Lower School Newsletter - October 12, 2022

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Message From Division Director

In the Flint Hill Lower School, we are experiencing a number of hallmark experiences — big and small — throughout this month. From the Classroom Visits and Coffees (JK-3 last week and Grades 4-6 this Friday), which offer a glimpse into our students’ pride of learning, to spirit-filled events like Homecoming this weekend, there is a LOT of Husky pride this week alone.

Next week, we have the return of our annual Lower School Day of Play — which is entering its 12th year of learning through play, across all Lower School grades, to be followed by Halloween festivities on October 31. Details for each are available below.

While we live in each of these moments with our Huskies, they also offer the opportunity for reflection — like a snapshot in a photo album, highlighting growth from year to year, costume to costume, lost teeth and growth spurts. Our children are growing and learning each day, right before our eyes. In the Lower School and throughout Flint Hill, we relish that journey, playing the long game and walking alongside our Huskies on their individual paths. Reflection here is an active choice, aptly demonstrated through our Parent-Teacher Conferences, which will take place on November 3 and 4.

Enjoy these next few weeks, Husky families, in partnership with the teachers and administrators who seek to support that growth each day, and every year, for our students.

With gratitude,
Patrick

Patrick McHonett
Acting Director of the Lower School
Head of School

Announcements

Grades 4-6 Classroom Visit and Parent Coffee — Friday, October 14

We hope Grades 4-6 parents can join us from 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. in the classroom on Friday, October 14. These are informal gatherings with Lower School leadership that offer opportunities to share questions and discuss divisional topics of interest. Parents are welcomed into classrooms where students will share what they are currently learning.

Homecoming Spirit Dress This Week

These are the remaining Spirit Dress Days for this week. Students who choose not to participate in the theme of the day should be in regular school dress. Please note that we encourage students to wear Homecoming t-shirts on Saturday, October 15.

Thursday, October 13 — Jersey Day: Wear an athletic shirt or jersey with jeans or regular school dress bottoms.
Friday, October 14 — Color Day: Students in JK-3 may wear Husky Pride Dress. During the school day, students in Grades 4-6 will attend the Pep Rally, where Grades 4-12 will each be sporting a featured color. Grade 4 is Gray, Grade 5 is Yellow/Orange and Grade 6 is Red.

Homecoming 2022 — October 14-15

The weekend kicks off with athletic games and our traditional Bonfire on Friday night and continues with more athletic events, spirit giveaways and activities for all ages on Saturday. On both days, The Den will be open for concessions and the School Store will open a Pop-Up Shop in the Peterson Middle School. Please note that parents should attend events with children rather than drop them off unattended. Visit flinthill.org/homecoming for a full schedule of events. Sign up to volunteer — a great way to make a difference and meet more Huskies!

Homecoming School Store Pop-up Shop

Stop by the School Store Pop-Up Shop in the Middle School Learning Commons this Friday, 4:00 - 6:30 p.m., or Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. — new inventory will launch exclusively in person! Preview the new inventory and other items available at the Pop-Up Shop.

Please be mindful that there are many online stores illegally selling Flint Hill gear and refrain from purchasing items from there; we have no affiliation with those stores. Shop through our official school store and any online store that we point you to, like the one selling our Homecoming t-shirts.

After School Clubs — Register by Friday!

We are thrilled to announce the return of After School Clubs for the first time since the fall of 2019! Available for grades K-6, these clubs will operate October 17 - December 2, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Check out our lineup of club offerings and register by Friday, October 14. Questions? Please contact Matt McCoart, Director of After School and Summer Programs.

Parent Coffee: Equity and Inclusion — Thursday, October 20

All parents, JK-12, are invited to join us on Thursday, October 20, 8:30-9:30 a.m., in the Hazel Lower School, room 201, for a parent coffee highlighting our commitment to building inclusive, equitable classrooms in grades JK-12. This meaningful work supports the FH vision for all students to “Take Meaningful Risks. Be Yourself. Make a Difference.” Led by Mia Burton, director of institutional equity and inclusion, the discussion will also examine how equity practices support student engagement, inquiry and reflection.

Box Office Now Open for “Clue”

The hilarious whodunit, Clue, based on the cult-classic 1985 film and the iconic Hasbro board game will be live on stage later this month. We have two amazing casts of Upper School performers who bring this silly murder mystery to life. Tickets are free, but reservations are recommended. Use the links below to reserve your tickets today. Note to parents: Clue contains cartoon/slapstick violence and is recommended for grades 4 and up. All performances take place in the Olson Theater in the Hazel Lower School.

Blue Cast
Friday, October 28, at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 29, at 2:00 p.m.

Green Cast
Saturday, October 29, at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 30, at 2:00 p.m.

Celebrating Halloween at the Lower School

The Lower School will celebrate Halloween on Monday, October 31. Children may attend school in their full costume. Wearing a costume is optional, and it will be designated a free dress day for those who chose not to participate. Please be mindful that gruesome/violent costumes, masks and weapons of any kind are not permitted. When selecting a costume, we also appreciate children being respectful of ethnic and cultural sensitivities and mindful not to reinforce cultural stereotypes.

Students in Grades JK-3 are invited to march with their class in the Annual Halloween Parade. Parents are welcome to attend the parade at 8:30 a.m. in the Lower School Gym. After the parade, at 9:15 a.m., students in Grades JK-3 will enjoy a special snack (a donut from Dunkin Donuts).

Students in Grades 4-6 are invited to participate in a Spooky Scavenger Hunt on campus from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., followed by a kickball game in the Lower School Gym. Parents are also welcome to join the fun for either or both of these events.

Early Admission Process for Sibling Applications due November 1

As a reminder, we are offering members of our Husky family an early start to the admission process for siblings who do not currently attend Flint Hill and are interested in applying for the 2023-24 school year.

If you have a child who is not currently enrolled at Flint Hill and you are interested in the application process for the 2023-24 school year, please complete the admission process by the November 1 deadline. Applications completed by November 1 will receive an admission notification by mid-December. For more information, please schedule an appointment with the admission team member for your division of interest.

Fall Parent Teacher Conferences — November 3 and 4

Lower School faculty look forward to welcoming parents for a 20-minute conference to discuss your student’s progress on Thursday, November 3 and Friday, November 4. The School will notify families on Thursday, October 20 at 10:00 a.m. when registration for time slots become available. Please note these are in-person and daycare for Flint Hill Lower School students will be offered.

Community of Care and International Festival 2022

We invite you to attend two important community events on one special day! Join us on Saturday, November 12, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., in the Peterson Middle School to engage in thoughtful discussions about our common mission at Flint Hill and to celebrate the diversity that strengthens our community. The day begins with The Community of Care at 9:00 a.m., followed by the International Festival which begins at 12:00 p.m. You are welcome to attend one or both of the events. There will be a short intermission (20-30 minutes) between events.

If you are interested in volunteering on that day, please complete the Volunteer Form. We are in need of discussion leaders for student, parent and faculty groups at the Community of Care in addition to country representatives for the International Festival. Additional information is provided on the Volunteer Form. Questions regarding this event? Please contact All-School Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator Miles Henderson at mchenderson@flinthill.org.

Upcoming Events

Classroom Visit & Parent Coffee (Grades 4-6)
Friday, October 14
8:15 - 9:30 a.m.

Homecoming Festivities
Friday, October 14
Saturday, October 15
The full schedule of events is on the Homecoming website.

JK-12 Parent Coffee: Equity and Inclusion
Thursday, October 20
Hazel Lower School, Room 201, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Upper School Production of Clue
Friday, October 28, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 29, 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 30, 2:00 p.m.

Halloween Festivities
Monday, October 31
Grades JK-3 Parade, 8:30 - 9:15 a.m.
Grades 4-6 Spooky Scavenger Hunt, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Grades JK-12 Parent Conferences
Grades JK-12 No Classes
Thursday, November 3, and Friday, November 4

Daylight Savings Time Ends
Sunday, November 6
Remember to set your clocks back one hour!

Parent Morning Mixer
Thursday, November 10
Miller House, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m.

Community of Care: Connect & Celebrate
Thursday, November 10
Peterson Middle School, 9:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Parents’ Association

Message From Our Parents’ Association President

By now many of us have had an opportunity to meet our children’s teachers and fellow parents and to visit campus for events and activities. Homecoming is this weekend, and I encourage you join your Flint Hill community for a weekend filled with athletic events, food and fun for the entire family. Read more.

Homecoming This Weekend! October 14-15

We can’t wait to celebrate Homecoming with the entire Flint Hill community! Visit flinthill.org/homecoming for a full schedule of events. If you’re interested in volunteering, sign-up is quick and easy.

Helpful reminders:

Please note that parents should attend events with children rather than drop them off unattended.
We expect large crowds. Please allow additional time for parking. When the Upper and Middle School parking lots are full, overflow parking will be available on the Lower School campus and blue shuttle buses will run continuously on Friday night and Saturday.
Friday Activities Map
Saturday Activities Map

Programs for Independent School Parents

Flint Hill is a member of the Parents Council of Washington (PCW) — a non-profit organization that fosters communication within the greater Washington, D.C., independent school community. Their goal is to promote excellence in education by building a network among independent schools and their parent communities. Each year they host programs that are open to parents and staff at member schools. Thank you to Jennifer Butler P’24 who serves as Flint Hill’s representative. Please see below for upcoming events; you are invited to attend with other independent school parents in the region.

Tuesday, October 18, 7:00 p.m. — Speaker: Dr. Dalton (virtual via Zoom)
PCW is pleased to welcome Dr. Jonathan Dalton, founder and director of the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change. Dr. Dalton is a licensed psychologist, specializing in the use of evidence-based treatments for children and teens who find their lives impacted by anxiety. He is an expert in his field with over 20 years of experience and speaks frequently on mental health disorders impacting children and teens. All PCW member school parents, administrators, faculty and staff are invited. Time for Q&A will be provided after the presentation. REGISTER for this speaker event.

October 24-28 — Movie Screening: “Chasing Childhood” (virtual)
PCW is pleased to host an online viewing of “Chasing Childhood,” a feature-length documentary that explores how free play and independence have all but disappeared from kids’ lives, supplanted by relentless perfectionism leading to record rates of anxiety and depression, a situation compounded by the pandemic. Free play, unsupervised by adults, is critical for developing essential life skills: grit, independence and resourcefulness. The film explores how and why helicopter parenting became the norm in many communities across the United States. All PCW member school parents, administrators, faculty and staff are invited. REGISTER to receive the link to view the documentary.

Thursday, November 3, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Lower School Forum (in person at Norwood School)
Parents, administrators, faculty, and staff are invited and encouraged to attend this program focusing on the value of play in a learning environment based on the latest research. Lower School administrators will speak on balancing wellness with learning, structured versus unstructured time in the classroom, and using play as a teaching and learning strategy while managing parental expectations. REGISTER to attend. Location: Norwood School, 8821 River Road, Bethesda, Maryland, 20817

Speakers: Associate Head of School and Head of Lower School Mike Risen, Norwood School; Head of Lower School Dr. Donnette Echols, Potomac School; Lower School Principal Cami Okubo, Georgetown Day School.

Calling All Concessions Volunteers!

We are always looking for parent volunteers to help sell concessions in both The Igloo and The Den during the day and after school. It’s a great way to meet other parents and get a special glimpse into the Flint Hill experience. Please sign up for as many shifts as you'd like, and feel free to invite a friend to sign up with you too.