Middle School Newsletter - august 10, 2022

Congratulations to the following returning faculty and staff who have taken on new roles this year.

Andrew Basti — Technology Systems Analyst

Jean Marí Hernández López — Lower School, Middle School and Upper School Modern Language Department Chair and Middle School and Upper School French and Spanish Teacher

Jody Patrick — Lower School P.E. Department Chair and P.E. Teacher

Melissa Riley — Advancement Officer and Advancement Data Specialist

Emily Sanderson — Upper School History and Social Sciences Teacher

Melissa Turner — Director of Systems Operations and Systems Training

Ana Yarbrough — Executive Administrative Assistant to the Head of School

Julie Young — Human Resources Coordinator

We are delighted to welcome new Middle School faculty/staff and members of the Senior Leadership Team to the Flint Hill family.

Patrick McHonett — Head of School — Patrick joins us from St. John’s Episcopal School in Orange County, California. He previously served as associate head of school at Phoenix Country Day School in Phoenix, Arizona, and has an expansive independent school background that includes admission, marketing and communications, and college counseling. We welcome Patrick along with his wife, Jessica, and their children, Charlotte (fourth grade) and Jack (Kindergarten), as well as their dog, Archie, to the Flint Hill community.

Carmen Scott — Director of Marketing and Communications — Carmen comes to us with 15 years of experience working in independent schools, including at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York City, The Berkeley School in Berkeley, California, and The Field School in Washington, D.C. She earned her B. A. in journalism and mass communication from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Kaleena Buckwalter — School Store Manager — Kaleena subbed at Flint Hill for a year and a half and was also a dental assistant for eight and a half years. She has an A.S. in science from Northern Virginia Community College. One fun fact about Kaleena is that she is dog and water obsessed!

Theri Andino — Middle School Classics Teacher — Theri taught Latin for six years in Florida at Leon High School and Florida Virtual School and last year at Yorktown High School in Arlington. She has a B.A. in Classics from the University of Florida, an M.A. in Classics from the University of Florida, and an M.Arch in Architecture from Florida A&M University. One fun fact about Theri is that she has been a professional Bridge player and teacher for over 12 years.

Lisa Brown — Middle School Nurse — Lisa has worked as an RN for 30 years, specializing in school health for 21 years, as well as public health, pediatrics, camp nursing and family-centered care. She has an AAS in nursing from CUNY- LaGuardia. Lisa has three grown children and three grandchildren. She loves cats and has two fur babies. She is also trained in classical ballet from age three and danced at both Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall as a young ballerina. 

Joelle Henry — Middle and Upper School Computer Science and Robotics Teacher — Joelle has 26 years of experience in education from preschool to high school. She has a B.S. in electrical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an M.Ed. in educational studies from the University of New Hampshire. One fun fact about Joelle is that she worked for General Electric in the Aerospace Division before entering the field of education. She also just moved to Virginia from New Hampshire this summer!

Dwight Jesmer — Middle School Math Teacher — Dwight has worked in education for almost 20 years in both San Francisco and Northern Virginia. He worked six years at Loudoun Country Day School as a middle school teacher and basketball coach. He has a B.A. in communications with an English minor from Loyola Marymount University and an M.A. in writing from the University of San Francisco. One fun fact about Dwight is that he lost five toenails walking the Camino de Santiago, 500 miles across Spain.

Marina Matthes — Assistant to the Director of the Middle School — Marina worked for Marriott International for over 10 years in various capacities. She left Marriott to be a stay-at-home mom and is now returning to the workforce. She has a B.S in business management from Seton Hall University and an M.B.A in international business from Hofstra University. Marina loves sports and has been bowling in leagues for many years.

Jackie McLoughlin — Middle and Upper School Theatre Arts Teacher and Director of Theatre Arts Productions — Jackie worked at Commonwealth Academy as a Theater teacher for five years. She has an M.A. in text and performance studies and directing from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and King's College London. Jackie loves traveling, ice hockey and family time.

Joe Predebon — Middle School History Teacher — Joe has worked in education for the past decade in both the private and public sectors. He started his career with Teach for America and then transitioned to working at the collegiate level with Marquette University, teaching entry-level courses. He recently worked at BASIS Independent McLean as a Middle and High School History teacher, basketball coach, model UN instructor and track coach. Joe has a B.A. in history from the Virginia Military Institute and an M.A. in Modern American and European History from Marquette University. Some fun facts about Joe are that he worked as a rock climbing instructor in college and enjoys gardening in his free time!

Brad Savage — Middle and Upper School Classics Department Chair and Upper School Classics Teacher — Brad has taught Latin, English and Math for eight years at the Einstein Academy near Chicago, Illinois, and for one year at Tempe Preparatory Academy. He has a B.A. in Classics and political science from The Ohio State University and an M.A. in Classics from the University of Washington. A few fun facts about Brad are that he appeared on Jeopardy (came in second!), is an avid square dancer, and loves to play softball.