Lower School Newsletter - May 10, 2023

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Message From Division Director

Lower School Families,

In these final weeks of the school year, we have so much to celebrate in the Lower School, beginning with this Friday’s Grandparents and Special Friends Day, where our Huskies will be joined by their loving family and friends to share in their joy of learning.

Additionally, we have our end-of-year concerts, including Grades 5-8 Choir (last night), Percussion (tomorrow evening), Band (May 16) and Orchestra (May 18), respectively, followed by Grades JK-4 on the morning of Friday, May 26. These experiences highlight how much our children have grown in their confidence and skill throughout the school year – I hope you’ll be able to make it!

In that short week post-Memorial Day, we will participate in exciting closing activities, including special reflections at Lower School Morning Meeting, a special Grade 6 outing to Top Golf, grade-level celebrations, and the all-important, Lower School Field Day to wrap things on Thursday, June 1 (our last day of classes for all Flint Hill students). Finally, we’ll celebrate the many achievements of the Flint Hill Class of 2029 – our 6th Grade Huskies – as they transition from the Lower School to the Middle School in our Grade 6 Promotion on Friday, June 2. That ceremony is expected for all 6th Grade students, families and friends, along with Lower School faculty and staff, but attendance for any other community members is optional.

Many thanks to all of our families for engaging in our Lower School events throughout the school year, and thank you for making the 2022-23 Lower School year so special.

In partnership,

Patrick McHonett
Acting Director of the Lower School

Announcements

Preparing for the 2023-24 School Year — Parent Action Items

Several resources are now available to help families prepare for the 2023-24 school year. To access the Resource Board, visit www.flinthill.org/app, then enter your username and password. After you log in, click on the Preparing for the 2023-2024 School Year tile. Online back-to-school forms are now available on Husky Hub and are required for students to attend school and any school activity prior to the start of school. The deadline for submission is Friday, June 16.

Starting Friday, June 9, parents are asked to log into the Health Portal to submit required health forms, which are due Tuesday, August 1. Click here to access a link to our 2023-24 calendar highlights.

New Husky Hub Features:
We understand the value of putting a name with a face so we have made it possible for parents to add their profile photo to Husky Hub. To add a profile photo: when logged in, click on your name in the top right corner and select Profile. In the About section, click edit photo and upload your photo. Click save.

We've also added a name pronunciation field recognizing how important it is that members of the Flint Hill community know how to correctly pronounce each other's names. To add pronunciation to your profile, click on your name in the top right corner and select Profile. In the General Information section, click edit and enter your pronunciation into the fields. Click save.

Class Placement Process

Through the end of the year, our faculty, staff and administration is participating in a student-centered, intentional process to determine class placements for the 2023-24 academic year. In our Lower School Wellness classes, students in rising Grades 3-6 have been asked to identify three other students from their grade (including at least one student from their other grade-level class) whom they wish to have assigned to their class next year. Our goal is to have at least one of these students in their class next year.

Additionally, grade-level classroom teachers and specialists are internally sharing their recommendations for social and academic fits for peers in class composition for next year. Our administration and admissions team are meeting to overlay newly enrolling students with our rising grade-levels to ensure robust connections, balance and opportunities for new friendships next year. Lastly, additional considerations, including Learning Center support, math placement (rising grades 5 and 6 only) and music placement (rising grades 5 and 6 only) will be incorporated into placements.

Music and math section placements will be communicated to rising Grade 5 and Grade 6 families by the beginning of July, and classroom and teacher placement, as well as class schedules will be available to all families in Husky Hub on August 10.

Speech and Language and Occupational Support for 2023-24

As part of the Lower School program, we partner with local providers to offer speech and language support and occupational therapy (OT) support for our youngest Huskies. Next school year, we are excited to welcome two new providers to campus.

Tasha Malhotra from Pediatric Therapy Specialists will be our occupational therapist on campus. She has a wealth of experience supporting students in independent schools. If you are interested in off-campus OT support for your child over the summer that can continue on campus next school year, please feel free to reach out to Tasha!

For speech and language support, we will continue to partner with OWLS therapy. Nikki Hunjan will be our new speech and language therapist on campus. If you have questions about this transition, please email Janene Besch at OWLS Therapy.

We are excited to partner with both of those professionals to support our Huskies next school year. More details on in-school support from those providers will be shared in the fall.

Grandparents and Special Friends Day — This Friday, May 12

We are looking forward to welcoming grandparents and special friends to campus this Friday. All registrants have received an email with helpful information about the event. Parents can help us prepare for the event by sharing the reminders below.

If your child plans to leave early with their grandparent or special friend, please be sure to notify the school through SchoolPass by Thursday, May 11.

Event Schedule:

7:45 - 8:15 a.m. – Arrival and check-in inside the Activities Center
8:20 a.m. – Welcome from Head of School in the Olson Theater
9:00 a.m. – Classroom visits begin
10:00 - 11:00 a.m. – Specials activities

Follow your Husky to explore another class
Join them for recess
Take a break in the Commons
Shop in the School Store (Room 112)

11:30 a.m - 12:00 p.m. – Event concludes

Traveling to Campus:

We encourage grandparents and special friends to ride with their student(s) to campus and be dropped off in morning carpool. If they are driving separately, staff will be there to assist with parking and will help guide them to the Activity Center entrance.

Departing from Campus:

Parents who are picking up a grandparent or special friend should arrive at 11:45 a.m. and join the carpool line in front of the Activity Center. Guests will wait for their ride in the Activity Center hallway.
Guests who drove separately and parked can depart when the event concludes.

Helpful Reminders:

If guests have multiple Huskies to visit, they will be able to change classrooms and decide how to split their time. We encourage guests with multiple students to discuss their schedule with them to help decide where they'd like to begin and end the morning.

Staff will be available to look up students’ homeroom class and direct guests to the right classroom should they need help finding them.

There will be light refreshments and coffee, and the event will end before lunch.
Students are welcome to leave with their grandparents or special friend when the event concludes. Parents must notify the school of early dismissals through the SchoolPass system by tomorrow, Thursday, May 11.

Please reach out to Olivia Landrum with questions and visit flinthill.org/grandparents for more details.

Free Girls’ Soccer Clinic — Saturday, May 13

Did you sign up for the free Girls’ Soccer Clinic, originally scheduled on April 1, that was rained out? Good news … it has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 13, 9:00-10:15 a.m., at the Peterson Family Field on the Flint Hill Middle and Upper School Campus. Anyone interested who did not previously sign up for the original date may also register, below, for the new date.

Details: The Flint Hill Girls’ Soccer program is offering a FREE soccer clinic for all interested Flint Hill K-6 girls and extended friends. All levels of experience are welcome. Join FH Girls’ Varsity Head Coach Erica Klein and members of the FH Varsity program for a fun morning of drills and fun games. Email Coach Klein with any questions.

LAST CHANCE to Join Us on the Links! Golf Invitational and Skills Clinic — Thursday, May 25

The Golf Invitational and Skills Clinic is right around the corner. Registration is filling up with very limited spots available for the tournament, but there’s still space in the Skills Clinic. Grab a friend and sign up together to learn from the pros.

All abilities are welcome, so register here!

What do marshmallows and golf have in common? Volunteer and find out! No experience necessary, and it’s a fun way to support the community and enjoy the beautiful scenery!

JK-4 Spring Concerts – Friday, May 26

The Spring Concerts promise to be a culmination of the music education for grades JK-4. Please note the timing for each grade level’s performance in the Olson Theater. All family members are welcome. If you would like a Husky sibling to attend please contact Donna Holaday. Student dress for the concert date is the regular uniform, we will not have a Husky Pride day. Light refreshments will be provided to the audience in the lobby of the Activities Building. We hope you can join us for this annual rite of passage ahead of the year’s end.

8:15-9:00 a.m., Grades JK-1
9:00-9:45 a.m., Grades 2-3
9:45-10:30 a.m., Grade 4

Upcoming Events

Grades 5-8 Spring Percussion Concert
Thursday, May 11
Olson Theater, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Grandparents and Special Friends Day
Friday, May 12
Hazel Lower School, 7:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Flint Hill Girls’ Soccer Clinic
Saturday, May 13
Peterson Family Field, 9:00-10:15 a.m.

Grades 5-8 Spring Band Concert
Tuesday, May 16
Olson Theater, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Grades 5-8 Spring Orchestra Concert
Thursday, May 18
Olson Theater, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

JK-4 Spring Concerts
Friday, May 26
Olson Theater
Grades JK-1, 8:15-9:00 a.m.
Grades 2-3, 9:00-9:45 a.m.
Grade 4, 9:45-10:30 a.m.

Memorial Day, No School
Monday, May 29

Grades JK-12 Last Day of School
Thursday, June 1

Grade 6 Promotion Ceremony
Friday, June 2
Upper School Gym, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Parents’ Association

Sign-Up Form Closes TONIGHT! Serve as a Parents’ Association Divisional Ambassador for 2023-2024

You are invited to serve as a Parents’ Association Divisional Ambassador next year, and there’s still time to sign up if you’re interested. Complete the Sign-up form by tonight! If you have any questions or want to learn more about the Divisional Ambassador role, please see below for more information:

Divisional Ambassador Description — Duties and Responsibilities
Divisional Ambassador FAQ

Uniform Donation Drop-Off: May 30 - June 9

Start cleaning out your closets because we will have another uniform donation drop-off at the end of the school year. Parents may drop off gently-used uniforms and spirit wear items on the Miller House front porch on these dates: Tuesday, May 30 - Friday, June 2 and Monday, June 5 - Friday, June 9.

Save the Date: Volunteer Appreciation Reception — Wednesday, May 31

Check your email for an invitation to join us for a reception to celebrate your volunteer service to Flint Hill! R.S.V.P. by Friday, May 26 via Paperless Post and contact Olivia Landrum with questions.

Spring Concessions Volunteers Needed

Volunteering in concessions is a fun way to make new connections with other parents across divisions. Check out the schedules and invite a friend to join you! Students are welcome to volunteer as well and will receive service hours.