Lower School Newsletter - August 17, 2022
Message From Division Director
As we continue to prepare for an amazing school year, your child’s Hopes and Dreams Conference is a wonderful opportunity for you and the homeroom teacher to establish a partnership between school and home. On Monday, August 29 and Tuesday, August 30, the one-on-one time ensures that we know all of the layers of your child and gives us pertinent information to provide support on a social, emotional and academic level. Please check your email for directions to reserve your conference.
Although the start of the school year is an exciting time, your child may be experiencing a myriad of emotions. Two articles in the Resources section below will assist in easing your child’s summer to school transition and offer ways to beat the back-to-school jitters.
If you have questions, please reach out anytime!
In partnership,
Robyn M. Nichols
Interim Director of the Lower School
Back to School
Preparing for the 2022-2023 School Year
How often is Lower School Husky Pride Day? What’s the traffic pattern for dropping off Middle School students? What’s the earliest I can drive onto campus to pick up an Upper School student? The answers to these questions and many more can be found in the content on the Preparing for the 2022-2023 School Year tile on the Resource Board of Husky Hub.
To access the Resource Board, visit www.flinthill.org/app, and log in with your username and password. Once logged in, click Resources on the top navigation bar, and then click on the Preparing for the 2022-2023 School Year tile. The tile will remain accessible through the start of the new school year. We recommend bookmarking it!
Class Placements for the 2022-2023 School Year
To access your child’s class placement, log in to Husky Hub, click “Children” and select your child’s name. From the “Progress” page, scroll down to view your child’s classes and teachers. If you have any questions, please contact Assistant to the Director and the Assistant Director of the Lower School Donna Holaday at 703.584.2360.
Dress Guidelines
Please be sure to consult the Dress Guidelines on the resource board for information about uniforms. Please note that students may bring a hat/cap of any style or color to school, which may be worn outside for sun protection. Every Friday is Husky Pride Day. If you have any questions, please contact Assistant to the Director and the Assistant Director of the Lower School Donna Holaday at 703.584.2360.
SchoolPass Steps To Complete Before School Starts
Flint Hill School uses SchoolPass, a user-friendly and real-time system that allows parents to easily notify the school of student absences, late arrivals or appointments; helps students and teachers with daily attendance; and assists the school with efficient and secure dismissal to direct students to Lower School carpool, buses and AfterCare.
Returning Families
The only step you need to complete at this time is to review your approved driver's list and update or delete it if needed. Instructions for “Adding, Updating and Deleting Approved Driver and Car Procedures” for the SchoolPass app are on the Preparing for the 2022-2023 School Year tile on the Resource Board in Husky Hub.
New Families
Tomorrow, Thursday, you will receive an auto-generated “welcome” email from noreply-2300@schoolpass.com with instructions to download the application and create a profile. If you do not receive that email by the end of the day or need SchoolPass assistance in general, please email helpdesk@flinthill.org. Full instructions about “Attendance, Late Arrival and Early Dismissal Notification Procedures for SchoolPass” are on the Preparing for the 2022-2023 School Year tile on the Resource Board in Husky Hub.
You will receive your car tags during your Hopes and Dreams Conference. During carpool, your tag will be scanned and confirmed by a staff member. This automatically notifies classroom teachers that you are in the carpool line, so they can send your child to the pickup area.
Textbooks and Supplies
Please refer to the Preparing for the School Year tile to purchase textbooks and resources through our Virtual Book Store. If you have any questions, please contact Julie Young.
Health Information
Updated Health Information Tile
Please review the new Health Information tile on the Resource Board. This is where you’ll find information about protocols for general illness, flu, seasonal allergies and COVID, as well as contact information for all three health clinics.
Medication Drop-Off
For students who will need to keep medication on campus during the school year, we will have a medication drop-off day on Thursday, August 25, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the Upper School circle.
Families will pull into the circle, and a nurse will come to your car to collect the medication and the appropriate forms. As a reminder, all prescription medication must be accompanied by the physician's order on the Medication Authorization Form, which must be completed and signed by the prescribing physician.
All medication must have the pharmacy label on it. You can access the forms from your Magnus account /Husky Hub resource board under the Preparing for the School Year tile. All over-the-counter medication must be accompanied by the Medication Authorization Form and must be completed and signed by a parent or guardian. The medication must be in the original packaging and must be administered according to the package instructions, including the time and route to be administered.
If you are unable to come to the School on the medication drop-off day, please call to schedule an appointment with your division’s nurse prior to the start of school.
Upper School 703.584.2396
Middle School 703.584.2397
Lower School 703.584.2399
To drop off medication refills throughout the school year, please call and schedule an appointment with your division’s nurse.
Uploading Your Child’s Health Forms — New and Returning Students
Completed health forms must be uploaded to the Magnus Health system and approved by the first day of classes, or your child may not attend school. If you have any questions regarding the health forms, please contact Director of Health Services Mary Hart at 571.926.2818.
Announcements
You’re Invited: Back-to-School Social
Calling all Husky families! Join us for a Lower School Scavenger Hunt on Sunday, August 28. Meet new and returning families as the students play on campus. RSVP by Sunday, August 21.
Parent-Teacher Hopes and Dreams Conferences
Using the Responsive Classroom and Developmental Design approaches, homeroom teachers and advisors build their classroom communities with intention and care, so that each child feels safe, respected and that they belong. To gain a better understanding of each child and facilitate a strong partnership with parents for the school year ahead, homeroom teachers and advisors will host a 20-minute in-person Hopes and Dreams Conference for parents on Monday, August 29, and Tuesday, August 30. These conferences give parents the opportunity to share their hopes, dreams and goals for their child for the new year. Parents are also encouraged to share any other information that would be helpful for the teacher to know about their child.
Parents will be emailed instructions to sign up for the in-person conferences, using our online scheduling system, beginning Wednesday, August 17. You will also find the sign-up link on the Husky Hub resource board. If you have any questions or need help with the online scheduling system, please contact Donna Holaday via email or at 703.584.2360.
Lower School New Parent Orientation — Wednesday, August 31
To help new parents, as we prepare for the school year, Assistant Director of the Lower School Megan Dhar and Director of the Lower School Robyn Nichols will host a meeting on Wednesday, August 31, at 8:15 a.m. in the Olson Theater. Returning parents are also welcome to attend. Additional information will be shared in next week’s newsletter.
Resources
Upcoming Events
Parent-Teacher “Hopes and Dreams” Conferences sign-up open to parents
Wednesday, August 17
Parent-Teacher “Hopes and Dreams” Conferences
Monday, August 29, and Tuesday, August 30
Lower School First Day of Classes
Wednesday, August 31 (School Day Time)
New Parent Orientation
Returning parents are also welcome to attend
Wednesday, August 31, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
Labor Day — Grades JK-12, No Classes
Monday, September 5
Lower School Student and Class Picture Day
Friday, September 9
Parents’ Association
Dear Flint Hill Families,
Hopefully, your family is enjoying these last two weeks of summer and feeling increasingly ready for school to begin. Last week I introduced myself and shared information about the Parents’ Association.
Thank you to the parent volunteers who helped make yesterday and today’s Lower School Uniform Exchange and School Store Pop-Up Shop such a success! As we all look ahead to the Parents’ Association events that build community throughout the year, I hope you’ll take a minute and mark your calendar (look for the dates below).
During the year, I’ll share specific volunteer opportunities in this section. In the meantime, please use this link to indicate your potential interest and willingness to be contacted directly.
Go Huskies!
Warmly,
KayAnn Schoeneman
Parent ’28
Uniform Shopping Appointments
It was nice to see so many parents at the Fall Uniform Exchange! We hope you were able to stock up on uniforms and spirit wear for this coming school year.
If you missed a chance to shop at the Exchange, we are offering shopping appointments — August 18-26 at the Hazel Lower School, Room 101. Schedule your appointment. We look forward to meeting you on campus and helping you find what you need. If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Riley.
September
12—Parent Morning Mixer
23—Senior Breakfast
October
3— Parent Morning Mixer
14-15—Homecoming Weekend
November
7—Parent Morning Mixer
March
6—Morning Mixer
10—Lower School Spring Uniform Exchange
April
3—Parent Morning Mixer
15—Parents’ Association Spring Tennis Social
May
1—Parent Morning Mixer
25—Flint Hill Golf Invitational
June
1—Volunteer Appreciation Reception
