Tucked behind the administrative offices, the Large Conference Room is all ready for a meeting, complete with a small lineup of fresh bagels and breakfast pastries. But as the doors open, those that file in are not faculty, but students! This is no department meeting: it is one of the brunches Head of School Mr. Patrick McHonnett has been having with the senior advisories.
These brunches have been a tradition of the Head of School since before Mr. McHonnett took over the title. They exist in partnership with the Lower School Ice Cream Socials and the Middle School Dessert Lunches, targeted at Flint Hill’s younger students. “I use these really as pulse checks on how we’re doing in the Upper School,” McHonnett says of the meetings. “They’re free-flowing conversations which we take however or wherever the kids may want to go.”
The topics of the brunch meetings vary wildly advisory by advisory, but Mr. McHonnett has developed a bit of a formula to get the most out of his and the students’ time. “I usually start every chat simply asking the students how senior year is going – and, thankfully, every group within the Class of 2026 has shared that this has been a great year so far – so I usually try to pull that string a bit, asking specifically why this year has gone well, what’s working, what’s energizing them as students and leaders on campus.” Some of the most common praises of this academic year include the opportunities seniors have for community participation, diverse class selection, and rising school spirit.
“Naturally, I also ask what’s not working,” Mr. McHonnett continues, “The insights from our seniors are super helpful.” One common topic of discussion has been the new summative/formative schoolwork policy. Students have a lot of opinions on whether or not formative homework should be graded again, or if final transcripts should remain dependent only on summative assignments such as tests and projects. Interestingly, these opinions have been split between the two sides of the issue. “I suppose that I have been surprised,” Mr. McHonnett reflects, “by the breakdown of perspectives voiced among our seniors – some kids have said, directly, that we should change our approach to graded or ungraded homework, while others – including some in the exact same advisory – have shared that they really like this approach, and that it shouldn’t change.”
Mr. McHonnett deeply values the honest contributions seniors have made to these discussions. “Our seniors are amazing,” he says. “Thoughtful, caring, and reflective, while also not hesitant to tell me how they really feel.” These suggestions have not fallen on deaf ears. Flint Hill’s new Strategic Vision incorporates the suggestions of previous classes’ senior brunches, many of which have been echoed this year. One of the most significant of these has been raising school spirit. “We have taken marked steps towards improving spirit – whether in shifting our Upper School structures […] and shifting events to encourage greater student participation and attendance,” Mr. McHonnett explains, adding that “the idea for Homecoming to shift to a Friday night football game, rather than a Saturday day event, was built upon a seed from a past senior brunch.”
The Senior Advisory Head of School Brunch initiative is an amazing demonstration of the efforts Flint Hill’s administration goes to to try to allow student voices to be heard, but it is not the entirety of this effort. Mr. McHonnett encourages all members of the Flint Hill community, including students of all grade levels. “My door (or email inbox) is always open,” he says, “as I love to chat about anything and everything.” So, if you have an idea for how to make Flint Hill better, stop by the Head of School’s office, or just wait until your brunch rendezvous senior year.
