Middle School Newsletter – August 9, 2023

New Roles, Departures, and New Hires

New Roles

Congratulations to the following returning faculty and staff who have taken on new roles this year.

• Meghan Coakley - Middle School Learning Specialist
• Cameron Martin - Full-time Middle School Substitute Teacher
• Shannon McCarty - Interim Director of the Learning Center
• Eve Shade - Art Director
• Andrew Tran - Middle and Upper School Technology and Instructional Specialist

Departures 

As we do each year, we have faculty and staff who depart over the summer due to retirement, relocation or new career or educational opportunities. We are grateful for their service to Flint Hill and wish them well in their future endeavors. 

• Laura Day - Enrollment Data and Systems Coordinator

New Hires 

We are delighted to welcome new Middle School faculty/staff and members of the Senior Leadership Team to the Flint Hill family.

Shawn Arrington - Director of Information Technology

Shawn has worked in independent schools for over 25 years in North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Most recently, Shawn worked at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for 14 years, serving as chief information officer, teacher, advisor, and coach. He has a B.S. in physics and mathematics from Longwood University and an M.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Alabama - Birmingham. Fun fact: Shawn enjoys binge-watching TV shows with his wife and two young adult children.

---

Polly Beam - Middle School Art Teacher  

Polly has worked as a visual arts educator at private schools in New York and Virginia, including the Langley School and Browne Academy. She has a B.F.A. in communications design (illustration) from Pratt Institute. Fun fact: Polly enjoys trip planning almost as much as traveling.

---

Tracie Epes - Director of Counseling

Tracie has worked with children and adolescents for over 25 years in public and private schools, therapeutic settings, and community agencies. Prior to joining Flint Hill, she worked at The Madeira School for 15 years as the director of counseling. She has a B.A. in psychology from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and an M.S. and Ed.S. in counseling from the University of North Carolina - Greensboro. Fun facts: Tracie enjoys baking cupcakes and creating different flavors and designs. She loves playing and watching soccer, walking in the woods with her dog, Phoebe, and spending time with family and friends.  

---

Jesi Hessong-Brown - Middle School Science Teacher  

Jesi has worked in education for over five years in public and private schools. Before becoming an educator, Jesi was a research biologist and a non-profit professional. She has a B.S. in environmental and conservation biology from George Mason University and an M.S. in Middle School Education from Shenandoah University. Fun fact: Jesi has been paid to catch salamanders for a living.

---

Claire Holman - Middle School English Teacher

Claire worked at Bullis School for six years as the Middle School Language Arts Department coordinator and 8th grade Language Arts teacher. She also worked at Westminster School for three years as the 5th and 6th grade English and Writing teacher. She has a B.A. in English from Virginia Tech and an M.Ed in Secondary English Education from Vanderbilt University. Fun fact: Claire is a proud Flint Hill alumna (Class of 2007).

---

Tiffany Jones - Middle School Math Teacher and Middle School Learning Specialist  

Tiffany earned her B.A. from the University of New Orleans, majoring in drama and mass communications with a minor in business administration. After almost a decade of working in professional and non-profit arenas, she pursued an elementary school teaching certificate from Houston Baptist University and began her classroom career teaching monolingual and bilingual first graders in Houston, Texas. Since relocating to Virginia, in 2013, she has continued to develop her teaching skills while fostering the development of the whole child as an advanced academic resource teacher and English as a Second Language Teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in educational psychology at the University of Virginia. Fun facts: Tiffany enjoys viewing and participating in various performing arts. She believes that life is learning and places an emphasis on a positive mindset coupled with incremental actions to achieve desired outcomes. 

---

Jason Klem - Assistant Director of College Counseling  

Jason has worked in college admissions for six years. He represented Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, for five years and spent two years as a Washington D.C.-area regional coordinator, developing a solid understanding of the high schools in the region. He has a B.S. in applied psychology from Ithaca College. Fun facts: Jason loves to explore new areas by walking, hiking, and running. He has completed multiple marathons.

---

Madeleine Lopez - Director of the Lower School  

Madeleine has taught several elementary grade levels and held numerous academic leadership positions for 20 years, both in public and private schools. She has a B.S. in foreign service from Georgetown University, an M.A.T. in Elementary Education from Manhattanville College, and an M.Ed. in private school leadership from Columbia University. Fun fact: Madeleine is an only child but now has a large family and loves to spend time with them.

---

Aaron Proctor - Director of Academics

Proctor (he goes by his last name) served as a teacher - mostly in psychology and mathematics - and administrator for over 20 years at various schools. He has a B.S. in economics from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.S. in psychology from Capella University. Fun facts: He prefers to be called Proctor as his first name and he loves rugby!

---

Carolina Santa Maria - Middle School Spanish Teacher

Carolina worked at the Organization of American States for over 13 years, where she dealt with hemispheric political matters. She has worked as a long-term Spanish substitute teacher at Flint Hill's Upper School and a Level 3 Spanish interpreter at Fairfax County Public Schools for over two years. She has a B.A. in international business from Universidad EAFIT - Medellin, Colombia, and an M.A. in international affairs (emphasis in conflict resolution) from George Washington University. Fun facts: Carolina was a water-ski champion and loves to watch her boys swim.

---

Maxwell Simpson  - Enrollment Systems Manager

Maxwell has worked in higher education settings for about eight years, including recruitment and operational positions. He has a B.S. in communications from Old Dominion University and an M.S. in cybersecurity from Marymount University. Fun facts: Maxwell is a triplet and loves to play competitive pickleball.

---

Leslie Taylor - Middle School Math Teacher  

Leslie was an in-house counsel for a large Texas public school and reinvented herself by studying to become a math teacher. She worked at an international school for six years as a middle school teacher with a focus on mathematics and pastoral care. She has a B.S. in maritime administration, a juris doctor degree, and an M.Ed. in secondary education with a minor in mathematics teaching. Fun fact: Leslie recently returned to the United States after living abroad for 13 years in Vietnam, China, and the United Kingdom.