From The Head of School – January 17, 2024

 Flint Hill Community, 

I hope that you were able to enjoy the extra-long weekend, capped with yesterday’s snow day. In between emails, calls, and virtual meetings yesterday, I was able to go for a long walk with my dog, sled with my kids, and enjoy what felt like my family’s first “real snow” since moving to Virginia two years ago.  

As someone new to snow days, our administrative team has been incredibly patient in answering all of my questions about our processes and protocols. We review these guidelines each year, and seek to communicate with families effectively so that everyone’s expectations can be managed. Ultimately, our focus is on the safety of our community, including our bus drivers out on the icy roads in the darkness, and our families – some of whom commute for over an hour each way to campus. 

To that end, we aim to be clear and consistent in our communications. You should have received email and text notifications about Tuesday’s snow day and this morning’s late start. We strive to make the call as early as possible – ideally, the evening prior to a closure/late start, but may assess in the morning based on current conditions. In that case, announcements will come by 5:45 a.m. School closings and delays are also announced on our website, in our social media stories, and reported to news stations to be included in their local broadcasts.  

While we do not directly follow Fairfax County or other public/private school’s decisions, our team and I are often in communication with local agencies to ensure that we are acting on the best information available, as it relates to our Husky community.  

Students and families receive information from their respective teachers related to any academic work for the snow day, and our teachers are thoughtful in the adjustments of their lessons and calendars so that we, as a school, do not add any make-up days to the school year. Our full inclement weather policy is spelled out in the Parent Toolkit available on Husky Hub.

Suffice it to say, there are many considerations when making these decisions. I even received a couple thoughtful emails from Upper School students on Monday afternoon, pleading for a snow day before the final decision was made. While that didn’t factor into the ultimate decision, I was happy to know that they would be happy, too. In the end, if it’s best for our students, families, faculty, and staff, then we’ll take that approach. I appreciate everyone’s flexibility and understanding. 

There is a forecast of inclement weather for Thursday night. If we’re here on campus on Friday, we’ll have a great Flint Hill experience, and if we’re away, I hope you’re able to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate or a sledding ride.