Seven Hills School today announced its selection as one of only three national recipients of the prestigious Steelcase Learning Innovation Grant. The $75,000 award will fund the reimagining of the school’s iconic Great Hall, marking the beginning of a multi-year research partnership between Seven Hills School, Steelcase, and Smith Systems. This collaborative endeavor will explore the impact of innovative space design on teaching, learning, and community engagement.
The Steelcase Learning Innovation Grant will enable Seven Hills School to create future-focused, active learning environments grounded in research-based and personalized design processes. Throughout the transformation, Steelcase will also provide valuable professional development opportunities and instructional coaching to optimize the use of the new furnishings.
This unique opportunity arose through a collaboration between the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) and the research team at Steelcase Smith Systems. Darcie TeVault, VAIS Director of Professional Learning, invited all 94 member schools to apply for the grant. “Seven Hills was selected due to their compelling application, their commitment to their mission, and their understanding of current neurocognitive research,” stated TeVault. “VAIS looks forward to the collaborative research outcomes of this endeavor and celebrates this unique partnership within Virginia independent education. There is so much research about the impact that the school environment can have on student learning, and this is a fantastic way to bring together one of our sponsors with one of our member schools, with students becoming the ultimate beneficiary.”
Seven Hills School, recently recognized as a School of Distinction by the Association of Middle Level Education and Sports Backer’s Active RVA School of the Year, is known for its challenging and engaging learning environment tailored to the developmental needs of middle school boys. This partnership with Steelcase will further solidify Seven Hills School’s position as a model of best practices in middle school education.
The school prides itself on its research-based approach to meeting the unique developmental needs of middle school boys. Its schedule, pedagogy, classrooms, and furniture selections are intentionally aligned to support movement, collaboration, and authentic, hands-on learning experiences. The commitment to innovative classroom environments that embrace boys’ need for movement is a fundamental aspect of the school’s guiding principles. This partnership will allow Seven Hills to more effectively design the Great Hall to meet the diverse needs of its community.
“We’re creating an inviting, student-centered environment that will encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, problem-solving, and creativity without compromising the hall as a community gathering space,” said Will Murphy, Assistant Head of School for Program. “Our commitment to
innovative learning environments that encourage the boys to learn how they learn best remains our priority, and Steelcase is a great partner to help us do that with the Great Hall.”
The transformation of the Great Hall is scheduled to begin this summer, with the launch of the new space anticipated for Fall 2025.
About Seven Hills School:
Seven Hills School is an independent day school in Richmond, Virginia, dedicated to providing a challenging and engaging educational experience tailored to the unique developmental needs of middle school boys. Grounded in research and best practices, Seven Hills fosters a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence, character development, and active engagement.
About Steelcase:
For over 110 years, Steelcase has helped create great experiences for the world’s leading organizations across industries. We demonstrate this through our family of brands – including Steelcase, Coalesse, Turnstone, Smith System, Orangebox and AMQ. Our brands offer a comprehensive portfolio of architecture, furniture and technology products and services designed to unlock human promise and support social, economic and environmental sustainability. We are a global company with approximately 12,800 employees and dealer network of over 800 dealers. Steelcase is a publicly traded company with fiscal year 2023 revenue of $3.2 billion.
About Smith Systems:
Smith System is a leading provider of innovative and durable furniture solutions for educational environments. With a deep understanding of how learning spaces impact student outcomes, Smith System partners with educators to create flexible and engaging environments that support diverse teaching methodologies.
About the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS):
The Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of independent education in Virginia. VAIS supports its 94 member schools through accreditation, professional development, and fostering collaboration within the independent school community.
