Flint Hill School Magazine - Fall/Winter 2020 by Flint Hill School

MAGAZINE FALL/WINTER 2020

FLINT HILL’S JOURNEY TO FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY A look at Flint Hill’s DEI work to date and what’s next.

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A NEW BEGINNING: PETERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL OPENS FOR THE 2020â&#x20AC;&#x201C;21 SCHOOL YEAR

Flint Hill Magazine pg. 323

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2020–2021

Miss Lucia Anna Trigiani, Chair Mr. Michael P. Corkery, Vice Chair Mr. Gary D. Rappaport, Treasurer Mr. John M. Thomas, Secretary Ms. Alexandra L. Bettius ’03 Mr. Taylor O. Chess Mr. Harry E. Dean III Mrs. Shawn W. Fraser Ms. Amelia Hay Mrs. Linnie M. Haynesworth Mrs. Miki Toliver King Mrs. Lisa R. Lisker Mr. Michael W. Mendler Mr. David W. Middleton Mr. Richard P. Moxley Mr. Terry A. Nelson Mr. Terry Y. Pao Mr. Prem J. Pillai Mrs. Liza Wright Renner Mr. Timothy R. Rupli Dr. Richard A. Stone Mr. Hugh E. Taylor Mr. John M. Wasson Dr. Howard-John Wesley Mr. David S. Wiley

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. Richard J. Hendrix Mr. Paul C. Kincheloe Jr. Mr. Michael C. McCarey Mr. William N. Melton Mr. Norris E. Mitchell The late Reverend Edwin M. Ward

EDITOR

Angela Brown, ambrown@flinthill.org

STAFF CONTRIBUTORS

Diana Parente, dparente@flinthill.org James Venhaus, jvenhaus@flinthill.org Jackie Viteri, jviteri@flinthill.org

MAGAZINE DESIGNER

CONTENTS 2 The Hill 10 Arts Overview 12 Athletics Overview 14 Faculty/Staff News 20 Honoring our History: The Academic Building Gets a New Name 22 Flint Hill’s Journey to Fostering an Inclusive Community 32 A New Beginning: Peterson Middle School Opens for the 2020–21 School Year 34 Founding Chairman Emeritus Til Hazel Celebrates 90th Birthday 36 Around the Community 38 An International Entrepreneur Emerges

Eve Shade, eshade@flinthill.org

42 Alumni Events

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

44 Class Notes

Meredith Cook VanDuyne, mvanduyne@flinthill.org

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

Maria Graceffa Taylor, mtaylor@flinthill.org

PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS

FREED Spirit Photography Jackie Viteri Angela Brown James Venhaus

3320 Jermantown Road, Oakton, VA 22124 flinthill.org

53 Remembering Former Flint Hill President, The Reverend Edwin “Ed” M. Ward

LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER Dear Flint Hill School Family, I hope you all are continuing to be as safe and healthy as possible. It has been an amazing experience to begin the school year in such an unusual way. Last spring, we completed a very successful virtual learning experience for everyone. For the fall, we used a hybrid model with students learning both virtually and on campus. It pushed everyone out of their comfort zone, but I will tell you our entire School family rose to the occasion. We are all “pulling the sled” together through these turbulent times. Our students have been so positive and upbeat, especially when they are on campus wearing their masks, maintaining physical distancing, and following all the health protocols we spent the entire summer putting into place. And our faculty and staff are absolutely incredible in how they have redesigned their classrooms, teaching and work styles, always staying focused on what is in the best interest of our students and how to make certain that we continue to be intentional, deliberate, strategic, and safe in everything that we do. Above all, this has been a testament to our Driving Spirit and a clear indication that education is a people business. It is all about the energy, the passion, and the direction that each of us brings each and every day. It is about building relationships and finding ways to continue to keep people excited and engaged in the learning process, even if we are doing it with only our eyes showing above our masks. As you look through this issue of the magazine, you will see the intensity and variety of “our people’s” impact. You’ll read a bit about the naming of the Hazel Lower School and the opportunity we had in the fall to celebrate Til Hazel’s 90th birthday. His vision and engagement 30 years ago set us on our current path. You will also get to learn more about the intensive work we have been doing in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice — some of you might be surprised to know that these efforts were a cornerstone of our program years before civil unrest brought these issues to the forefront over the summer. The respect we need to have for one another and the significance of valuing the differences we all bring to our “School family” make this journey a key aspect of our Flint Hill experience. And while we can’t have visitors, we continue to engage with our alumni. Four alumni were kind enough to send videos to Upper School students to encourage them before Spirit Week. And two alumni got married in the Hazel Lower School because that is where they first met as students. Flint Hill touched their hearts then, and their desire to include Flint Hill in such a significant life event touched us. Please take a moment to read and enjoy this wonderful issue of our magazine. Know that we are not letting the pandemic slow us down. In fact, we are as committed as ever to inspiring, motivating, educating and engaging our students in a way that prepares them to become the next generation of leaders that the world needs. Remember, at Flint Hill, we play for the long game! Best wishes! And please stay safe! Sincerely,

John M. Thomas Headmaster Flint Hill Magazine

THE HILL

THE MAGIC OF HELPING OTHERS EMBRACING CHALLENGES IS SECOND NATURE TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MAKERS CLASS; THEY ARE ACCUSTOMED TO PROBLEM-SOLVING. That’s why their teacher, Chris Cook, was confident in their abilities and commitment to make a Halloween costume to fit on a wheelchair — a request he received in a phone call from the nonprofit organization Magic Wheelchair. The class was matched with a local family through Magic Wheelchair, which was founded to “bring communities together to create unforgettable moments for children around the world by transforming their wheelchairs into magic.” The students discovered that 11-year-old Numa began using a wheelchair after a debilitating stroke he had at age 7. They also found out that Numa had been a “Star Wars” fan, and though they only had six weeks, they worked diligently to construct a TIE-fighter vehicle costume,

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worthy of being in the movie, which they customdesigned to fit around his chair. The day before Halloween, a reporter with WUSA9 was there — outdoors in a cul de sac, in Fairfax County, Virginia, near the family’s home — when the class delivered the costume, complete with buttons that activated the sound of lasers. Some family, friends and neighbors were present, and the news videographer captured smiles all the way around, most importantly the one from Numa. “It was just incredible seeing everyone come and witness this thing, this small thing that we’ve done,” said Evan Demsey ’25, who estimated contributing about 50 hours to the project.

Magic Wheelchair CEO Christine Getman, who uses a wheelchair herself due to spinal muscular atrophy, contacted the students a few days later via a virtual call to personally thank them and to answer questions about the organization. Founded in 2015 with five “epic” costumes, they now have made more than 225 that have been delivered nationwide and around the world. Proud of his students and the special moment they helped to create, Cook said, “The more people get to see people doing nice things

and good things to make the world a better place, the more people will be encouraged to do it.” Adding what the experience meant to him, he continued, “It was a top 2-3 professional moment of my life and so good for so many people. I have long felt that I should be doing more to make the world a better place, and not just in the context of my classroom. Magic Wheelchair has given me an avenue to move forward on that path.”

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THE HILL

TRADITIONS CONTINUE IN NONTRADITIONAL FORMATS

EVERY YEAR, THE ALL-SCHOOL GATHERING IS FLINT HILL’S FIRST BIG EVENT THAT BRINGS THE ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TOGETHER. This year, a Virtual All-School Gathering replaced the usual in-person format and incorporated video messages from school leaders as well as a recording of a brief lantern-lighting ceremony attended by “Lifers” and their parents on September 30. At a ceremony held in front of the deCamp Garden at the Upper School, this year’s Lifers — seniors who started at Flint Hill in junior kindergarten or kindergarten — lit a traditional lantern to symbolically mark the start of the academic year. The weather cooperated nicely, and the students’ families had ample space to safely participate in a memorable experience.

Headmaster John Thomas led the Virtual All-School Gathering and expressed that “despite this year’s

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change in format, we wanted to preserve as many elements of this tradition as possible.” One custom is for directors and student leaders from all three divisions to give speeches welcoming everyone back to school and reflecting on the year ahead. “This year is a particularly special year,” said Director of the Lower School Sheena Hall, “as our Lower School has been realigned to include JK through sixth grade.” She explained that at the beginning of each school year, Lower School students are asked to determine their “hopes and dreams” for learning in the coming months. “What’s important to them at school? What do they want to learn more about? What do they want to get better at?” Five students from the sixth grade shared their hopes and dreams for the School community, the nation, and the world:

“As a community and a country, that we will learn from past experiences and not be divided but come closer together and to treat everybody fairly and equally.” — Isaiah Hammond ’27 “That by the end of the year, it will be normal again not having to wear masks and not having to be socially distanced.” — Piper Colihan ’27 “That families that have been separated by COVID-19 can see each other again.” — Alba Blanco ’27 “That all students, whether new or returning, will have a sense of belonging, will be included and be treated with kindness and respect.” — Alec Sweet ’27 “That all the families impacted by the hurricanes and severe weather will have enough support to get their lives and homes back together.” — Mackenzie Ross ’27 Director of the Middle School Brian Lamont shared his excitement about the return to school and optimism for the future, saying “we hope we soon will have the opportunity to have all of you visit our

incredible new building.” He introduced two eighth grade students to provide their insights and perspectives of life at the Middle School this year. “Being able to come back to school, especially in an incredible new building, was such an amazing feeling,” said Patrick Logue ’25. “One of my favorite parts of the new building is how open it is. I love how you can use the project spaces to collaborate with classmates and teachers and how huge the windows are — they make you feel like you’re outside. Getting to see familiar faces brought me such joy. During the weeks leading up to school, I was excited. When the first day of school arrived, while I didn’t enjoy getting up at 6 a.m. for the first time in five months, my feeling of grumpiness changed when I saw my friends. It made me feel so grateful that I was able to go back. It’s not perfect, but it brings us all together, and it’s our school. As Huskies, we’re able to innovate and blaze the trail. I believe we’ll be able to come out of this pandemic better than before.”

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THE HILL

Mira Flood ’25 expressed her gratitude: “Even though we aren’t all in person, we should still be super grateful that we are a part of this community. I’m so lucky to have Flint Hill be there for me. Thank you, Flint Hill, for being the awesome school that you are.” In a creative top-10 list, she presented the humorous aspects of virtual learning, including: blankets and pillows in class, and not having heavy backpacks to carry around. Director of the Upper School Rico Reed emphasized the importance of Flint Hill’s core values as the foundation of the School. “Let’s continue to serve as ambassadors,” he said, “and work hard to move the needle when it comes to inclusivity, equity and the treatment of others.” He also recognized the senior class in this extraordinary year, noting, “as you embark on the final leg of this amazing journey, we celebrate you along the way.” Student Council Association President Connor Dunn ’21 thanked the administration, teachers and other student leaders for their many efforts at this time, and he delivered remarks indicative of his leadership and commitment to the School

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community. “Now is a time, more than ever, that we need to come together as a community to pull the Husky sled. Regardless of the seemingly obstructive situation that we may be in, I know that this is also a time where we as a community can excel against the odds. Whether it’s the Lower School being trailblazers in a new school setting to the middle schoolers becoming the first to learn in the newly-opened Peterson Middle School or the upper schoolers developing new habits to handle rigorous courses in an unfamiliar learning environment, it is fundamental to our success that we be there to support each other, as we all go through this unforeseen journey. I wholeheartedly believe that if we come together as a community and support one another, we will be able to thrive. With much of this year still feeling unknown, I want to let everyone know that this is not a hindrance; it is an opportunity. This year is what we make it. And I know that if we all do our part, not only will we see individual success, but as a community, we will shine. This year has potential like no other, and to fulfill that potential, we must also be vigilant and mindful of our actions not only to keep ourselves safe but for everyone around us.”

VOTING FOR A SWEET OUTCOME A HISTORIC ELECTION TOOK PLACE IN 2020 — FLINT HILL’S VERY FIRST LOWER SCHOOL CANDY BAR ELECTION. Students from each grade level, junior kindergarten-sixth grade, registered to vote, received voter ID cards and voted in two elections. The primary election, in October, resulted in Twix, Kit Kat and Hershey’s Chocolate bars advancing to the general election.

After a week of campaigning, the tight race ended with Kit Kat emerging victorious! The final tally: Kit Kat, 79; Twix, 76; Hershey, 63. The goals for this mini-unit of study were for students to participate in a community decision-making process, understand that all citizens of a community have civic responsibilities and that voting is both a freedom and a right.

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THE HILL

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL, THE 2020 WAY WITH A HYBRID-LEARNING MODEL IN PLACE FOR 2020-21, FLINT HILL TEACHERS WELCOMED IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL LEARNERS TO THE BEGINNING OF A NEW SCHOOL YEAR. On campus, students were greeted with balloons and “Welcome Back” signs, and at home, students showed their school spirit by sharing photographs of their enthusiasm for a fresh, new start.

Along with the typical back-to-school sights — new backpacks, notebooks, and Husky apparel — this year, the addition of masks, physical-distancing floor decals with a Husky paw design, temperature

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screenings, and hand sanitizer stations made the first day of school unforgettable. Eager to return, students and parents demonstrated their flexibility by adapting to the necessary changes. Months earlier, a Reopening Task Force was established to plan and implement procedures for a safe and successful start. As indoor and outdoor space was assessed, the opening of the new Peterson Middle School, renovation of the Hazel Lower School, and reconfiguration of space at the Upper School occurred at exactly the right time to provide appropriate arrangements for all. Faculty and staff

prepared diligently to create a positive and engaging learning environment, while putting the minds of students and families at ease as much as possible.

“Wow, so grateful FHS faculty and staff worked so hard to ensure the students could learn on campus this fall.”

Grateful parents noticed all of the efforts and many shared their feedback:

“The overall dialogue of new parents is that they truly love the warm and welcoming community of the school and are excited to volunteer at events when ‘regular’ school resumes.”

“Our family is very impressed with the planning & execution of the reopening of the 20–21 academic school year amid the current pandemic.” “It’s clear that the administration and faculty have spent a significant amount of time preparing for this and executing on the plan.”

“Flint Hill really is working hard to stay true to its pursuit of academic excellence.”

Flint Hill Magazine

THE SHOW MUST GO ON:

FINE ARTS UPDATE By James Venhaus, Director of Fine Arts

ARTS

education has always been a cornerstone of the Flint Hill experience. And this year is no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic presents arts educators both with multiple challenges and exciting opportunities. At Flint Hill, each Fine Arts class has been reimagined to allow young artists to continue to explore the arts and to explore themselves as artists and creative thinkers. Despite some challenges and setbacks, the arts are thriving at Flint Hill. As the saying goes, “the show must go on.” For example, the Upper School fall play, “Almost, Maine,” was rehearsed via Google Meet and recorded live on stage in the Olson Theatre, with no audience. Actors kept a safe physical distance on 10

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stage, and through some creative video editing, the gap between them was eliminated, creating the illusion of closeness. The Upper School filmmaking and ballet programs collaborated to create a truly unique production of “The Nutcracker.” Students filmed the ballet, one masked dancer at a time, in front of a green screen, at a safe physical distance from the student camera crew. Upper School filmmaking students edited the performances into a fantastical digital fairy tale world. This production is like no other in the 11-year history of “The Nutcracker” at Flint Hill. And because “The Nutcracker” and “Almost, Maine” will be made available online to audiences at home, both productions have the potential to reach a much wider audience.

Visual Arts classes in all three divisions have hosted various prominent guest artists for a series of masterclasses and live Q&A sessions. And, seniors have participated in virtual portfolio reviews and college visits, remotely, with artists and schools that wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t usually travel to Flint Hill. Due to safety protocols dictating that students cannot play an instrument or sing on campus, music classes have pivoted the most, but they also have made the most enlightening discoveries. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having the time to focus on technique, rhythm and music theory, as well as holding one-on-one lessons with students, has allowed us to dive deeper into some of the fundamental music skills that will make all of our students better musicians and each of our ensembles stronger.â&#x20AC;? says Grades 5-12 Band Director Dereck Scott.

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THE HUSKY WAY:

ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT KEEPS STUDENT-ATHLETES ENGAGED DESPITE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS By Diana Parente, Director of Athletics

THE

Flint Hill Athletics Department has always been a vital part of the experience at Flint Hill, and one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced during the pandemic has been to find ways to keep our student-athletes connected and engaged at a time filled with restrictions for young athletes. Our priorities for this year, thus far, have been student physical fitness and keeping important athletics traditions alive. Even though we are living in challenging times, it’s important for us to all stay motivated and pull the sled together. As Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Staying together is progress and working together is success.” We also believe that recognizing and celebrating our student-athletes are essential, and that belief has been a driver for some of the events we’ve found creative solutions for this year. In November, we hosted our first of three National Signing Days for seniors who announced their plans to play their sports at the next level. The fall ceremony, which was held outdoors with only the

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students and their families in attendance, celebrated Mackenzie Fitzgerald, who will play lacrosse at The Ohio State University; Elyana Duprey, who will play volleyball at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; and Zoey Huang, who will play volleyball at The University of Maryland. The event was recorded for members of the broader community who wanted to watch the ceremony on-demand. Another example of great Husky spirit has been the dedication and collaboration of our Student Athletic Advisory Council (AAC). The AAC has been responsible for creating weekly workout challenges for our students to stay in shape. They also launched an awesome Spirit Week to promote Husky spirit and pride schoolwide and designed a community t-shirt for all Huskies to wear in November. Their commitment to keeping school spirit alive at a time when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most needed is admirable and they deserve a shout out!

Since March, the Athletics Department has run a virtual fitness class to ensure that our student-athletes remain in shape and still have an opportunity to earn an athletic credit. We have offered a wide range of classes, from yoga, pilates and Crossfit to weight training and tabata. For the spring and fall semesters, we had more than 200 students participate and earn credit. Congratulations to all involved! Thank you to the entire Flint Hill community for making athletics a priority during this time and for being partners in reimagining how students interact within the athletic space. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to get back on the fields and courts but are grateful for our studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; resilience, creativity and collaboration during this unusual time.

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FACULTY/ STAFF NEWS UPPER SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER SPECIALIST SONYA ATKINSON began advanced professional certification coursework in emotional intelligence (EQ) in August 2019, with the global nonprofit organization 6secords.org, and has since completed several professional certifications as an EQ practitioner, assessor and coach. She also earned an associate certified coach-level credential from the International Coaching Federation. Her current coursework in social-emotional learning (SEL) will certify her as an SEL integration specialist and consultant. Over the summer, she had the distinction as an EQ assessor to work with the Urban Education Leaders Collaborative at the Teacher’s College of Columbia University. This program trains school teachers and administrators who are on track to earn their advanced degree in school administration and to become school principals and/or superintendents. As part of the coursework, the students took an EQ assessment (SEI LR), which is a scientificallyvalidated measure of how emotional intelligence competencies are put to use daily in personal and professional lives. Atkinson’s involvement with the program was to work with the principalsin-training on debriefing the results of their SEI LR and coach them through identifying next

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steps they can take to begin working on improving their EQ as school leaders. Additionally, she is in the early stages of building an EQ coaching practice, which will serve an international community by teaching and coaching EQ through webinars, workshops, class trainings, EQ assessments, and group and 1-1 coaching sessions. She will begin networking with K-12 schools around the nation as an SEL integration specialist and consultant to support their implementation of an SEL curriculum in their school and/or district.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE UPPER SCHOOL AND UPPER SCHOOL ACADEMIC DEAN DEBBIE AYERS was recognized by OESIS with the Intrepid Innovator Award. OESIS is a nationwide innovation network of 600+ schools whose mission is to “catalyze change in the learning models of schools with an emphasis on the innovative practices in pedagogy, curriculum development, 21st-century assessment and school culture change.” The Intrepid Innovator Award is given to “the OESIS Network Leader who best understands the professional needs of faculty, provides feedback for growth, and makes on-demand learning approachable and practical.”

UPPER SCHOOL ART TEACHER NIKKI BRUGNOLI was invited to participate in the Contemporary Art for Young Audiences online exhibition “See Where It Takes You.” In May, she was interviewed for the “Teaching Artist Podcast” in the episode “Daily Ritual as Art Practice.” She was also invited by the “Teaching Artist Podcast” to mentor other teachers; the working title is “Teaching Artist Critique/Support Group,” and she is one of two mentors invited to lead the group. “We are hoping to collaboratively work over the next year to widen the net for teaching artists,” she explained, “and to provide lots of helpful tools for getting through this school year.” LOWER SCHOOL ART TEACHER ADJOA BURROWES was a featured artist in the Election Year exhibition at the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center in Hyattsville, Maryland, September 26–November 8. Her work was also on display in the Sculpture Now exhibition at the McLean Project for the Arts, September 17–November 14. In July, she was interviewed for the “Teaching Artist Podcast” in the episode “Telling Your Own Story.” Hang On by Adjoa Burrowes

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FACULTY/STAFF NEWS

UPPER SCHOOL CERAMICS TEACHER JULIA CARDONE was interviewed, in May, for the podcast “We Teach Clay” in the episode “Creating Creative Spaces.” In June, she served as a table leader for The College Board, assisting virtually to score AP® 2D, 3D design and drawing portfolios. She was one of 390 high school AP® teachers and college faculty who, together, worked to score 62,668 AP® Art and Design exams. A letter from a senior vice president at The College Board states, “The circumstances in which this work was completed were unprecedented, and Julia Cardone Schlenkermann helped ensure AP® students could pursue college credit and placement opportunities even in the midst of closures and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.” In September, she created and donated a series of porcelain pieces for a silent auction, at a virtual gala, to support Suited for Change, a local nonprofit with a mission to empower women in the community “on their path to financial independence by providing them with professional attire, coaching, and skills training.”

GRADES JK-6 MODERN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT CHAIR/LOWER SCHOOL SPANISH TEACHER SONIA JOSA CASTRO AND UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH TEACHER KRISTIN MCCOMISKEY PIAZZA reviewed books, geared toward Spanish learners of different levels in the U.S., for the Difusión publishing company headquartered in Spain. They read through proposed texts and activities and gave feedback to the company.

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LOWER SCHOOL ART TEACHER KRISTINE DENINNO served as a juror for the 11th Annual Patricia Sitar Virtual Juried Exhibition, which opened at the Sitar Arts Center, in Washington, in November. SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR AND HEAD VARSITY GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL COACH CARROL DENURE was recognized by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association as a certified athletic administrator. “To earn this distinction, Carrol has demonstrated the highest level of knowledge and expertise in the field of interscholastic athletic administration. The voluntary certification process included a thorough evaluation of the candidate’s educational background, experience and professional contributions, as well as a rigorous, comprehensive written examination. Carrol is one of an elite group of interscholastic athletic administrators nationwide to attain this level of professionalism.” UPPER SCHOOL CLASSICS TEACHER SHERRY DOERFLER co-presented “Zoomtamen: How to Set Up and Play Certamen in

the Digital World” at the American Classical League (ACL) Virtual Institute, with a colleague from St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Austin, Texas. After presenting the model and discussing how it supports equity, diversity, and remote learning within the world of Latin competitive academic contests, the “Zoomtamen” model was used for the competitive rounds of certamen play by students at the virtual National Junior Classical League (NJCL) convention in July. Additionally, at the NJCL convention, Doerfler completed her second term as NJCL Programs and Scholastic Services Chair. In August, she was asked to chair the ACL’s Membership Committee and has been working to strengthen this organization’s recruitment and retention of teachers and professors of the ancient languages. DIRECTOR OF THE LOWER SCHOOL SHEENA HALL co-led a Learning Group for the virtual Project Zero Summer Institute-WISSIT. GRADES 7-12 CLASSICS DEPARTMENT CHAIR WOOJIN KIM wrote the article “Did You Eat? Why I Feed My Students” for the online Classics journal “Eidolon.” He describes why he chose to write about the topic: “The article is about how food is my love language for my students at Flint Hill School. My racial/ ethnic identity as an Asian American influences my sharing of food in the educational experience. It highlights the socio-emotional relationship building with students of Latin and certamen through this act. There’s also a little light scholarly exposition into a short Latin passage from Vergil’s ‘Aeneid’ that students of AP® Latin read.”

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FACULTY/STAFF NEWS

MIDDLE SCHOOL ART TEACHER LOUISA NEILL was a featured artist in the Sculpture Now 2020 exhibition at the McLean Project for the Arts, September 17-November 14. ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR SIGNATURE AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS MICHELLE ODELL defended her dissertation and was awarded an Ed.D. in organizational change and leadership from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California. UPPER SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER AND UPPER SCHOOL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COORDINATOR TRACY PETERSON was selected as a University of Chicago Outstanding Educator “for excellence in teaching and mentorship.” To honor this year’s winners, a virtual celebratory reception was held in October. The University of Chicago established the program more than 30 years ago, asking “incoming students to recommend 18

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their outstanding educators — individuals who challenged them intellectually for the first time, opened new vistas of discovery, or channeled their interests into paths for intellectual growth.” Peterson was nominated by Nikolas Tolpegin ’20, who expressed his gratitude in writing, for the university to include in a congratulatory letter she received: “From Introduction to Grammar to AP® English Literature, you’ve left a lasting impact on me both as a writer and as a human being in general.” GRADES 5-12 BAND TEACHER DERECK SCOTT is a featured musician with Brass for the Potomac, a British-style brass band. In October, they released the album “Firestorm.” He describes: “The band is comprised predominantly

of military musicians, and lucky local musicians like myself, and is conducted by Stephen Bulla, a former arranger for the United States Marine Band, “The President’s Own,” and a prominent arranger and composer, both locally and internationally. We have performed many of his arrangements in all of our ensembles at Flint Hill School, and this album features his music. This album also features many extremely talented musicians, including Joseph Alessi, principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic. The piece I am featured in is ‘Concertante for Band.’ This was a wonderful experience, and I am thrilled to share it with our community!” HEADMASTER JOHN THOMAS was asked to serve on the accreditation committee of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) and considers it “a true opportunity to make a difference in supporting the highest standards set forth by the association.” Members of the committee meet throughout the year and are responsible for reading the materials that schools create for their accreditation visits, reading and considering the report from the various accreditation visiting teams, and then making a recommendation to the Board at VAIS as to whether to approve or not approve accreditation to a school.

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HONORING OUR HISTORY:

THE ACADEMIC BUILDING GETS A NEW NAME

At the end of the summer, Flint Hill announced that the Board of Trustees renamed the Hazel Academic Building to the Hazel Lower School, in honor of the extraordinary contributions of Founding Chairman Emeritus Til Hazel and in appreciation for the many ways he and his family continue to contribute to the life of the School. To make it official, Mr. Hazel was given a proclamation from the School noting the name change, and a sign was erected at the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newly-renovated main entrance.

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FLINT HILL’S JOURNEY TO FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

aya Angelou famously said, “It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” Lisa Lisker P ’15, ’16, chair of the Flint Hill Board of Trustees Diversity Committee, shares that an inclusive community is “a place where every member that is there, feels like they belong and that they are safe to be themselves.” Flint Hill aspires to be such a place; where members of our community are celebrated, embraced and can be unapologetically themselves regardless of their differences — both seen and unseen. But before we discuss Flint Hill’s plans for the future, we have to look at where the School started. Throughout the spring, summer and into the fall, in the wake of the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and others, and the riots and unrest that followed, talk of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) was everywhere. Online job listings filled with positions focused on the work, and for the

A TIMELINE OF FLINT HILL’S DEI JOURNEY 22

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FALL 1999

JANUARY 2006

JUNE 2006

SEPTEMBER 2013

The Inclusive School Committee (ISC) establishes a Diversity Subcommittee with a mission to identify the needs of students, families and faculty from multiple racial and cultural backgrounds.

Flint Hill holds its first Multicultural Family Night and Potluck Dinner to celebrate the community’s cultural diversity.

Coordinated through the ISC, Flint Hill holds its first Faculty/ Staff of Color Retreat. This off-campus event enables cross-divisional discussion and connection for faculty and staff of color.

Flint Hill uses the Cultural Competency Design Team (CCDT) model to engage faculty and staff in a continued self-study and dialogue concerning the many facets of diversity in the Flint Hill community. Over the course of the school year, 15 teams met regularly for a deep examination of our community and curriculum.

first time, many businesses and local governments recognized Juneteenth — a day commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. — as a corporate holiday. In the education space, schools hosted Zoom meetings and virtual town halls to address their communities about their DEI initiatives and how they connected — or didn’t — with what was playing out in the national news. While it seemed that much of the U.S. was newly “woke,” at Flint Hill the journey began much earlier than the summer of 2020.

AN INTRODUCTION TO INCLUSION In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Flint Hill’s Inclusive School Committee (ISC) served as the hub for the School’s first formal, coordinated efforts in DEI work. Chaired by the director of admission, the committee was responsible for “promoting an inclusive School community by encouraging employees and students to participate in workshops, conferences and other opportunities focused on diversity, and focusing community attention on developing a ‘global’ School family that included students and employees from diverse backgrounds.” “There had been a number of ad hoc efforts in the past related to diversity,” says Headmaster John Thomas. “But the ISC was the School’s first formal, cross-departmental effort to really begin to talk about it and define our commitment to it.”

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FLINT HILL ASPIRES TO BE SUCH A PLACE; WHERE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE CELEBRATED, EMBRACED AND CAN BE UNAPOLOGETICALLY THEMSELVES REGARDLESS OF THEIR DIFFERENCES — BOTH SEEN AND UNSEEN.

JANUARY 2014

MARCH 2014

APRIL 2014

MAY 2014

Flint Hill hosts its first diversity event for parents, “Diversity at Flint Hill,” bringing together families representing a range of diverse backgrounds.

Flint Hill announces plans to create a full-time leadership position dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion, which will “serve as the lead advocate for diversity and inclusion at Flint Hill School.”

The first International Festival is held to celebrate our cultural diversity through sharing art, traditions and history.

Mia Burton is named Flint Hill’s director of diversity and inclusion. The position becomes active in July 2014. Flint Hill’s Board of Trustees approves its Statement of Diversity and Inclusion.

Cultural Competency Design Teams present final report recommendations to faculty, staff and administrators. Director of diversity presents CCDT recommendations to parents as a follow up to the “Diversity at Flint Hill” event.

Flint Hill Magazine

FLINT HILL’S JOURNEY TO FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

In the fall of 1999, the ISC established a Diversity Subcommittee, with a mission to identify the needs of students, families and faculty from multiple racial and cultural backgrounds. In the years that followed there was progress; Flint Hill held its first Multicultural Family Night and Potluck Dinner, hosted its first Faculty/Staff of Color Retreat and began more focused efforts to recruit and retain employees and students of color. But there was more to be done. In 2013, when Flint Hill hired now former Assistant Head of School for Academics Bill Ennist, the feedback he heard from faculty about the need for the School to push its diversity efforts further was loud and clear. Thomas recalls, “Our work in supporting our students and faculty with issues around inclusivity at that time was still a bit inconsistent. When Bill came in he said, ‘Everyone is telling me that we

need a diversity director. We need somebody here to lead those efforts.’ We started to look at what that would mean and began to research what that looked like at other schools, and that was when we said, ‘Let’s do this.’”

DESIGNING FOR THE FUTURE Before Flint Hill could fill a formal position to lead its diversity efforts, it was important to define what diversity means in this community. While “diversity” has become a commonly-used term, its application is often misunderstood, and earlier initiatives at the School did not address the full spectrum of topics that are connected to diversity work in educational settings, from learning differences, physical ability and socioeconomic status, to sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity. Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Mia Burton shares, “It takes time and effort to make sure that we’re looking at diversity broadly. We are making sure that we’re aware of all forms of diversity and that they can be served in the same way, and celebrated.”

WINTER 2015

APRIL 2015

JUNE 2016

AUGUST 2016

OCTOBER 2016

Through its strategic planning process, Flint Hill adopts a more inclusive vision for every student: Take meaningful risks. Be yourself. Make a difference.

The Inclusive Leadership Council is formally included as a part of the student leadership application process in the Upper School. This Upper School student organization is dedicated to developing social and educational events to foster inter-connectedness and understanding.

Flint Hill begins to include books related to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice on its annual faculty/ staff summer reading list with “Waking Up White” by Debbie Irving.

During pre-planning week, author Debby Irving visits Flint Hill and facilitates workshops on white privilege and power.

Mia Burton launches “Cocoa Conversations,” an affinity group for young women of color in the Upper School to discuss their unique experiences at school. The group continues to meet and has recently welcomed alumni guests to share their experiences with current students.

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In the fall of 2013, Cultural Competency Design Teams comprised of faculty and staff studied these topics and submitted reports with their recommendations concerning the wide range of diversity needs in the Flint Hill community. This process laid the groundwork for diversity at Flint Hill as we know it today. Burton says, “There were about 15 different teams that people signed up to work on, to do research, and then submit a report of recommendations. One of the teams worked on drafting the Statement of Diversity and Inclusion, and then there was another group that worked on writing a job description to be used for the director of diversity and inclusion position.” In March 2014, Flint Hill announced its plans to create a full-time leadership position dedicated to diversity, which would “serve as the lead advocate for diversity and inclusion at Flint Hill School.” In May, after a national search, Flint Hill chose to fill the position internally, appointing Burton, then the Upper School dean of students, to the role. The Board of Trustees also approved the School’s first Statement of Diversity and Inclusion. The Cultural Competency Design Teams presented their final report recommendations, and in the fall of 2014, Flint Hill had the tools to begin the intensive, continuous work of becoming and fostering a truly inclusive community.

FALL 2017

JANUARY 2017

FALL 2018

The School introduces “Kaleidoscope,” a monthly book club to engage Flint Hill parents in topics related to diversity and inclusion.

Author Debby Irving returns to Flint Hill as the guest speaker for the Kaleidoscope book club.

Flint Hill expands the scope of its DEI efforts with the addition of diversity, equity and inclusion coordinators in all three divisions. Flint Hill retains Dr. Heather Hackman, a renowned trainer, consultant, speaker and facilitator on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and

justice, to facilitate intensive training for Flint Hill’s administrative and academic leadership. The Board of Trustees forms an ad hoc Diversity and Inclusion Committee to support the School’s efforts in diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.

FALL 2019 Flint Hill hires its first full time, all-school diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator, creating a full-time DEI presence on both campuses.

Flint Hill Magazine

FLINT HILL’S JOURNEY TO FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

Burton welcomed the opportunity to take on the role of championing Flint Hill’s diversity work, but as the first person in the position, it was important to prioritize what to take on first. “I was drawn to being able to connect with all of the divisions and departments. I think that there are some positions that can be very, not isolated, but contained in one space and place and function. And I liked that this work was something that would be involved in so much,” Burton says. “I have a natural interest in the work, but knowing that it would connect with the academic side, the admission side, teachers, classrooms, alumni. I think the role required someone who recognized that all of those things are equally important.” An initial step was to report out on the Cultural Competency Design Teams’ findings and recommendations, which Burton presented to families as a follow up to a “Diversity at Flint Hill” event that occurred during the previous school year. And in the Upper School, a student’s transition

provided an immediate opportunity to move Flint Hill’s diversity work forward. Thomas recalls, “That opportunity to support a transgender student at school so soon after Mia took the position suddenly made it clear more broadly that the position was not all about race. And that began to break some of the dam of how important all of this was going to be. Because ultimately, this whole idea of diversity, equity and inclusion, and recently, we’ve incorporated the word ‘justice’ into it — it’s about who we are. It is who we are. It defines what we do. It defines how we’re going to act. How we’re going to treat other people. How do we make this the very warm, caring place that we all want it to be?” The School’s strategic planning process during the 2014–2015 school year also provided a natural opportunity to weave its renewed commitment to diversity into its broader strategic vision, including adopting the more inclusive vision for every student that’s become a common refrain at Flint Hill, “Take meaningful risks. Be yourself. Make a difference.” A major shift was underway, and it was time to bring students and faculty along on the journey.

WINTER 2020

SPRING 2020

FALL 2020

The School partners with Katie Koestner, a national expert on student safety and healthy relationships to support work to review and revise its student behavior policies and procedures.

The Board of Trustees votes to make its Diversity and Inclusion Committee a standing committee.

Flint Hill begins to engage alumni in discussions about its DEI work through a series of virtual meetings.

Flint Hill School

Mia Burton introduces the “Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Report,” a newsletter written by faculty for faculty to provide resources and dis-

cussion about issues in diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. The Board of Trustees’ Diversity Committee is renamed the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee to reflect the scope of the work to be done in the Flint Hill community.

BRINGING EVERYONE TOGETHER A lot can happen in five years, particularly in the life of a dynamic, innovative school like Flint Hill. For one, Burton’s title has changed to “director of institutional equity and inclusion” to reflect the wide range of diversity topics that exist at the School, and the school-wide nature of the work. And under Burton’s leadership, with support from Flint Hill’s Leadership Team and Board of Trustees, the School’s DEI work has gained significant momentum. In every educational environment, shaping the student experience begins with the faculty. Annual, comprehensive DEI-oriented professional development has become standard for Flint Hill faculty and staff. From hosting guest speakers such as Dr. Gene Baptiste, chief diversity officer at St. John’s School, in Houston, Texas, and Debbie Irving, author of “Waking up White,” to small group work, all-school summer readings, and School-sponsored opportunities to attend DEI-focused conferences and workshops, Flint Hill employees have extensive opportunities to

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THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE FOR THE CONVERSATION AND THE EDUCATION [ABOUT DIVERSITY] TO START AND CONTINUE, THAN RIGHT HERE,” – PIA TRIGIANI, CHAIR, FLINT HILL BOARD OF TRUSTEES

dive deeply into diversity work and examine its application both at school and in the wider world. Most recently, in the fall of 2020, Burton introduced the “Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Report,” a newsletter written by faculty for faculty to provide resources and encourage discussion about issues in diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.

Flint Hill Magazine

FLINT HILL’S JOURNEY TO FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

“With our faculty, it’s been important to meet every individual where they are,” Burton says. “It helps us grow as a community. There are some people who need encouragement, some who are running ahead — you have to find a pace that brings everyone together.” In the fall of 2018, Flint Hill retained Dr. Heather Hackman, a renowned trainer, consultant, speaker and facilitator on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, to conduct intensive training for Flint Hill’s administrative and academic leadership. It was also at that time that the Board of Trustees created an ad hoc Diversity Committee, which has since become permanent, further cementing the importance of this work at Flint Hill. Similar to Burton’s title, the Committee was renamed the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee to reflect the scope of the work to be done in September 2020. “There’s no better place for the conversation and the education [about diversity] to start and continue, than right here,” says Flint Hill Board Chair Pia Trigiani. “And I think that with every generation, the more that we talk about it, the more that we address it, the more that we change and understand other perspectives, the better we become at this. We’ve seen that evolution on the Board to some extent. And that’s why the action the Board took to make [the Diversity Committee] a standing committee is 28

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a very significant pronouncement of the support of the Board for the program and our interest in becoming more of a partner with the work that’s being done on campus.” Student work began concurrently with faculty training and professional development as Burton partnered with academic leadership to review the School’s curriculum and identify opportunities to integrate DEI work into extracurricular and leadership opportunities for students. In the spring of 2015, the Inclusive Leadership Council was introduced as an application-based leadership opportunity for Upper School students. The organization is dedicated to developing social and educational events to encourage interconnectedness and understanding among Upper School students. An orientation program was developed for international students, and regular opportunities to participate in diversity conferences, such as the National Association of Independent Schools’ Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) were introduced. Curricular reviews and updates are ongoing, but work has been done to introduce a wider range of voices and perspectives into every corner of Flint Hill’s academic program. “When Bill was here, we had a curriculum audit to see, not what we were teaching but what we weren’t teaching,” Burton says. “We wanted to look at, where were the examples of diverse perspectives, diverse experiences, diverse ways of thought? And where weren’t they? To use history as an example, we noticed that from seventh through twelfth grade, you would not have any kind of intersection with Asian history. Everything was Euro-centered, U.S.-centered, or through the lens of a deficit model where we were looking at nation-building

of third-world countries, and there were things that were missing from the student learning experience as a result.” Curricular reviews have also revealed opportunities to introduce diversity in other areas, from expanding the forms of dance that are offered in the Fine Arts program, to examining culture in foreign language courses and finding ageappropriate ways to introduce diverse topics to our youngest students in the Lower School. For example, this fall, students in Rob Taylor’s fourth grade class learned about Loving vs. Virginia, a landmark civil rights decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that laws banning interracial marriage violate the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The students were inspired by the story and had a virtual visit from author Patricia Powell to discuss her book “Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case.” The students created their own books about the case with collages they made, which they shared with Powell, Selina Alko, author of “The Case for Loving,” and the Caroline County Historical Society, where the Loving family lived.

community. In the Middle School, it’s about centering it around Advisory and the Social Contract that the students develop. And in the Upper School, students make these connections through clubs and activities and awareness around current issues and how they can bring a voice or be a part of raising awareness or educating people. In the Upper School, the way we have discussions is also very important, and I think we’re still working our way through the best forms of facilitation. But in utilizing a discussion model where it can be

“It’s not just what we teach, it’s how it’s delivered,” Burton says. “Some students thrive when they have these discussions around issues that are proximate in their lives.” She continues, “It’s different in each division. In the Lower School, it’s more about how we celebrate things and how we look at experience and Flint Hill Magazine

FLINT HILL’S JOURNEY TO FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

an exchange of ideas and not a debate of who’s right and who’s wrong; I think that is a skill that we will continue to help people build and deepen over time.” The School is also exploring ways to encourage healthy relationships among students, particularly in the Upper School. In the winter of 2020, before COVID-19 took hold, Upper School leaders learned about disrespectful behavior related to gender, sexual orientation and harassment occurring both on and off-campus. “This is just one example of how far-reaching diversity work truly is,” Burton says. Flint Hill partnered with Katie Koestner, a national expert on student safety and healthy relationships, and her company Campus Outreach Services, to help the School further educate the community about these issues and to review and revise student behavior policies and procedures. While work with Koestner slowed when Flint Hill transitioned to virtual learning in the spring, the School has resumed partnering with her to review and revise its handbook and to develop future plans for a climate survey, educational programming and student forums.

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COMING FULL CIRCLE Of course, for this work to truly make an impact, the entire community has to get involved. In 2017, Burton partnered with Flint Hill parents Charlotte Chess and Rebecca Jenkins to launch Kaleidoscope, a monthly book club to engage Flint Hill parents in topics related to diversity and inclusion. The group doesn’t focus solely on reading books by “diverse authors” in the traditional sense — topics have included womens’ rights, poverty and identity, and selected works have included “Educated: A Memoir” by Tara Westover, “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi and “Refugee” by Alan Gratz. This fall, Burton began to work with Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor to engage alumni in Flint Hill’s DEI work. Amidst the civil unrest of the summer, social media accounts dedicated to the experiences of female students and students of color at public and private schools across the country surfaced online. Flint Hill was not immune, and an anonymously run Instagram account, @dearflinthill, caused concerned alumni to

reach out to the School to seek answers about its diversity work and efforts to support students. “This gave us an opportunity to engage with alumni in a completely different way,” says Taylor. “And we didn’t shy away from it, we welcomed it.” Burton added, “Dear Flint Hill showed us that there may be alumni who don’t know the work that we’re doing. But there are stories here, and the fact that students are talking about their experiences in this way lets us know that there is still work to be done.” Burton and Taylor hosted a series of DEI-focused virtual forums for alumni, by class year, at the start of the school year. The forums provided opportunities for alumni to share their stories and gain clarity about Flint Hill’s DEI work. They also helped Burton and Taylor identify next steps to keep the engagement going, including plans for an Alumni Committee on Institutional Equity and Inclusion, which will work directly with Taylor and Burton to serve as a bridge between the School’s DEI work and the alumni community.

THE PATH FORWARD Diversity doesn’t have an end point. The work happens on a continuum, where communities and the people within them are always changing. The key is to keep moving, and Flint Hill has no shortage of hopeful, determined leaders who are committed to moving this work forward. “I think that I really believe in our vision, and I really believe that I want to work in a place where each and every student can take meaningful risks, be themselves and make a difference,” Burton says. “We are doing the work that needs to be done to make that true for every student, and to make sure that we make decisions that don’t compromise that experience.” For Trigiani, diversity, equity and inclusion is another area in which Flint Hill can blaze a trail: “Flint Hill has a great opportunity here to lead on this. And to me, that is the most exciting part, that Flint Hill can be a leader. And maybe be a change agent. Wouldn’t it be nice to be the change agent?”

Flint Hill Magazine

A NEW BEGINNING:

PETERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL OPENS FOR THE 2020–21 SCHOOL YEAR

IN A MODERN, LIGHT-FILLED BUILDING ON OAKTON ROAD, the hallways and classrooms are buzzing with students. Around the corner from the lobby, students are collaborating — socially distanced — in a common area that divides the classrooms on either side of the hallway. On one side of the hall, students in Mr. Cook’s Makers class have their heads bowed over their iPads and tools, as their teacher moves around the room. On the other, Mrs. Knicely is teaching one of her dynamic history classes to a group of virtual and on-campus learners. And above them, Mr. Mora Carbajo is giving a Spanish lesson in a classroom that 32

Flint Hill School

appears to be floating above the first floor. Soon, it’s time for break, and the halls fill with students rushing outside for fresh air on the playground, turf field and expansive terrace. Welcome to the Peterson Middle School, which, after 16 months of construction, opened its doors to students right on time in the fall. Its opening has underscored the importance of space, particularly during a pandemic. An abundance of natural light was always part of the plan, but the building’s wide-open floor plan has enabled a critical level of distancing — and comfort — for students and teachers alike. Director of the Middle School Brian Lamont shares, “I can’t say I would have fully appreciated the impact of the brightness, of the natural light. I think the incredible brightness of this space and the open layout, all the things that we thought would have a positive impact on the experience of Middle School students, it has had and more.”

this year, have allowed us to physically distance students the way we need to. The openness and glass walls also provide more visibility into our classroom spaces and reinforce a sense of connection in the Middle School community.” Despite opening during an unusual year, the facility, and what it’s made possible for Middle School students and teachers, has exceeded expectations. “The access to the outdoor space has been maybe the biggest difference-maker, particularly for this year,” Lamont says. “Being able to go out multiple times a day and having this huge terrace and places for kids to sit, to congregate, to interact, to be on the playground, and to have access to the turf field, has been a game-changer for us.”

The building has also provided a tremendous amount of flexibility to use its various spaces, in ways that are needed, for this moment in time. With several areas being repurposed, Lamont is grateful for the visibility and opportunities for connection that were already integrated into the building’s design. “In terms of indoor spaces, this year we’re not using our project spaces the way we might in the future,” Lamont says. “But it’s been incredible to have open areas in the academic classroom spaces, which, for

Flint Hill Magazine

FOUNDING CHAIRMAN EMERITUS TIL HAZEL CELEBRATES 90TH BIRTHDAY OCTOBER 30, 2020, marked the 90th birthday of visionary and Flint Hill Founding Chairman Emeritus Til Hazel.

Under his leadership, Flint Hill was acquired and reorganized in 1990, opening in September of that year with a new campus (now the Hazel Lower School) and a new name — the Flint Hill School we know today. An attorney and real estate developer, Hazel once shared that his interest in education began with an anecdote from his family. After his father expressed his desire to attend college, Hazel’s grandfather sold one of their cows to help cover his school expenses. He stated, “That’s how the family got started with education, and I never really lost sight of that.” When talking about his role with Flint Hill, Hazel has said, “My principal activity at Flint Hill has been to hold the coat of others and say, ‘go at ’em coach.’ All I felt needed to be done was to hold a coat and encourage them to move and do things. And that’s been the principal driving force at Flint Hill.” During the past 30 years, Hazel has continued to play that role for us all — he has cheered for 34

Flint Hill School

our student-athletes, celebrated the School’s successes and been a fixture at critical moments in the School’s recent history, such as the launch of the historic Momentum campaign and groundbreaking for the Peterson Middle School in 2019. To honor Hazel for this milestone birthday, Flint Hill reached out to members of the Flint Hill community who know him best and asked them to record their reflections for a video that was presented to him on his birthday. Here are highlights from what was shared: “You’ve truly lived a very remarkable life over these last 90 years. Flint Hill School stands out as the most outstanding of [your community] projects. [You] pushed it forward to become one of the most successful schools in our region in just a matter of years. We thank you very much for all you’ve done for our school community.” — Skip Coston, Past Chairman of the Board (2010–2016), Past Trustee (2003–2016), Grandparent ’07, ’20 “With regard to Flint Hill School, we’ve all been fascinated and pleased with the success it’s enjoyed. I have been privileged to have had a small part in that success. You, of course, knew where we should be going and knew how to get there. [And] the School has become one of the most outstanding institutions in the state. I give you the bulk of the credit for that success.” — Norris Mitchell, Past Trustee (1990–2011) “Happy birthday, Til. Ninety — wow. What a life, what a lifespan, what you’ve seen, what you’ve done. It’s really, really incredible and I can’t tell you how privileged I feel to have been on a portion of your journey with you at Flint Hill. Being involved here with you and being inspired by your original vision has meant so much to me. Together, I know we have really accomplished a lot for so many children, and it’s your legacy. I hope that today, as we always say, you can take a moment to just smell the roses because what you have done is really quite incredible.” — Anne Peterson, Assistant Head of School for Finance and Operations Happy birthday to our original trailblazer — words cannot express our gratitude for your contributions to our community. Flint Hill Magazine

IN THE COMMUNITY Building community … virtually? Absolutely! The Parents’ Association has gotten creative this year with a reimagined Uniform Exchange, cooking classes, senior celebrations, Teacher Appreciation and so much more. Enjoy these highlights from the year so far, and plan to join the Parents’ Association for future events! Email and the Weekly Newsletter are the best places for parents to find invitations and more information. The PA is looking forward to connecting with you soon!

Flint Hill School

We love our teachers! A little coffee and chocolate from local shops to show the teachers how much they are appreciated for all they do to encourage and inspire our students.

The virtual cooking demonstration was the first of many professionally-inspired virtual events hosted by the PA. Thanks to Clarity restaurant and Chef Jon Krinn for sharing his love of cooking with the Flint Hill community.

Aloha, Seniors! PA volunteers delivered spirit-filled packages to all seniors, welcoming them back to their final year at Flint Hill!

Flint Hill Magazine

AN INTERNATIONAL ENTREPRENEUR EMERGES

telltale sign that the future for Firas Ahmad ’95 would involve international work was his pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in foreign service, which he completed at Georgetown University in 1999. Less predictable was his becoming an entrepreneur with multiple companies — a journey with many twists and turns along the way that began at Harvard, while studying for a master’s degree in public policy.

“I had ‘normal’ jobs up until grad school,” said Ahmad. Then he took a class on technology and emerging markets with a professor who started a company in Bangladesh that grew to become the biggest provider of telecommunications services, in a country of 166 million people. “The company’s commercial success was based on expanding services to remote areas of the country, where competitors assumed there was no market,” he explained. “This idea sparked my interest in learning more about how to build enterprises in emerging markets.”

Top: Building a biodigester in Bangladesh Bottom: Installing waste to energy generator in Bangladesh

Flint Hill School

When his professor started another company in Bangladesh, called Emergence Bioenergy, Ahmad was intrigued by the concept — converting cow manure into electricity. “It sounded like a relatively far-fetched idea with limited chance of success, so naturally I signed on as the first employee and started traveling back and forth.” Eight years later, the board of the company made the decision to close. “At the time, we were still in

Presenting at a conference in Johannesburg

pre-revenue startup mode. Whatever equity I had became worthless. In hindsight, I was naïve about the whole thing and probably should have left sooner. At this point in my life, I had two small kids; my wife and I suffered through a few years of financial instability, and I didn’t have much to show for it, except perhaps a set of lessons learned. However, lessons learned don’t pay bills, so I was fully prepared to throw in the towel and go back to the regular job. The problem was that I was eight years into a failed startup, which means eight years behind from moving up the corporate ladder. Not a good situation.” However, his firm belief in the idea of converting waste to energy led him to co-found Grassroots Energy, Inc. in India with a former colleague, from his earlier years in Bangladesh. They adapted the previous business model, focusing on the farmlands and providing energy where there was limited access. “We applied for a grant with a revamped concept,” he said, ”and were able to raise enough money to get it back off the ground.”

Meeting potential partners in Dar Es Salaam

That same year, 2015, turned out to be a turning point for Ahmad, when he connected with a friend from his Georgetown days whose family operated a large manufacturing conglomerate, Azam Group, based in Tanzania. While his colleague continued to operate Grassroots Energy, on the ground in India, Ahmad started a consulting engagement with the Azam Group, where he was tasked with identifying possible technology-oriented business opportunities — from energy to telecom to payments, all focused on the East Africa region. “After about a year or so of analysis,” he elaborated, “I was increasingly convinced Tanzania was on the edge of a massive digital transition and mapped out a system of businesses we could build to ride that wave. My friend was intrigued and willing to invest in the concept. At this point, we started building them out, starting with payments processing and then moving into logistics, mobile payments and e-commerce.”

Flint Hill Magazine

AN INTERNATIONAL ENTREPRENEUR EMERGES

The duo proceeded to co-found two companies of digital payment (non-cash) is mobile money, — AzamPay and Sarafu. AzamPay is a payments and the better we can manage the end-to-end aggregator for the East Africa region, similar to transaction experience, the better we can service Stripe in the United States, that helps companies our customers. AzamPesa allows us to reach the pay and get paid digitally, connecting the end average consumer in a way AzamPay and Sarafu user or business to different payment networks. do not.” Co-founded in 2019, the company is It is currently operating in Tanzania and Rwanda. currently in the planning stages, with the goal to Sarafu, which means “exchange” in Swahili, is an launch in 2021. e-commerce platform for small retail shop owners The common thread across all of Ahmad’s busiin Tanzania to purchase their supplies digitally, and nesses is adapting technology to address local it is similar to a small version of the Amazon sellproblems in emerging markets, with an eye ers marketplace. Ahmad described the process: toward scaling the solution. An essential aspect “I set up my own warehouse and stocked prodto that involved his observation of the markets in ucts from many different different countries, paymanufacturers and started ing particular attention to delivering to the retail shop how people transacted and owners, providing certain made decisions. “People in guarantees in terms of developing countries face delivery time, customer a unique set of problems service and price transparthat anyone growing up in ency. We processed paythe U.S. would likely never ments through AzamPay encounter,” he said. “At to better manage the endthe same time, technology – Firas Ahmad ’95 to-end ordering experience. to solve these problems is We started operations on widely available but not necessarily adapted to Sarafu, in Q4 of 2018, with about 50 customers. the specific context of these regions. For me, the By Q3 of 2020, we had over 6,000 customers coolest thing about working in these markets is on the platform with the rate of growth picking bringing a technology that fundamentally changes up each month.” how a market or an industry works. For example, Ahmad’s newest venture is AzamPesa, a mobile in the U.S., many people buy stuff with a credit money company based in Tanzania that allows card. Now, with Apple Pay or Android Pay, you customers to store and exchange money on their can link your credit card and tap your phone on mobile phones. The business is another part of the the terminal instead of swiping the card. Not overall strategy to build out a digital payments a big deal; it’s not radically changing anyone’s and commerce ecosystem in East Africa. The life. However, in a place like Africa, imagine you need he aims to fill came from recognizing that wanted to send money to your parents in another “in East Africa, most people don’t have access town. Before mobile money, this would require to credit cards or banks. The dominant mode you to take a bus and drop cash off at their home.

If there is a lesson here, it’s that sincere friendship can sometimes lead you to different opportunities you could never imagine.

Flint Hill School

Team meeting in Dar Es Salaam

AzamPay team photo

No one has a bank account, and the post office doesn’t work. However, with a mobile money account, you can send money from your phone to their phone in a few minutes. In one case, using a phone to pay makes a marginal difference; in another case, it makes a world of difference.”

maintained a set of relationships with individuals that helped position me to execute on this interest when the opportunity arose. Each specific company started because I found a partner who I trusted and who also trusted me. If there is a lesson here, it’s that sincere friendship can sometimes lead you to different opportunities you could never imagine.”

Today, Ahmad manages his ventures from his home base in Bethesda, Maryland, where he lives with his wife, a filmmaker, and their three children. Although he travels frequently to the countries where the companies are located, he strives to maintain a balanced work/family life. When he does travel, he says he does it “with the intent to absorb the country context and ground reality. I try to expose myself to as many conversations, people, experiences and discussions that allow me to validate the business model or approach. It’s also equally important to build relationships with employees and partners.” Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, he stated, “There was no plan for me to end up where I currently am. If I were to sum up the factors that led me down this path, I would focus on two things: my creative interest in solving problems in emerging markets and that I fostered and

The peaks and valleys of his experience have brought him a unique appreciation for the meaning of a quotation he recalls by Mike Tyson, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” The main takeaway message for Ahmad — “Life is not very predictable; it can take you sideways very quickly. How exactly will you respond? No one plans to fail, but I don’t know anyone who succeeded that did not, at some point, fail. The successful ones tend to keep their composure and figure out how to make things work while balancing competing interests. In my mind, the key to this is to have a vision for what you are trying to accomplish. Any specific plan can always be scrapped, but if the vision is sound, you should find your way there after overcoming adversity.”

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ALUMNI COLLEGE DINNERS GO VIRTUAL! Not snow nor ice nor â&#x20AC;Ś a pandemic can keep the Alumni Office from connecting with our college-age alumni! While we were not able to travel around the country, in the fall, to take our college-age alumni to dinner in person, Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor hosted virtual college dinners, and as an added bonus, a variety of faculty members joined in on the fun! Alumni from more than 60 colleges and universities were invited to participate in the Zoom College Dinners.

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FLINT HILL ENGAGES ALUMNI IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION Throughout September and October, the Alumni Office partnered with Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Mia Burton to host a series of virtual alumni events focused on DEI at Flint Hill. Alumni were grouped by class year and invited to share their experiences at Flint Hill. While alumni from different decades had a range of experiences and questions to discuss, there were some common themes that emerged, including: • Questions about how the School is responding to posts that were shared on the Dear Flint Hill Instagram account that was created over the summer. • Flint Hill’s strategic plan for equity and inclusion. • How the curriculum has evolved with the emphasis on the inclusion of diverse voices, ways of thought and lived experiences. • How alumni can help in this work. As we develop and move forward with next steps for engaging alumni in DEI work at the School, we would like to hear from more of you on this important topic. Please reach out to Maria Taylor at mtaylor@flinthill.org or Mia Burton at mburton@flinthill.org with questions, feedback or ideas.

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CLASS NOTES

To be included in Alumni Class Notes, email the Alumni Office at alumni@flinthill.org with news of a union, birth of a child, adoption, 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.

CLASS OF 1968 MYLES “VICTOR” HASPIEL writes, “Since so much time has passed I decided to go back a little farther than this summer. In 2004, I retired after almost 40 years as a senior construction engineer and federal contracting officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as the onsite manager of construction and renovation contracts for VA Hospitals. I was rehired out of retirement in 2008 to oversee construction of a new VA Hospital and Embassy Annex building for the Department of State in Manila in the Philippines. At that time, we owned a house and some land in the hard desert 15 miles west of Tucson, Arizona, high up in the Waterman Mountains. We could see the foothills surrounding Nogales, Mexico, 75 miles to the south from our property.

When we moved back to the U.S., I decided to relocate to Corpus Christi, Texas. We purchased a large home near the beach. After 5 years we moved back to Catalina, Arizona, a beautiful mountain community 20 miles north of Tucson. That was fine for a time, but unfortunately, the

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Tucson area population was growing like crazy. The traffic jams and the multitude of crowded, expensive new housing developments reminded me of Northern Virginia. That was enough for us so we relocated to Pensacola, Florida. After growing weary of the ever-present hurricanes (three in one year), the bugs, and poisonous snakes we moved to Coffeyville, Kansas — our current location. … As I look back, Flint Hill is very dear to me. I consider my time at Flint Hill as my most life-changing experience. If not for the efforts at Flint Hill, I would be a high school dropout. I thank you, Flint Hill, and my dedicated instructors for putting up with me and giving me direction in life.

CLASS OF 1972 ARTHUR “ACE” ERNST writes, “After 35 years of working as an ER physician in Richmond, VA, I retired 3 years ago, though I still work with Goochland County EMS and part-time in occupational medicine.”

CLASS OF 1991

CLASS OF 1996

JAMAL GALLOW writes, “Wow, how do I come close to explain what has happened to me in the last 28 years? It is my goal to make the 30th reunion! There I will be more than happy to bring everyone up to date on being a husband and father, my quest to be a theologian, and what it is like working in a movie studio. Please feel free to reach out to me and I look forward to seeing you, Jamal.” (below)

JAMES HOUFF and ERICA PLUNKETT ’95 were married on November 16, 2019. (below)

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CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 2001 PATRICK EMERY writes, “Our family recently moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and I joined the law firm of FisherBroyles, LLP as a Partner.”

On October 10, TAYLOR DAVIS and BROOKE BRANAM were married in the Hazel Lower School, where they first met in 1997. (below)

CLASS OF 2003 KYLE ELLIOTT writes, “I am pleased to share that I have announced my candidacy for the Democratic nomination of the Virginia House of Delegates 68th District. I am excited for this next step in my public service and I welcome conversations, support, and enthusiasm, from the Flint Hill School community. People can find out more about my campaign from my website at kyle4va.com. They can email my campaign at kyleelliott@kyle4va.com. I am on Twitter @Kyle4va. Thank you!” (below)

CLASS OF 2007 JILLIAN FELLOWS DILL gave birth to her third baby, Ella Juliet Dill, on June 1, 2020. Ella joins older sister Railey and older brother Everett. (below)

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CLASS OF 2008 LESLIE MARTELL JONES and Aaron Jones welcomed their daughter Lorelei Ann Jones into the world on January 15, 2020. Lorelei was 9 lbs 12oz and 21.5” long at birth. Leslie and Aaron are both active duty Army Captains. Leslie is currently pursuing a masters of statistics at NC State, and upon graduation, will move back to West Point, New York to teach cadets in the mathematics department. (below)

TAYLOR SWART graduated with her master’s in nursing from The Ohio State University in May 2019, and began her career as a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner that summer in Southern Maryland. In June 2020, Taylor moved back to Northern Virginia and she is now a pediatric nurse practitioner at Capital Area Pediatrics in Falls Church, Virginia. She enjoys living in the community she grew up in and being closer to family! (below)

NICK ABRIGO and his wife, Kristen, welcomed a daughter, Lily, who was seven months old when they sent this adorable picture of her in a husky outfit. A few months later, they celebrated Lily’s first birthday. The talented KAITLIN HILL ’07 made the birthday cake. If you look carefully you can see blue icing because Lily is expecting a brother in March 2021. (right) Flint Hill Magazine

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 2009 TAAMU WUYA can be seen in a film called “My Sisters,” which was released in the fall. He has also been in several shorts (“The Fighting Road” and “Check Yes”) as well as the tv series “S.W.A.T.” Taamu graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts with an M.A. in classical acting in 2016. (below)

CLASS OF 2010 In April of 2019, KIRAN KUMAR earned her Ph.D. in theoretical organic chemistry from Oxford University. Her thesis project uses computer simulations and quantum mechanical calculations to further cancer and antibioticresistant drug recovery. Kiran also wrote a record high number of research papers and tutored and mentored younger students. In July

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2019, Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Company hired Kiran to work in its Cancer Research labs in Pennsylvania.

CLASS OF 2012 SEBASTIAN ABRIGO married Chelsea Hines on October 29, 2020, in Austin, Texas, and MATT MONTAGNE officiated the wedding! The couple was married under beautiful oak trees at a special venue called Mercury Hall. Because of COVID-19, family and friends could not attend in person, but more than 40 of Sebastian and Chelsea’s loved ones attended via Zoom, including many Flint Hill alumni: BEN KASE ’13, RAMON BURRIS ’12, NICK PETERSON ’14, ANNIE MONTAGNE ’15, and the GROOM’S BROTHERS, CRISTIAN ABRIGO ’15 and NICOLAS ABRIGO ’08. (below)

CLASS OF 2013 JOHN OSBORN was recently on the Netflix premiere of “Sing On!” For the past two years, he has worked as an assistant engineer for Randy Kohrs, a Grammy-winning engineer in Nashville, and as an A2 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Since moving to New York, he has been working as a full time music producer, songwriter and engineer. This past year, he released two singles on all platforms, one of which was featured on BBC Radio. When John is not performing, he has been an engineer and producer for several new artists. (above)

reviews from architecture professionals around the world; and I finally secured a job in Atlanta at Niles Bolton Associates. I am more than grateful. Through COVID-19 I have enriched my friendships and my relationships with family. I have worked on myself and know I can handle anything life throws at me. Let’s be the generation [that is] more resilient to what the future throws at us, not the one that fell short. Stay strong everyone.” (below)

CLASS OF 2015 CHARLOTTE SADAR writes, “An honest look at what it was like to be a part of history as Auburn University’s COVID-19 Class of 2020: There is a unity created with everyone that had to experience not having a graduation. Everything we had worked years to achieve would not be celebrated. Instead, we all go back home at 22 resuming the lives of our 16 year old selves. No closure, no formal goodbye, just an awful job market to look forward to. Despite these challenges, I led the hip-hop team to our best (and unfortunately last) performance at the Auburn vs. Arkansas basketball game; I finished my architectural thesis over Zoom with fantastic

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LIFECYCLES

CLASS OF 2016 Last December, BEN CROSS was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America team at Denison University. Ben was named to the first-team for the second-straight year! The Academic All-America award is one of Denison’s flagships. BEN FYBEL wrote, “Taking a UAV from a list of customer requirements to a flying prototype in 8 months is an aggressive goal to begin with, throw in a global pandemic and it becomes a real challenge. This was the challenge that Andrew Jones, Kaleb Duke, Kyle Williams, Rendell Fernandez, and I overcame as we worked on our senior capstone ‘Project Mocking jay’ sponsored by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Thanks to some incredibly hard work and long hours put in by this team, as well as valuable insight and education passed on by the SMEs at GA, we have successfully created a prototype airframe as well as designed the systems required to meet or exceed all of our sponsor’s requirements. This was an incredible team to work alongside and manage. For anyone in the industry, this is definitely a group of engineers to keep your eyes on.” OLIVIA FERRER writes, “JESS RAPPAPORT ’17 and I have started a ceramics business called Crescent Clay LLC. Since taking ceramics classes together in high school under the teaching of Julia Cardone, our love for the ceramic arts has grown immensely. Our partnership has continued to grow with Julia’s continued mentorship and friendship. We were excited to appear locally at the Fairfax Fall Festival and Fairfax City’s 50

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Holiday Market in 2019, and are overcoming the pandemic to appear virtually in this year’s Fairfax Holiday Craft Show throughout the month of November. Galleries of our work and our online store can be found at www.crescentclay.com.”

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T MISS A THING. Follow Flint Hill Alumni on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and the Flint Hill Alumni App to connect with other alumni and get real-time updates from the Alumni Office.

SEARCH FLINT HILL ALUMNI TO CONNECT NOW! ALUMNI APP

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LIFECYCLES MARRIAGES

IN MEMORIAM

James Houff ’96 and Erica Plunkett ’95 on November 16, 2019

Mr. Daniel C. Augustine ’10 January 20, 2020

Taylor Davis ’03 and Brooke Braman ’03 on October 10, 2020

Mr. Erik L. Ballinger Parent of Alex Ballinger H’21 December 26, 2019

Sebastian Abrigo ’12 and Chelsea Hines on October 29, 2020

BIRTHS/ADOPTIONS Leslie Martell Jones ’08 and Aaron Jones Lorelei Ann Jones, January 15, 2020 Nick Abrigo ’08 and Kristen Abrigo Lily Abrigo, October 10, 2019 Jillian Fellows Dill ’07 and Ryan Dill Ella Juliet Dill, June 1, 2020

Mrs. Jennifer Guethoff Parent of Anna Guethoff ’22 September 1, 2020 Mrs. Patricia F. Lear Parent of Dorothy Lear Mooney ’74 Grandparent of John Mooney ’07 and Kay Mooney ’10 January 8, 2020 Mrs. Mary K. O’Leary Marders ’80 August 18, 2020 Michael Pucci ’11 October 21, 2020 Mr. Roger B. Wagner Parent of Alden Wagner ’17 and Bayliss Wagner ’17 June 18, 2020 The Reverend Edwin M. Ward Former President, Trustee Emeritus October 29, 2019 Ms. Cynthia L. Williams ’87 December 8, 2018

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REMEMBERING FORMER FLINT HILL PRESIDENT, THE REVEREND EDWIN “ED” M. WARD The Reverend Edwin “Ed” M. Ward served as Flint Hill’s founding president, from 1990 to 1992, after our reorganization. He was the headmaster of The Salisbury School in Connecticut when Flint Hill’s Founding Chairman Emeritus Til Hazel hired him to be the headmaster of Saint Stephens, an Episcopal boys’ school in Alexandria, Va. When Flint Hill’s reorganization occurred, Ed joined this courageous new school experience. His main focus was to get Flint Hill accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools, and his leadership, guidance and energy made that happen in record time. When he retired in 1992, he was named a trustee emeritus of the School. Today, his portrait hangs across from Headmaster John Thomas’ office. We are grateful to visionaries like Ed who brought us to where we are today — in all of the great work that continues at Flint Hill every day and our ambitious plans for tomorrow, we are truly standing on their shoulders. His sensitivity toward others, commitment to excellence and enthusiastic support of Flint Hill over the years made him a true icon in our School’s history.

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^VIRTUAL

REUNION WEEKEND 2021 A very special Reunion Weekend is planned for April 23–24, 2021. Due to the postponement of Reunion 2020, classes ending in 0s, 1s, 5s and 6s will all celebrate their Reunions in April 2021. We are excited for alumni to celebrate, with the classes above and below theirs. 2020 Reunion Classes of 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015 2021 Reunion Classes of 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016

a w e a k l a T down k m e mory lane

L ABOUT THE FR L A S IEN DS A IT’ ND F A C U LT Y.

JOIN US FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL VIRTUAL REUNION! Falcons and Huskies — get ready for Flint Hill Alumni Reunion Weekend 2021! Whether you are celebrating your 50th reunion or your 5th — or are somewhere in between — reconnect with old friends and make new ones. If you would like to help plan your Reunion, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Maria Taylor at mtaylor@flinthill.org or 703.584.2350. 54

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