The 2024-2025 school year officially began on Aug. 22. This school year presents various areas of change and adjustment for students and teachers.  

English  

The Upper School English department experienced a change in leadership roles and policies. Upper School English teacher Blake Harkey received a new responsibility as Senior Class Dean. Harkey will oversee senior activities, meetings and student affairs.  

In addition, students have new Generative AI rules to adhere to in all courses. Students have charts outlining rules for usage of Generative AI on summative and formative assignments.  

“We are looking forward to working with AI and finding effective ways to work with it in the classrooms,” Upper School English teacher Alvaro Cantu ’99 said.  

In February, students will also be taking midterms for each year-long course. Teachers in each department will be able to design these tests. This process will be new for all students in Upper School.  

“I’ve been seeing a lot of positive energy in the classrooms, students are very excited to be in classes,” Cantu said.  

Language 

In the language department, Spanish teacher Cristina González has taken on the role of Junior Class Dean.  

Upper School Chinese teacher Grace Chwa, who taught one section of Chinese II in the Upper School last year, will now be teaching Chinese IV .  

Lastly, Jenn Jarnagin participated in a summer program for Latin teachers in Rome in July.  

“[Jenn] looks forward to sharing her experiences with her students this year,” Upper School Modern and Classical Language Department Chair Luis Gallegos wrote in an email.  

History  

The history department gained two new teachers, Bob Hearne and Dean of Students George Heinrichs.  

Heinrichs will be teaching a section of U.S. History, and Hearne will be teaching Economics and Society and Global History.  

The history pod will also be receiving new furniture for all the classrooms. Each classrooms will include new tables and rolling chairs.  

Upper School History Department Chair Amy Bresie ’96 says the aim for the seating is to make it easier for students to work on projects in group settings.  

“The flexibility seating will allow us to be a bit more creative,” Bresie wrote in an email.  

The history department also expanded their partnership with the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. According to history teachers, the hope for the partnership expansion is to grant more students access to the institution.  

Math  

The math department gained teacher Erik Park. Park will be teaching various sections of math in the Upper School.  

Science  

As the science department settles into the Rosa O. Valdes STEM + Innovation Center for the first official full year, teachers and students are seeing changes in course demand and rigor.  

The science department faces record breaking enrollment numbers in Advanced Placement science courses this year. AP Environmental Science has the largest number of classes filled in its time being offered at Greenhill.  

Additionally, the science elective Human Reproductive Biology is now being offered in the first and second semester starting this school year.  

“We are still excited about setting up our labs,” Upper School Science Department Chair Treavor Kendall said.  

Fine Arts 

The fine arts department is excited to perform in the newly renovated Quad Amphitheatre.  

Students in Upper School, Middle School, drumline, and the Greenhill Singers will perform their Pops Concert in the amphitheatre. The concert is on Sep. 25 at 6:30 p.m.  

“We are excited to perform,” Upper School Band teacher Brian Donnell wrote in an email.  

Sports 

The fall sports season is in full swing, with all teams already participating in official games.

The Hornets’ Nest Instagram account is no longer student-run. Athletic Department Coordinator Izayah Donnelly has taken the responsibility of running it, and students are organizing initiatives to start a new student-run sports Instagram account.  

New faces have made way for the junior varsity and varsity cheer team. The squad has acquired four new coaches from Mustang Cheer this season: Emilie Gant, Abbie Walker, Charli Uber and Aaron Dula.  

On Friday Aug. 30 at 7 p.m., varsity football played against their first ever 6A conference school Trinity Christian Academy. The game was held at TCA, and was a close match with Greenhill losing by one point.  

“I’m excited to see the hornets face new competition, especially tougher competition,” senior Amanda Park said.