Dear Flint Hill School Families,

For people in positions of leadership, there is a call to action that serves as the guiding force behind all that they do. At Flint Hill, it is our mission statement. Educating children for the future is a complicated and multifaceted process, and it is one that our faculty and staff take very seriously. Two years ago, during our strategic planning process, we rewrote our mission as a school. It is now much clearer; every word was thoughtfully considered. It states:

“A Flint Hill education focuses on the learner. Within a context of strong relationships, we create developmental experiences that embrace the best practices of traditional and contemporary education. Through continuous growth, we actively and thoughtfully implement the ideas and resources that help each student investigate, create, and communicate collaboratively and effectively in a rapidly changing, interconnected world.”

The mission is what we do each and every day; it is our daily call to action. And as you read through it and think about the experience your children are having and our collective experience as parents and as educators, I hope certain phrases resonate with you as much as they do with me.

“A Flint Hill education focuses on the learner” was specifically included in our mission statement, because at Flint Hill we are all learners — students, faculty and staff alike. A Flint Hill education is about all of us learning together each and every day. The concept of “best practices of traditional and contemporary education” is a critical component to our mission. There are times when we need our students to focus on innovation and creativity, and there are times when we simply need them to learn. There will always be a place for essays and the periodic table, but we are always working to ensure that at Flint Hill, traditional and contemporary education converge in meaningful ways. Other phrases such as, “continuous growth,” “actively and thoughtfully implement[ing] ideas and resources” and “students investigate, create and communicate collaboratively and effectively in a rapidly changing, interconnected world” speak to the mindset and educational philosophy that are at the heart of all that we do. As you can see, the mission is direct and heartfelt. It came from the work of so many people trying to find the best way to define how do we provide the tremendous education students receive at our great school.

So what is the call to action for parents at Flint Hill? How do you give your children unconditional love and support while also making certain that you are working with the school as true partners? One call to action for parents is active engagement in their child/ren’s educational journey. Part of that has to with knowing what the School is trying to accomplish and trusting that we always have your children’s best interests at heart.  As I have mentioned many times, being an active member of this community means reading this newsletter, attending coffees, watching performances and games and trying to share in the “Driving Spirit” of Flint Hill.

There is much work to be done. For a school like Flint Hill that is always looking forward, the list of “to-dos” seems endless. But watching our great students maneuver through their classes, actively engaged with faculty and various activities and trips, and finding ways to make their learning meaningful and personal, is part of the joy of being in an educational environment like Flint Hill.

So let’s continue to focus on our calls to action as we move into this second semester.  I know there are great things ahead!

Best wishes to you!

Sincerely,

 

John M. Thomas
Headmaster