Upper School Newsletter – August 20, 2025
August 20, 2025
Letter From the Division Director
We can now count on a single hand how many weekdays there are to the start of school, and we are thrilled to welcome everyone back to campus! With football having started last week and preseason beginning on Monday, the campus and buildings are alive with the energy and enthusiasm of our students. It’s fantastic to see everyone engaging and excited for the year ahead!
We hope to build off that excitement with two Orientation Days next week. These sessions are a great opportunity for students and advisories to get acquainted (or reacquainted) with one another, the school environment, understand the expectations for the year, and have a good amount of fun! More information is included below.
Additionally, the Upper School Back-to-School Night is Thursday, August 28, 6:45-9:00 p.m. The night serves as a great opportunity to meet your child’s teachers. Additionally, there is a Grade 9 and New Upper School Parent Reception that same evening, Thursday, August 28, 5:30-6:30 p.m. We hope that you can attend!
We would also like to highlight our Missing Work Policy, which is designed to support student success. To gain a deeper understanding of this policy, we invite you to join Director of Academics Aaron Proctor at the Parent Education Series: Middle School/Upper School Academic Assessment Philosophy and Practice event on Wednesday, September 17, 8:30-9:30 a.m. In addition to getting to know him, this session will provide valuable insights and address any questions you may have (additional information can be found below).
As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. We are here to support you and your child throughout the school year.
Go Huskies!
Chris Tennyson
Director of the Upper School
Announcements
Daily Schedule and Letter Days
Each school day of the year has been assigned a letter (A, B, C, D, E, and F), and we will rotate the schedules accordingly. You are welcome to subscribe to the letter day calendar (Google calendar link, iCal feed link) or simply view your child's class schedule for any day of the year, which is helpful for scheduling appointments, etc.
- View Your Child's Class Schedule in Husky Hub: Log in to Husky Hub, click “Children” and select your child’s name. The default view is "Progress" to see your child's classes and teachers. If you click the "Schedule" tab instead, you will see the schedule for the week and can click "View Full Schedule" to see the current (or future) month's view.
- View the General Upper School Daily Schedule
Student Device Information for New Students
All new Upper School students will be issued their school-owned MacBook Air laptops during the first week of school. Parents of these students received an email from tech@flinthill.org with their child’s Google login information. Please email helpdesk@flinthill.org with any questions.
Lunch Information
In collaboration with Fairfax Food Service, we provide a buffet-style lunch every day that is included in tuition. Salad bar and sandwich options are available daily as well as complete menus and nutritional/allergen information.
School Store Open for In-Person Shopping
The School Store, in the Hazel Lower School, Room 112, will be open on Monday, August 25, and Tuesday, August 26, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Please enter through the Lower School main entrance, and check in with security before visiting. Stop by to see the new merchandise!
Upper School Back-to-School Night — Thursday, August 28
Parents are invited to the Upper School on Thursday, August 28, 6:45-9:00 p.m., for an evening focused on the Upper School student experience. Teachers and administration will discuss expectations, curriculum, and upcoming highlights for the year ahead.
Grades 9-11 Picture Day — Tuesday, September 2
Remember that Tuesday, September 2, is Picture Day for students in grades 9-11.
Parent Meetup: Walking Group
Meet up with fellow parents for walks through different trails and neighborhoods near the School. The location will vary and will be shared with the group before each walk. Register for each date you can attend. If you have any questions, please contact Divisional Ambassador Molisa Meholic P’29.
September Dates: Tuesday, September 2, and Friday, September 19, at 8:15 a.m.
October Dates: Friday, October 3, and Friday, October 24, at 8:15 a.m.
Parent Education Series: Q&A with Chris Tennyson
Upper School parents are invited to join us on Wednesday, September 10, 8:30-9:30 a.m., in the Upper School Multipurpose Room, to learn more about our new director of the Upper School, Chris Tennyson. This event is designed to be a two-way conversation, where Chris will share his reflections on his first two months on campus and, more importantly, listen to your questions. He is eager to learn more about our community directly from Upper School parents.
Register for the Parents’ Association Tennis Social — Friday, September 12
Whether you are advanced or new to the game, join fellow parents, alumni parents, and grandparents at the Parents’ Association Tennis Social on Friday, September 12, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., on the Middle and Upper School Campus Tennis Courts. Registration filled up quickly for the tournament, but there's still space available in the Skills and Drills Clinic! Join the waitlist for the tournament or register for the clinic, and contact Assistant Director of Engagement Olivia Landrum with questions.
Parent Education Series: Academic Assessment Philosophy and Practice
All parents are invited to join us for a presentation with Director of Academics Aaron Proctor on Wednesday, September 17, 8:30-9:30 a.m., in the Upper School Multipurpose Room to learn about the latest updates to our Middle and Upper School academic assessment philosophies and practices. Attending this session will offer a deeper understanding of how Flint Hill measures student progress and allow parents to participate in a Q&A.
Get Involved and Share Your Volunteer Interest
Looking for ways to get involved in our school community? Learn about some of the many volunteer opportunities, and share your interest by completing this form. We will contact you as each opportunity arises, and volunteer sign-up forms will be shared in the newsletter.
Sign Up to Volunteer in the Igloo and Den
One of the most frequent and fun volunteer opportunities is selling concessions in the Igloo or Den. It’s a great way to meet other parents, while getting a glimpse of life in the Upper School, or to get the best view of a game on Peterson Family Field.
The Igloo is located in the Upper School and is open for Upper School students during the day and after school. The Den is located at the Peterson Middle School on the John M. Thomas Terrace and is open during select athletic games. Proceeds benefit the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid in Honor of Sally Hazel, which supports financial aid for families of current students who experience unexpected financial hardship.
We are excited to open both concession stands for the school year and need many volunteers to operate! Shifts range from 45 to 90 minutes! Game shifts are typically 90 minutes to 2 hours long.
Special thanks to our Parent Concessions Leads: Stephanie Anderson P’28, Alex Castleberry P’24, ’27, ’31, Paula Currall P’27, ’31, Christie Hines P’27, Kesha Kingswell P’26, Molisa Meholic P’29, and Kasey Simons P’27, ’28, ’31, ’33.
Reminders
Fall Meet the Coaches Night — Friday, August 22
Fall Meet the Coaches Night will be held on Friday, August 22, at 5:45 p.m. in the Upper School Gym. This meeting is mandatory for all Upper School fall sports teams. We will review available resources, explain the uniform policy, and provide time for coaches to meet with families and discuss expectations for the upcoming season.
Grade Level Orientation Information
Note that both Monday, August 25, and Tuesday, August 26, are considered regular school days and attendance will be taken. All students will be attending school both days, with off-campus grade-specific orientation activities occurring on one of those two days as specified below.
Textbooks and Supplies
Textbooks and workbooks for the 2025-26 school year are available for purchase via our eCampus textbook store. Please reference your child’s schedule on Husky Hub when you order textbooks. If you have textbook questions, please contact Executive Assistant to the Head of School Wendy Seetaram.
Upper School students are responsible for their own school supplies. Individual teachers will inform students of specific supplies needed for their classes.
Please Review the 2025-26 Flint Hill Family Handbook
All families are required to review the Flint Hill Family Handbook for the 2025-26 school year. The Family Handbook outlines community standards and policies for all Flint Hill students and family members and is organized into three sections: “Respect for Self,” “Respect for Others,” and “Respect for Shared Environment.” The Flint Hill Family Handbook will live on the Resource Board for ease of reference. No other action is required, as enrollment at Flint Hill expects awareness and respect of these policies throughout the school year.
Upcoming Events for Senior Families
We look forward to seeing our seniors at Husky Head Starts tonight, Wednesday, August 20. Seniors are invited to get a head start or finish strong on their college applications with the College Advising team. A casual work session will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Upper School Commons. Drop in anytime during the two hours. There will be pizza, water, and snacks to keep you fueled! Registration is required.
The College Advising team is hosting Senior Family College Night on Tuesday, September 2, 7:00-8:15 p.m., for seniors and parents to provide an overview of the support that Flint Hill provides to seniors and their families, the requirements and nuts and bolts of our review system, and to share our guidance and advice for a manageable and successful process. Note: An email sent out earlier to senior families included an incorrect link. No registration is required; however, each senior is required to attend with at least one parent/guardian.
Optional: Join the Flint Hill Carpool Network
To assist families who have an interest in forming a new carpool or adding to an existing one, we have launched a carpool availability feature in the Student Directory on Husky Hub. This resource may be especially helpful to new families who are not served by one of our existing bus routes. From the main toolbar in Husky Hub, select “Directories.” Then select “Student,” under filters navigate to Carpool Availability, and select “Yes.” Use the other available filters to narrow your results as well as the map feature for an additional view.
Subscribe to Flint Hill School Calendars
To better serve parents, our calendar events are split up by division. There are six different calendars that parents can subscribe to. There is a description of each calendar below, along with instructions for how to subscribe. We recommend that parents subscribe to their division’s calendar as well as:
- 2025-26 Parent Highlights Calendar: includes major school dates like start and end dates, breaks, and school holidays.
- 2025-26 All-School Events: includes events designed for the entire community, including some major Athletics, DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), Fine Arts, and PA (Parents’ Association) events.
Parents may also want to subscribe to the Letter Days calendar, which helps families keep track of which letter day it is.
How to Subscribe: If you’re a Google calendar user, you can subscribe to each calendar so that they populate on your personal Google calendar by clicking the links below.
If you’re NOT a Google calendar user, you can subscribe to each calendar so that they populate on your personal calendar. Events for the past 2 months and the upcoming 12 months will be included in the feed. It may take up to an hour for any setting changes to be reflected in your external calendars.
Upcoming Events
Husky Head Starts for Seniors
Wednesday, August 20
Upper School Commons, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Medication Drop-Off
Thursday, August 21
Upper School Circle, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Upper School Student Leadership Orientation
Friday, August 22, 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Upper School Meet the Coaches
Friday, August 22
Upper School Gym, 5:45-6:15 p.m.
SAT National Test Date
Saturday, August 23
Local National Testing Centers
Upper School First Day of Class
Monday, August 25
School Store Open
Monday, August 25, and Tuesday, August 26
Hazel Lower School Room 112, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
10th Grade Orientation Outing
Monday, August 25
11th Grade Orientation Outing
Monday, August 25
9th Grade Orientation Outing
Tuesday, August 26
12th Grade Orientation Outing
Tuesday, August 26
Grade 9 and New Upper School Parent Reception
Thursday, August 28
Upper School Learning Commons, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Upper School Back-to-School Night
Thursday, August 28
Upper School, 6:45-9:00 p.m.
September SAT Registration Deadline
Friday, August 29
Labor Day — Grades JK-12, No Classes
Monday, September 1
Grades 9-11 Picture Day
Tuesday, September 2
Parent Meetup: Walking Group
Tuesday, September 2
8:15 a.m.
Location will be shared with the group before the walk.
Register
Senior Family College Night
Tuesday, September 2
Parents in the Middle School, seniors in the Upper School Gym, 7:00-8:15 p.m.
Each senior is required to attend with at least one guardian.
Parents’ Association Divisional Ambassador Kickoff Meeting
Friday, September 5
Westwood Country Club, 8:45-11:45 a.m.
ACT National Test Date
Saturday, September 6
Local National Testing Centers
Parent Mixer
Monday, September 8
Peterson Middle School Terrace, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Upper School Fall Athletics Picture Day
Monday, September 8
Upper School Gym, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Parent Education Series: Meet Chris Tennyson, the New Director of the Upper School
Wednesday, September 10
Upper School Multipurpose Room, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
October ACT Registration Deadline
Friday, September 12
Parents’ Association Tennis Social
Friday, September 12
Upper School Tennis Courts, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Register
SAT National Test Date
Saturday, September 13
Parents of "Lifers" Reception
Monday, September 15
Middle and Upper School Campus, deCamp Garden, 12:30-1:15 p.m.
All-School Gathering – Student Event
Monday, September 15
Upper School Gym, 1:15-2:15 p.m.
Standardized Testing Insights and Overview for 11th Grade Families
Tuesday, September 16
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Join standardized testing experts from Compass Education Group for an overview of current trends impacting the testing landscape, along with insights into successfully planning and preparing for tests.
Register
Parent Education Series: Middle School/Upper School Academic Assessment Philosophy and Practice
Wednesday, September 17
Upper School Multipurpose Room, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
October SAT Registration Deadline
Friday, September 19
Parent Meetup: Walking Group
Friday, September 19
8:15 a.m.
Location will be shared with the group before the walk.
Register
Leadership Donor Reception
Friday, September 19
7:00-9:00 p.m.
