School News

It might seem strange that our News section begins with an event from 1950. That is the year in which Mother Ruth had a vision to bring together children and families of all backgrounds to learn from one another and about one another. That mission is at the heart of all we do, from highlighting student endeavors, to celebrating our recent grads, to catching up with alumni and seeing how they are living our mission every day.

Although the items here in our News section, change frequently, the heart and soul behind remain constant.

Message from the Head: Our Role in Seeking Racial Justice

“I am determined to continue our work to educate children who will one day, as Mother Ruth said years ago, ‘tear down the walls and divisions that separate people of different cultures, creeds, and classes.’”

Faculty Tribute to Students and Parents

The St. Hilda's & St. Hugh's faculty connects with students and parents through a musical tribute.

Ms. Jordan-Levy Presents Third Grade Rap Video of Francophone Countries

In Chapel, Lower Division French Teacher Deb Jordan-Levy discussed the importance of learning about different Francophone countries while studying the language.

Ms. Thodiyil's Grade 6 Math Class Sets the Stage for Online Learning

“It’s still school. Even though we’re in a different setting, we can still learn.”

In February and Beyond, Students Explore African-American History

“For us, Black History is not just about February; it is every day.”

Head of School’s Response to COVID-19

We are approaching this situation thoughtfully and deliberately, recognizing that the risk to our families is very low. Advice and counsel are being provided by experts in the Mount Sinai Health System.

Champion Hawks: Girls and Boys Basketball Earn NYCAL Honors

St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s Basketball Hawks captured the NYCAL regular season championships for 2019-2020.

Choir NOW and Gary Mitchell Jr. Lead Our Annual Gospel Celebration Through Song and Storytelling

“This event is titled a ‘Gospel Celebration,’” Minister Irventz Garçon said. “However, it is much deeper than that.”

Photography Class Offers a New Way to Capture History

This year St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s introduced an innovative photography course under the leadership of social studies teacher and accomplished photographer Duane Bailey-Castro.

Young Alumni Received Extra Love From their Early Childhood Buddies

On Valentine’s Day, early childhood students reconnected with their former eighth grade buddies, reminding the school’s newest alumni that they still have many friends at St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s.

Alumna Author Featured in The Times “1619 Project”

“They Sold Human Beings Here” uncovers the mostly hidden and forgotten locations where enslaved people were bought and sold, accompanied by images of auction sites taken by photographer Dannielle Bowman.

Nursery-Grade 8 Celebrates the Year of the Rat During Our Annual Lunar New Year Celebration

Students and guest performers put on a spectacular Lunar New Year performance which included singing, dancing, and fireworks. View photos from this beloved all-school event here.

New Questions Posted on the Upper Division GeoGames Trivia Board

The popular GeoGames Trivia Board continues to engage grade 4-8 students with challenging geography questions.

St. Hilda's & St. Hugh's Mourns the Death of Sister Elise, Founding Sister, Teacher, and Friend

As St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s marked the 70th anniversary of its opening day on February 2, 2020, it lost one of its founders. Sister Elise, one of the founding members of the Community of the Holy Spirit and one of the school’s first teachers, died on Sunday at the age of 98.

Lower Division Language Students “Learn By Doing,” through Film, Art, and Play

As teachers of young children ages 3 to 9, language teachers Deb Jordan-Levy (French), Elizabeth Ortega (Spanish), and Peng Zeng (Mandarin-Chinese) are unified in their mission to provide a contemporary, immersive, and age-appropriate learning environment for their students.

Basketball Hawks Excel On the Court

The Hawks continue a tradition of basketball excellence this winter. Playing in the NYCAL league, both the boys and girls 7-8 teams have begun the year with an unbeaten record, while a second 7-8 boys "silver team" and the two six grade teams are representing the school with pride.

Alumni Profile: Janos Marton ’96 Campaigns for Office, and for Equity

A lawyer and criminal justice reformer, Janos Martin '96 began to explore his passion for activism in second grade at St. Hilda's & St. Hugh's. Janos is still driven by the values his teachers imparted—morality, civics, and service to community.

Second Graders Bridge Disciplines, Cultures, and Continents through Technology

As the second grade embarked upon their year-long study of the world, their technology class went along on the journey, with a stop-motion movie project to illustrate the movement of the continents, and a re-creation of the Q'eswachaka Rope Bridge in Peru.

New Year's Eve Traditions Around the World

Lower Division Learning Specialist Margaret Pennoyer began the new year by talking about different New Year's Eve traditions around the world.

November Traditions Inspire Service “Neighbor to Neighbor”

“Our commitment to service comes out of a religious imperative to serve the needs of the poor, just as our patron saints did,” said Head of School Virginia Connor. “It’s why their feast days are marked by days of service—both Hilda and Hugh dedicated their lives to caring for others.”

Play to Learn: Early Childhood “Play Experts” Teach New Skills in Creative Settings

“When children have immersive play experiences, early academic skills—such as literacy, numeracy, vocabulary, and language—all emerge naturally,” says Dr. Lisa Wright, director of the Hollingworth Center at Teachers College Columbia University.

Always a Hawk: Student-Athletes Play with Pride

“‘Always a Hawk’ means doing your best every day. It means that when it’s time to represent your school in uniform, you know how to be a supportive teammate, to be coachable, to work hard, to balance academics, and to represent us with pride.”

Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is Celebrated in Chapel (opens in new window/tab)

Senior Kindergarten teachers Ms. Clark and Ms. Washington share their knowledge and personal experience with Día de los Muertos during Chapel.

Cambridge Ridley Lynch: Museum Educator Inspires Students to Make History

Drawing on her experience as a museum educator Ms. Lynch crafted an innovative, design-thinking research project that asked students to redesign an exhibition of the Native American galleries in the American Museum of Natural History.

Lessons from Employment Disabilities Month: “Nobody’s Free Until Everybody’s Free” (opens in new window/tab)

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, fourth and fifth grade science teacher Katie Behrmann talked with the upper division in Chapel about the challenges faced by people with disabilities and how the laws and practices of New York City and the entire nation affect them.

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