Lower School Newsletter - February 9, 2022
Message From Division Director
Last Friday, during our Virtual Literacy Night, our sixth grade Huskies took a meaningful risk and rose to the challenge of leading the discussion about Mr. Tate’s books and their strategies and tools as emerging writers. Despite the technical difficulties, the students worked together to make it a wonderful experience for all who joined the event. A special thank you to Michelle Plaut, Christine Dwyer and Megan Dhar for supporting the sixth grade panelists and their work behind the scenes.
As students in Grades 4-6 continue to navigate the school year with their school-issued devices, they are also inclined to use personal devices to create text message group chats with peers as a form of communication after school and on the weekends. Although we want students to nurture positive relationships with their peers, some are choosing to use inappropriate language and include negative comments about others that do not reflect our core values at Flint Hill School. We are noticing that the virtual conversations taking place off-campus impact the learning in some classrooms during the school day. Along with our Wellness lessons to help reinforce appropriate online communication, Common Sense Media is a helpful resource to learn more about ways to support your child’s use of technology. Thank you for your partnership, and please reach out if you have any questions.
Robyn M. Nichols
Interim Director of the Lower School
The Latest
In-Person Classroom Visits Coming Soon
The wait is over! It’s time for you to truly experience the benefits of the Lower School. You have been patiently waiting for the in-person classroom visits, and it is such an important part of how we make the learning visible. We are so looking forward to seeing you back in the hallways, classrooms and reuniting with teachers. More to come, so please mark your calendars! Each visit will be from 8:15-8:45 am with connection and reflection with Robyn and Megan from 8:45-9:15 am.
Thursday, February 24-JK-K
Friday, February 25-Grades 3-4
Monday, February 28-Grades 1-2
Tuesday, March 1-Grade 5
Thursday, March 3-Grade 6
Progress Reports Are Now Available on Husky Hub
Progress reports are posted online twice a year, at the end of the first and second semesters. The first progress reports for this school year are now available online.
To access the report for your child/ren enrolled in junior kindergarten:
- Log into Husky Hub.
- Click on your name at the top right-hand side of the page, and click on “Files & Forms.”
- Under your child’s name, locate the “Lower School Progress Reports” section and click on the “21.22 Semester 1 Continuum” report.
Instructions for accessing kindergarten-sixth grade progress reports:
- Log into Husky Hub.
- Hover over "Children," at the top left-hand side of the page, and click on your child's name.
- Under "Performance," on the left-hand side of the page, click "Report Cards" and "Lower School Report Card."
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.
FRIENDly REMINDERS
- Refer a Husky and the Admission team will reach out to them.
MAKING THE LEARNING VISIBLE
A Long Walk To Water
Sixth graders are reading “A Long Walk to Water,” a book that highlights the impact of a lack of access to water in Sudan. The story profiles the true story of Salva Dut, a young Sudanese boy who flees his home during the Civil War in the mid-1980s and ends up in America, only to return home later in life to drill wells for his tribe, The Dinka. Students learned about the difficulties with trying to access water from the ground. During Innovation class, students were challenged to devise a machine that could pull water from a well using wind power. With a small fan to create the wind, groups were given basic supplies, including a paper cup, string, dowel rods, straws and construction paper. Each group was challenged to use these tools to create a working prototype that could pull water, or in this case, three marbles. Working collaboratively, each group began by considering the tension points that might unfold as they worked to reach their goal. Creating and collaborating as engineers, the groups each put together their own unique design, tested it using the small fan, made design modifications and re-tested. To document their process, students recorded videos and then posted demonstrations of their working machines on a padlet. Each student was assessed using a rubric with the standards focusing on students' ability to analyze and evaluate information from diverse perspectives and organize their ideas with clarity and precision. Work habits that were critical to the group’s success in collaborating were also assessed including students’ ability to engage, collaborate and be resilient.
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.
Grades JK-12 Two-Hour Delayed Opening
Thursday, February 10
2022-23 Enrollment Contracts Due — Current Students
Thursday, February 10
Grade 5 Parent Social, Hosted by Parents’ Association
Friday, February 11, 8:15-8:45 a.m.
Grade 6 Parent Social, Hosted by Parents’ Association
Monday, February 14, 8:15-8:45 a.m.
Presidents' Day — Grades JK-12 No Classes, Administrative Offices Closed
Monday, February 21
JK-K In-Person Classroom Visits
Thursday, February 24, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
Grades 3-4 In-Person Classroom Visits
Friday, February 25, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
Grade 5 Virtual Game Night
Friday, February 25, 7-8 pm
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.
Parents' Association
Calling All Husky Volunteers — The Igloo Is Back!
Looking for a volunteer opportunity? Meet fellow parents while helping to fuel our Upper School students during morning break and after school. In order to keep the Igloo open, parent volunteers are critical. Sign up for a shift here.
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!
A Good Week…
This was a good week. Connecting with other parents, supporting our students, being there for our faculty/staff and having fun! This is my Flint Hill. Read more.
School Store
School Store Updates
Check out our great selection of crewneck sweatshirts in youth and adult sizes. Click the links below to purchase!
Youth
Adidas Youth Fleece Crew
Champion Youth Eco Powerblend Crewneck (Small only)
Champion Youth Reverse Weave Crew
Adult
Alternative Apparel Women’s Eco Crew
Champion Navy Crew
Champion Silver/Grey Crew
Champion Reverse Weave Yarn Die Crew (XXL only)
Gildan Hammer Fleece Crew
Pennant Women’s Varsity Crew (XL and XXL only)
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
