Middle School Newsletter – September 20, 2023
September 20, 2023
Letter From The Division Director
As we begin establishing some momentum and ramping up the academic expectations, your child will begin having more homework assignments and assessments. Particularly for those in 7th grade, this can feel like a big step as they learn to keep track of what they need to be working on in each class, manage time and due dates, and figure out which strategies work for them and which don’t. These are all very important aspects of growth during the middle school years and, like much of the journey, can be messy and challenge our ability to maintain perspective. To ensure that these years can be the training ground our students need them to be, all of the adults around them play an important role — providing the right amount of structure and guidance while leaving room for stumbles. This can be VERY difficult for both educators and parents. Here are some recommendations for supporting homework and a healthy perspective.
- Create space and time in the evening schedule for homework — consider distractions and start/end times — generally one hour and no more than two hours.
- Check assignments in Husky Hub and ask about your child’s plan/priority.
- Clear out so they can work independently, and redirect them to class resources and the teacher if they are stuck.
- Stick to a time limit and bedtime — guide your child to communicate with the teacher if they weren’t able to finish and/or have follow-up questions.
- While students need to practice taking ownership and taking the lead on communication (often imperfectly), parents should use backchannel communication with us to ask questions and express concerns (e.g. homework is taking too long).
- Embrace the ups and downs — stumbles are great learning opportunities if we handle them right!
- Our mutual goal should be to foster gentle, periodic, “coaching” conversations about students' progress, recognizing the importance of helping them make adjustments while focusing on growth and process rather than individual grades.
Brian Lamont
Director of the Middle School
Announcements
Middle School Homecoming Information and Reminders
There is a lot of excitement to look forward to next week, culminating in the events on Friday evening and Saturday — complete information at flinthill.org/homecoming. Please note that you should enjoy Homecoming events with your child. Students may not be dropped off and left unattended.
Please review the following reminders and I look forward to seeing you at Homecoming events.
- Spirit Days — students are encouraged to dress according to the theme and should be in regular school dress if they choose not to participate. Homecoming t-shirts are designated for Saturday, September 30.
- Tuesday, September 26 — Blackout: Wear all black clothing. Students may wear athletic bottoms if they are related to the theme.
- Wednesday, September 27 — Pajama Day: Wear your PJs or comfiest clothing.
- Thursday, September 28 — Jersey Day: Wear an athletic shirt or jersey. Students may wear athletic bottoms if they are related to the theme.
- Friday, September 29 — Color Day: Go all out in your class color! 7th grade in Purple and 8th grade in Pink.
- Participating in After-School Events on Friday, September 29
- We will run our regular dismissal process on Friday starting at 3:25 p.m.
- As always, all Middle School students must be dismissed to the bus, to a parent, or to Extended Day at that time.
- Middle School students may not stay after school on their own to watch Upper School games or the Bonfire; if they wish to attend, they must first be dismissed to a parent (their own, or another authorized adult).
- A Middle School student who attends Extended Day must be picked up by a parent by 6:00 p.m.
- Any Middle School student who attends the Bonfire (6:30 - 7:15 p.m.) must be accompanied by a parent.
Homecoming Weekend — Friday, September 29 - Saturday, September 30
Join the Flint Hill community for a weekend filled with athletic events, food, and fun for the entire family! The weekend kicks off on Friday night at 4:15 p.m. with athletic games and our traditional bonfire and continues on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. with more athletic events, spirit giveaways, and activities for all ages. Visit flinthill.org/homecoming for the full schedule of events. Please note that Lower and Middle School parents should attend events with children rather than drop them off unattended.
Homecoming Volunteers Needed: Click here to sign up to volunteer and invite a friend to join you — a great way to make a difference and meet more Huskies!
Homecoming Parking Pro Tip: Plan extra time to park. Parking will fill quickly in the Middle and Upper School parking lots on Friday. Overflow parking will be directed to the Lower School campus, located at 10409 Academic Drive. Flint Hill School blue bus shuttles will run continuously Friday night and Saturday between the Lower School Campus and the Upper School carpool circle. Save time searching for a spot and park in the Lower School parking lot on Friday!
College Financial Aid Virtual Workshop — Monday, October 2
Join a local financial aid officer to learn about the need-based financial aid process (as opposed to merit scholarship opportunities). This program is open to families of any grade level, however junior and senior families may find it most helpful.
Date and Time: Monday, October 2, 7:00-8:15 p.m.
Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/obg-hfhs-ify
Field Trips on Tuesday, October 10
One of our annual field trips are coming up — both grades spend the day in Washington, D.C. Please review the information below and note that regular arrival and dismissal times apply.
7th Grade Advisory Day
With the goals of connecting with each other and exploring key areas of our nation’s capital, advisory groups will engage in teambuilding activities and a scavenger hunt competition around the National Mall. Safety is our top priority, and the level of responsibility for both students and advisors is increased off campus, particularly in navigating busy city streets. We will be reviewing safety protocols with students — particularly in terms of staying together as a group, paying close attention to instructions about crossing streets, and respecting the thousands of others trying to move about the city. We appreciate your efforts to support these messages at home.
Advisory Day Reminders:
- Regular 8:00 a.m. arrival and 3:25 p.m. dismissal times.
- There are no academic classes or athletic practices.
- Students should be in regular school dress with comfortable walking shoes.
- Students should leave MacBooks at home.
- Students will need a daypack, water bottle, bag lunch, an additional snack, and a hat/sunscreen as needed.
- Please contact your child’s advisor if you have questions.
8th Grade Holocaust Museum Trip
As part of our unit on human rights, students will visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to better appreciate and understand the events leading to, during, and after the Holocaust. We will prepare students for the trip using various in-class activities and readings. While the subject matter and images contained within the exhibition are sometimes disturbing, the most graphic footage is protected behind walls that must be looked over in order to see them. Therefore, unless a student so chooses, they will not be exposed to extremely graphic images. While we will talk with the students about this, please feel free to also discuss this option with your child. We encourage you to review information on the Permanent Exhibition we will be visiting.
Museum Trip Reminders:
- Regular 8:00 a.m. arrival and 3:25 p.m. dismissal times.
- There are no academic classes or athletic practices.
- Students should be in regular school dress with comfortable walking shoes.
- Students should leave MacBooks at home.
- Students will need a daypack, water bottle, bag lunch, an additional snack, and a hat/sunscreen as needed.
- Please contact your child's history teacher if you have questions.
Articles for Middle School Parents
In the interest of sharing issues and perspectives relevant to the challenges of parenting young adolescents, here are a few articles that you might find helpful.
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 2024-25 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 2024-25 school year, please complete this interest form by Sunday, October 1. Alternatively, you can simply complete the admission application form. You must complete the application package by the end of November to receive an admission notification in mid-December. An email with more details will hit your inbox tomorrow.
New Parent Meetup: Register for Tennis Lessons and Open Play
Did you miss the Parents’ Association Tennis Social or want to keep playing with other parents? Join Varsity Girls' Tennis Coach Steve Spratt for casual matches and tennis drills on the Middle and Upper School Tennis Courts. Continue practicing your skills or play some mixed doubles with fellow parents. Plan to bring your own tennis balls and racket. Registration is limited to 30 parents for each date.
Meetup Dates: Wednesday, September 27; Wednesday, October 4; and Wednesday, October 25, 9:00-10:30 a.m. Please register for each date you can attend.
Reminders
Dance Team Open Practices for Grades 7-12 — Every Tuesday, September 12 - October 31
Calling all dancers! Students in grades 7-12 are invited to join the Upper School Dance Team for open practices every Tuesday, 3:45-5:45 p.m. Students will participate in team practices where they learn and enhance their dance technical skills in jazz and pom techniques in addition to strength and conditioning. Please register for each open practice date, and submit a form for each participating student.
Location and Pick-Up: Upper School Dance Studio. Students should be picked up from the Upper School front circle.
Date and Time: Tuesdays, 3:45-5:45 p.m., from September 12 to October 31
FH Athletics: Watch Games via Livestream
Middle School games will start the week of September 25. All games held on the Flint Hill Upper School or Lower School campuses will be livestreamed online via Hudl TV or via the Hudl Fan app (Hudl Fan: Apple or Hudl Fan: Google Play and search for “Flint Hill School”). Please check Husky Hub and/or the Flint Hill School Athletics webpage for the Middle School and Upper School athletic schedules.
Reminder: Invite Your Friends and Neighbors to Flint Hill Events
The Admission Team always appreciates when you refer a family to Flint Hill — they’re often the best fit for our school! We'd love to fill our few spaces with your friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Please bring them to Homecoming on the weekend of September 29 so they can see our community in action, and consider inviting them to the below virtual admission event:
Webinar: Blaze the Trail at Flint Hill — Wednesday, October 4, 12:00-12:45 p.m. While this event is designed for prospective families, current families are welcome to join.
Volunteer in the Igloo and Den
One of the most frequent and fun volunteer opportunities is selling concessions in the Igloo or Den. It’s a great way to meet other parents while getting a glimpse of life in the Upper School or the best view of a game on the Peterson Family Field.
We are now accepting credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay in both locations! Volunteers: watch this quick tutorial on the new system. Instructions are also posted in the Igloo and Den.
Sign Up for Shifts:
All-School Gathering Photos on Flickr
Throughout the year, you’ll find photos from community events and classroom activities posted on our Flickr account. You can access Flickr via the floating camera icon on our newsletter sidebar. The link can also be found in the footer of our website and within the email signature of every Flint Hill faculty and staff member.
Upcoming Events
FH Volleyball Invitational
Saturday, September 23
Upper School Gym
Spirit Days
Tuesday, September 26
Wednesday, September 27
Thursday, September 28
Friday, September 29
New Parent Meetup: Tennis Lessons and Open Play
Wednesday, September 27
Middle and Upper School Tennis Courts, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Please register to attend.
Homecoming
Friday, September 29, and Saturday, September 30
Middle and Upper School Campus
Details and schedule of events
College Financial Aid Virtual Workshop
Monday, October 2, 7:00-8:15 p.m.
Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/obg-hfhs-ify
New Parent Meetup: Tennis Lessons and Open Play
Wednesday, October 4
Middle and Upper School Tennis Courts, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Please register to attend.
Virtual Admission Event: Webinar: Blaze the Trail at Flint Hill
Wednesday, October 4, 12:00-12:45 p.m.
While this event is designed for prospective families, current families are welcome to join.
Middle School Field Trips to Washington, D.C.
Tuesday, October 10
Middle School Division Coffee
Wednesday, October 11
Peterson Middle School Conference Room, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m.
Parents are invited to join John Magner (Associate Director of Counseling and Middle School Counselor), Tracie Epes (Director of Counseling), and Brian Lamont for a discussion about adolescent development, social-emotional learning, and counseling support.
Parent Morning Mixer
Thursday, October 12
de Camp Garden, Upper School, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
New Parent Meetup: Tennis Lessons and Open Play
Wednesday, October 25
Middle and Upper School Tennis Courts, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Please register to attend.
