00 PM at 415 Hillsborough Street. Students have been exploring the respiratory, circulatory, reproductive, excretory, and digestive systems, and they can’t wait to share what they’ve learned. Come see how your students have transformed their research into engaging, educational exhibits for all!

See you soon!

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Ceremony and Recitation Event 12/10

7th Grade Families!

It is time for an annual reminder of our human rights!

As the 77th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) approaches, The Exploris School proudly announces its annual Human Rights Day celebration on Wednesday, December 10th, at NC Freedom Park. For more than two decades, the 8th-grade students at The Exploris School have dedicated this day to raising awareness about the fundamental and inalienable rights that every human being possesses.
Come and celebrate Human Rights Day on the 77th anniversary of the UDHR. Watch the recitation of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the 8th-grade students of The Exploris School. The itinerary will be as follows:

10:00 AM:
Gathering of Exploris School 7th and 8th graders for dress rehearsal at NC Freedom Park

11:00 AM:
Opening remarks
Selections from The Exploris School Elementary Chorus
Recitation of the UDHR by The Exploris School Class of 2026
Special Remarks by Dr. Donovan Livingston

12:00 PM:
Closing Remarks and Dismissal

Notably, the celebration will feature esteemed guest speaker Donovan Livingston, a nationally recognized educator, spoken-word poet, and the inaugural Poet Laureate of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. As an assistant professor in the UNC Department of Music, he bridges the worlds of academia and artistry to reimagine what education can be. His viral Harvard convocation speech, “Lift Off,” has inspired millions worldwide, and his work continues to center equity, hip-hop pedagogy, and transformative justice in schools.

The Exploris School extends a warm invitation to the community, urging everyone to join in this celebration of Human Rights Day and reflect on the principles that unite us all as human beings. By coming together at NC Freedom Park, we strive to foster a shared commitment to upholding and respecting every individual's inherent dignity and rights.

"hello" from our crew parents!

Hi Parents! We are your crew parents for the 7th grade school year. We will be helping out the teachers with events etc. as needed, as well as passing along messages for the PTO. We plan on using the school directory (password is Connections! this year) in the future to send out parent-specific comms. Please contact Dana at [email protected] with your email address if you aren't in the directory.

To kick us off, here are a few updates:
1. Fall Festival – October 24 (5:00–8:00 p.m. at the Elementary School)
Each grade level is responsible for staffing a booth. Games and supplies will be provided - we just need two volunteers per hour. If you are able to volunteer for an hour, please sign up via this SignupGenius by October 8. Thanks for your help!
2. PTO Fundraisers
Exploris is currently partnering with BoxTops, The State Fair, and Mabel’s Labels. Visit the passive fundraising page for more information on how to contribute - Exploris PTO Fundraising.
3. PTO Board Openings
The PTO still needs to fill two board positions: Secretary and Communications Chair. If interested, please contact Emily McIntyre at [email protected].

We look forward to helping out this year!

~ Dana Khan, Tamara Albrecht (Melody McCrimmon), Megan Ever

Happy Beginning of the Year!

Students, families & support systems,

Welcome to 7th Grade!!! We are excited for a fun and engaging year!

This year, our 7th graders will explore how small changes can create big impact in their academics, in society, and in themselves. Whether it’s a single degree of temperature that shifts our climate, one extra push of force that changes motion, or one brave decision that shapes a community, we’ll see how small actions can tip the balance in powerful ways.

Our “One Degree More” theme will challenge students to go just a little further, ask one more question, take one more risk, and show one more act of kindness, in and out of the classroom. Together in Expedition, we’ll explore topics that span from cells to governments, genetics to weather systems, and physics to human behavior, making connections that inspire both knowledge and action.

We are excited for a fun and engaging year filled with learning, collaboration, and discovery. In addition to our classroom adventures, we will also take fun and engaging field experiences throughout the year to bring our learning to life.

The newsletter will be updated weekly and will serve as an information hub, a one-stop “info dump” for important announcements, reminders, and upcoming events, as well as a synopsis of what we covered in class and what is to come. While everything we do will also be posted on Google Classroom, the newsletter will provide families with a clear, big-picture view of our week and what lies ahead.

Here’s to a year of curiosity, growth, and the power of going one degree more!

End of the year!

Students and families, and support systems,

We made it to the end of the year! This year has been so wonderful and filled with growth, adventure, and joy! Thank you for joining our team to make this year the best 7th grade ever for your students!

Below are the events coming up for the end of the year:

6/2: Reading EOG (2nd time's the charm!)
6/3: CAPE Showcase 1:00 - 3:00 @ the Exploris Wellness space and back parking lot.
6/4: CREW Day (More info sent by teachers)
6/5: Urban Air
6/6: Half day & Graduation at Raleigh Rose Garden

Thanks
The 7th grade team!

Get ready for a year filled with new adventures and exciting learning. This year's our theme is "Challenge by Choice”.
As a reminder make sure that your student is bringing a water bottle and comfy shoes to school. In 7th grade we focus on using hands on learning and one of the ways that we strive to do this is through field experiences. These allow for our students to experience learning in a personal and diverse way. In 7th grade we participate in field experiences with the expectation that they are working on their self-regulation, responsibility, and leveling up their exploration and inquiry skills.

We look forward to a great year together!
-7th grade team!

Notes on Illness

We are seeing an early rise of Covid and other colds and viruses. The latest Covid variant is very contagious but reportedly has mild symptoms. If your scholar shows any signs of respiratory illness, headache, or fever, please test for Covid. Our school policy is that students should stay home until fever-free for 24 hours without medications, when symptoms are improving, and then wear a hospital-grade mask fitted over both nose and mouth for 5 days when in inside spaces. We will not use remote learning unless so many teachers are absent that we cannot safely staff the school.