Fall 2016 Magazine

MAGAZINE | FALL 2016

CONTENTS 2

Board of Trustees 2016–2017 Mr. Richard J. Hendrix, Chair Mrs. Sarah D. Hazel, Vice Chair Mr. Gary D. Rappaport, Treasurer Mr. John M. Thomas, Secretary Mr. Randall W. Byrnes, Development Committee Chair Board Members Gen. John R. Allen, USMC (Ret.) ‘71 Mr. Steven C. Anderson Mr. John M. Beatty Sr. Mrs. Jacqueline M. Copeland Mr. James J. Fitzpatrick ‘95 Ms. Suzanne R. Gray Mrs. Linnie M. Haynesworth Mr. Edward H. Kennedy Mr. John M. Kudless Ms. Lilian Kan Li Mrs. Lisa R. Lisker Mr. David W. Middleton Mrs. Elizabeth A. Murray Mr. Hugh E. Taylor Ms. Lucia Anna Trigiani Trustees Emeriti Mr. John T. Hazel Jr., Founding Chair Emeritus Sister Martha Carpenter, O.S.F. Mr. Edward R. Carr Mr. Otis D. Coston Jr. Mr. John M. Dowd The Honorable Johanna L. Fitzpatrick Mr. Paul C. Kincheloe Jr. Mr. Michael C. McCarey Mr. William N. Melton Mr. Norris E. Mitchell The Reverend Edwin M. Ward

THE HILL

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ARTS ON THE HILL

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HIGHLIGHTS BY GRADE

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ATHLETICS

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FACULTY/STAFF NEWS

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PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

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ALUMNI CLASS NOTES Dear Flint Hill School Families,

FEATURE: THE DAILY FOCUS ON READING AND WRITING

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In every division, Flint Hill is a school committed to the very best in education. Our mission speaks very directly to our focus on the learner—whether a student or faculty member—and our commitment to the very best practices of traditional and contemporary education. As you review this issue of our magazine, I think you will see that in practice in each and every grade level. Critical aspects of the curriculum in our Lower School, which worked deliberately last year to make the learning visible, will come through. And the Commencement Ceremony, in all of its beauty and pageantry, is a meaningful tradition here at school. But most important is the opportunity to hear our students speak and to recognize their confidence and preparation for the next step in their journey.

In addition, your ongoing support of the school and its program is critical. Our most powerful tool for telling the Flint Hill story is word of mouth, and I can’t thank you enough for helping us grow by sharing your experiences with friends, neighbors and the broader community. With your help, the community has taken notice of the strength of our academic programs, the depth of our arts offerings and the competitiveness of our athletic program.

Magazine Design Eve Shade, eshade@flinthill.org

Enjoy this magazine! I encourage all of you to come to events, concerts, or games whenever you can. Please know that our faculty, staff and school as a whole continue to do amazing things for the young people who are fortunate enough to be here.

Photo Contributors James Kegley Photography Susan Spencer, Perfect Shot Photos, LLC Victor O’Neill Studios

Flint Hill School is a Junior Kindergarten through 12th Grade independent school.

It is incredible to be back for another very exciting school year. We finished the 2015-2016 school year on a very successful note with the graduation of an absolutely outstanding Senior Class. You will see some of their faces and get a glimpse into their Commencement exercises in this edition of the magazine. Following that special moment was a hot and humid summer that still found both campuses packed with students deeply engaged in outstanding camps and classes. We have now entered the new school year with the same energy, drive and commitment that is so characteristic of Flint Hill.

This year, there are 24 students in the Senior Class who have been with us for the entire journey of their educational experience, and 2 additional students who started with us in Junior Kindergarten or Kindergarten and returned after leaving for a short period of time. The commitment demonstrated by these students and their families speaks volumes about their appreciation for our program.

Editorial Team Angela Brown, ambrown@flinthill.org Jackie Viteri, jviteri@flinthill.org

FLINT HILL SCHOOL 3320 Jermantown Road Oakton, VA 22124 www.flinthill.org

LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER

Best wishes to you!

Sincerely, John M. Thomas Headmaster The Daily 5, used in Grades K-3 at Flint Hill, refers to five tasks that students may select at each session: read to self, work on writing, read to someone, listen to reading and word work.

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The Hill

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New playgrounds on the Lower and Middle School Campus See p. 10 FLINT HILL MAGAZINE

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The Hill 2016 GRADUATES SPREAD MESSAGE OF KINDNESS AND HOPE

On Friday, June 10, 133 graduates tossed their caps into the air, encircled literally and symbolically by the faculty and staff who had taken part in nurturing their academic and personal growth over the past few years. Their proud families soon swooped in with enthusiastic hugs, wide grins and countless words of congratulations and best wishes.

During the Commencement ceremony, Headmaster John Thomas shared a variety of facts and highlights with guests about the graduates, including that 8 of them had been students at Flint Hill since Junior Kindergarten and 14 since Kindergarten. One of the eight was Valedictorian Arman Azad, who is now a freshman at Columbia University. In his speech, he eloquently described the Class of 2016’s experience, “We are blessed as soon-to-be Flint Hill School graduates to have been provided with an education that many in the world wish they could have. We are privileged to attend an institution filled to the brim with teachers and faculty dedicated to our success, and fellow students who are both passionate and determined.

Not everyone can claim to be a part of a student body where kindness is the norm and hostility the aberration.”

Salutatorian Hailey Scherer, presently at Dartmouth, spoke about her wishes for the graduating class, “I hope that we will remember how much we have to learn from others. I hope that we keep an open mind in the future about the possible connections that can be found in the most surprising of places.

I hope that we will always be open to trying new things and meeting new people, in the interest of broadening our worldviews and, through these connections, becoming more and more the best, truest versions of ourselves.”

When the ceremony concluded, Azad’s valedictory speech continued to resonate with many who heard or read it. “As we leave the sheltered community within these walls, we have a chance to use our privilege for the betterment of our world. The chance to use our literacy for the furtherance of human knowledge. And the chance to change the lives of those around us for the better. And that may sound idealistic, and it probably is, but if I have noticed one thing over my past fourteen years at Flint Hill, it is that trying is far more important than knowing you’ll succeed.”

The graduates have now begun pursuing their new and diverse adventures at 73 different colleges and universities in 26 states, Washington, DC, and Canada, including: Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Georgetown University, Harvard University, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Purdue University, The College of William and Mary, The University of Virginia, Tulane University, University of California —Berkeley, University of Michigan, University of Miami, and Washington University—St. Louis. See a complete list at: www.flinthill.org/college-counseling/acceptance.

Commencement Speaker Katie Blaszak ’01, now an attorney in Washington, DC, looked back on her time at Flint Hill as the place “where my teachers told me I could be … a dreamer, a doer, a believer and thinker.” She reassured the graduates that “your education thus far has been a brilliant mix of traditional education and forward thinking. Bottle up your FHS experiences, hold tight to the nuggets of wisdom you’ve amassed here and remember that you are prepared.”

And she encouraged them to “go up, go over, go through, but never give up.”

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The Hill

Community of Concern’s 10th Anniversary at Flint Hill Flint Hill celebrated the 10th anniversary of its involvement with the Community of Concern (CoC) program on March 31, during CoC Night at the Upper School. Timed in conjunction with Alcohol and Drug Awareness Week, the program serves to educate students and their parents about the dangers of abuse and offers strategies for families. The focus for the 2016 program was “What Drives our Decisions,” which was tailored specifically for tenth grade students and their parents. CoC Founder Mimi Fleury and Suburban Hospital’s Director of Addiction and Treatment Beth Kane-Davidson —both of whom were speakers at Flint Hill’s first CoC in 2006—talked about brain development, addiction, what kids are up against, decision-making, and how to say “no.”

Alumnus Lindsay Bowling ’06, who attended the first CoC as a student and is now part of Flint Hill’s Counseling staff, was part of the team that organized the spring event.

Saying Farewell to 2015-2016 at the Closing Ceremonies In June, each Division held a closing ceremony, carried out with distinct traditions for the various grade levels. At the Lower School, fourth-graders reflected on their time at Flint Hill before moving on to the Middle School. Said one student, “Flint Hill isn’t only a school. It is a place where we can learn and have fun, a place where we can stick together, always pulling a sled.”

eighth-graders and their parents. Students were asked to discuss such questions as, “If you found out one of your friends was making poor decisions about drug and alcohol use, what would you do?” And parents were asked to consider questions, like, “If you found your son or daughter intoxicated, what would you do?” Substance Abuse Educator Brenda Conlan, who had been working with the students for a week, helped to facilitate the discussion, and an Upper School student shared why he has chosen to not drink nor do drugs.

During another part of Alcohol and Drug Awareness Week, Psychologist Matt Bellace, Ph.D., gave a presentation to all Upper School students about discovering natural highs in life, such as: helping others, participating in exercise or sports, finding enjoyable hobbies, and being among others who are a positive influence. He then spoke exclusively with the Junior class about the use of mindfulness and shared some techniques that they could use. Bellace also participated in CoC Night, facilitating conversations with students and parents.

On April 6, a separate CoC event, “Teen Substance Abuse: Let’s Talk About It,” was held to promote a dialog between

At the Middle School, students from each grade—fifth to eighth—shared favorite memories about the year, including: debates in history class; dancing to algebra songs; the Latin cake competition; the poetry project in English; Service Day; seeing hour-old newborn piglets during a Field Studies trip; the Spring Break trip to Rome; having work exhibited in the art show; and more. Some students also expressed more personal memories, such as: “when my grandfather came over and helped me with my bottle rocket simulators in science, during Grandparents Day;” and “when I found an awesome new friend.”

Upper School students were recognized at their closing ceremony for their many accomplishments in the areas of academics, arts, athletics, character, community service, contributions to the school, and leadership. See a full list of year-end awards on this webpage: www.flinthill. org/2016-senior-awards-and-recognition.

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The Hill

BSU Hosts CEO of Jackie Robinson Foundation On Friday, February 19, CEO and President of the Jackie Robinson Foundation Della Britton Baeza spoke at an Upper School Town Meeting about leadership and Jackie Robinson’s significance.

The Black Student Union (BSU) hosted the event in recognition of Black History Month. Following the presentation to all Upper School students and faculty, Baeza participated in a small group discussion and question-and-answer session led by members of both the BSU and the Inclusive Leadership Council.

Author Maya Lang at Writers’ Day Author Maya Lang was the guest speaker at last year’s Upper School Writers’ Day on Monday, April 11. She spoke to the student body at a Town Meeting and later participated in a small group gathering where she read from her fiction novel, “The Sixteenth of June.” She was also in attendance to present awards in creative writing, including: The Richard Rouse prize to Hailey Scherer ’16 for her essay “(Elaine’s) Cat’s Eye (Marble).” Honorable mentions to Andi Kamyab ’16 for his essay, “In Act of Defiance,” and to Michelle Corinaldi ’16 for her essay, “The Impact of Death on Love.”

FROM BARD BUS TO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL On February 26, Upper School students hopped on the Bard Bus to the Synetic Theater, in Washington, to see a performance of “Romeo and Juliet.” The Bard Bus is an English Department-sponsored trip that rolls one day every school year for interested students in Grades 9-12. In past years, students have taken Bard Bus trips to see “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Macbeth,” “Hamlet,” “Richard III,” “Henry VIII,” “Othello” and “Taming of the Shrew.” “Seeing Shakespeare performed supports the argument—which the department is always making to students—that literature isn’t just evidence of a past moment, but alive and open to interpretation,” said Grades 7-12 English Department Chair John Copenhaver. “We want our students to see all literature this way. We want them to see literature as an ongoing conversation, in which they can and should participate.”

A week after the Bard Bus trip, seventh and eighth grade students enrolled in Theatre Arts class participated in the Secondary School Shakespeare

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Festival at the Folger Shakespeare Library, in Washington. In a play they called “Remember Me,” they performed a series of scenes about ghosts from various Shakespeare works, including “Hamlet,” “Macbeth” and “Richard III.” Three of the students received festival awards, acknowledging distinctions for their acting: Wade Devinney ’21 for Excellence in Acting for his roles as Marcellus in “Hamlet” and as Richard III; Sarah Dickerson ’21 for Ambitious Character as Macbeth; and Caroline Rich ’21 for her Super Supernatural performance as the Ghost of Hamlet’s Father. The class was well prepared for the festival, having dedicated much time in the classroom and in rehearsals at the Olson Theater, on the Lower and Middle School Campus, in the days and weeks before the event.

Middle School Drama teacher Kate Davis summarized, “We had a fantastic time at the festival and the kids were outstanding!”

The Junior/Senior Creative Writing prize to Nala Duma ’17 for “They End Up In Blood.” Honorable mentions to Cecily Wolfe ’17 for “Running with the Birds,” Martin Haynesworth ’17 for “In Light of Recent Events,” and Hailey Scherer ’16 for “New World.”

The Freshman/Sophomore Creative Writing prize to Kamryn Olds ’18 for “Before the Night is Done” and honorable mention to Sara Khan ’19 for her poem, “Savior.”

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The Hill

New Playgrounds Promote Child Development

In partnership with KOMPAN, the world’s number one playground supplier, each piece of equipment was carefully selected with our students’ health, well-being and overall development in mind. Overall, the structures are designed to promote physical, social/emotional, cognitive and creative play. For JK students, a variety of manipulative and tactile elements support language development, interaction and role-playing. For older Lower School students, a broad range of agility and coordination challenges meet their needs.

In June, Flint Hill School constructed two new, state-of-the-art playgrounds for Lower School students. A new JK playground provides a safe, developmentally-appropriate place for our youngest students to play, while a separate playground for students in Grades K-4 gives them a challenging space for discovery and exploration.

Both playgrounds, built on a new DuraTurf Poured in Place rubber surface, were set in place and ready to use for the summer months. Positive feedback was quickly heard from families who brought their children to play, and students and teachers are excited about having the new equipment to use during the school year. A third playground for Middle School students will open this fall.

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The Hill

Robotics Team Goes to Super-Regionals On February 13, Flint Hill’s Robotics Team 6341 (IBEX) earned the second highest award—the Rockwell Collins Innovate Award—in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Virginia State Championship. They competed against 54 of the best teams from around the state, and their performance qualified them for the East Super-Regional Championship Tournament, held at the University of Scranton, in Pennsylvania, in March. They were 1 of 12 teams from Virginia to compete against 72 teams from New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. The team placed 27th in their division.

“Virginia is one of the most competitive states with more than 200 teams,” said Upper School Robotics teacher Mike Snyder. “I am so proud of the team’s hard work.”

Students’ Unmanned Air Vehicle Awarded Best Overall High School In their second year participating in the Student Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) competition, Flint Hill students on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Robotics team were poised and focused when facing 42 universities from the United States, Canada, Germany, India, Israel and Turkey. Confidence and skill propelled them to new heights and resulted in their receiving the Judges’ Special Award for Best Overall High School. They also won $1,650 in prize money and placed 21st, doubling their winnings and moving up 10 spots from last year.

The 14th annual competition, sponsored by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, was held at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland.

Before being allowed to compete, the team had to submit a proof-of-flight video, showing that their aerial vehicle was capable of completing the tasks required, and a 21-page technical journal about their vehicle. They also had to give a 15-minute flight readiness review to a panel of industry experts. The process mirrored that of corporations and the military for developing new systems.

The team spent several weeks designing, building and programming their air vehicle, which was required to make an autonomous flight over a distance of more than three miles—the first step was to go through an obstacle course and secondly proceed to a search area to look for and identify symbols placed on the ground. The team also chose to perform an airdrop task, in which they released an 8-ounce water bottle from a height of 350 feet onto a target; theirs landed second closest to the bullseye.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the team for their effort and dedication, which ultimately paid off,” said Upper School Robotics teacher Mike Snyder. “I believe the success of the Robotics program is due in large part to Flint Hill’s strong academic programs.

The solid math, science and English skills these students draw upon is a wonderful foundation for future careers.”

The team was led by Gregory Benn ’16, Jack Moore ’16 was the safety pilot, and Cailin Mazan ’16 ran the ground control station. Other members of the team were Brady

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In recognition of their accomplishments, Virginia Senator Mark Warner sent the team a congratulatory letter, stating, “It is important that students like you are trained in science,

Culman ’16, Giana Fiore ’17, Benjamin Fybel ’16, Ian Schmidt ’16, and Vale Tolpegin ’18. About the experience, Fybel said, “The robotics program at Flint Hill, most specifically the SUAS competition, has had a major influence on not only my studies but my life and educational decisions. From seeing how math is applied to real world problems to learning how to design and build using industry-leading technologies, the robotics classes (at Flint Hill) are unparalleled in the opportunities they provide. My participation in the SUAS competition with Flint Hill has given me access to an entire field of study and industry. It has shaped my decisions about future studies and allowed me work opportunities that college graduates struggle to receive. All while allowing me to work closely with my peers and friends to build my leadership and teamwork skills.”

technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields in order to remain competitive with other nations. Virginia is fortunate to have young students who demonstrate such a strong dedication to learning and excellence. You are indeed part of the Commonwealth’s next generation of leaders.”

Student Accolades Sophomore Wins Grand Prize in Google’s Programming Contest Vale Tolpegin ’18 worked for hundreds of hours programming computer code for an open-source organization, Haiku, as part of the 2015 Google Code-in (GCI) contest. His efforts paid off greatly when he was named a Grand Prize Winner.

In this sixth year of the international competition, 980 students—ages 13-17, from 65 countries—participated. As a Grand Prize Winner, Tolpegin received a four-day trip in June to the Google, Inc. headquarters, in Mountain View, Calif., where he met with Google engineers, took a tour and learned more about some of the intriguing projects happening there.

“The contest was a great deal of work, but I learned a lot and am honored to have been chosen as a Grand Prize Winner,” said Tolpegin. “I hope my work for Haiku made a small difference, and I can already see the exponential impact to my coding capability for school and other projects. While it was tough to work 6 to 10 hours a day on GCI during exams, over winter break and through my school commitments, it was worth it.”

Powerful Student-produced Video Featured at Nonprofit Fundraiser On April 21, Anna Ruffle ’16 was recognized at DC Central Kitchen’s (DCCK) Hungry for Change Fundraising Breakfast for a video she created about the organization, titled “Teaching Men to Fish: DC Central Kitchen.” Originally made for an English assignment about social justice, Anna’s Ceramics teacher Julia Cardone saw the video and contacted a DCCK representative. After seeing the video, members of the DCCK community were deeply moved and invited Anna to their

fundraising breakfast, where they had a screening for the video and honored her for her work. Cardone and Director of the Upper School Rico Reed attended the event with her. Flint Hill and DCCK have a longstanding partnership, and our student Clay Club members—including Anna—have dedicated their time and talents each year to benefit the organization via sales of their ceramic works at our annual Empty Bowls event. To date, Flint Hill’s Empty Bowls has raised more than $50,000 to benefit DCCK. Watch Anna’s video here: vimeo.com/151672243.

Swimmer Competes at Olympic Trials Jasmine Hellmer ’18 qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials by placing second—of 296 swimmers—in the 100 meter fly, with a time of 1:00.7, at the National Club Swimming Association Junior National Meet in Orlando, Fla. The Olympic Trials were held in Omaha, Neb., in June.

Two Students Win Top Prizes in Writing Competition Chase Sizemore ’18 and Caroline Gregg ’18 won first place and second place, respectively, in the 2016 Elie Wiesel Writing Competition, Senior Division.

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Middle School production of “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.” See p. 16 14 | FLINT HILL SCHOOL

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ARTS on the HILL

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here were several “first ever” Flint Hill achievements for the Upper School Theater program in the spring of 2016. For the first time, our main stage production was directed by students. Will deCamp ’17 directed the Alan Haehnel play, “The Case of Alex Hansen” and Rosamund Mitchell ’16 directed Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles.” Those one-act plays were so well received that Flint Hill is launching a student director’s lab in the next year to meet student interest. Brandon Lessard ’17, who had a starring role in “The Case of Alex Hansen,” was later selected for the Governor’s School for the Arts in Acting, after completing a competitive audition/application process.

Visual Arts Show featured the students’ best work of the year. Hundreds of people attended the opening night reception, and the work of nearly 165 students was on display for a month. Highlights included: a special exhibit area for our AP Ceramics students; a full room installation

by Art Book Award winner Olivia Ferrer ’16; the Portfolio Art Honors Exhibition, including Purchased Art Award winner Anna Ruffle ’16; and a Digital Arts and Graphic Design exhibit that extended through the Commons area and lobby of the school.

At the Lower and Middle School Art Show, hundreds of student-made works of art were displayed on various hallway walls. Students were proud to show and explain their work to loved ones on Grandparents and Special Friends Day, which coincided with one day of the show‘s monthlong run.

The Case of Alex Hansen

Trifles

Hailey Scherer ‘16 and Cecily Wolfe ‘17 were nominated for Critic Awards for theater reviews they wrote and published with the Critics and Awards Program for High School Theatre (Cappies). In addition to being skilled writers, both are talented actresses who have been in several Flint Hill theater productions since Middle School. For the 2015-16 school year, Flint Hill’s Cappies team had 12 reviews selected for publication; the 2 nominations in the spring brought the total to 30 for the School over the years of program participation.

The Music program continued its year of achievements with Sydney Ebersohl’s ’17 selection to both the All-Virginia Honors Orchestra and the Governor’s School for the Arts in Instrumental Music. Jack Lovelace ’17 was selected for the Governor’s School for the Arts in Vocal Music as an alternate first, and was ultimately invited to attend. At the District XII Solo and Ensemble Festival, Jennifer Chen ’17, Christina Dodson ’19 and Eugene Oh ’17 were honored with a rating of superior.

The sixth annual Arts Jam Concert, held at George Mason University’s Concert Hall, was themed “Synergy” and lived up to its title by delivering an entertaining blend of performances from Broadway, classical, jazz, world music, pop, and a cappella —all in one night. The show was lively, family-friendly and fun, and it finished with a grand finale that included the entire cast of more than 150 students and 8 ensembles performing “A Michael Jackson Medley.”

The Middle School won merits in theater as well: Wade DeVinney ’21, Sarah Dickerson ’21 and Caroline Rich ’21 were honored with acting awards at the Folger Shakespeare Library Secondary School Theater Festival for their portrayals of Shakespeare’s ghosts. On campus at the Olson Theater, seventhand eighth-graders presented a masterful production of the musical “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.” that filled the seats to capacity. And the Grades 5-6 production of “Nicholas Nickleby” was a great achievement that demonstrated how the Middle School Drama program trains young actors to understand and perform classic works.

In the Visual Arts, Olivia Ferrer ’16, Kayla Hewitt ’17 and Jessica Rappaport ’17 were selected to exhibit work in “Across the Table, Across the Land,” a special exhibit at the National Council of Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). The 2016 Upper School 16 | FLINT HILL SCHOOL

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HIGHLIGHTS

JK. At the Upper School Ceramics Studio, JK students helped older students with the Empty Bowls service project by painting bowls and adding their own creative touches.

BY GRADE

K. By observing harvester ants in an ant farm, students made connections to their math, science and social studies lessons. They observed the ants closely with a magnifying glass, counting the ants, making predictions, tracking changes and watching them work together to make tunnels in the sand.

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1. Students used the scientific process— observe, question, predict, test, record and conclude—in their science lab to discern the difference between living and non-living things. They compared a real worm to a gummy worm by placing a strawberry in their environment and seeing which worm had all four characteristics of a living thing: eat/drink, move, grow/change and breathe.

2. In a collaborative project, students created designs for two engineering challenges: a model of the rainforest, for which a different group of students built a layer, and a new animal species with a minimum of two adaptations they could use to help them survive in a rainforest habitat.

3. In addition to creating a weather station for an assignment, Third Grade students hosted a museum walk to share their new knowledge with younger students about weather-measuring instruments, including an anemometer, rain gauge and thermometer.

4. Students applied both their knowledge of electrical circuits and their good sense of humor into building practical devices, such as these secured lunch boxes.

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5. During their overnight field studies trip, students enjoyed two full days of activities, challenges and team-building, as well as s’mores and conversation around the campfire.

6. Mirroring their assigned book, “The Giver,” students created their own versions of utopian communities and used propaganda to market them to the public.

7. Ben Jarratt, a former Assistant Press Secretary to President Ronald Reagan, spoke to students in their Themes in United States History class about WWI by sharing the story of his great-uncle Army Private Cary Feild Jarratt and showing an extensive collection of family artifacts from that time period.

8. Students designed and constructed two-story earthquake-resistant structures for an engineering project in science class. They first created designs on paper and then built their structures, testing them periodically to determine how well they resisted various forces. Testing involved placing the structure, topped with sandbags, on a table that shook at different speeds.

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9. In English I class, students participated in a unique book discussion of “The Catcher in the Rye,” in which they were assigned to use quotes from the book to convince their teacher that the main character, Holden Caulfield, could be a worthy candidate for admission to Flint Hill. The assignment was designed for students to better understand the character’s viewpoint.

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10. In one of their final projects for Intro to Robotics class, students learned about gear ratios and how to use various sensors while creating sumo robots for a wrestling match.

11. Students in U.S. History class examined and reported on the relative success of Progressive Era reformers in the specific areas of conservation, labor, business, consumer protections and women’s rights.

12. In Biotechnology Techniques and Applications class, students presented their work from a lab involving bacterial transformation and testing for genetically modified food products, as well as preliminary DNAsequencing lab results identifying organisms at the species level. George Mason University Research Specialist Amy Van Meter-Adams was invited to listen and ask questions.

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ATHLETICS

SOFTBALL The Varsity Softball team enjoyed a record-setting year by finishing with an overall record of 18-5 and winning both the Independent School League (ISL) AA Division regular season and tournament championships. The AA Division championship win was a first for this sport in school history. The team also reached the VISAA Division I state semifinals. Natalie Plaut ’19 and Sarah Davisson ’18 provided superb pitching for the Huskies throughout the season. The Huskies look to defend their conference title next season with several of their key starters returning.

Husky Awards Varsity: Uchenna Nkenchor ’16, Natalie Harrison ’16 JV: Sabra McBride ’18 MVP Sarah Davisson ’18 All-State First Team: Sarah Davisson ’18 Second Team: Carolyn Holran ’17 Second Team: Natalie Plaut ’19

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he 2016 spring sports season was one of the most successful seasons in School history. Our student-athletes and their coaches put the finishing touches on a banner 2015-2016 school year with all six of the spring varsity teams qualifying for their respective state tournaments. Flint Hill was one of only three schools from the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA)—Division I, to accomplish this feat.

BASEBALL The Varsity Baseball team enjoyed another stellar season, winning the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAC) regularseason championship for the fourth consecutive year. They also reached the VISAA Division I state tournament semifinals for the third time in the last four years. Led by a great group of Seniors, the Huskies finished with an overall record of 20-5. Khalil Lee ‘16 had an ERA of 0.33 and led the team in pitching, striking out 87 batters in 43 innings. On June 10, the same day that he graduated from Flint Hill, Lee was drafted by the Kansas City Royals.

Husky Awards Varsity: Mitch Mendler ’16, Jordan Taylor ’16 JV: Jonathan D’Ari ’18

All-Conference Kathleen Boyce ’19 Sarah Davisson ’18 Carolyn Holran ’17 Natalie Plaut ’19 All-Met Washington Post Honorable Mention: Kathleen Boyce ’19 Honorable Mention: Sarah Davisson ’18 Honorable Mention: Natalie Plaut ’19

All-State First Team: Khalil Lee ’16 First Team: Justin Taylor ’18 Second Team: Robert Riddick ’16 Player of the Year: Khalil Lee ’16 All-Conference Khalil Lee ’16 Mitch Mendler ’16 Robert Riddick ’16 Justin Taylor ’18 All-Met Washington Post First Team: Khalil Lee ’16 Honorable Mention: Justin Taylor ’18 Gatorade’s Virginia Baseball Player of the Year Khalil Lee ’16

MVP Khalil Lee ’16

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BOYS’ TENNIS The Varsity Boys’ Tennis team finished third in the very tough and competitive Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference.

With impressive non-conference victories over Trinity Episcopal and Paul VI Catholic High School, the team proved ready for a solid post-season run. The Huskies qualified for the VISAA Division I state tournament where they lost to a very good St. Christopher’s team in the quarterfinals. Devan Geib ’17 led the team this season, earning All-State and All-Conference honors for his strong performance.

Husky Awards Varsity: Arnav Boppudi ’17 JV: David Johnston ’19 MVPs Devan Geib ’17, Zack Shane ’16

BOYS’ LACROSSE The Varsity Boys’ Lacrosse team exhibited a never-say-die attitude during the 2016 season; on several occasions, they came from behind to win. Improving over the course of the spring, the Huskies earned impressive victories over Woodberry Forest, Sidwell Friends and Saint James at the end of the regular season. Posting a respectable 12-7 overall record, the team advanced as far as the MAC Tournament semifinals, where they defeated St. Andrew’s in overtime by a 9-8 score.

Husky Awards Varsity: Grant Jenkins ’16 JV: Roman Chaudhry ’19 MVP Aaron Cargas ’16 All-State First Team: Aaron Cargas ’16 Second Team: Michael Brown ’17

All-Conference Michael Brown ’17 Aaron Cargas ’16 Kevin Cruz ’18 Grant Jenkins ’16 All-Met Washington Post Honorable Mention: Aaron Cargas ’16

GIRLS’ LACROSSE After losing several key Seniors from last year’s squad, the Varsity Girls’ Lacrosse team fought hard throughout the season. Although the team ended the year with an 8-13 overall record, they battled in each contest. Kate Zecca ’16 and Hayden Garrett ’16, both attending Middlebury College, led the team offensively and defensively.

All-State First Team: Devan Geib ’17 All-Conference Devan Geib ’17

TRACK AND FIELD The Varsity Track and Field team’s overall statistics improved throughout the season, as many of its student-athletes improved their personal times. Jordan Houston ’19 broke the school record in the long jump and Ainsley Jacobs ’17 also established a new mark in the 3200m run. Houston finished third in the long jump and fifth in the 100m dash at the ISL/ MAC Championships, while Will VanOrden ’16 and Jack Wyant ’17 placed fourth and sixth respectively in the 800m run.

Jacobs had a strong showing in the 3200m run, finishing in sixth place at the conference championships. With a core group of underclassmen returning, the Huskies look to have an even better showing next spring.

Husky Awards Varsity: Will VanOrden ’16, Ainsley Jacobs ’17 MVPs Deondre Wooden ’16 Jackie Fraley ’18

Husky Awards Varsity: Becky Harrington ’16, Lexy Eccles ’16 JV: Whitney Wiley ’19 MVP Offensive MVP: Kiley Kettle ’16 Defensive MVP: Hayden Garrett ’16 All-State First Team: Becky Harrington ’16 Second Team: Hayden Garrett ’16

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All-Conference Hayden Garrett ’16

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WINTER

SPORTS ACCOLADES BOYS’ BASKETBALL Husky Awards Freshmen: Clark Agnew ’19 JV: Duncan Adams ’18 Varsity: Conner McBride ’16 MVPs Ben Stern ’16 Jordan Taylor ’16 All-Conference Ben Stern ’16

DANCE Husky Award Leslie Kim ’17 MVP Jackie Plein ’17

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

SWIMMING

ISL A Division regular season champions

Husky Awards Will deCamp ’17 Safiya Nawabzada ’16

Husky Awards JV: Megan Dungan ’19 Varsity: Paige Rucks ’16 MVP Lindsey Wiley ’16 All-Conference Tori Herman ’17 Lindsey Wiley ’16

ICE HOCKEY Husky Award Sami Morse ’16 MVP Aidan Wheeler ’18

MVPs Charlie Dalgleish ’16 Jasmine Hellmer ’18 All-State / All-Conference / All-League, WMPSSDL Mimi Baker ’17 Sisi Baker ’18 Lauren Freeman ’16 Jasmine Hellmer ’18 All-American Jasmine Hellmer ’18 All-Met Washington Post First Team: Jasmine Hellmer ’18

NVSHL All-Academic Team Daniel Dooley ’16 Aidan Fitzgerald ’17 Robert Fitzgerald ’17 Sami Morse ’16 Shane Ross ’18 Aidan Wheeler ’18

COLLEGE ATHLETIC COMMITMENTS, CLASS OF 2016 Justin Ayanian | Golf | Eckerd College

Mitch Mendler | Baseball | Randolph-Macon College

Ben Cross | Football | Denison University

Nathaniel Okoth | Football | Juniata College

Lauren Freeman | Swimming | College of William & Mary

Robert Riddick | Baseball | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Hayden Garrett | Lacrosse | Middlebury College Annie Hajost | Lacrosse | Christopher Newport University Christina Harris | Tennis | Lynchburg College Kiley Kettle | Lacrosse | Elon University Khalil Lee | Baseball | Liberty University (Signed with Kansas City Royals in MLB draft)

Justin Saleh | Football | University of California, Los Angeles Lauren Simons | Volleyball | Emory University Ben Stern | Basketball | Kenyon College Lindsey Wiley | Soccer | Colgate University Kate Zecca | Lacrosse | Middlebury College

Morgan McKnight | Volleyball | Emory University 24 | FLINT HILL SCHOOL

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FACULTY/ STAFF NEWS Assistant Director of the Upper School Debbie Ayers gave two presentations at the Online Education Strategies for Independent Schools Symposium in Shanghai, China, in April: “Online and Blended Classes of the Future: AP European History” and “Blended Learning Formats for Advanced High School Courses.”

Grades 7-12 English Department Chair John Copenhaver was named one of four finalists for the 2016 Larry Neal Writers’ Award in the adult fiction category. He also participated in a benefit reading for Casa Ruby and continues to publish reviews and commentary on LGBT crime fiction for Lambda Literary.

Sports Information Director and Head Varsity Girls’ Volleyball Coach Carrol DeNure was inducted into the Hall of Fame of her high school, Soddy Daisy High School, in Tennessee.

Upper School Art teacher Cianne Fragione’s work was displayed at American University’s Katzen Museum, June-August, for the Art Cart: Honoring the Legacy exhibition, which featured the work of eight artists and showcased turning points in their lives and careers. Her work was also on display at Gallery Neptune and Brown’s Ladies First group exhibition, May-July. And she was nominated, along with 126 other artists, to be part of the Alchemical Vessels project at the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts / Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery in Washington.

Upper School French teacher Robin Goldstein taught an AP Preview class for high school students at the Alliance Française, in Washington, for the second consecutive summer.

Director of Counseling Barbara Benoit received certificates for completing seminars in “Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents” and “The Psychotherapy of Psychopharmacology.” She also coordinated the Mindfulness Training Program that approximately 30 Flint Hill teachers participated in once-a-month and completed over a 10-month period.

Lower School Music teacher Alecia Cardell was an artist-in-residence at Wakefield School during Spring Break. She taught West African drumming to third- and fourth-graders.

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IT Support Associate and Head Outdoor Sports Coach Lynda Hoag became a Certified Casper Technician after completing JAMF software training. She also presented “Outdoor Programs across the Curriculum”

with former Science teacher Alex Lester, at the 4th annual Outdoor and Experiential Educators Workshop, in May. Highland School was the host site for this year’s workshop, and the keynote speaker was Highland’s Head of School Hank Berg, a former assistant headmaster at Flint Hill.

In attendance were 40 educators from 23 schools in the region. Hoag has coordinated the workshop, in partnership with the Virginia Association of Independent Schools, since its inception.

Associate Director of Admission, Grades JK-6 Dawn Hopke was on the faculty for the “New to Admission” track at the Association of Independent School Admission Professionals conference, in July, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Director of the Middle School Brian Lamont served on the planning committee for the Virginia Association of Independent Schools’ Leadership Conference for School Administrators, in June. He also ran a short session at that conference, titled “Managing Time,” and a longer session, “Building Trust with Parents.”

English teacher and Instructional Coach Jennifer McKain and Middle School English teacher Chelsea Platt presented “English Literary Portfolios” at the Online Education Strategies for Independent Schools Conference: Classes of the Future, in Los Angeles, in February.

Upper School Learning Specialist Silvia Moore earned a doctorate in philosophy from George Mason University after successfully defending her dissertation, “The Role of Mathematics Engagement as a Mediator in the Relationship Amongst Attribution for Failure, Mathematics Self-Efficacy, and Mathematics Performance.” In the acknowledgments section of her dissertation, she wrote, “I am indebted to Flint Hill School, Oakton, Virginia, for its financial support and encouragement.

My Flint Hill colleagues inspire me every day with their extraordinary efforts in the classroom.”

Grades JK-6 Language Arts Department Chair and Innovation Department Chair Joey Starnes was invited to teach a twoand-a-half day Writer’s Workshop, to Kindergarten-Grade 6 teachers at the Maclay School in Tallahassee, Fla., in May. The teachers have begun using the workshop lessons as a model in their classrooms for the 2016-17 school year.

Lower School Technology Integration Specialist Lisa Waters presented “iPads in Lower School Classrooms,” with Dean of Faculty Emily Sanderson and Grades JK-6 Language Arts Department Chair and Instructional Coach Joey Starnes at St. James Catholic School. She was also a guest editor for the professional, peerreview publication “Journal of Online Learning Research” in their Special Issue on Supporting Students in K-12 Online and Blended Learning Environments.

Upper School Dean of Students Lisa Williams graduated from the University of Virginia with a Master of Education in social foundations, in May.

Upper School English teacher Valerie Morehouse attended the annual Advanced Placement (AP) Reading in Kansas City, Mo., in June. She was one of 1,500 high school and college teachers from around the country responsible for scoring more than 500,000 AP English Language and Composition exams (approximately 1.5 million essays) that students took in May. Technology Integration Specialist Sam Moser, Middle School Social Studies teacher Albert Ottati, Assistant Director of the Middle School Tanya Salewski, and Upper School Dean of Students Lisa Williams presented “Developing Leadership through Wellness and Mindfulness” at the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools’ Educating Girls Symposium in April.

Assistant Director of the Middle School Tanya Salewski was appointed to the Virginia Association of Independent Schools’ Professional Development Advisory Council.

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FACULTY/STAFF NEWS (continued) Virginia Association of Independent Schools’ Technology Conference: Teaching Smarter with Technology Oakton, Va. — April 2016 Flint Hill School hosted the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) Technology Conference at the Upper School Campus, with participants from nearly 30 independent schools in attendance. Reshan Richards, Chief Learning Officer of Explain Everything, gave the keynote address, “Educational Technology as a Lens for Examining Beliefs and Practices.” Eighteen presentations were offered to attendees to advance their professional learning. Several Flint Hill teachers shared their knowledge and experience from working in our 1-to-1 technology program.

Spanish teacher José Luis Mora Carbajo presented “Gamifying the Modern Language Classroom.”

Christopher Cook

Fifth and Sixth Grade teacher and Middle School Maker Education teacher Christopher Cook presented “Using Tech and ProjectBased Learning to Teach Rockets in Middle School.”

Fifth Grade teacher Lori Emerick presented “Using Google Tour Builder to Bring Ancient Civilizations to Life.” Emerick explained, “Students created virtual tours of an ancient civilization by highlighting the eight cultural universals social scientists use to classify civilizations.”

English teacher and Instructional Coach Jennifer McKain and Middle School English teacher Chelsea Platt presented “Deepening Understanding and Facilitating Learning: The iBook Approach.”

José Luis Mora Carbajo

Third Grade teacher Bridget Kleintank, former Kindergarten teacher Danielle Muller,

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Lisa Waters, Rob Taylor and Rachel Hinnant

and Technology Integration Specialist (TIS) Lisa Waters presented “Giving Young Learners Choice with Digital Learning Menus for iPads.”

Fourth Grade teachers Rachel Hinnant and Rob Taylor, and TIS Lisa Waters, presented “Building a Community of Learners with Google Sites and other Apps.”

First Grade teacher Michelle Milner, Lower and Middle School Information Specialist Michelle Plaut, Grades JK-6 Language Arts Department Chair and Innovation Department Chair Joey Starnes, and TIS Lisa Waters presented “Integrating Language Arts and Computer Science in First Grade: Storytelling through Computational Thinking.”

Lori Emerick

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THE DAILY FOCUS ON READING AND WRITING

Although much happens concurrently in the classroom, concentration and focus are common threads.

It all appears practically choreographed, and to some degree, it is. Teachers give students step-by-step instructions for how to approach each task. Outlined for clarity and written on boards that are displayed prominently, a task like “Read to Self” looks like this: “Take two books from seat pocket. Find a good spot away from ‘chatty’ friends. Stay in one spot. Choose a ‘good fit’ book. Read the whole time. Stay engaged in the book. Read quietly to self. Be independent.”

Reminders for how to read to someone include: “Sit EEKK (elbow-to-elbow, knee-to-knee); be respectful of your friend’s book choice; use a quiet voice to read; and follow along with your finger, holding the book between you.”

For each Daily 5 task, a variety of activities and tools are made available to the students, who quickly become familiar with how to use them and the purposes they serve. To name a few: Rainbow Writing involves writing words repeatedly with different colored pencils or crayons; Magnabet, a digital app with virtual magnetic letters, is used for word work; Pop for Letters is an

T

here’s more than one way to learn to read and write. In Flint Hill’s Lower School, it begins in Kindergarten. Every day, students spend an hour dedicated to language arts using the Daily 5™ and Literacy CAFE™—systems our teachers use to provide students with various ways to develop positive lifelong habits associated with reading and writing. Created by two longtime educators from Washington state—Gail Boushey and Joan Moser—in 2008, the systems have been used in countless schools worldwide. The Daily 5, used in Grades K-3 at Flint Hill, refers to five tasks that students may select at each session: read to self, work on writing, read to someone, listen to reading and word work. CAFE is an acronym for four categories— comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expanding vocabulary—that teachers use to create goals for Flint Hill students in Grades K-4.

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alphabet game used for letter recognition; Raz Kids and MeeGenius offer digital libraries with ebooks, including read-along books; and Toobaloo, an auditory reading phone that assists students with pronunciation.

Those are only a few of the numerous options that play a role in engaging students to achieve their learning objectives.

Goals and Strategies to Challenge and Engage Students Throughout the school year, teachers use CAFE to work with students to set their reading and writing goals. Do they understand the stories they read in books? Do they recognize words when they read?

Do they use words correctly when they write? Age and developmentally appropriate goals are created to challenge and engage students despite varying age groups and levels of proficiency. While in Kindergarten, a general goal for comprehension is “I listen to and understand stories that are read to me,” the objective in First Grade and above is “I understand what I read.”

The progression for the fluency goal is for the youngest students to first know letters, sounds and words, and as they move into the next grades, the aim is for them to read smoothly and with expression. By Third Grade,

A visit to a classroom during the Daily 5 period reveals a multitude of scenarios playing out all at once. In one part of the room, there might be a student wearing headphones and using an interactive ebook to listen to reading. In another part of the room, two students might be taking turns reading to each other. Some students might have found a cozy spot to read to themselves. And others may be found at their desks practicing writing or focusing on learning words. In the meantime, while students are engaged in their tasks, the teachers have the opportunity to work with students in small groups and individually. “I love using the Daily 5 and CAFE in the classroom because it allows for student choice,” said Second Grade teacher Emma Barnes. “It also encourages students to become more independent in their learning. They can work at their own pace, independently, while teachers conference one-on-one with their reading and comprehension goals.”

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“the focus changes from learning to read to reading to learn,” explained Director of the Lower School Sheena Hall. In Grade 4, students transition out of the Daily 5 structure to solely use CAFE to guide their independent goals.

Strategies and goals are tailored to each student’s individual needs and are adjusted as students become more proficient. If a student’s goal is to expand his or her vocabulary, a strategy could be to “use a dictionary to look up new words,” or to improve accuracy, “use beginning and ending sounds.” As students advance, new goals and strategies are established. This happens on a regular basis and ensures that students continue to strive for intellectual challenges and remain excited about discovering new ways to learn.

The effectiveness of the Daily 5, which was introduced at Flint Hill in 2012, and CAFE, which followed in 2013,

are notable as each school year progresses and as students move from one grade to the next. First Grade teacher Michelle Milner has found that “the Read to Self and Read to Someone parts of Daily 5 are two areas where we truly see growth. By the end of the school year, we see the kids’ reading stamina double, their reading fluency and expression blossom, and their level of comprehension deepen, as they are able to describe characters, setting and plot—as well as retell the stories they read—with a clear beginning, middle and ending.”

The Daily 5 and CAFE in the Lower School have proved to be valuable classroom management tools and play critical roles in initiating students’ skills and enthusiasm for reading and writing, which form the basis for a lifetime habit. “The Daily 5 has proved to be a fabulous framework that allows the classroom

teacher the freedom to work with individual students and small groups of children, to assess and record their progress and plan for future instruction,” said Hall. “Over the last few years, in addition to increasing their reading stamina, students have also increased their love for reading, which has positively impacted reading fluency, comprehension and vocabulary development. We have been excited to watch our students take ownership of their growth as readers by collaboratively setting goals with their teachers and reflecting on their progress. I think it would be safe to say that for many students and teachers, the Daily 5 is their favorite time of the day.”

TRY A DAILY 5 TASK Writing is one of the five tasks that students may choose during the Daily 5 period. One particular activity that they may select is a worksheet titled, “Work on Writing Choices.”

They are given several topics on which to write. Below is a sample. Share it with a Lower School-aged child that you know, and watch their creativity emerge.

• Create a trading card about yourself.

• Write about a dream you’ve had.

• My wishes for the world are...

• Write directions telling how to make hot chocolate.

• Write a thank you note for a gift you have received.

• Write about your favorite sport.

• Write a letter to someone.

• Write about and illustrate a place you have been or a place you would like to visit.

• Write about one of your favorite book characters.

• Write about what you like to do on the weekends.

• Write about one of your best friends. What do you like to do together?

• Write instructions for making something.

• Create a grocery list of your favorite foods.

• Write about your pet. If you don’t have a pet, write about one you would like to have.

Learn more: www.thedailycafe.com

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SPRINGFEST

Parents’ Association News Dear Flint Hill School Family, I am so grateful to be part of the Flint Hill School community. The Parents’ Association strives to provide a welcoming environment in which parents can work together with the School to build a stronger community by encouraging active involvement from all parents in School activities.

We are guided by the School’s core values of respect, responsibility, honesty and compassion. All families are automatically members of the Parents’ Association.

We are a warm, welcoming and inclusive team.

Please try and volunteer at some of the many events that we support throughout the year. It will not only enhance your children’s experience at Flint Hill, but your entire family will develop strong relationships within the community. These relationships are the cornerstone of our unique and special community.

Thank you so much for supporting the Parents’ Association. Warm wishes for a safe and successful year.

Suzanne R. Gray P ‘08, P ‘10, P ‘12, P ‘18 Parents’ Association President, 2016-17

Golf Invitational The Westfields Golf Club was filled with Husky pride on May 26 as 111 golfers took to the links in support of Flint Hill School. Proceeds from the event benefitted the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid in honor of Sally Hazel. We were especially excited to have such a great mix of parents, parents of alumni, trustees, community partners and a record 15 alumni participating this year ranging from the Class of 2001 to 2015!

The festivities began with a putting contest before a shotgun start on the course. Golfers returned to the Clubhouse for dinner, raffles and tournament prizes.

There are many people to thank whose contributions added to the success of the tournament. We are incredibly grateful for the support and dedication of Event Co-Chairs Andy Helmer, Ted Kramer, Andy Fellows, Jon Peterson and Taylor Chess for their leadership in making this day such a great success. Additionally, thank you to parent volunteers Sibel Unsal, Charlotte Chess, Michelle Stanciu and alumni parent Pam Snyder for their help in securing raffle items, volunteerism, and their creative touches adding to the atmosphere for our golfers.

The sun was shining brightly on the Upper School Campus for Springfest on Saturday, beginning with a Fun Run and 5K. More than 20 runners of all ages participated in the Fun Run around the track followed by more than 30 runners, walkers and joggers who enjoyed a scenic trip around campus and the cross country paths.

The afternoon brought inflatables, SpikeBall, Corn Hole and the return of Spirit Alley with festive activities to cheer on our Husky sports teams and celebrate the return of Spring!

A big thank you to all of the faculty, students and parents that joined in the festivities!

And thanks to everyone who came out to volunteer and cheer on our Huskies. Special thanks to our Springfest Volunteer Coordinator Brooke Johnson, Concessions Chair Katrina Tiedge and Volunteer Committee Chair Sibel Unsal for organizing a fun filled day and the countless student and parent volunteers at the activity booths and Husky Hut who made the day the real success!

Grandparents and Special Friends Day On May 6, more than 200 visitors attended Grandparents and Special Friends Day at our Lower and Middle School campus.

During a light breakfast hosted by the Parents’ Association, they watched band, choir and dance performances by students in various grade levels. During the latter part of the morning, they visited classrooms to observe and participate in activities with the students, which included: playing drums, a game of Jeopardy based on geography facts, finding the locations of various countries, solving math problems, creating videos and movies and more. Before leaving, visitors shared lunch

with students and had their pictures taken together by a professional photographer. Thank you to our parent volunteers for their role in providing a delightful experience for our guests.

We appreciate the support of 20 Husky Sponsors, 4 Clubhouse Sponsors, and Cardinal Bank for their generous sponsorship of lunch and beverages, in addition to providing four hole in one contests.

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Meet the Alumni Relations Office

Connect with the Alumni Office

As outlined in “Making a Difference: The Strategic Vision for Flint Hill School 2015-2020,” Flint Hill is putting a tremendous amount of momentum behind efforts to engage with our alumni body. Leading the charge are Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor and Alumni Relations Coordinator Justin Fitzgerald. Read on to learn more about the team.

There are many ways for alumni to re-engage with Flint Hill, and we encourage you to get started by contacting the Office of Alumni Relations.

MARIA TAYLOR Maria Graceffa Taylor joined Flint Hill as Director of Alumni Relations in the spring of 2016, and has hit the ground running.

Maria joined Flint Hill from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business with more than 20 years of school experience and more than 13 years in alumni relations. With particular areas of expertise in alumni engagement and volunteer management, one of Maria’s overall goals at Flint Hill is to create a program with a focus on adding value for alumni.

Before becoming the Executive Director of Alumni Relations at the SmithSchool of Business, Maria was the Director of Alumni Relations at Sidwell Friends School for nine years, and prior to that the Director of Alumni Relations at The Potomac School.

She also worked in admissions in New England boarding schools, including her alma mater, Lawrence Academy, where she served on their Board of Visitors. In addition to admissions, Maria also taught English as a Second Language and directed the Lawrence Academy International Summer School.

Maria Taylor Director of Alumni Relations mtaylor@flinthill.org 703.584.2350

Justin Fitzgerald Alumni Relations Coordinator jfitzgerald@flinthill.org 703.584.2318

JUSTIN FITZGERALD Former Director of Summer Programs Justin Fitzgerald joined the Alumni Office as the Alumni Relations Coordinator at the end of 2015. Justin and his family have been active members of our community for several years and have become essential to the fabric of our School. Before joining the Alumni Office, Justin led the School’s Summer on the Hill program, and served as a coach for a number of Flint Hill teams, including Head Coach of the Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse team, which has continued as he assumed this new role.

Justin lives in Vienna, Va. with his wife Marylynn and two children, Mackenzie ‘21 and Brady ‘25.

She lives in Vienna, Va. with her husband Patrick and two daughters, Amelia ‘26 and Olivia ‘28.

“I most enjoy meeting with alumni and hearing their stories about their days at Flint Hill. I love seeing an alum’s face light up as they tell a story and take a walk down memory lane or helping alumni reconnect with a fellow classmate or faculty member.

I’m really looking forward to developing new alumni events and programs that are interesting to alumni. I’d love to hear from alumni about their ideas and suggestions

“I am both very excited and grateful to work in the Flint Hill Alumni Office as it begins a new journey. While I know many alumni already, I look forward to a great year and the opportunity to get to know our alumni community further.” – JUSTIN

for events they would like to attend.” – MARIA 36 | FLINT HILL SCHOOL

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REUNION WEEKEND 2016 ALL-ALUMNI 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION The second annual Flint Hill Reunion Weekend was a great success! This year, Reunion coincided with the 60th Anniversary of Flint Hill. All alumni were invited back to celebrate this anniversary on Friday, May 20. It was a fun-filled evening with great food, drinks and a DJ. Alumni reminisced with current and former faculty and staff and were able to capture the moment in the photo booth.

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FALCON RECEPTION On Saturday evening, our Falcon alumni had a special reception with the Headmaster in the Miller House. It was a wonderful opportunity for our Falcons to reminisce and share stories about the teachers, classes and experiences that were so meaningful.

CLASS OF 2006 TIME CAPSULE OPENING On Saturday morning, the Class of 2006 gathered to open their Time Capsule, which was created ten years ago when they graduated. The Time Capsule is a tradition that was started by Headmaster John Thomas when he first started at Flint Hill. Each year, the graduating class has the opportunity to put letters, pictures and other memorabilia into the time capsule to be opened at their 10th reunion. The Class of 2006 had the honor of being the inaugural class for this great tradition.

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Reunion Weekend closed with Reunion classes celebrating off-campus at their individual class parties.

2001

1996

SAVE THE DATE : MAY 5–6, 2017

Take a walk down memory lane TWO DAYS OF REUNIONS, RECEPTIONS AND ACTIVITIES Falcons and Huskies return to Flint Hill for Alumni Reunion Weekend 2017. Whether you are celebrating your 50th reunion or your 5th - or somewhere in between, come to campus to reconnect with old friends and to make new ones.

REUNION WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS Friday, May 5, 2017

Welcome Reception with Faculty & Staff

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Class of 2007 Time Capsule Opening

Alumni Lunch Back to the Classroom - Alumni Classes Tours of Campus Falcon Reception Class Dinners at various locations

If you would like to help plan your Reunion, please contact Director of Alumni Relations, Maria Taylor at mtaylor@flinthill.org.

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Alumni Class Notes 1967

Send your class notes for the next magazine to alumni@flinthill.org.

1994

Judith Gore has worked as a nurse practitioner for the last 20 years. She previously worked in both nursing and the intelligence industry in addition to serving in the US Army for eight years in the Medical Corps. Judith is now practicing in rural Montpelier, Va. Her hobbies, as always, are horses, the occasional fox hunt and arena polo. She maintains a golf handicap of eight and is thoroughly enjoying life. She’s married to her husband Ed and has three children: Paige O’Brien, Randy Tapsell and stepson Ed Gore.

Eliot Brenner retired in July after a career as a journalist, government speechwriter and spokesman.

A graduate of Georgia State University (‘71), Brenner spent the first half of his career as a journalist for United Press International (UPI), then a global news agency, covering transportation; Congress; the White House; State Department and Pentagon; leaving UPI after serving as its Pentagon correspondent during and after the first Gulf War. Subsequently, he wrote speeches for Defense Secretary (and later Vice President) Dick Cheney, then handled speechwriting for the first two Clinton Administration Treasury Secretaries, Lloyd Bentsen and Robert Rubin. He was then the spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration at a period of several high-profile plane crashes, worked briefly for Boeing, and for the past 12 years was the spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In his last post he managed NRC communications during and after the reactor accident in Fukushima, Japan, and became widely known in international nuclear communications circles.

1995

1998

On Tuesday, September 13, Andrew Mills was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and earned command in the US Marine Corps.

The ceremony took place at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Longtime faculty member Maddie Krug was in attendance to celebrate Andrew’s achievement.

Johnny Groupe and his family—Katie, Jack (8), Ellie(4), Freddie(2)—recently relocated from Alexandria, Va. to Aldie, Va.

published content on most major platforms including youtube.com/viralhog, facebook. com/viralhog, Snapchat, Instagram, Vine, Twitter, and more under the ViralHog brand.

2006 Lydia Russo and Sean Sharifi ‘00 have had quite a busy year as their company, Lydia Real Estate LLC has grown across the Washington metropolitan area. The brother-sister duo pride themselves on attention to detail and expert guidance to help clients find their perfect home or investment property. If you’re looking to rent, buy or sell—they happily invite the Flint Hill community to reach out to them. For more information, please visit www.lydiarealestate.com.

2003

Andrew, his wife and his children after the ceremony.

1969 Peter John Beach retired in 2005 after more than 27 years of working for the Arlington County, Virginia Dept. of Public Works as a Construction Inspector/Manager. In 1983 he met and married his beautiful wife, Rachel. He and Rachel have two daughters, Katie and Krystal. Both are now married with families of their own, residing in Williston, North Dakota. Katie has two children, Isak and Ella who are great grandkids. Rachel and Peter have a farm in Reed City, Michigan and at the moment are busy with gardens and working around the property. Peter is very much looking forward to the Class of 1969’s 50th Reunion. He writes, “Would like to catch up with some of my fellow graduates. Hard for me to believe that it has been nearly 50 years since I graduated.....boy do I feel old!!!”

1991 Chris Nittle Just earned his MS Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania’s School Leadership Program.

Kathy Guevara completed her Masters in Forensic and Legal Psychology from Marymount University, and completed a 108 mile race in Georgia called the Crewel Jewel, where she finished 4th female. Kathy got married in August 2016, and began a doctoral program in September. She continues to be blessed to live with her three dogs (two of which are rescued dogs) in Reston, Va.

1996 Somil Mehta writes, “Still living in Hoboken, Nj., and currently the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions at New Jersey Institute of Technology. I get to travel the world marketing the school and meeting international students throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia.”

Ryan Bartholomew founded the viral video licensing company ViralHog in 2014. ViralHog locates trending videos very early, pays the videographer for the exclusive rights, then protects and monetizes them. Most of the content is not produced; it is filmed by lucky people who happen to be at the right place at the right time. The company’s submissions are exploding because everyone wants to see if what they shoot can go viral and make money. They sell these videos to most of the major broadcast media networks, both in the U.S. and internationally, as well as dozens of online and social media outlets, which are thrilled to buy cleared quality content. ViralHog has been covered frequently in the press (see viralhog.com/in-the-media) and has

1997 Clark Wilson and his wife Sindy welcomed their second boy Brody on April 11, 2016. They live in Atlanta with their older son Liam.

Tim (‘97), Derek (‘95), and me (‘91), plus our mother.

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2006 Aasyieh Zarafshar and Azher Salikuddin and were married on May 22 at Riverside on the Potomac in Leesburg, Va. Her sisters Khadijeh ‘04 and Mariam ‘09 were bridesmaids, and the wedding was attended by current and former Flint Hill faculty members Frederick Atwood and Taylor Johnson.

2007 Julia Crowley is an attorney working for the Food and Drug Administration in Washington, DC. Chris Melisi is a wildlife biologist working for the state of Arizona Game and Fish Department.

He has done a lot of research on desert tortoises, including the impact of solar power plants on local ecology. He also studied a tiny spring snail, the size of a sesame seed, to determine if it was a unique species and worthy of endangered species classification (DNA studies suggest that it isn’t.) He recently had a paper published in “Southwestern Naturalist” documenting the predation of a state-threatened White Sands Pupfish by a Fishing Spider, that was subsequently stolen by a Diving Beetle. Presently, he is switching his focus to habitat restoration and has worked tirelessly to create an amazing oasis of habitat in the Power’s Butte and Robin’s Butte area outside Phoenix. At the end of June, Chris’s AP Bio and BioResearch teacher Fred Atwood visited Chris and his wife Kathryn for a week. Chris sacrificed his time to guide him all over the state to see the spectacle of Grand Canyon, rare birds in the Huachuca Mountains, and the amazing scenery and reptiles of Organ Pipe National Monument, Saguaro National Park, Oak Creek Canyon, and Powers Butte. Fred says “It was HOT, but AMAZING!!!! And I am extremely thankful to have spent so much time with Chris, learning from him, and enjoying his favorite places in the state!”

doctoral degree through a joint program with DePaul University and Northshore University HealthSystem in Chicago.

2011 Ratna Gill graduated in May from Harvard College with an A.B. in Economics and a Citation in Latin. She was excited to have her family (including her Nani and Nanaji all the way from India!) at commencement, as well as former Flint Hill Science teacher Fred Chanania and family there cheering her on. Ratna was also able to attend Flint Hill’s graduation in June and support her sister Priya, who is a freshman at Harvard.

Ratna is currently working on urban economic development with a non-profit called Living Cities based in New York, while continuing to look for opportunities to make a difference in the lives of low-income people around the world. She continues to work on expansion and development efforts for Gyaan Ghar, the learning center she founded in India during her time at Flint Hill, and remains involved with the start-up Sense & Sustainability as a member on its board. In her free time, Ratna enjoys working on personal writing projects, and performing acoustic music wherever she is.

frequented its facilities enough to feature it in his classic “Botchan.” Living in a foreign country can be fairly daunting, but there are always perks. This summer, as a goodbye present to one of my closest friends, who also taught English in Japan, we climbed Mt. Fuji. And, while most things went wrong—we raced a thunderstorm to the top, lost our shoes and dry clothes coming down, found ourselves on the wrong side of the mountain, missed our bus, etc.—it was an experience that was deeply personal and rewarding.”

At the end of the 6 weeks, we presented a sustainable growth strategy to Primus senior executives and created a 150+ page report detailing our team’s recommendations. We also had presentations from CEOs in diverse fields during each day. I am an Orientation Leader for the incoming first-year class and will study abroad in Barcelona this fall term and return for the spring varsity lacrosse season.”

Jenni Kennedy has officially been cast as a lead in a new pilot for an up and coming TV series called “Lockwood.” Jenni writes, “Filming started in August and has an amazing team behind it. I’ll be sharing another project that I’ve been working on soon and it incorporates music and where all of that stands!”

in Costa Rica. Her teachings involved the English language, specifically how to improve one’s reading and writing as well as learning about American culture. Throughout this experience she was able to put things into perspective through the eyes of the locals, and appreciate the privileges she’s offered everyday.

Lindsey Wiley made the Women’s soccer team at Colgate University. She had a fantastic pre-season.

2015 2013 Marlo Sweatman was voted Captain of the Women’s Soccer team by her teammates for this fall season for the University of Oregon, Division I.

Rebecca Morris is an interior designer who, after successfully working at Ethan Allen for three years, received a position at The Hartman Design Group as an Interior Designer. The Hartman Design Group is an award winning design firm in the Washington area. The firm works exclusively in the commercial and hospitality fields of design. Rebecca is proud to have been a part of the design team that worked on the recently opened Bartlett in Crystal City. Many of Rebecca’s ideas were implemented and can be seen throughout the building. This by far has been the biggest project she has worked on to date.

2014

2008 Taylor Swart began the graduate entry nursing program in June 2015 at the Ohio State University to become a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner. She also works full time as a Patient Care Associate at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

After graduating magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina in 2012 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Cady Carman worked as a registered nurse for the Austin Weston Center for Cosmetic Surgery in Reston, Va., and most recently, in the Trauma and Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. This fall, she is excited to take her practice to the next level and is pursuing a career in nurse anesthesia by obtaining her

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Michael Le writes, “I’m teaching English in Japan as part of the JET Program. I rotate between two elementary schools and a junior high school, and on the weekends I help run an English conversation corner at the local youth center. I currently reside in Matsuyama, a small city in Ehime famous for housing Dogo Onsen, the oldest hot spring in Japan. Renowned novelist Natsume Souseki

Katherine Doyle writes, “I am going into my junior year at Bucknell University, where I am majoring in Managing for Sustainability with a minor in Environmental Studies. This summer, I stayed on Bucknell’s campus to participate in a six-week program titled the Institute for Leadership in Technology and Management (ILTM). In teams of 6, 24 rising juniors served as consultants for various clients. My team consulted for Primus Technologies and provided them with our suggestions for specific markets to pursue, locations best for expansion, marketing strategies, and how to implement sustainability initiatives.

Kyle Crowley has enjoyed his first year at UCLA. Jack Swart writes, “I’m going to be a sophomore at Penn State in the fall. I am a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and the Penn State Investment Association. I am in the Smeal College of Business and seeking a degree in Finance. I worked for Headfirst Summer Camps this summer and I hope to get an internship next summer.”

2016 Mahima Taneja volunteered abroad in Costa Rica during the summer of 2015. The mission was to help the Costa Rican local communities create sustainable development in their environment. Mahima and her peers built protection units for sacred plants, trees, bushes, etc., so that when a storm would hit, the valued trees would not be damaged.

Along with protecting the Costa Rican plants, she had the pleasure of teaching children

To be included in the Alumni Class Notes section of Flint Hill Magazine, email the Alumni Office at alumni@flinthill.org with news of a union, birth of a child, professional developments, travels, or anything you’d like to share with your classmates. If you would like to include a photo with your submission, please note that digital photographs must be high-resolution JPEG images (1MB+) to appear in print.

Flint Hill Magazine editorial staff reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity and length.

FLINT HILL MAGAZINE | 47

THE HOLIDAY SHOPPES at Flint Hill School ... Save the Date ...

Saturday, November 12 10:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m.

One day only!

Upper School Campus - 3320 Jermantown Road, Oakton, VA 22124 Free admission | Open to the public Kids’ Space with festive activities Shop 30+ boutique vendors offering clothing, jewelry, accessories, menswear, home décor, holiday decorations and more! www.flinthill.org/holiday Proceeds benefit the Parents’ Association Endowment for Financial Aid in Honor of Sally Hazel

Your gift matters.

The Flint Hill Annual Fund supports every program, every teacher and every student, every day.

IT ENABLES US TO

Deliver a forward-thinking curriculum that prepares students for a future of change Attract and support educators who are among the finest in their profession

SAVE THE DATE

Grandparents and Special Friends Day Friday, May 12, 2017 This is a special morning for our Lower and Middle School students to showcase their work and share their school with members of their extended families.

For more information or to volunteer, please visit www.flinthill.org/parents or contact Tiffany Parry at tparry@flinthill.org or 705.584.2364.

Appropriately integrate educational technology and provide other first-rate resources for learning Offer generous financial aid, to support deserving students who need it

Your gift helps to make a vital difference in the lives of Flint Hill students.

To make your gift, please contact Director of the Annual Fund Christine Kitzmiller at 703.584.2349, or visit www.flinthill.org/support.

Thank you for your continued support of Flint Hill!

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FLINT HILL MAGAZINE | 49

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID

3320 Jermantown Road Oakton, VA 22124

Permit No. 643 Oakton, VA

Winterfest

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2017 Join other members of the Flint Hill community for face painting, raffles, giveaways, inflatables, sports challenges, arts and crafts and more! There will be festive events for Huskies of all ages and the Igloo will be open for refreshments.

Cheer on the Flint Hill Basketball teams as they take on Pope John Paul the Great, Landon and Herndon!

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