Upper School Newsletter – May 8, 2024

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    MAY 8, 2024

    Letter From The Division Director

    Good evening Husky families,

    Last Friday was “Senior Day” for the Class of 2024. As is the tradition for our seniors, they spend part of that day giving speeches about their time at Flint Hill while sprinkling in advice for the rest of the student body. They did such an amazing job that I decided to quote some of their wisdom, so the parents could also hear some of what they shared on that day.

    • For any underclassmen or juniors, take your art credit before senior year because you may end up really liking the class.
    • Picture yourself sitting here as a senior. Imagine how you would have hoped to feel about the time you spent in high school, and go out and do just that.
    • If I have any piece of advice for you all, it would be for you to get to know the people around you. The teachers, coaches, and everyone here care more about your success as a person than your performance in any class or on any field or court.
    • Time is not something we can get back, and so I urge you to take advantage of it. Take advantage of the fact that people at Flint Hill have so many stories and experiences to share.
    • Something that I want to emphasize from my whole senior speech is involving yourself in extracurriculars, clubs, and sports. For my whole time in the Upper School, I have always been on a sports team, whether I was good or not. I have connected with so many people from different friend groups, grades, and backgrounds, and now I consider some of them my closest friends.
    • Don't be afraid to make mistakes because that’s what makes life worth living and truly enjoyable.
    • Allow yourself quiet moments where you aren't listening, watching, or scrolling to ask yourself the big questions. For Juniors: What do I want to do for the rest of my life? What kind of community do I want to become a part of? Who am I now and who do I want to become?
    • Do that thing you always wanted to try, talk to that person you always thought was really awesome, or even just take a class that you wouldn’t have thought you would want to take. Because one day, when you sit up here giving a speech, you too can reflect on how you have changed and be proud of the time you spent in high school.
    • The main thing I take away from high school is how important it is to stay true to your character. You should always be who you are at the end of the day. That’s all you can control. Stick to your morals, your people, your passions. Please never change who you want to be for the likes of others.
    • It is truly you guys that can dictate your experience, so choose to participate, to have school spirit. It's up to each class to decide how they want every year to go, and I guarantee you, you want yours to be as memorable as possible.

    Don Paige
    Director of the Upper School

    Announcements

    Preparing for the 2024-25 School Year

    Several resources are now available to help your family prepare for the 2024-25 school year. Preparing for the 2024-2025 School Year is a tile on the Husky Hub Resource Board, with checklists for each division, containing important action items for parents. 

    Online back-to-school forms, due by Friday, June 14, are now available on Husky Hub and are required for students to attend school and any school activity prior to the start of school. Please contact Enrollment Services Manager Sarah Burnett with any questions about student forms.

    RSVP for Volunteer Appreciation Reception – Friday, May 17

    Join Head of School Patrick McHonett and Parents' Association President Scott McCandless for a reception to celebrate your volunteer service this year! The reception will be on Friday, May 17, 8:30-9:30 a.m., on the Peterson Middle School Terrace. RSVP here.

    Reading Day — Wednesday, May 22

    Reading Day at Flint Hill is on Wednesday, May 22. It is a required day for all 9th grade students, but it is optional for 10th and 11th grade students. The day is designed so that students can prepare for their exams while also having teachers available to respond to questions. Please note that 10th and 11th grade students may not come and go repeatedly during that day. Once they have left campus, they should not return to campus.

    Uniform and Spirit Wear Drop Off — Tuesday, May 28 - Monday, June 3

    Time for some spring cleaning! Parents can drop off gently used uniform and spirit wear items on the Miller House front porch, on the Lower School Campus, from Tuesday, May 28, to Monday, June 3. Middle and Upper School parents are welcome to donate, too! Please be sure items have been laundered. Reach out to Melissa Riley with any questions. 

    RSVP for Grade 12 Parent Dinner — By Wednesday, May 29

    On Monday, June 3, the Parents’ Association will host a Grade 12 Parent Dinner off campus while the seniors have a student dinner hosted by Mr. McHonett on campus. The deadline to RSVP is Wednesday, May 29. 

    Dance Team Open Practice and Tryout Dates —  Wednesday, May 29

    Calling all dancers! All 7-12 grade students are invited to learn more about the dance team and join Head Coach Olivia Landrum for technique practice. This is a great opportunity for students who are interested in joining the team to practice skills ahead of tryouts in June. Please complete this form to register and submit a form for each participating student. 

    Location: Upper School Dance Studio
    Date & Time: Wednesday, May 29 - 3:45-5:45 p.m.

    Save the Date for Upper School Dance Team Tryouts

    Location: Upper School Dance Studio
    Date & Time: June 3-5, 4:00-6:00 p.m. 

    Open to all rising grades 9-12 students. Please contact Head Coach Olivia Landrum for more information and to register. 

    Guatemala Service Trip

    Flint Hill is partnering with Highland Support Project to offer a service learning experience in Guatemala. The service project focuses on building stoves in the homes of rural Mayan families and providing art education at a local school. While service is the primary focus of the trip, students have the opportunity to zipline at Lake Atitlán and tour Mayan ruins, Antigua, and Quetzaltenango. Students will receive 60 hours of community service hours for the 2024-25 school year. 

    Date: July 6-13, 2024
    Cost: Approx. $2,700 including airfare
    Details: Learn more about the trip and express your interest

    Spanish Exchange Students for 2024-25 

    We are excited to welcome back our friends from our exchange school, the Instituto Josep Vallverdú in Cataluña, Spain. They will be visiting Flint Hill from Monday, September 9, to Thursday, September 19. We are looking for host families to provide lodging, meals, and transportation to school during this time. The students will visit the major Washington, D.C., landmarks with their teachers, so families don't have to worry about planning special excursions. This is a great opportunity for Flint Hill students to practice their Spanish, but families do not have to speak any Spanish, as the exchange students are here to practice English. The group will include 16 students. Please fill out this form if you are interested in hosting, and contact Kristin Piazza with any questions.

    Spring Uniform Return 

    As the spring season comes to an end, please have students return their uniforms to Mr. Alex Walker. Make sure the uniforms are washed, dried, and placed in a plastic bag with your name on it. If there is no one in the Athletics Department, place your bagged uniform in the bin by the athletic closet.

    Spring Athletic Pictures by Freed Photography

    To purchase pictures taken by Freed Photography during the Spring Athletic Season, use the links below or check your respective Husky Hub team page. 

    Upper School Athletics:

    Fall Athletics Tryout Information on Husky Hub

    Please visit our varsity team pages on Husky Hub (listed below) to find detailed tryout and preseason information. The Athletics tile on the Resource Board also offers helpful information.

    Team Page Links
    Cross-Country
    Field Hockey - Girls’
    Dance Team
    Football - Boys’
    Golf
    Soccer - Boys'
    Soccer - Girls'
    Tennis - Girls'
    Volleyball - Girls’

    Just Announced: New Tennis Summer Camp Run by Blue Chip Tennis — June 10 - August 9

    As a reputable sports management company, Blue Chip is renowned for its commitment to excellence, top-tier coaching staff, and dedication to quality service and client satisfaction. Camp is designed for all levels of players 5-18 years old. They offer a half-day or full-day option. Players will be grouped by age/skill level and exposed to learning technique, drills and match play challenges. 

    Full Day Camp: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (lunch not included)
    1 week: $485 

    Half Day Camp: 9:00 a.m - 12:00 p.m.
    1 week: $330

    *Before- and after-care is available at an additional cost.

    Camps run June 10 through August 9, on the tennis courts at the Middle and Upper School Campus. Click here to register! You must create an account to register and Flint Hill families should be sure to select the Flint Hill Family membership when signing up.

    Reminders

    Serve as a Parents’ Association Divisional Ambassador for 2024-2025  — Sign Up by Monday, May 13

    You are invited to serve as a Parents’ Association Divisional Ambassador next year. The sign-up form is open through Monday, May 13. If you have any questions, please contact Olivia Landrum or Meredith VanDuyne.

    You can also contact one of this year’s Divisional Ambassadors to hear about their experience. Please see below for more information:

    Win a Ticket to Paradise While Supporting Flint Hill! — Enter by May 22

    Enter a raffle by May 22, 8:00 p.m., to win a 7-night adventurous yet romantic getaway at Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort in Belize! Your stay includes accommodation in a run-of-house room, including daily breakfast, welcome drink, and free use of kayaks and bikes in the local area.

    Proceeds benefit the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid in Honor of Sally Hazel. Since 2012, the endowment has supported financial aid for students whose families experienced unexpected financial hardship. 

    HOW TO ENTER

    • Purchase raffle tickets online, arrange to pick up your stubs, or contact Tiffany Parry to purchase tickets in person. The raffle is open to anyone over the age of 18. Parents, faculty, staff, friends, and neighbors may purchase too. 

    THE DRAWING:

    • The drawing will be held and recorded on Thursday, May 23, at the Westfields Golf Club at 2:30 p.m. 
    • Winner need not be present to win. 
    • The winning raffle ticket will be announced on Thursday, May 23, to all ticket-holders who provided their email address. 
    • The winning raffle ticket number will also be posted on the landing page. 

    Join Us on the Links! — Thursday, May 23

    The Golf Invitational and Skills Social is right around the corner. Registration is filling up, but there’s still time to register for the tournament or Skills Social. Whether you want to play 18 holes or learn the basics, all abilities are welcome! Grow your Flint Hill network, and you may even go home with incredible raffle prizes, including Nationals, Signature Theater, or Wolf Trap tickets; a $500 catered lunch; or even a Flint Hill swag basket! Grab your spot here!

    Junior-Senior Prom Tickets — Until Tuesday, May 28

    The Junior-Senior prom is on Tuesday, June 4, 8:30-11:00 p.m., at Brentsville Hall in Manassas, VA. Tickets will be available for purchase until May 28.

    • Tickets cost $55 for seniors and $60 for juniors and guests. 
    • Students in Grades 9, 10, and any non-FH student may only attend as a guest of a Flint Hill junior or senior (limit of one guest per student).
    • Students in Grades 11 and 12 received an email, on April 22, with the link to purchase tickets and may also refer to the Daily Report for the link. 

    All students must arrive no later than 9:00 p.m. and stay until 10:30 p.m. The event will be chaperoned by Flint Hill staff and security.

    For students who would like to bring a guest from outside of Flint Hill, here is a link to the Prom Guest Form. Forms are due to either Mr. Kane or Mr. Chang by 3:30 pm on Tuesday, May 28. All guests must have a valid, completed form on file to attend the prom.

    If a guest must leave the prom before 10:30 p.m., the guest’s parent/guardian must email both Mr. Kane and Mr. Chang. To receive permission to leave early, the guest must also inform both Mr. Kane and Mr. Chang of the individual transportation arrangements. Entire groups will not be excused to leave prom early because one person within the group has an early curfew. Please contact Mr. Kane and Mr. Chang with any questions.

    Upper School Awards Ceremony — Friday, May 31

    We will hold the Upper School Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 31, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Because the Grade 6 and Grade 8 Promotion Ceremonies are also taking place that day in the Upper School, we are asking students to wait until 12:00 p.m. before arriving on campus so we have ample parking and space. Here are some other key pieces of information about the ceremony.

    • If a student is winning an award that day, we will contact their family in advance so they can attend. Attendance for Upper School students is encouraged but not required.
    • Parents attending the event should park in the Upper School visitor parking or faculty parking areas and walk over to the Upper School Gym.
    • The Awards Ceremony program includes the presentation of a variety of Flint Hill endowed awards, community awards, membership in honors societies, and the announcement of the Flint Hill Medal award winners.
    • Recommended dress for students — a collared shirt or blouse with khaki-style or dress pants; skirt with a blouse; or sundress.
    • Students are dismissed from school immediately after the ceremony.
    • Please note that there is no bus service on this day.

    A Reminder About Modern Language Exams 

    The Modern Language Final Exams are on Friday, May 24. However, because these exams measure proficiency, not only in Reading and Writing but also Listening and Speaking, they have a unique schedule. On Friday, May 24, we will conduct the Reading and Writing. We will conduct the Listening and Speaking portions the week of May 13 to give students adequate time because they require one-on-one time with the instructor of the courses. This message is shared with the students in their Modern Language classes, but we wanted to make sure that parents were aware as well.

    Game Cancellations Due to Inclement Weather 

    With the spring season comes a lot of rain and the potential for cancellations. In the case of inclement weather, the Athletics Department will determine by 1:30 p.m. whether a home game/meet will be canceled. If there is an away game/meet, the decision to play lies with the opposing school. Once a home game/meet is canceled, Flint Hill coaches will notify parents and students. Husky Hub will also be updated and be the source for the most accurate and up-to-date information. 

    Igloo Volunteers Needed

    Finish strong! Help keep the Igloo running until the end of the school year! It’s a great way to meet other parents while supporting our community. Sign up for as many shifts as you'd like and invite a friend to join you. Volunteer in the Igloo

    Upcoming Events

    AP Exams
    Thursday, May 9 - Friday, May 17

    Deadline to Sign Up for Parents’ Association Divisional Ambassador
    Monday, May 13
    Sign-up Form

    Athletics: Spring Conditioning Ends
    Thursday, May 16

    Volunteer Appreciation Reception
    Friday, May 17
    Peterson Middle School Terrace, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
    RSVP

    Upper School Spring Athletic Awards Ceremony
    Tuesday, May 21
    Upper School Gym, 1:15-2:15 p.m.

    Upper School Reading Day
    Wednesday, May 22

    Deadline to Enter Belize Resort Raffle
    May 22
    8:00 p.m.
    Enter to Win!

    Flint Hill Golf Invitational
    Thursday, May 23
    Westfields Golf Club, 10:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
    Register

    Upper School Exams
    Thursday, May 23 - Thursday, May 30
    Thursday, May 23 — History
    Friday, May 24 — Modern Languages
    Tuesday, May 28 — English
    Wednesday, May 29 — Math
    Thursday, May 30 — Science

    Memorial Day
    Monday, May 27
    Grades JK-12 No Classes

    Junior-Senior Prom Ticket Deadline
    Tuesday, May 28
    Buy Ticket

    Uniform and Spirit Wear Drop Off
    Tuesday, May 28 - Monday, June 3
    Lower School Campus, Miller House

    Dance Team Open Practice and Tryout Dates
    All 7-12 grade students
    Wednesday, May 29
    Upper School Dance Studio, 3:45-5:45 p.m.
    Register

    End of Fourth Quarter/Second Semester
    Thursday, May 30

    Lower, Middle, and Upper School Last Day of School
    Thursday, May 30

    Upper School Awards Ceremony
    Friday, May 31
    Upper School Gym, 1:00-3:00 p.m.

    Grade 12 Parent Dinner
    Monday, June 3
    Location: 8024 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA
    6:00-9:00 p.m.
    RSVP 

    Save the Date for Upper School Dance Team Tryouts
    Rising grades 9-12 students
    Monday, June 3 - Wednesday, June 5
    Upper School Dance Studio, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
    Contact Olivia Landrum for more information and to register. 

    Junior-Senior Prom
    Tuesday, June 4
    Brentsville Hall in Manassas, VA
    8:30-11:00 p.m.

    Commencement
    Friday, June 7
    Upper School Gym, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

    Online Back-to-School Forms Due
    Friday, June 14
    Forms are available on Husky Hub