Lower School Newsletter - January 20, 2021

Here is a link to some of the fifth grade student feedback after John Thomas’s presentation on Pop and his bravery during World War II.

Speakers Needed for Upper School Discovery of Engineering Class

Our Upper School Discovery of Engineering elective would like to include members of the Flint Hill community in its roster of guest speakers. If you have a background in engineering (or know someone who does), please reach out to Gary Smilowitz.

Uniform Exchange Reimagined: Let us do the shopping for you! 

Read below for the timeline and helpful hints as we prepare for the spring 2021 Uniform Exchange.

Step 1: Uniform Donations

Uniform clothing donations will only be accepted January 25-January 29.

While additional donation opportunities may be available later in the year, at this time, donations should be dropped off on the Miller House front porch between 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., and must adhere to the following guidelines.

• • We are only collecting and redistributing the following uniform items:
    • Flint Hill polo shirts
    • Skirts, shorts, skorts, pants, jumpers
    • Spirit wear

• All items should be washed and sorted to minimize contact when they arrive. For example: pants in one bag, shirts in one bag
• In accordance with CDC clothing donation guidelines, all donations will be quarantined for at least five days.

Step 2: Uniform Shopping

A Google shopping form will be published in the February 10 newsletter and will expire on February 12. Please note, all parents and guardians are welcome to fill out the form; you do not have to donate in order to participate.

Step 3: Uniform Distribution

• Selections are based on the online form and are first come first served.
• Orders will be filled based on availability from items donated. We will try our best to fulfill all orders.
• Adrienne Robinson will send an email confirming the date your shopping order is complete and ready for pick up from the Miller House porch.
• We anticipate orders will be ready for pick up on February 23-February 25.

School Store Update

• Outerwear, sweatshirts and beanies are now available!
• Check out the new Last Chance Spirit Wear section of the School Store Website. With extremely limited quantities left these sale items won’t last long. Shop now before they are gone!

How do I make an exchange or return?

• Please contact Adrienne Robinson within 30 days of your original purchase.
• 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.

The Nutcracker with Act II

The full film for our reimagined Nutcracker launched on our YouTube channel on Tuesday night. If you missed it, you can enjoy it here.

Creativity Corner

As we make our way through winter, our Department Chair for Innovation Joey Starnes will have weekly suggestions for fun and creative activities for families to try at home.

Snowstorm in a Jar

We haven’t seen much snow lately, so make your own in a jar! Here’s what you need:

• Jar
• Baby oil
• White paint
• Water
• Glitter
• Alka Seltzer

Directions:

1. Use one cup of baby oil and 1/4 cup of water, (but you adjust your liquids based on the size of your container).
2. Mix enough paint with your water to get a thick, saturated color and stir it to ensure that the paint is evenly dispersed throughout. You REALLY want to be able to notice the water when it “storms” into the baby oil.
3. Layer the white water on the bottom and then add the baby oil gently overtop. Add as much glitter as you can handle.
4. Drop the whole Alka Seltzer into the jar to start your snow storm!

Ice Lantern

Here’s another winter-themed activity you can do with a few materials! You will need:

• Medium plastic food storage container
• Small plastic cup
• Leaves, pine cone pieces, pieces of tree branches, beads, shiny pipe cleaners etc…(optional)
• Water
• Battery operated candle

Directions:

1. Place a small plastic cup filled with water into a larger plastic food storage container.
2. Fill the larger container with water.
3. Optional Step: Add shiny pipe cleaners, beads, tinsel pine cones to the water in the larger container. This will add character to your ice lantern.
4. If it is cold enough you can place the container outside to freeze overnight. If not, place in the freezer until completely frozen.
5. Run warm water around the outside of the plastic container to unmold. The ice may crack or chip, but that will just add more texture to the lantern.
6. Remove the small plastic cup by adding a few drops of warm water around the edge of the cup and twisting out of the center.
7. Set outside and insert your battery operated candle.

Hot Cocoa Slime (not edible!)

We all know kids love to make slime. Why not make it smell delicious!

Here’s what you need:

• 4 oz of school grade glue (Elmer’s)
• 1/2 Tablespoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tablespoon of contact lens solution

Directions:

1. Squirt the glue into a bowl.
2. Add in the baking soda and mix thoroughly.
3. Add in the cocoa powder and mix thoroughly.
4. Add the contact lens solution and mix until the slime begins to get firm.
5. Remove slime from the bowl and knead and stretch with your hands.
6. If the slime is too sticky, add another 1/4 tablespoon of contact lens solution.

Articles

Honoring the Real Meaning of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Coronavirus Parenting: Managing Anger and Frustration

UPDATES AND REMINDERS FROM THE LAST NEWSLETTER

Lower School Division Coffee, Thursday, January 21, 9 a.m.

The upcoming Lower School Coffee on Thursday, January 21, will focus on our divisional goal of utilizing best practices to build inclusive and equitable classroom communities. Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Mia Burton will join us, as we examine how these practices cultivate empathy and awareness while allowing students to feel unique yet part of a group. We will also highlight how our ongoing JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, inclusion) professional development enriches student engagement, inquiry, and reflection. Here is a link to the Meet.

Request for Virtual Learners from Yearbook Staff

In an effort to capture the 2020-21 school year, the yearbook staff needs photos of virtual learning for their "school at home" section of the yearbook. If you have pictures showing your student working on a project or in their learning space at home, the yearbook staff would love for you to share them, for possible inclusion in this year's yearbook. Photos can be emailed as attachments to yearbook@flinthill.org. The original photo is needed. Screenshots and photos downloaded from Instagram or Facebook will not work. Please name your photo using the student's name and grade (Example: klondike_husky_5).

Keeping Track of Head of School Search Updates

The search for Flint Hill’s next head of school is underway. Members of the community will receive regular email updates, which will also be archived here. Have questions or comments? Email searchcommittee@flinthill.org.

Parents Council of Washington Event: Speaker Series — Ron Lieber, The Price You Pay for College

The Parents Council of Washington (PCW) invites you to attend its upcoming virtual speaker series event on Wednesday, February 10, at 7 p.m. Ron Lieber, author, journalist, and New York Times’ Your Money columnist will discuss his new book, “The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make.”

All PCW member school parents, administrators, faculty, and staff are invited. Please use this link to register.

Discussion Sponsored by The Parents Council of Washington

The Parents Council of Washington (PCW) invites you to attend Talking to Kids About Racism on Thursday, January 14, at 7 p.m. Panelists from three PCW member schools will discuss productive ways to talk about racism, with kids of all ages, addressing both conversations between parents and their kids and conversations between schools and their students. The panelist presentations will be followed by a question and answer period with the audience.

All PCW member school parents, administrators, faculty, and staff are invited. Please use this link to register.

The third meeting of the virtual Kaleidoscope Book Club is scheduled for Monday, February 1, 9-9:45 a.m. We will discuss “How to be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi. 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. Please submit your name and email address, in this form, to RSVP for the meeting and/or be added to our email list. Please contact All-School Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator Miles Henderson if you have any questions.