Flint Hill School

Flint Hill School was founded in 1956{{cite news|title= Fairfax Approves Tuition Grants For 60 to Attend Private Schools|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=1959-09-20|id={{ProQuest|141032002}}}} by Don Niklason as the Flint Hill Preparatory School, a co-educational day school with 18 students in grades K–8.{{Cite web|url=http://www.flinthill.org/our-history/|title=Our History |publisher=Flint Hill School|access-date=2017-02-25}}

The school's origins date back to the state of Virginia's resistance to the Supreme Court of the United States' 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision holding that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. In 1956, the year of the school's founding, Virginia Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. declared a policy of Massive Resistance against compliance with Brown v. Board of Education,{{cite web|title=The State Responds: Massive resistance|url=https://www.lva.virginia.gov/exhibits/brown/resistance.htm|website=Brown v. Board of Education: Virginia Responds|publisher=The Library of Virginia|access-date=2017-10-07}} and the Virginia Assembly enacted the Stanley Plan, a package of thirteen statutes designed to ensure Virginia's public schools remained segregated.{{cite book|last1=Gates|first1=Robbins L.|chapter=Adoption of the Stanley Plan |title=The Making of Massive Resistance: Virginia's Politics of Public School Desegregation, 1954-1956 |location=Chapel Hill, North Carolina |publisher=University of North Carolina Press|year=1962|pages=167–90|oclc=245049 }}

In 1959, the Fairfax County School Board approved tuition grants for 60 students to attend private schools and thereby avoid desegregated public schools. Of those initial grants, 44 went to students attending the Flint Hill School. Fairfax County Public School Assistant Superintendent George Pope remarked to the Washington Post, "We've just about put that school in business."

In 2024, Head of School Patrick McHonett reflected on the school's past, saying, "Acknowledging that part of our history is essential to validating the impact it has had on our students, past and present. ... We need to own where we’ve been in order to recognize how far we’ve come, as well as chart a pathway forward."{Cite web |title=Reflecting on Our Past |url=https://futures.flinthill.org/reflecting-on-our-past/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=Flint Hill Futures |language=en-US}} An annual event formerly called "Founder's Day" was renamed "Flint Hill Day" to celebrate the school's present and future.{{Cite web |last=Fairchild |first=Lauren |title=Founders Day becomes "Flint Hill Day" |url=https://www.fhsview.com/news/2023/02/01/founders-day-becomes-flint-hill-day/ |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=The View}}

Originally, students attended classes in the Miller House, an estate home belonging to the Francis Pickens Miller family. In 1986, Flint Hill purchased {{convert|13|acre}} of property several blocks away at the corner of Chain Bridge and Jermantown Road, and the Miller House was transported to the new campus,{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1986/08/11/flint-hill-school-moves-down-the-road/ae5c3ee4-7f57-4889-93fd-0230ab881a21/|title=Flint Hill School Moves Down the Road|last=Lacy|first=Bridgette A.|date=1986-08-11|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-06-28|issn=0190-8286}} where it now serves as an administrative building.

In 1990, the new academic building was only partially finished and funding for its completion was in doubt. A group of educational and civic leaders from Northern Virginia led by John T. Hazel, Jr., then acquired the school and reorganized it as a nonprofit independent day school.

The 1990–91 academic year began on the new campus with 65 faculty members and an enrollment of 425 students, in grades K–12. By the late 1990s, with more than 700 students, there was a need to expand. In 1998, Flint Hill acquired parcels of property totaling {{convert|30|acre}} within one mile of the existing campus. Groundbreaking took place for the Upper School Campus in summer 2000 and classes began there in September 2001.

In 2010, Flint Hill introduced the 1:1 technology program, providing all students with Apple Inc. computers and tablets.{{Cite web|url=http://www.flinthill.org/technology|title=Technology|publisher=Flint Hill School|access-date=2017-02-25|archive-date=2017-02-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170225134659/http://www.flinthill.org/technology|url-status=dead}} In 2011, it was named an "Apple Virginia Site School". In 2013 and 2015, it was recognized as an "Apple Distinguished School",{{Cite web|url=http://www.flinthill.org/flinthillnews/flint-hill-receives-second-apple-distinguished-school-recognition/|title=Flint Hill Receives Second Apple Distinguished School Recognition|publisher=Flint Hill School|access-date=2017-02-25}} an award Apple gives to schools that "demonstrate Apple's vision for learning with technology".{{Cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/education/apple-distinguished-schools/|title=Education - Apple Distinguished Schools|website=Apple|language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-25}}

In 2019, Flint Hill began fundraising for a middle school facility designed to educate 7th and 8th grade students. The new Peterson Middle School opened for the 2020-2021 school year.{{Cite web |title=A New Beginning: Peterson Middle School Opens for the 2020-21 School Year |url=https://www.flinthill.org/news/a-new-beginning-peterson-middle-school-opens-for-the-2020-21-school-year/ |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=Flint Hill School |language=en-US}}

In June 2022, Headmaster John Thomas retired after 17 years of service to the school. Patrick McHonett succeeded Thomas as Head of School for the 2022-2023 school year.{{Cite web |last=Trompeter |first=Brian |date=29 November 2021 |title=Q&A: Incoming Flint Hill head of school looks to future |url=https://www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax/q-a-incoming-flint-hill-head-of-school-looks-to-future/article_e18c9e9a-510f-11ec-82b1-ab2a9b94eff5.html |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=INSIDENOVA.COM |language=en}}

As of 2022, Flint Hill has three campuses with more than 1,000 students and 237 teachers.{{Cite web |title=Explore Flint Hill School |url=https://www.niche.com/k12/flint-hill-school-oakton-va/ |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=Niche |language=en}}

The Upper School has three continually published, on-campus student publications: The Flint Hill View (news, arts, sports, opinion, and editorial newspaper),{{Cite web|title = The View|url = http://fhsview.com/|website = The View|access-date = 2016-02-01}} The Rough Draft (literary and arts magazine),{{Cite web|title = Literary Magazine's "Rough Draft" Polished for Publication|url = http://app.flinthill.org/page/News-Detail?pk=643879|publisher = Flint Hill School|date = 2012-05-10|access-date = 2016-02-01}} and The Iditarod (yearbook, formerly entitled The Talon). Both middle and upper school students can take part in class government through the Student Council Association.{{Cite web|url=http://www.flinthill.org/middle-school/student-life/|title=Middle School: Student Life |publisher=Flint Hill School|access-date=2017-02-25}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.flinthill.org/upper-school/student-life/|title=Upper School: Student Life |publisher=Flint Hill School|access-date=2017-02-25}}

The school participates in the Independent School League (ISL) for girls' sports and the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAC) for boys' sports.{{Cite web|url=http://www.flinthill.org/athletics/team-championships/|title=Team Championships|publisher=Flint Hill School |access-date=2017-02-25}} There are 22 different sports, with 32 middle school and 35 upper school teams.{{Cite web |title=At a Glance |url=http://www.flinthill.org/at-a-glance/ |access-date=2017-02-25 |publisher=Flint Hill School}}

Between 2007 and 2017 Flint Hill produced 165 college athletes with 83 of them going division 1.

Flint Hill's volleyball team has been ranked {{abbr|No.|number}} 1 in the country three times and went on a span of 44 wins before losing a match.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}

The Flint Hill basketball team was ranked No. 1 in the country by USA Today in 1987 in former NBA player Dennis Scott's senior season.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}

Boys' basketball:

• USA TODAY National Champions

1986

• VISAA Division I State Champions 1995
• VISAA Division I State Semi-finalist 2005
• MAC Champions: 1995, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2019
• MAC Tournament Champions: 2008, 2009, 2010
• FH Tip-Off Tournament Champions: 2004, 2007, 2011, 2013

Football:

• VISAA Division I State Champions: 2017, 2018
• VISAA Division I State Finalist: 2008
• VISAA Division I State Semi-finalist: 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016
• MAC Champions: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019

Boys' lacrosse:

• VISAA Division II State Semi-finalist: 2007
• VISAA Division I State Semi-finalist: 2009
• MAC Champions: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2009, 2010
• MAC Tournament Champions: 2008, 2010, 2014

Ice hockey:

• Dominion Cup Champions: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015

Boys' soccer:

• VISAA Division I State Semi-finalist: 2005, 2006, 2007
• VISAA Division I State Finalist: 2014
• MAC Champions: 1994, 2007, 2015, 2016
• MAC Tournament Champions: 2014, 2015, 2016

Boys' tennis:

• VISAA Division I State Champions: 2006, 2007, 2008
• MAC Champions: 2006, 2008
• MAC Tournament Champions: 2006, 2008

Golf:

• MAC Champions: 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016

Baseball:

• MAC Champions: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
• MAC Tournament Champions: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014
• VISAA Division I State Semi-finalist: 2013, 2014, 2016

Volleyball:

• VISAA Division I State Champions: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
• VISAA Division I State Finalist: 2016
• VISAA State Semi-finalist: 2005
• ISL "A" Champions: 2005
• ISL "AA" Champions: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
• ISL "AA" Tournament Champions: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
• DC Metro City Champions: 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
• FH Invitational Tournament Champions: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022
• Washington Post No. 1 Ranking: 2009, 2010, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
• Garden State Challenge Tournament Champions: 2017
• Garden State Challenge Tournament Runner-ups: 2019

Flint Hill has a sports rivalry with The Potomac School in McLean, Virginia, dating to 1992 when both schools played at George Mason University for the first time and Flint Hill defeated Potomac in an overtime basketball victory.{{cite news|url=http://patch.com/virginia/oakton/bp--flint-hill-and-potomac-a-rivalry-decades-in-the-making|title=Flint Hill and Potomac: A Rivalry Decades in the Making|date=2012-12-09|newspaper=The Patch|location=Oakton, Virginia |access-date=2017-02-25|language=en-US}}

• John R. Allen, Commander, International Security Assistance Force United States Forces, Afghanistan{{cite web|title=General John R. Allen - Retired|url=https://slsp.manpower.usmc.mil/gosa/biographies/rptBiography.asp?PERSON_ID=59&PERSON_TYPE=General|publisher=United States Marine Corps|access-date=9 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207032451/https://slsp.manpower.usmc.mil/gosa/biographies/rptBiography.asp?PERSON_ID=59&PERSON_TYPE=General|archive-date=7 December 2013}}
• Chloe Angelides, Singer, Songwriter
• Justin Bonomo, professional poker player.{{Cite web|url=http://www.classmates.com/people/JustinBonomo/8731425562|title=Justin Bonomo, Class of 2004 - Flint Hill School - Classmates|website=www.classmates.com|access-date=2017-02-25}}
• Randolph Childress, former NBA player{{Cite web|url=http://www.flinthill.org/randolph-childress-2/|title=Randolph Childress '90|publisher=Flint Hill School|language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-25}}
• John Cochran, Survivor Winner (TV SHOW){{Cite web|url=https://patch.com/virginia/oakton/cochran-family-readies-for-survivor-premiere|title=Cochran Family Readies for 'Survivor' Premiere|date=September 13, 2011|website=Oakton, VA Patch}}
• Tommy Doyle, MLB Baseball Pitcher{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/tommy-doyle-656382|title=Tommy Doyle MLB Page|website=MLB.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-10-27}}
• Justice Ellison, college football running back{{cite web |last1=Johns |first1=Les |title=Speedy athlete Ellison discusses Wake Forest commitment |url=https://247sports.com/college/wake-forest/article/speedy-athlete-justice-ellison-goes-in-depth-on-wake-forest-commitment--141774132/ |website=247Sports |access-date=2 November 2024}}
• Khalil Lee, Professional Baseball Player
• Jared Leto, actor on the film Morbius and frontman of 30 Seconds to Mars, dropped out{{cite tweet|number=539519363003719682|user=FlintHillView|title=Hey @JaredLeto, remember us?|date=1 December 2014}}
• George Lynch, former NBA player
• Zain Naghmi, professional Super Smash Bros. Melee player{{cite tweet|number=1296517848634929159|user=ZainNaghmi|title=Made it into notable alumni of my high school... To Mr. ********, who ridiculed me for playing smash bros during m… |date=20 August 2020}}
• Trey Rucker, college football safety{{cite web |last1=Johns |first1=Les |title=BREAKING: 3-star VA safety Trey Rucker commits, signs with Wake |url=https://247sports.com/college/wake-forest/article/breaking-3-star-virginia-safety-trey-rucker-commits-signs-with-wake-forest--126599218/ |website=247Sports |access-date=23 September 2024}}
• Dennis Scott, former NBA player{{Cite web|url=http://www.flinthill.org/athletics/notable-alumni/|title=Notable Alumni|website=www.flinthill.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-25}}
• John Stertzer, Major League Soccer player
• Ronny Thompson, Emmy Award-winning broadcaster{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1992/04/09/vetter-still-no-member-of-the-club/eb5d3a92-05ea-489d-9f7b-1c20451adee6/|title=Vetter still no member of the 'club' |last1=Denlinger|first1=Ken|date=1992-04-09|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-02-25|last2=Denlinger|first2=Ken|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}
• Lorena Castillo de Varela, First Lady of Panama 2014 – 2019{{Cite web|url=http://laureatesandleaders.org/speaker/he-lorena-castillo-de-varela/|title=Her Excellency Lorena Castillo de Varela, First Lady of the Republic of Panama & UNAIDS Special Ambassador for AIDS in Latin America – Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation |website=laureatesandleaders.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-25}}
• Qudus Wahab,Georgetown Basketball Player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidenova.com/sports/flint-hill-center-chooses-georgetown/article_3b357dcc-263e-11e9-a889-ff0fab3771f0.html|title=Flint Hill center chooses Georgetown|date=February 2019 }}

{{reflist}}

{{Fairfax County, Virginia High Schools}}

{{Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference}}

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Category:1956 establishments in Virginia

Category:Educational institutions established in 1956

Category:Independent School League

Category:Preparatory schools in Virginia

Category:Private K–12 schools in Virginia

Category:Brick buildings and structures in Virginia