Middle School Newsletter - January 5, 2022
Message From Division Director
I hope that all of you enjoyed a wonderful break and holiday with your families. This is not exactly the start to 2022 we were hoping for, and we obviously remain committed to the practices that will keep us in school during this challenging stretch. Those practices may evolve with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and new requirements from the Fairfax County Health Department. At this point, we have reinstituted our mask requirement for indoor athletics (which the leagues had adjusted for the winter season) and will continue to remind students about consistently wearing masks that fit and remain completely over their mouth and nose. We appreciate any help you can give with these reminders.
As a reminder, our Middle School Division Coffee this Friday will be virtual and feature the #WinAtSocial curriculum, a student-led, gamified program that focuses on navigating social-emotional health, social media and technology in positive, high-character ways. The program also provides resources and discussion prompts to parents. If you haven’t already done so, please consider taking the initial steps below.
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- Register for the Parent Toolkit by using this step-by-step guide and the school access code: 0c68D8101A666E.
- Review the Parent Playbook for an overview of the partnership and browse other resources, such as the Family Huddles that correspond to each lesson.
- Attend the January 7 Middle School Division Virtual Coffee to walk through resources and our most recent student lessons with Middle School Counselor John Magner.
- Seventh Grade — Recognizing How the Portrayal of People in Movies, Shows, and Ads Can Affect Us.
- Eighth Grade — Rising above the Pressures of Likes, Followers, and Perfect Posts.
Brian Lamont
Director of the Middle School
THE LATEST
MacBook-Only Environment for 2022-2023
For the past several years, our Middle School has been piloting a 2-to-1 environment in which each student is issued both an iPad and a MacBook Air. We had planned to move to one device prior to the pandemic but opted to keep both due to the periodic need for virtual learning. We will be issuing only one device beginning in the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. After considering the instructional needs of our division, the iPad-only Lower School and MacBook-only Upper School, and feedback from students and faculty, we have decided to move to a Macbook-only 1-to-1 environment in the Middle School next year. Students will continue to use both devices until June and will return their iPads at that time.
Participate in Upcoming Math Contests
In the next few weeks, students will have the opportunity to participate in two different math contests. They will receive this information via email and must indicate their interest in advance.
Mathcounts
In early February, we will have up to 12 students participate in the virtual Mathcounts competition; there may also be an in-person competition at George Mason University. We will use a two-part test to select the team. Please note that a student does not need to be part of the Mathcounts class in order to participate. If a student is interested in being considered for the competition — or just wants to take the tests — they should:
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- email Mrs. McCray and their math teacher by the end of the day this Monday, January 10, to express interest; and
- take the two-part test we use to select the team — next Wednesday, January 12, and Friday, January 14, at 1:40 p.m. (flex period).
AMC 8
Sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America, “The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple choice examination in middle school mathematics designed to promote the development of problem-solving skills. The material covered on the AMC 8 includes topics from a typical middle school mathematics curriculum. Possible topics include but are not limited to: counting and probability, estimation, proportional reasoning, elementary geometry including the Pythagorean Theorem, spatial visualization, everyday applications, and reading and interpreting graphs and tables. In addition some of the later questions may involve linear or quadratic functions and equations, coordinate geometry, and other topics traditionally covered in a beginning algebra course.”
Students who wish to participate in the AMC 8 on Tuesday, January 18, must email Mathematics Department Chair Riki Weeks. We have a limited number of tests available, so the first 20 students to respond will be able to participate.
Financial Aid Deadline Approaching
The financial aid application deadline is Monday, January 10, for families planning to apply for financial aid for the 2022-23 school year. Flint Hill’s financial aid application is available on the Financial Aid for Student Tuition (FAST) website. Families who complete the application process by January 10 will receive a notification of their financial aid award on Thursday, January 27, when re-enrollment contracts are issued to current families.
Friendly Reminders
- Refer a Husky and the Admission team will reach out to them.
PARENT RESOURCES
The Parents Council of Washington (PCW) is pleased to host online viewing of “The Upstanders” from January 10 through January 13, 2022. This iNDIEFLIX original documentary about resilience and the power of connection to end bullying addresses the multiple facets of cyber-bullying including bully, victim, bystander, and family member. Remote learning and socializing due to COVID-19 has increased screen time for children while also significantly increasing circumstances of cyber-bullying. This documentary provides bystanders with the tools and confidence to "change the narrative" to eradicate cyber-bullying. Register here to receive the link to view “The Upstanders” documentary and access its At-Home Discussion Guide and other online resources. All PCW member school parents, administrators, faculty, and staff are invited. Students are invited to view the documentary with their parents due to the fact that suicide is discussed.
Upcoming Events
To help protect the integrity and privacy of virtual events, we have placed all the links to Google Meet virtual events in Husky Hub via the All-School Calendar.
Middle School Division Virtual Coffee — #WinAtSocial
Friday, January 7, 8:45 a.m.
Financial Aid Deadline
Monday, January 10
Grades JK-12 Headmaster's Virtual Parent Discussion Series: The FH Budget
Wednesday, January 12, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
See the All School Calendar to Join
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
Grades JK-12 No Classes, Administrative Offices Closed
Monday, January 17
End of Second Quarter and First Semester
Friday, January 21
Health Services
Reminder: Keep Everyone Healthy by Staying Home If Sick
If your student has fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, you should keep them home to recover. They must be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to school.
The COVID-19 Health Information tile on the Resource Board has this year’s protocols and procedures.
Flint Hill strongly encourages everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated.
The COVID-19 Case Dashboard has been updated.
Parents' Association
Teacher Appreciation Surprise: What’s Your Word?
Please use this form to share one word describing Flint Hill teachers. Responses will be used for a special project that we look forward to sharing with you soon!
Happy New Year! 2022…Wow!
When we enrolled at Flint Hill, in the fall of 2009, we were given the year 2022. Unsal family ’22, Necati Unsal ’22, Sibel Unsal P’22. For 13 years, every time our names were mentioned it was accompanied by 22. At the time, 2022 seemed like a lifetime away, a distant date that I really never thought about.
Read more.
School Store
Holiday Shopping
The holiday season is upon us. To ensure that you or your loved ones receive Flint Hill spirit wear before winter break, please place your orders no later than noon on Thursday, December 16.
The School Store uses priority shipping, but please allow a week for local packages to be delivered and up to two weeks for packages mailed outside the DMV area.
Click here to view new inventory in the School Store.
Check out the Last Chance Spirit Wear section of the School Store. With extremely limited quantities left, these sale items won’t last long. Shop now before they are gone!
Hoodies and Outerwear
We have a great selection of hoodies and outerwear for youth and adults. Click the links below to view our inventory.
How Do I Make an Exchange or Return?
Please email Adrienne Robinson within 30 days of your original purchase. Include your order number, the item(s) that didn’t work, and if you would like to return your items or exchange them. 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.
NEWS ON THE HILL
