Lower School Newsletter - June 2, 2021
NEW AND UPDATED INFORMATION
Reminder: Tomorrow is the Last Day of School
June 3 is the last day of school for grades JK-12.
Making the Learning Visible
In the Lower School, our teachers provide a learning environment where students are actively involved and encouraged to inquire, and the activities are interactive, hands-on and student-centered. Teachers also provide authentic learning opportunities that are relevant to the child’s life experiences. Choice is a great motivator for our students, and very frequently, the inquiry that ensues is based on the students’ interests and passions as a class. Teachers are also intentional about providing field trip opportunities that enhance the learning experience.
Haiku, cinquain, rhyme, acrostic and even shape poems are just some of the poems that second graders have learned and been practicing to culminate their year as authors. After exploring different examples of how poets recite their work, 2B brainstormed the idea to host a Poetry Cafe and invite special guests to hear their spoken word. Students met with Mrs. Hall to propose their idea and then emailed community members to invite them. They made an aerial map of how they would set their room up to transform into a cafe atmosphere and still adhere to Covid-19 guidelines. Students made special, pretend coffee cups and decorated the bulletin boards with their hand-written poems. They also nominated each other's poems to be included in a “program” and then typed it themselves and decorated it. Mosaic tiles they created in art were used as a special centerpiece for the “VIP area.” The class practiced audience manners and public-speaking skills. The Cafe opened and even reluctant students rose to the occasion, taking a meaningful risk to share their personal poems about favorite playground spots, their moms, and sports they love.
A small team of second graders worked together to propose a “Day of Math.” They made a list of all the possibilities that math could fit into their school day. After sharing their ideas with their teachers and Mrs. Hall, the group began meeting regularly to create these connections and activities for their classmates. From researching picture books and vocabulary words about math for Daily 5 to how numbers are used in science, the students found lots of possibilities to build an entire day of activities. They even thought about asking students to wear a shirt that demonstrates math for the special, free-dress day that had been announced. On Friday, May 28, the Math Day commenced. From start to finish, students engaged in activities and games thanks to the student group’s thoughtful planning. 2A and 2B exchanged story problems that each of them wrote to challenge each other and played hopscotch and number games at recess. The day concluded with students designing and building and demonstrating their own math games and art that showcased a math concept they learned this year.
Third grade students celebrated the completion of their economics social studies unit, Entrepreneurship and Economics, with a “Shark Tank” style pitch day. Students learned about the history of currency, supply and demand, marketing and advertising techniques, and sales concepts as well as essential entrepreneurship concepts such as design thinking, business model planning, and investor pitching. This year, students created a prototype of their product, designed a website for their product, and prepared and delivered a set of pitch slides. In addition, students learned about electronic payments and e-commerce. We are so proud of our third grade entrepreneurs.
As part of their study of colonial Virginia, our fourth graders researched significant buildings in Williamsburg. Each student was assigned a tradeshop, government or community building, or home of a prominent Virginian. They learned about the significance of the building and historic events that took place. Students drew detailed sketches from multiple perspectives before constructing a detailed model, taking into consideration the design of the roof, the shape of windows and doors, the placement of chimneys, and the materials used to construct the exterior walls. Some students even chose to provide a cutaway view of the interior of the building. After placing their buildings on the streets of Williamsburg, they did further research to add accurate animals, gardens, and people in period clothing. Our fourth graders compiled a book on the buildings of Williamsburg and learned from one another's research, going on a scavenger hunt through the town to find things such as the home of the president of the First and Second Continental Congress, the oldest college building in the United States, lawmakers meeting in an H-shaped building, and a teacher named Ann Wager.
Last week, fourth grade students had fun creating shadow art in innovation.
Articles
12 Tips for Raising Confident Kids
UPDATES AND REMINDERS FROM LAST WEEK
Medication Pick Up
Any medication sent to the School Clinic for this school year must be picked up, on or before the last day of the school year, for Lower School students: Friday, June 4, between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. or Monday, June 7, between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Emergency medication (Epi-pens, inhalers, diabetic supplies) must be picked up by Monday, June 7.
Medications are not stored at the School over the summer.
All medication not picked up by June 7 will be discarded.
Please call the Lower School clinic, at 703.584.2399, to schedule a time for you to pick up your student's medication.
Parent Satisfaction Survey
Please complete this year’s Parent Satisfaction Survey if you have not yet done so! To complete the survey, please use the personalized survey link emailed to you by Measuring Success or reach out to survey@measuring-success.com to get your survey link. The last day to complete the survey is Thursday, June 3.
2020-21 Iditarod Delivery
The 2020-21 Flint Hill yearbook, the Itidarod, will be mailed to students directly from our publisher over the summer break. Due to Covid-19, our deadlines were extended so we could include graduation in this year’s supplements. As soon as we have a ship date, we will send a community email.
Field Day, Thursday, June 3
One of the many events held for the Lower School to help celebrate the end of the year is Field Day. We are very excited to announce that Field Day will be held live on Thursday, June 3. This year, in a year of many changes, the students will participate as cohorts within their own grade levels, chaperoned by a variety of teachers and specialist teachers. The activities at the various stations have all been approved by our Director of Health Services Mary Hart to ensure that students are safe. Field day will start at 8:30 a.m. with grades JK-3, and all will participate until 10 a.m. After everything is cleaned and sanitized, grades 4, 5, and 6 get to enjoy the activities from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m. We would also like to remind everyone that face masks will have to be worn at all times. Students may wear free "sports dress," which should include sneakers, shorts, sweatpants (depending on the weather), a t-shirt (no tank tops please), and a hat. Students may wear a bathing suit under their shorts and t-shirt. Please apply both bug spray and sunscreen to your children, as we are unable to do this for you at school. Students should also bring in a change of clothes, a small towel to dry themselves with, as well as a bag to put their wet clothes and extra masks due to several fun water stations.
Lower School Closing Ceremony and Promotion Ceremony, Friday, June 4
There will be no school for students in grades JK-5 on Friday, June 4. The Lower School Closing Ceremony will be released via email at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, June 4. The Lower School Promotion Ceremony (sixth grade only) will be held in person on Friday, June 4, at 10 a.m. on the Peterson Family Field.
Lower School Promotion Ceremony, Friday, June 4, at 10 a.m.
We are thrilled to announce that the Lower School Promotion Ceremony will be held in person on Friday, June 4, at 10 a.m. on the Peterson Family Field. We will honor the sixth grade class with some brief reflections from Headmaster John Thomas, student representatives and me, before distributing the Lower School Promotion Certificates. In preparation for the Ceremony, please consider the following details as we work to make this event safe and memorable for you:
Attendance
Attendance will be limited to sixth grade students, parents, step parents and guardians.
Arrival Time
Sixth grade students are to arrive on the Peterson Family Field by 9:30 a.m. This will ensure that guests can have their temperatures taken and students have time to line up before the 10 a.m. start.
Parking
Parking will be available in the Middle School parking lot, which is accessible from the Oakton Road entrance to the Peterson Middle School.
Safety Protocols
In order to comply with Virginia’s requirements for in-person commencement and promotion ceremonies, guests must comply with the following health protocols:
- Everyone aged five and older must cover their nose and mouth with an appropriate mask. Please leave a mask on at all times before, during and after the ceremony.
- No one with a fever or symptoms of COVID-19, a positive diagnostic test for the virus that causes COVID-19 in the prior 10 days, or known exposure to a COVID-19 case in the prior 14 days, is permitted to attend.
- Temperature screening will be performed before guests take their seats.
- Maintain physical distancing of six feet between guests outside of your household, including while in the temperature screening line.
- Guest seating pods will maintain appropriate physical distancing between them.
- Please maintain physical distance before and after the ceremony. Please exit promptly, and do not linger or congregate at the end of the ceremony.
Dress Attire for Students
Sixth grade students may wear the following:
- School uniform.
- Collared shirt or blouse with khaki-style or dress pants; skirt with a blouse; or sundress with a cardigan.
- Appropriate footwear for the occasion is required. We recommend black or brown shoes with dark socks, tennis shoes, low-heeled shoes or flats.
Rain Plan
In the event of inclement weather, the location for the Promotion Ceremony will be in the Upper School Gym. Temperature screening will be required before entering the building. We will limit indoor guests to parents, stepparents and guardians only.
Upcoming Events
Field Day
Thursday, June 3
End of Fourth Quarter
Grades JK-12 Last Day of School
Thursday, June 3
In-Person Lower School Promotion Ceremony, 10 a.m. (Sixth grade only)
Friday, June 4
Lower School Virtual Closing Ceremony
Friday, June 4
Commencement
Friday, June 11, 10 a.m.
Summer Programs Begin
Monday, June 21