Academics

2024 Summer Launch

Hermits, 

It’s time to share vital information about summer assignments. This email addresses three areas concerning summer assignments:

  • The new school-wide Interdisciplinary Summer Reading Initiative (Classes 2025 through 2027)
  • Incoming students (Classes of 2028 and 2029)
  • Students enrolled in AP-level classes.

All information included in this email will also be posted at hermits.com/summerassignments.

School-wide Interdisciplinary Summer Reading Initiative

For all Hermits (class of 2025 through class of 2027, including students transferring into the Prep), we are thrilled to announce the launch of our new Interdisciplinary Summer Reading Initiative, designed to inspire and engage our students through the magic of cross-curricular connections.  This approach helps students see the bigger picture and understand how different disciplines intersect and complement each other.  At each grade level,  a reading guide is provided that encourages students to explore the connections between different subjects.  In addition to reading, students will work on a creative project related to their book. These projects will allow students to express their understanding of these interdisciplinary connections in unique and imaginative ways.  Finally, on the first day of school, students will extemporaneously respond to a writing prompt crafted to demonstrate their understanding of the interdisciplinary connections. Let’s make this summer a season of discovery, creativity, and connections!

Your teachers have worked hard to select these awesome books and craft these assignments for you!

  • Class of 2025 – Project HAIL MARY by Andy Weir

  • Class of 2026 – Martyr of the Catacombs – A Tale of Ancient Rome by James DeMille

  • Class of 2027 – The Violinist Thumb by Sam Kean

Click on your class button to view the reading guide and project directions:

Incoming Students (Freshmen and 8th Grade): 

For all Hermits (Class of 2028), this summer, you are invited to deepen your understanding of our Catholic faith by engaging with an inspiring book: Blessed Carlo Acutis: A Saint in Sneakers by Courtney Mares. Your takeaways from reading this book will be assessed in two ways: a creative project and written essays. For both, a reading guide is provided to assist the student. The creative project is due September 3rd; the written essay prompts will be answered extemporaneously on the first day of classes  (9/3). Over the week of July 29, you received an email from Dr. Joseph Zagarella inviting you to join his Google classroom. This email was sent to your hermits email address. You must accept his invitation to the “Freshman Summer Reading 2024” class. Upload your creative project to this Google Classroom when you have completed it. Please contact dr.zagarella@hermits.com with any questions.

 

For all Hermits (Class of 2029), your summer work is more traditional in nature.  You have a Math and an English assignment designed so that the faculty can get a feel for your baseline skills and tailor instruction to effectively meet your needs in the upcoming school year. Math summer work is due by 11:59 pm on 8/25. English summer work is due on Orientation day, i.e.  8/26.

 

If you have any questions regarding DeltaMath or math placement, please feel free to reach out to Mr. Grealis at  mr.grealis@hermits.com (ext 112)

 

If you have any questions regarding the English summer work, please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Chapman at  mrs.chapman@hermits.com.   (ext 107)

 

AP Level Classes:

For students enrolled in AP level classes for 2024-2025, summer assignments were already communicated to you by each teacher. As you know, this work is not optional – please budget your time over the summer so that you start the year strong in these rigorous classes. To provide you with a central place to access this information over the summer and ensure that you are aware of these assignments, all AP class summer work is available via the button below or by visiting hermits.com/SummerAP
I am excited about the opportunities these summer assignments provide for our Hermits’  growth and preparation for AY 2024-20205. If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out. Wishing you and your family a wonderful summer!

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.” – Abigail Adams

In Augustine,

Mrs. McHugh
Dean of Academics

Click on your class button to view the reading guide and project directions: