Upper School Newsletter - September 21, 2022

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Message From Division Director

Tomorrow is the day of our annual Club Fair. This is a great opportunity for our students to see a myriad of opportunities available to them for making a difference as well as making new friends. We do not post a list of clubs because they change regularly based on student interest and leadership, but each year there are so many options that every student finds at least one club that beckons them toward membership.

Beyond finding other Huskies with similar interests, the club system creates a structure for students to engage in leadership and activism. Each club has a faculty or staff sponsor, but their role is to simply guide the students rather than actually organize the club. This allows the clubs to become a place for students to take a meaningful risk, whether it is starting their own community service project, campaigning for club office or trying to facilitate change in the school.

Maybe you are reading this on Wednesday night after dinner, or maybe it is showing up in your Thursday morning email scroll. Either way, if it gets to you before your student heads off to school on Thursday morning, then give them a nudge to come over to the Club Fair and find what might become their next passion project.

Don Paige
Director of the Upper School

Announcements

LAST CALL for Homecoming T-Shirt Orders

Grab your 2022 Homecoming shirt TODAY! Click here to place your order, and be sure to select your student’s homeroom teacher or advisor — t-shirts will be delivered to those classrooms during Homecoming week. The shirts are designed by the Upper School Athletic Advisory Council and are available in youth and adult sizes. The store closes tomorrow morning, September 22, at 10:00 a.m. so grab yours NOW!

Emergency Notification System Testing

Flint Hill uses the BrightArrow emergency notification system to relay important, time-sensitive messages by text and email. Delayed openings and closures will be communicated via this system by 5:45 a.m. on the day of a severe weather event.

We will send a test message by text and email tomorrow, Thursday, September 22, at 6:00 p.m. IMPORTANT: New members of the community must reply “yes” when prompted by the test message to continue receiving text messages. Please contact communications@flinthill.org with any questions.

Senior Parents — Sign Up for Senior Breakfast

Senior parents, please sign up if you are interested in contributing food or helping to set up and serve breakfast on Friday, September 23. We appreciate your help with continuing this tradition and providing a special treat for our seniors!

Athletics — Order a Letterman Jacket

The time to order letterman jackets for the 2022-23 school year is here for all who are interested. Students may pick up an order form with options for personalization outside the athletic office. We will be partnering with the Neff Company again. For students who would like to be fitted for size, Neff representatives will be at Flint Hill on Tuesday, September 27, 12:00 - 1:15 p.m. You may also submit order forms and checks on that date as well. Neff now accepts only cash or checks for all jacket orders. If you have any questions, please plan to show up to the fitting on September 27 or contact Neff’s representative, John Morrow.

School Store — Temporary Closure for Improvements

The School Store will be closed from Wednesday, September 14, through Wednesday, September 28, to move to a new platform. During this time, the store will not be taking any orders online or in person. We are excited to provide an improved shopping experience for everyone when we relaunch on Thursday, September 29. To contact School Store Manager Kaleena Buckwalter, please call 703.584.2413 or email schoolstore@flinthill.org.

PSAT Day — Wednesday, October 12

Please note the following schedule for students on PSAT Day.

9th graders will attend an advisory day trip. They will have normal school hours that day (8:25 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.)
10th and 11th graders will take the PSAT on campus. They are dismissed from school after they complete the test. This is normally about 12:00 p.m. for the standard test administration and approximately 1:30 p.m. for students with the accommodated test administration.
- There will be lunch provided for 10th and 11th graders who wish to eat on campus.
- We will have places for students to work quietly after the test if they need to take the bus home or wait for athletic practices.
12th graders have a day off from classes to finish college applications or complete college visitation travel from the holiday weekend.

Photo Day Portraits Now Available Online

Flint Hill Student portraits, grades 9-11, are now online for viewing and ordering. Parents should have received an email from Freed Photography with your student's private gallery information. If you have not received that email (check your spam too), please contact Freed at support@freedphoto.com or call 301.652.5452. Photo Retake/Makeup Day is currently scheduled for Wednesday, October 19. Note: It was previously scheduled to take place the same day as Lower and Middle School, which is October 6.

Early Admission Process for Siblings

As members of our Husky family, we are offering an early start to the admission process for siblings who do not currently attend Flint Hill and are interested in applying for the 2023-24 school year.

If you have a child who is not currently enrolled at Flint Hill and you are interested in the application process for the 2023-24 school year, please complete this interest form by Saturday, October 1. Alternatively, you can simply complete the admission application. You must complete the full application package by November 1 to receive an admission notification in mid-December. For more information, please schedule an appointment with the admission team member for your division of interest.

Homework Policy for Special Circumstances

Over the course of each year, there are a variety of circumstances and events outside of our published calendar that can prevent students from completing evening assignments. When these circumstances or events arise, the School will make every effort to be flexible and support students in completing their work in a timely manner.

Special Circumstances

In the event of an illness or unforeseen emergency, you are encouraged to communicate with your child’s teacher, advisor or division director to inform them of what to expect from your child, so we can work with your family accordingly.

Religious Observances

Flint Hill deeply respects and celebrates the customary rituals, observances and family gatherings associated with religious holidays and those of differing faiths at School. Please communicate with your child's teacher, advisor or division director to inform them of your observance, and we will work with your family accordingly. Students are excused from school, games and practices for religious commitments.

Important Campus Driving/Parking Reminders

In order to keep safety as our highest priority, please follow all traffic directions and signage including the following:

Flint Hill community members are never permitted to park in the local neighborhoods. If you arrive for an event and the campus lots are full, please check in with a traffic officer on duty for alternative parking options.
When driving to the Middle School parking lot, remember that the Oakton Road entrance may only be accessed from the right-hand turn lane on Oakton Road. Left-hand turns are not permitted from Oakton Road into the Peterson Middle School parking lot.

Upcoming Events

Senior Breakfast
Friday, September 23
7:45 - 8:20 a.m.

Parents' Association Pickleball Social
Thursday, September 29
Country Club of Fairfax, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Indigenous Peoples' Day
No School
Monday October 10

PSAT Day
Wednesday, October 12

Homecoming Festivities
Friday, October 14
Saturday, October 15
*more details in next week's newsletter

Parents’ Association

Calling All Concessions Volunteers!

Parent volunteers are needed to help sell concessions in both The Igloo and The Den during the day and after school. More opportunities will be added throughout the year for each athletic season. Please sign up for as many shifts as you'd like, and feel free to invite a friend to sign up with you too.