Lower School Newsletter – September 9, 2026

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September 9, 2026

Letter From the Division Director

Best. Week. Ever! The first three days of school were a blast! It has been such a joy to have our students back on campus, to hear their voices in the hallways, to watch them reconnect with friends, to see them play, and to marvel at just how much they have grown over the summer. There is nothing quite like the energy of a new school year!

So much of what we do in the Lower School is intentional, including how we begin the year. Our three-day first week, followed by a four-day week and then our first full five-day week, gives students an opportunity to gradually rebuild their school-day stamina, settle into new routines, strengthen relationships, and get ready to dive into the learning ahead. These first six weeks at the Lower School are about laying the foundation for a joyful and successful year.

And there is a lot ahead! As you read this week’s newsletter, please take a few minutes to look closely at the Announcements and Reminders. These next weeks of school are busy ones, and we want to make sure your family feels informed and prepared for everything coming your way.

You may also want to bookmark or print our 2026-27 All School Letter Day Schedule, which provides an at-a-glance view of the school year and our A-F letter days. It’s a handy resource to have nearby throughout the year, especially for our 4th-6th graders whose uniform attire can be letter-day dependent!

It has been a simply wonderful start, and we are so excited for the year ahead!

All the best,

Jess Henry
Director of the Lower School

Announcements

Thank You for Joining Us for New Parent Orientation!

It was wonderful seeing so many new faces at our Lower School New Parent Orientation! Thank you to everyone who joined us — we are thrilled to officially welcome your family to our school community.

For those who were unable to attend, or if you would simply like to review the information shared, the complete presentation slide deck is now available to view.

No Early Pickup on Wednesday, September 16

Lower School students will travel to the Upper School for the All-School Gathering on Wednesday, September 16. This is a student-only event. We will not be able to accommodate early pickups after 12:30 p.m.

Parent Meetup: Tennis Open Play

Join fellow parents on Friday, September 25, 9:00-10:30 a.m., on the Middle and Upper School tennis courts for some casual matches and tennis drills. Continue practicing your skills or play some mixed doubles with fellow parents. All JK-12th grade parents and guardians are welcome! Register and contact Olivia Landrum with any questions.

Fall Parent Meetup Walking Group

Join fellow parents on for refreshing walks through different trails and neighborhoods near the School. The group will begin gathering at 8:20 a.m. to depart at 8:30 a.m. for a 45-minute walk. The location will vary for each walk, and US Divisional Ambassador Molisa Meholic P'29 will send a reminder and location update the day before. Walks are often followed by coffee and conversation at a nearby coffee shop.

Sign up for each date you can attend and reach out to Molisa Meholic P'29 with any questions. Next Walk: Friday, September 25

Homecoming Week 2026

Join us Monday, September 28 – Friday, October 2, for a week filled with Husky pride as we cheer on our athletic teams and celebrate Homecoming! Throughout the week, support the athletes by attending games under the lights on Peterson Family Field.

Games Under the Lights

Monday, September 28, 6:00 p.m. — Girls’ Varsity Soccer vs. D.C. International
Tuesday, September 29, 6:00 p.m. — Boys’ Varsity Soccer vs. John Paul the Great
Wednesday, September 30, 6:00 p.m. — Junior/Senior Flag Football
Thursday, October 1, 6:00 p.m. — Varsity Field Hockey vs. Potomac
Friday, October 2, 7:00 p.m. — Varsity Football vs. Maret

Clinics for Grades JK-6

Between Tuesday, September 29, and Friday, October 2, students in grades JK-6 are invited to take part in our complimentary dance, flag football, and soccer clinics, culminating in the Klondike 100-Yard Dash during Friday’s big game! Learn more and sign up! Space is limited! Please complete a separate registration form for each participating student by Friday, September 25.

Friday Student Pep Rally

Students in grades 4-12 gather in the Upper School Gym on Friday, October 2, to raise school spirit at the annual Homecoming Pep Rally. GO HUSKIES!

Friday Spirit Alley & Bonfire

On Friday, October 2, we'll gather for an unforgettable afternoon and evening of community celebrations on the Middle and Upper School Campus! The festivities kick off at 4:00 p.m. near the Norris E. Mitchell and Peterson Family Fields at Spirit Alley, where everyone is invited to enjoy Upper School student-led activities, face painting, interactive games, balloons, and much more. Afterward, stick around for our beloved bonfire tradition. It’s a fantastic opportunity for our entire community to connect, celebrate, and show their Huskies pride!

Financial Aid Application Opens

The application link for the 2027-28 academic year becomes available on the Tuition and Financial Aid page of the website on Thursday, October 1.

Virtual Panel — Core Value: How Our Students Blaze the Trail

On Friday, October 2, 12:00-12:45 p.m., prospective and current families are invited to Core Value: How Our Students Blaze the Trail, a virtual event with a panel of students and parents discussing how Flint Hill teachers inspire risk-taking and help Huskies blaze their own trails. Register for this virtual event.

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.

Early Admission Process for Siblings

We are pleased to offer Flint Hill families an early admission process for siblings who are not yet enrolled and are interested in applying for the 2027-28 school year or beyond.

If you have a child who will be applying:

Please complete the admission application (use fee waiver code 10409) by Friday, November 6.
To receive an admission indication in mid-December, the full application package must be completed by Monday, November 30.

Questions? Contact the Admission Office anytime — we’re here to help.

First Day of School Photos on Flickr

Throughout the year, you’ll find photos from activities and events posted on our Flickr account. While social media helps us share the broader Flint Hill story with the world, our goal with Flickr is specifically to give our current families a vibrant view into what our Huskies are up to each day.

You can easily access our Flickr galleries using the floating camera icon in the newsletter sidebar, the footer of our website, or any faculty and staff email signature. Our Flickr page is unindexed — meaning it will not appear in internet search engine results — and photo downloads are now restricted to registered Flickr members. If you wish to download images, you can quickly set up a free profile on the Flickr Sign-Up Page.

Calling all Concessions Volunteers! Fall Schedule Available

One of the most frequent ways to get involved is selling concessions in the Igloo or Den — a fun spot to meet parents, catch Upper School life in action, and enjoy the best view of Peterson Family Field. Upper School students can volunteer and earn service hours, too. The fall game schedule has been added, so invite a friend to join you and sign up for a shift!

Reminders

Lower School Student Portrait Day

Lower School students will have yearbook portraits taken on Thursday, September 10, at Hazel Lower School and must follow dress expectations. Details about ordering photos will be emailed to parents when images are ready to view. All students must wear their school uniform on this date, including 4th, 5th, and 6th graders who could have PE.

You’re Invited to a Parent Mixer

This Parent Mixer is an informal social for JK-12 parents to get together on campus after morning carpool and is a great way to meet parents across divisions. Join us at Peterson Middle School, on the John M. Thomas Terrace, for coffee and conversation on Thursday, September 10, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Rain location: Mitchell Commons

Back-to-School Nights

Parents are invited to an informational evening detailing expectations, curriculum, and highlights for the year ahead. This is a parent-only event. Students should not attend.

Grades JK-3 Back-to-School Night
Thursday, September 17, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Grades 4-6 Back-to-School Night
Thursday, September 24, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Parents’ Association Tennis Social: Join the Waitlist!

Registration filled up quickly for the PA Tennis Social on Friday, September 18, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., but there are always last-minute cancellations! Join the waitlist to be contacted when a space opens up.

Action Required: Turn On Husky Hub Notifications

We know electronic school communications can add up quickly. To make it easier for you to find key information, teachers will now send class communications exclusively through Husky Hub.

Schoolwide and grade-level updates will continue to arrive via email and in this biweekly newsletter. However, to ensure you never miss critical teacher updates, please take a few minutes to enable notifications in Husky Hub.

Steps to Set Up Notifications in Husky Hub

Log in to Husky Hub, click on your Profile Name in the top right-hand corner → Select Settings
Navigate to Notifications
Find Announcements Posted → Click Edit Options
Under In My Child’s Groups, select all boxes → Click Save
Lastly, ensure the checkbox next to Announcements Posted under the Email column is selected. You may also choose to receive notifications by text message.
Click here for more detailed instructions and email helpdesk@flinthill.org with any questions.

New Visitor Sign-In System

As we shared by email, Flint Hill moved to Raptor Safe for all campus check-ins to enhance safety and streamline visits. Whether you are a returning family or new to Flint Hill, please download the Raptor Safe app and create your digital Raptor Passport prior to your next campus visit to ensure seamless entry.

This new process allows for faster entry during school events and provides thorough automated ID verification to keep our community secure. Please feel free to reach out to Director of Security Kevin Plourde with any questions.

Optional: Sign Up for Yay Lunch

Those interested in the Lower School lunch program must sign up with Yay Lunch to receive a weekly email every Thursday featuring the following week's lunch menus. Note, they are in the process of setting up the menus for the year. Those will be on the website when the Thursday email is sent.

Orders can be placed anytime before 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, with the flexibility to choose meals for the entire week or just specific days. Be sure to create a Cafe ID when you register your 5th or 6th grade student to allow them to access the Yay’s Grab n’ Go Cafe.

If you have questions about the ordering process or Yay in general, read the Yay FAQs or email info@theyaycompany.com.

Parents: 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 opportunities arise, and volunteer sign-up forms will be shared in the newsletter throughout the year.

Upcoming Events

Click on the plus sign to add the event to your Google Calendar. Important note: changes made to the original calendar event won't populate on your Google calendar, so please be sure to look out for changes announced in the newsletter.

Parent Mixer
Thursday, September 10
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Peterson Middle School, John M. Thomas Terrace

Lower School Student Portrait Day
Thursday, September 10
Hazel Lower School

All-School Gathering
Wednesday, September 16
1:15-2:15 p.m., Upper School Gym
Lower School students will travel to the Upper School. Student only event. No early pickups after 12:30 p.m.

Grades JK-3 Back-to-School Night
Thursday, September 17
7:00-8:30 p.m., Hazel Lower School

Parents' Association Tennis Social
Friday, September 18
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Middle and Upper School Campus Tennis Courts
Join the Waitlist

Grades 4-6 Back-to-School Night
Thursday, September 24
7:00-8:30 p.m., Hazel Lower School

Parent Meetup: Tennis Open Play
Friday, September 25
9:00-10:30 a.m., Middle and Upper School Campus Tennis Courts
Register

Homecoming Week Under the Lights
Monday, September 28 - Friday, October 2

Financial Aid Application Opens
Thursday, October 1

Virtual Panel: How Our Students Blaze the Trail
Friday, October 2
12:00-12:45 p.m.
Register

Homecoming Pep Rally
Friday, October 2
1:15-2:30 p.m., Upper School Gym

Homecoming Spirit Alley
Friday, October 2
4:00-6:00 p.m.
Near Norris E. Mitchell and Peterson Family Fields, Middle and Upper School Campus

Homecoming Bonfire
Friday, October 2
6:00-6:30 p.m.
Near Norris E. Mitchell Field, Middle and Upper School Campus

Faculty Professional Development
Friday, October 9

Grades JK-12 No Classes
Friday, October 9 - Monday, October 12

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