Lower School Newsletter - November 3, 2021

Parent-Teacher Conferences are a great opportunity for us to further our partnership with you, celebrate your children's successes and discuss strategies for enhancing their progress. The Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences in the Lower School will be held on Thursday, November 4, and Friday, November 5.

As we prepare for our Parent-Teacher Conferences this week, here are some tips for parents from an article published by Independent School Management:

• Prepare. Write down topics you would like to discuss and specific questions you would like to have answered.
• Number the questions based on importance and ask your most important questions first, just in case time runs out before you have a chance to discuss them all.
• Ask your child if there are topics he or she would like to have discussed. If so, remember that the “facts” about the situation relayed to you by your child are coming from a child's perspective.
• Be on time and respect time limits. Teachers have tight schedules; plan to arrive five minutes early so you can collect your thoughts and begin the conference on time.
• Don’t bring the student or other children to the conference unless this is a special request made by the teacher.
• Try to be open-minded to comments or suggestions that the teacher makes. Listen first, reflect and then act.
• Keep your emotions under control. It’s okay to feel defensive on behalf of your child, but act as an advocate.
• Ask for specific suggestions. Take notes so you can share the information with your child.
• Remember that you and the teacher are on the same team!
• Express appreciation for the teacher’s time and energy. Saying “thank you” can go a long way! Show your appreciation by asking what you can do to help continue the learning process at home.

Also, here is an excellent article written by well-known psychologist, parent, author and presenter Michael Thompson. In "The Fear Equation," Thompson talks candidly about the latent fear that exists in a parent-school partnership and offers some great advice and reminders.

It’s Time to Showcase the Virtual Halloween Parade!

One word to describe the sound of laughter in the Lower School hallway … memorable. Our Huskies continue to be affected by COVID in so many ways, and it felt incredible to witness their excitement and joy on a rainy Friday afternoon. Prior to the event, sixth graders participated in the first annual Halloween Kickball Game! As a leadership opportunity, they also served as the “cheer squad” as each grade level showcased their costumes. They also were responsible for decorating the second floor with posters, streamers, balloons and strobe lights! Please click here to view the Parade. You were missed!

RFID Tags for Afternoon Carpool Starting on November 8

We are ready for our next iteration of carpool efficiency as we begin to use RFID scanning, starting on Monday, November 8. Parents: be on the lookout for a mailing in the next week with instructions for mounting your RFID tag on your car's headlight. This will enable us to quickly scan your tags during our dismissal process and sync information you have entered into SchoolPass. This will replace our walkie system and ensure a smoother, more accurate process. Thanks in advance for having your tag installed and ready by November 8!

Middle School Makers

Our Middle School Makers class went above and beyond in every way to transform Nathan’s wheelchair for Halloween! Their teacher, Chris Cook, said, “For me as a teacher, there is no better feeling than when my kids use what they have learned to make for others. For the last five weeks, they worked so well together, with such persistence and with such desire to bring joy to another person; it warmed my heart every single day. Friday, Nathan's gigantic grin and fist pumps showed the kids just how deeply impactful their work was.” Thank you, Magic Wheelchair and Washington Nationals!

Login to Facebook and click here to see the video.

Refer-a-Husky Today

Nearly every family who enrolls at Flint Hill was either referred by or talked with a current family during the admission process. Your perspective is critically important. You are in the best position to identify potential Huskies who are a great fit for our school.

Refer a Husky and the Admission team will reach out to invite them to learn more about Flint Hill.

A Walk in the Woods 

Fourth graders were excited to take their first field trip this past week, walking along the Fairfax Connector Trail between Flint Hill's Lower and Upper campuses. The students worked in research pairs to conduct water quality testing on our local branch of Difficult Run Stream that leads to the Potomac River then on to the Chesapeake Bay. The students tested levels of nutrients, phosphate and nitrate, pH, dissolved oxygen, as well as the temperature and turbidity of the water. Heavy rains stirred up dirt particles in the water, so the turbidity rating was impacted. Otherwise, the results indicate that the wooded area along the stream, along with the plant buffers in the community and along the golf course, are doing their job to keep our local waterway healthy!

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.

Stay Up To Date: Review This Year’s COVID-19 Protocols and Procedures

The COVID-19 Health Information tile on the Resource Board has this year’s protocols and procedures.

The COVID-19 Case Dashboard has been updated.

Parent Tracks

A weekly round-up from parent gatherings and campus happenings.

The Igloo Snack Bar Reopened!

The hours are Monday-Friday, 2:45–3:45 p.m., and Tuesday-Friday, 10:30–10:55 a.m. In order to keep the Igloo open, parent volunteers are critical. Please sign up here.