Lower School Newsletter - September 30, 2020

NEW/UPDATED INFORMATION

At our Lower School Morning Meeting on Monday, September 28, we took a close look at the book “I Promise” by LeBron James. Prior to the Lower School Meeting, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Mia Burton asked students and faculty what they thought a promise is and their understanding of the Husky Promise. This is what they had to say.

 

Fifth Grade Students Raise our Flags on the Lower School Campus

Our fifth grade students take a leadership role and are responsible for raising and lowering the flag daily.

Effective communication is a core competency that we are consistently working on with our Lower School Huskies. This article gives some great strategies on how to talk to your child about his/her school day. After reading a number of articles on the topic, here are some of my favorite open-ended questions that parents can ask their children, which should hopefully spark some good conversations:

What is the best thing that happened today?

What is one thing that you did today that was helpful?

What was the funniest thing that happened today?

Did anyone do something nice for you today?

What was the nicest thing you did for someone today?

What made you smile today?

What challenged you today?

What were you most proud of today?

Tell me something that you learned about a friend today?

What is your teacher’s most important rule?

Who do you want to make friends with this year and haven’t yet? Why not?

What would you rate your school day on a scale of 1-10 and why?

If you had the chance to be the teacher tomorrow, what would you teach?

What new word did you learn today?

What classroom skill do you hope to master this year?

What playground skill do you hope to master this year?

Fall Schedule Updates

I want to share a few updates regarding the fall schedule with you. The first is that — to minimize disruptions to the schedule for that day — November 3, Election Day, will be a School holiday; there will be no classes held that day and administrative offices will be closed. The second is that we are adding a second day to the schedule for fall parent conferences in all three divisions. Conferences will now be held on Friday, November 6, and Wednesday, November 11. Additional details regarding fall parent conferences will be shared soon.

 

Volunteer with the Parents’ Association!

We miss our volunteers! The PA has volunteer opportunities available to help with community- building activities, including teacher appreciation, the Annual Fund, Admission ambassadors, senior engagement and more!

Volunteering is safe and fun! The Parents’ Association is committed to the Flint Hill COVID-19 Health Pledge. If you are interested in volunteering or receiving more information from the Parents’ Association, please contact PA President-Elect Sibel Unsal at necatismom@gmail.com or Advancement Events Coordinator Alice Yates at ayates@flinthill.org.

School Portraits for On-Campus Learners on Friday, October 2

Friday, October 2, is picture day for on-campus learners. Students will be photographed outdoors at the Lower School Campus. Our photographers will be in masks and will observe physical distancing. A make-up day is scheduled for Thursday, October 29. Husky Pride Day will be on Thursday, October 1, this week, so on-campus students can wear their uniforms for portraits.

Portraits for virtual learners in JK-11th grade are available by appointment on Wednesday, October 7, and Wednesday, October 28. To make an appointment, visit https://flinthill.timetap.com and follow the prompts. Select “Flint Hill Virtual Learners” and then choose your preferred date and time.

All ordering for school portraits will occur online. You will receive an email alert with a link to your student’s gallery, when it becomes available.

 

Articles

5 Engaging Questions to Discover Your Child’s Thinking

14 Low-Stress Tips for Virtual Learning Routines

How I am Teaching My Children Not To Fear Everything During a Pandemic

 

UPDATES AND REMINDERS FROM THE LAST NEWSLETTER

 

Birthday Treats/Snacks

To mitigate risk, this year students will not be able to bring treats into school to celebrate their birthday. Instead, homeroom teachers and advisors will be coming up with creative ways to celebrate a child’s special day that does not include edible birthday treats.

The FHS Lower School Faculty thank you for your cooperation in supporting our effort to encourage a healthy and safe community.

 

Helpful Links for Parenting in a 1:1 Home

Navigating life with children and technology can be a challenge, but we’re here to help! Visit our Parent Technology Resources website for tips and ideas for parenting in a 1:1 home. As a reminder, you can access the Parent Technology Resources site at any time from the Resource Board in Husky Hub under “Technology Resources.”

Upcoming Deadline: Learning Location Selection for the Second Quarter

The Learning Location Form for the second quarter launched in Husky Hub on September 28. Parents and guardians who chose to make their selections on a quarterly basis received an email notification on Monday and are required to complete the form by Monday, October 5.

 

An Update Regarding Links in Old Pushpages (Emails Sent through the School email system)

Due to an update that was recently made by the software vendor for our email system, links shared in emails sent before July 21 will no longer be available after October 20. If you attempt to access a link in an old pushpage sent before July 21, after October 20, you will receive an error. Fortunately the most up-to-date information regarding School operations is available in the Weekly Newsletter and on the Resource Board in Husky Hub.

This update does not affect links sent through Gmail.