Upper School Newsletter - September 28, 2022

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Message From Division Director

We started classes at the Upper School four weeks ago today. Four weeks is a solid marker because students will have visited each class about twelve times. Now is a good chance for students to self-reflect upon the actions that are being cemented into habits for the year.

There are many perks to having online gradebooks, but one recurring problem that I see is how misleading the grades can be early in the semester. Though Husky Hub shows “overall grades,” they only represent a fraction of the work that students will do during the semester. The small sample size means that each student’s final grade could be substantially different from what you see online right now.

It is with this fact in mind that I encourage students to stop by teachers during office hours simply to get some early feedback from the teacher. My impromptu surveys of students to determine their understanding of the purpose of office hours often yields this majority response: “to ask questions.” Yet, those questions are often focused on particular concepts and class material. Sometimes the best question for a student to ask a teacher is simply this: “how would you improve my current classroom habits and study system?” With four weeks passed in the semester, it is long enough for the teachers to have some initial observations but early enough for a student to adjust their study habits with the hopes of yielding more effective and more efficient learning.

Don Paige
Director of the Upper School

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Announcements

College Financial Aid Virtual Workshop — Monday, October 3

Families interested in learning more about need-based financial aid should join the College Counseling Office for an overview of the process on Monday, October 3, at 7:00 p.m. The financial aid director from a local university will join us to provide information and respond to questions about need-based financial aid. Families may join the session by using this link.

PSAT Day — Wednesday, October 12

Sophomores and Juniors will be taking the PSAT on Wednesday, October 12. Information, including a PDF version of this year's Student Guide, was emailed home to families on September 15. The School has ordered a PSAT for each sophomore and junior; students will register for the test prior to PSAT day in advisory. Testing will begin at 8:30 a.m. on October 12, and there will be breakfast available that morning beginning at 7:45 a.m.

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.

Homecoming 2022 — October 14-15

Celebrate Homecoming and join the Flint Hill community for a weekend filled with athletic events, food and fun for the entire family! The weekend kicks off with athletic games and our traditional bonfire on Friday night and continues with more athletic events, spirit giveaways and activities for all ages on Saturday. On both days, The Den will be open for concessions and the School Store will open a Pop-Up Shop in the Peterson Middle School. Please note that parents should attend events with children rather than drop them off unattended. Visit flinthill.org/homecoming for a full schedule of events. Click here to sign up to volunteer — a great way to make a difference and meet more Huskies!

Homecoming Spirit Dress Days — Week of October 10

Students may show their spirit in the days leading up to Homecoming by dressing up according to themes created by the student Athletic Advisory Council! As always, clothing should not impede students’ ability to participate in normal school activities or contain inappropriate language or images. Students who choose not to participate in the theme of the day should be in regular school dress. Please note that we encourage students to wear Homecoming T-shirts on Saturday, October 15.

Monday, October 10 — No School: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Tuesday, October 11 — Decades Day (70s, 80s, 90s, etc.)
Wednesday, October 12 — Grades 10, 11, 12 Pajama Day: Wear your PJs or comfiest clothing. Grade 9 is on a field trip.
Thursday, October 13 — Adam Sandler Day (wacky or big clothes)

Friday, October 14 — Color Day: Go all out in your class color! Grade 9 — Green; Grade 10 — Blue; Grade 11 — White; Grade 12 — Black

Homecoming Dance — Saturday, October 15

The Student Council Association is hosting our annual semi-formal Homecoming Dance at 8:30-10:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 15 at the Upper School. Students must arrive no later than 9:00 p.m. to be admitted, and they are not permitted to leave until 10:00 p.m. Students who want to bring a guest to the Homecoming Dance should go to the Morning Report and download the Guest Form. Those forms must be submitted to Mr. Chang no later than 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11.

Parent Resource Board

You’ll find helpful links and answers to many frequently asked questions on the Parent Resource Board. We’ve retired the “Preparing for the 2022-23 School Year” tile on the resource board and replaced it with a “Parent Toolkit” tile, which includes the following information:

School policies
Transportation (Pick-up and Drop-off)
Extended Day
Campus Security
Textbooks & Supplies
Daily Schedules
Lunch Menus

Pet Policy Update

Speaking of policies, effective Thursday, September 29, pets are not permitted in campus buildings or athletic fields. While we recognize and value the joy pets bring to our families, our primary concern continues to be the safety and welfare of our community. The School welcomes service animals assisting persons with disabilities.

School Store — Relaunch Tomorrow

The School Store will relaunch tomorrow, Thursday, September 29, at 1:00 p.m. We are excited to provide an improved shopping experience. To contact School Store Manager Kaleena Buckwalter, please call 703.584.2413 or email schoolstore@flinthill.org.

Please be mindful that there are many online stores selling Flint Hill gear illegally and refrain from purchasing items from there. We have no affiliation with those stores other than our official school store and any online store that we point you to, like the one selling our Homecoming t-shirts.

JK-12 Parent Coffee: Equity & Inclusion — Thursday, October 20

All parents, JK-12, are invited to join us on Thursday, October 20, 8:30-9:30 a.m., in the Lower School multipurpose room for a parent coffee highlighting our commitment to building inclusive, equitable classrooms in grades JK-12. This meaningful work supports the FH vision for all students to “Take Meaningful Risks. Be Yourself. Make a difference.” Led by Mia Burton, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion, the discussion will also examine how equity practices support student engagement, inquiry and reflection.

Photo Day Portraits Now Available Online

Flint Hill Student portraits 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

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.

Community of Care: Connect and Celebrate — November 12

SAVE THE DATE! Students in grades 7-12, alumni, parents, faculty, staff and leadership are invited to join us on Saturday, November 12, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the Peterson Middle School for our Community of Care: Connect and Celebrate event. The Community of Care provides a space for all members of the Flint Hill community to engage in dialogue, create connections, and strengthen relationships. This year we will examine how our core values shape the future of Flint Hill. Our time together will conclude with a festival celebrating our cultural diversity.

Registration details will be provided in the upcoming weeks. If you are interested in serving as a country representative at the festival, please email All-School Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator Miles Henderson.

Upcoming Events

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

Parent Morning Mixer
Monday, October 3
deCamp Garden, Upper School, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m.

College Financial Aid Virtual Workshop
Monday, October 3
Join Virtually, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Indigenous Peoples' Day
No School
Monday, October 10

PSAT Day
Wednesday, October 12

Homecoming Festivities
Friday, October 14
Saturday, October 15
The full schedule of events is on the Homecoming website.

JK-12 Parent Coffee: Equity & Inclusion
Thursday, October 20
Lower School Multipurpose Room, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Parents’ Association

Message From Our Parents’ Association President

Homecoming is a favorite tradition of the Flint Hill School community, and it’s just a few weeks away. It is one of our family’s favorite events, especially the bonfire! Be sure to mark your calendars and join us. Read More.

Parent Morning Mixer Next Monday

Join us for our next Parent Morning Mixer on Monday, October 3, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m, at the Upper School campus in the deCamp Garden. All JK-12 parents are invited to this informal social after morning drop-off to get together and visit with other parents. Parent Morning Mixers will rotate among locations at the Upper, Middle and Lower Schools throughout the year, but all divisions are welcome to attend regardless of the location.

Programs for Independent School Parents

Flint Hill is a member of the Parents Council of Washington (PCW) — a non-profit organization that fosters communication within the greater Washington, D.C., independent school community. Their goal is to promote excellence in education by building a network among independent schools and their parent communities. Each year they host programs that are open to parents and staff at member schools. Thank you to Jennifer Butler P’24 who serves as Flint Hill’s representative. Please see below for upcoming events; you are invited to attend with other independent school parents in the region.

Tuesday, October 18, 7:00 p.m. — Speaker: Dr. Dalton (virtual via Zoom)
PCW is pleased to welcome Dr. Jonathan Dalton, founder and director of the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change. Dr. Dalton is a licensed psychologist, specializing in the use of evidence-based treatments for children and teens who find their lives impacted by anxiety. He is an expert in his field with over 20 years of experience and speaks frequently on mental health disorders impacting children and teens. All PCW member school parents, administrators, faculty and staff are invited. Time for Q&A will be provided after the presentation. Please submit questions to administration@parentscouncil.org by October 11. REGISTER for this speaker event.

October 24-28 — Movie Screening: “Chasing Childhood” (virtual)
PCW is pleased to host an online viewing of “Chasing Childhood,” a feature-length documentary that explores how free play and independence have all but disappeared from kids’ lives, supplanted by relentless perfectionism leading to record rates of anxiety and depression, a situation compounded by the pandemic. Free play, unsupervised by adults, is critical for developing essential life skills: grit, independence and resourcefulness. The film explores how and why helicopter parenting became the norm in many communities across the United States. All PCW member school parents, administrators, faculty and staff are invited. REGISTER to receive the link to view the documentary.

Calling all Concessions Volunteers!
We need parent volunteers to help sell concessions in both The Igloo and The Den during the day and after school. It’s a great way to meet other parents and get a special glimpse into the Flint Hill experience. Please sign up for as many shifts as you'd like, and feel free to invite a friend to sign up with you too.

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.