Middle School Newsletter - January 4, 2023

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Message From Division Director

Happy New Year! I hope that all of you enjoyed a wonderful break with your families and are ready for a fantastic 2023! This time of year always provides me with a chance to reflect, recharge and catch up on relevant reading — from the implications and possibilities of the AI chatbot to ongoing education about young adolescents. I share these types of articles regularly with our staff, and here are a few that might be of interest to parents.

It was great to see everyone back in the building this week to start the new year. Please note that the second quarter officially ends next Friday, January 13.

Brian Lamont
Director of the Middle School

Announcements

Updates to Middle School Lunch Menu

As part of Flint Hill’s collaboration with Fairfax Food Service (FFS), Director of the Middle School Brian Lamont surveyed students prior to the break to get their feedback and suggestions for the lunch menu. He reported: “As is likely the case in your household (it certainly is in mine!), tastes and preferences differ greatly and many items had equal numbers of likes and dislikes. I met with the FFS staff to analyze the results and discuss some upgrades that can work within the parameters. Overall, I am grateful to work with an organization that is open to feedback, suggestions and adjustments. Here is a summary of the updates, some of which will begin immediately and some which will go into effect with the February menu. As a reminder, menus and nutritional information are available at https://flinthill.nutrislice.com/.”

Standardizing salad bar and sandwich options — Students expressed a desire for more predictability in the salad and sandwich options. With that in mind, the salad bar will now always have lettuce, plant protein, chicken, cucumber, tomato and carrot. In terms of sandwich options, there will always be salami on Mondays and both ham and turkey every other day except pizza days.

Reducing desserts — I will take the blame for this one. While students seem to love having dessert options every day, it becomes the main part of the meal for many and often creates chaos as students swarm the trays. We will now not have dessert options Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thursdays will feature the very popular yogurt bar, and Fridays will include ice cream cups.

Removing the least popular menu items — Again, while most offerings had both supporters and detractors, there were a few that stood out as less popular. Beginning in February, we will no longer offer breakfast for lunch, corndogs, or pho. Pho was moderately popular but our lunch setup and seating made it impossible to eat without a consistent mess.

Exploring the possibility of having pizza every Friday — This increased frequency will depend on the Upper School as well; they are meeting with FFS later this month to discuss options.

Alumni Virtual College Panel — January 9

NOTE THE TIME CHANGE. On Monday, January 9, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Middle and Upper School families are invited to join us virtually to hear directly from recent graduates as they describe their transition to college and respond to questions about what they have learned, how they were prepared and the challenges they experienced during this pivotal time. We hope you’ll join us to learn about how Flint Hill prepares students for college life — inside and outside the classroom. This year’s event will be virtual (and can be accessed using the links below), based on the student’s current grade at Flint Hill.

Panel for Grades 11 and 12

Panel for Grades 7 - 10

Kaleidoscope Book Club Mtg. — January 9

The Kaleidoscope Parent Book Club will meet again on Monday, January 9 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the Peterson Middle School to discuss “Tornado Brain” by Cat Patrick. Our monthly meetings allow us to share, connect and learn from different perspectives and experiences. We look forward to building and deepening relationships through this shared learning opportunity. Please contact Miles Henderson, All School Equity and Inclusion Coordinator, to join our email list.

Financial Aid Application Deadline — January 9

The financial aid application deadline for the 2023-2024 school year is Monday, January 9. Current families can expect their financial aid notifications on Wednesday, February 1. New student financial aid notifications will go out on Friday, March 3. Please email admission@flinthill.org or call 703.584.2314 with questions.

Head of School Coffee: Budget — Thursday, January 12

Current families are invited to join Head of School Patrick McHonett and Associate Head of School for Finance & Operations Anne Peterson for our annual budget coffee on Thursday, January 12, at 8:15 a.m. in the Upper School multipurpose room.

Flint Hill Magazine – Fall/Winter Issue Online

We hope you enjoyed reading the Fall/Winter issue of Flint Hill Magazine sent by mail over the break. You can now view the issue online. Prefer receiving Flint Hill Magazine electronically only and not by mail? Complete this short form to confirm paperless only delivery for future issues.

Upcoming Events

Financial Aid Application Deadline
Monday, January 9

Kaleidoscope Book Club Meeting
Monday, January 9
Peterson Middle School, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Virtual College Panel for 7th-12th Grade Families
Monday, January 9
Virtual, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. (*note the time change)

Head of School Coffee: Budget
Thursday, January 12
Upper School Multipurpose Room, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m.

End of Second Quarter and First Semester
Friday, January 13

Martin Luther King Day
Grades JK-12 No Classes, Administrative Offices Closed
Monday, January 16

Parent Meetup: Women Giving Back
Thursday, January 19
Sign up to participate!

Parents’ Association

Winter Concessions — Volunteers Needed

Many volunteers are needed to sell concessions during the day, after school and during basketball games. It’s a great way to meet other parents and get a special glimpse into the Flint Hill experience. Check out the schedule and sign up for as many shifts as you'd like. Feel free to invite a friend to sign up with you too!

Next Parent Meetup: Women Giving Back — Thursday, January 19

Parent Meetups — for JK-12 parents — are small off-campus events focused on a shared activity or interest. The next Parent Meetup will focus on making a difference at Women Giving Back, an organization that supports women and children in crisis by providing quality clothing at no cost. On Thursday, January 19, join other FH parents to help sort donations at the Sterling warehouse. Sign up to participate! Questions? Contact Olivia Landrum ‘11 in the Advancement Office.

Parents Council of Washington — Mental Health Panel
Wednesday, January 25, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, The Field School

Are you wondering how to talk with your child/student about worries in a helpful and reassuring way?
Do you know what resources your school can provide to support the mental health of your child/student?
How can you tell if therapy is "working" and how do you find a right-fit therapist?

Flint Hill is a member of the Parents Council of Washington (PCW), a nonprofit organization that hosts programming for member schools throughout the school year. On Wednesday, January 25, FH parents are invited to attend a PCW event where a panel of expert psychologists and counselors will share first-hand observations and insights and explore the value of school-based student support systems as well as ways that parents/guardians can partner with schools to enhance a culture of wellness. Learn about the difference between anxiety and stress, social exclusion versus bullying, and the skills that need to be developed from interrupted schooling during the pandemic.

The panel includes: Lower and Middle School Counselor Adam Diaz from Landon School; School Psychologist and Upper School Counselor Dr. Holly Hinderlie from Holton-Arms School; and Upper School Counselor and Director of Student Support Josie Woods from The Potomac School. Dr. Heather Tedesco, psychologist, will be the moderator, and an audience Q&A will follow the panel discussion.

Register to attend this event, which will be held in person on January 25, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m., at the Field School, 2301 Foxhall Road NW, Washington, DC 20007.