Lower School Newsletter - February 23, 2022
Message From Division Director
There is so much excitement in the air at the Lower School leading up to our upcoming In-Person Classroom Visits. Starting on Thursday, February 24, the parents of our littlest Huskies will have the opportunity to explore the Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten classrooms, learn about the daily activities and maybe even play popular class games.
As you use the front entrance to enter the Hazel Academic Building, please walk to the second floor to receive a name tag and a slip of paper. As you visit your child’s classroom and the building, please record your observations on the paper using the Thinking Routine, See, Think, Wonder. It is one of many routines that teachers incorporate during discussions to stimulate curiosity and set the stage for inquiry. It also encourages students to make careful observations and thoughtful interpretations.
At the conclusion of your Classroom Visit at 8:45 a.m., Megan and I hope that you will stop by the Olson Theater to share your observations with us and other parents. You are also welcome to explore the building. For many of you, it will be the first time visiting and for others a new viewing experience with different furniture for our classrooms and additional spaces. Before you leave, be sure to stop by the Lower School library, on the second floor next to the Help Desk office. We will be close by to answer any questions and to use this special time to connect with you in person. See you soon!
Robyn M. Nichols
Interim Director of the Lower School
The Latest
In-Person Classroom Visits
Each visit will be from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. with connection and reflection with Robyn and Megan from 8:45 to 9:15 a.m. in the Olson Theater.
Thursday, February 24 — JK and K
Friday, February 25 — Grades 3 and 4
Monday, February 28 — Grades 1 and 2
Tuesday, March 1 — Grade 5
Thursday, March 3 — Grade 6
Grade 5 Virtual Game Night, February 25, 7-8 p.m.
Our fifth-grade student leaders continue to show resilience, compassion, and perseverance each day. Our hope is to show our gratitude for the qualities that they continually display by offering a FUN virtual event for fifth grade ONLY. To build community among the fifth grade, our students must have time to play with friends and strengthen social relationships with their peers throughout the entire grade level. We understand that our students are missing their Flint Hill friends outside of their school pod grade level cohort. Therefore, the fifth-grade teachers will be hosting a virtual game night! We are excited to offer a variety of age-appropriate games and activities hosted by Flint Hill Lower School Faculty and Staff via Google Meet. Fifth-grade students will be grouped with a mix of individuals that they don’t often see or get a chance to converse with during the school day. The hour promises to be an evening of fun and laughter, with a pinch of competitive spirit thrown in. If your student is interested in participating, please complete this form to register. Please reach out to Interim Assistant Director, Megan Dhar, for questions.
The next meeting of the Kaleidoscope Book Club is scheduled for Tuesday, March 8, 8:30-9:30 a.m. in the Peterson Middle School Conference Room. We will discuss “The Map of Salt and Stars'' by Zeyn Joukhdar. We look forward to building and deepening relationships through this shared learning opportunity. All parents are welcome to attend regardless of your familiarity with the book selection. Contact All-School Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator Miles Henderson if you have any questions.
Dressing for Cold Weather
In cold weather, a hat, gloves and a winter-weight coat are required attire to go outside. Barring a medical condition, all children will participate in outdoor recesses. If wind chill conditions cause temperatures to feel 20 degrees or less, students will remain inside for recess. Children who do not have the required outerwear will not be allowed to go outside. It would be appreciated if parents could ensure that their child/children have the appropriate clothing for break and recess.
Parent Toolkit Resource Board Tile
The Parent Toolkit tile on the Husky Hub Resource Board is available. It is a resource with valuable information to help Flint Hill parents throughout the rest of the school year.
FRIENDly REMINDERS
- Use this form to request additional RFID tags for carpool.
- Refer a Husky and the Admission team will reach out to them.
PARENT TO-DO'S
Reminder: Spring Cleaning? Donate Outgrown Uniforms
If you have Flint Hill polos, navy or khaki bottoms, spirit wear or P.E./athletic wear that your child has outgrown, please drop them off at your convenience on the Miller House front porch located on the Lower School campus on Thursday, February 24, and Friday, February 25. Thank you for contributing items that are either new or in good, used condition and have been recently laundered.
Questions? Please contact Adrienne Robinson in the Advancement Office.
MAKING THE LEARNING VISIBLE
Last week during the Lower School morning meeting, Ms. Burton and Mr. Henderson shared about spreading joy and positive legacies of the lives of black people in honor of Black History Month. Ms. Burton presented the Lower School with a challenge: Identify influential Black Americans, as portrayed in illustrations by Vashti Harrison. Using resources from their classroom libraries, students searched through books and matched the illustrations from the poster to the ones we saw in the book. Students in KB were inspired by what they read about Ella Fitzgerald, discussed Ms. Fitzgerald's many talents and accomplishments, and identified what makes her a significant historical figure. Wanting to learn more, students looked at photographs of Ella Fitzgerald and even listened to her music during quiet time. They honored Ms. Fitzgerald by creating her illustrations and arranging them on our bulletin board. Second graders took the challenge as an opportunity to strengthen their independent research skills. Students spent time, during home learning, looking up resources and writing about the famous Black Americans they identified from the picture. Curiosity, creativity, and collaboration were ubiquitous across all the grade levels as students contemplated the impact and importance of these figures in our history. Ultimately, students in Rachel Hinnant’s 4B class were announced as the winners, but all of our students were fully engaged in the challenge. The classroom study continues!
Upcoming Events
To help protect the integrity and privacy of virtual events, we have placed all the links to Google Meet virtual events in Husky Hub via the All-School Calendar.
Uniform and Spirit Wear Donation Drop-Off
Thursday and Friday, February 24 and 25
Location: Porch, Miller House, Lower School Campus
JK and K In-Person Classroom Visits
Thursday, February 24, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
Grades 3 and 4 In-Person Classroom Visits
Friday, February 25, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
Grade 5 Virtual Game Night
Friday, February 25, 7-8 p.m.
Grades 1 and 2 In-Person Classroom Visits
Monday, February 28, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
Grade 5 In-Person Classroom Visits
Tuesday, March 1, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
Grade 6 In-Person Classroom Visits
Thursday, March 3, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
Kaleidoscope Book Club
Tuesday, March 8, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Peterson Middle School Conference Room
Grade 5 Ode Share
Thursday, March 10, 10-11 a.m.
Grade 4 Virtual Game Night
Thursday, March 10, 7-8 p.m.
Grades JK-6 Student-Involved/Student-Led Conferences — No Classes
Friday, March 11
Spring Break
March 12-27
Classes Resume
Monday, March 28
Health Services
Helpful Links
Flint Hill Positive Case and Close Contact Exposure Protocols
COVID-19 Vaccination Status Dashboard
All of these links can be found on the COVID-19 Health Information tile on the Resource Board.
Reminder: Keep Everyone Healthy by Staying Home if Sick
If your student has fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea you should keep them home to recover. They must be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to school.
Update from Curriculum Committee
Flint Hill School’s Curriculum Committee is composed of academic department chairs, directors, and the all-school service coordinator. The curriculum committee meets several times a year to discuss new curriculum adoption, programmatic shifts and instructional and pedagogical effective practices. In preparation for the 2022-23 school year, the committee has completed work on revising our Program Guide to include curriculum for the upcoming year and clarifying the Upper School Activity Credit description.
The committee adopted three new courses which will be added to the 2022-23 Upper School Program Guide: Advanced Topics in Computer Science, Introduction to the Dance Arts, and Advanced Dance Arts. Advanced Topics in Computer Science will allow students to develop a portfolio of computer science projects and applications. Introduction to the Dance Arts and Advanced Dance Arts will allow students to study a broad range of dance arts and participate in a dance production each semester. We will explore a range of productions in the fall and the spring that connect to the broader dance curriculum these courses will offer. For the 2022-23 school year we will not produce “The Nutcracker.” While “The Nutcracker” has been a popular and valued co-curricular activity in the Lower School, shifting to a broader range of productions will better support the curricular needs of Upper School students enrolled in our dance courses.
The committee also approved clarifications to the Upper School Activity Credit. These clarifications include the following:
- Four activity credits must be earned during the Upper School experience.
- Non-school sponsored athletic activities may not substitute for any of the four activity credits.
- Some exemptions to the requirements were granted over the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting in the fall of 2022, all Upper School students will be required to fulfill the activity credit requirements as listed in the Program Guide.
- A list of school-sponsored activities that count for the Activity Credit can be found in the Program Guide.
Please connect with a division director or Director of Studies Emily Sanderson with any questions.
Parents' Association
The Flint Hill Golf Invitational and Skills Clinic Is Back!
The Flint Hill Golf Invitational and Skills Clinic is back! We can’t wait to spend a day on the course with fellow Huskies, parents and alumni — on May 26 at the Westfields Golf Club. This casual golf scramble brings together our community like no other, and all levels of golf ability are welcome. Registration and sponsorships are now open, so start creating your foursome or sign up on your own to make new connections! Not ready for a full 18? Play in the skills clinic or volunteer throughout the day. Visit flinthill.org/golf to register, sponsor, volunteer or learn more!
Opportunity: Host a Grade Level Parent Dinner!
The Parents’ Association is looking forward to hosting grade-level parent dinners at people’s homes. Contact Sibel Unsal necatismom@gmail.com if you are interested in hosting!
All About the Teachers!
I asked my son what he thinks is the one thing that separates Flint Hill from other schools. He was quick to answer: the teachers. When I asked what made them different, he said that they do more, know more and care more. I agree! Read more.
School Store
School Store Updates
We have great stock in youth and adult t-shirts. Choose from short sleeve or long sleeve and pair with a great jacket or ¼ zip.
Layer for the day with our youth and adult outerwear. We have some great ¼ zips and jackets for those cold mornings and warm afternoons.
Check out our last chance spirit wear and our sale items. With extremely limited quantities left, these sale items won’t last long.
How Do I Make an Exchange or Return?
Please email Adrienne Robinson within 30 days of your original purchase. Include your order number, the item(s) that didn’t work, and if you would like to return your items or exchange them. Exchanges may be made for the same item in a different size or for an item of equal value. We are happy to issue a refund for items that did not work for you.
NEWS ON THE HILL
