OUR HISTORY
1956
Flint Hill Private School is founded by Don Niklason.
1958
A classroom structure is built to the west of the Miller House and the school expands from K-10 to K-11.
1960
Flint Hill’s first graduation is held on the campus front lawn for five students. These five graduates were among the first Flint Hill students to walk away with the “Talon,” the Flint Hill Private School yearbook.
1960-
1962
A new Upper School and multi-purpose building are completed.
1963
Under Headmaster Charles Wight, the name of the School is changed to Flint Hill Preparatory School to highlight the School’s commitment to college preparation.
1965
Flint Hill and its student newspaper, the “Tale Feather,” become members of the Southern Interscholastic Press Association.
1966-
1967
Enrollment grows from 495 to 520, with 205 brand new students. In addition to increased enrollment, the school year begins with a refurbished library.
1978
Flint Hill purchases its first microcomputer.
1970s-
1980s
Flint Hill’s basketball program grows to prominence under Coach Stewart Vetter, becoming a hallmark of Flint Hill Prep’s athletic program.
1980s
Flint Hill introduces AP classes for core course offerings and a computer science class.
1981
Flint Hill’s Fine Arts department sees explosive growth, with regular performances from the Thespian Society and Hilltop Singers, the School choral group.
1982
The Lower School receives its first Apple computer.
1985-
1986
Awaiting the completion of a new facility, Flint Hill begins the school year at the site of the former Whittier Intermediate School in Falls Church, Virginia.
1986
The Miller House is moved to its current location on Academic Drive.
1987
Flint Hill’s Basketball team wins the National Championship.
1990
Under the leadership of John T. Hazel Jr., the School is acquired and reorganized as Flint Hill School.
In September, Flint Hill School opens its doors with a new campus (the Hazel Academic Building) and a new name.
1990s
Flint Hill’s Field Studies program takes hold, providing students with unique opportunities to learn outside the traditional classroom.
The Learning Center program is established to support students with differentiated learning styles.
Flint Hill’s Latin program emerges as a pivotal component of the School’s academic reputation. Flint Hill students won first place in Levels I, II and IV of the Classical Association of Virginia Latin Language Exam, five students achieved perfect scores on the National Latin Examination and eight students received Gold Medals on the National Mythology Examination. As a result, Flint Hill was named Outstanding Latin School in Virginia in 1990-91, an honor the school has won almost every year since.
Following a School vote, Flint Hill’s mascot is changed from the Falcon to the Husky.
The Flint Hill Alumni Association and Parents’ Association are established.
1991
Flint Hill is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS).
1993
The Board of Trustees votes to proceed with construction of the Activity Center on the Lower and Middle School Campus.
Girls’ athletics teams join the Independent School League (ISL).
The student body votes on a name for the Husky mascot and “Klondike” is named.
1995
A group of Flint Hill students participate in the School’s first cross-country skiing and dog-sledding trip in the Maine wilderness, a tradition that continues to this day.
1996
Flint Hill breaks ground on the second phase of construction for the Activity Center, which includes the Olson Theater, new classrooms and additional facilities for science, fine arts and athletics activities.
1997
Dedication of the Olson Theater and Middle School Wing.
1998
Flint Hill purchases additional parcels of land in preparation to build a separate Upper School Campus.
2001
A class of 64 students is the last to graduate from the Academic Drive campus.
The Upper School opens for the 2001-2002 school year, with facilities for science, visual arts, language, math, the Learning Center, and new athletic fields and tennis courts. The new campus was dedicated at Homecoming.
2005
A "Collaborative Classroom of the Future" initiative launches with tablets provided to students in fifth grade. This program was the catalyst for Flint Hill’s commitment to incorporating leading-edge technology practices in the classroom.
2010-
2011
Flint Hill introduces its 1:1 technology program.
2011
Flint Hill is named an Apple Virginia Site School.
2013
Flint Hill is named an Apple Distinguished School, a designation recognizing outstanding schools and programs worldwide for innovation, leadership and educational excellence.
2019
Flint Hill launches and completes "Momentum — Campaign for Flint Hill," the largest and most ambitious fundraising campaign in the School’s history. At the conclusion of the campaign, the School announced plans to move forward with the construction of the new Peterson Middle School.
2020
Peterson Middle School
Named in honor of the Peterson Family, the new middle school opens and the Classes of 2025 and 2026 are the first students in the building. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was completed on time and on budget.
Hazel Lower School
In appreciation for John “Til” Hazel’s transformative impact on Flint Hill School, the Lower School is renamed in his honor.
