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August 17, 2026
Dear Middle School Families,
The excitement for the 2026-2027 school year is palpable at Green Hedges. Faculty have been hard at work throughout the summer to make this a year of growth, learning, and belonging. With the support of the Parent Association, a faculty working group gathered this summer to design a comprehensive three year scope and sequence advising program, while another worked to strengthen note-taking and writing skills for Grade 5 - Grade 8 students in English, History, and Science. Thank you to the Parent Association, without your support through the PA Grant Program, this work would not have been possible.
To ensure our students can maximize their experience, we want to emphasize that for our middle school students the school day begins at 8:00 a.m., with the opportunity for students to arrive and spend time in the library beginning at 7:45 a.m. Students benefit from having time to unpack themselves and their materials before the start of their first period class at 8:15. We appreciate your collaboration in meeting this goal for our students.
Arrivals will also offer opportunities for all middle school students to develop and demonstrate their community leadership skills as carpool assistants. We have a goal of 100% participation this year. Please be sure to check WAAG for updates on who is on duty each week. Below are the months each grade will be assigned to be carpool assistants. We thank you in advance for supporting this experience for our students.
- Grade 8: September, December, March
- Grade 7:October, January, April,
- Grade 6: November, February, May
Important Dates
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The Middle School Ice Cream Social will be held on Thursday, August 20, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. at Bruster's Real Ice Cream (237 Maple Ave E). This event is an opportunity for new students, returning students, and families to meet and connect with each other in an enjoyable, relaxing way. The school will provide one scoop of ice cream per Middle School student served in either a cup or a cone. I plan to attend and look forward to meeting many of you that day.
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Welcome Back Conferences will take place on Monday, August 31, and Tuesday, September 1, with your child's advisor. Advisory assignments are here and the directions to sign-up can be found here. Please follow the sign-up link for a conference here.
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Orientation for all Middle School students will take place on Monday, August 31. Your child’s supplies and class schedule will be distributed during orientation. All students are expected to wear their school uniforms for the Orientation Day. Grade 6 and New Student Orientation will take place from 8:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Orientation for all other Middle School students is from 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
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Middle School Overnight Retreat, a GHS tradition, will take place beginning on the first day of school, Wednesday, September 2, and continue through Thursday, September 3. This year, the students will travel to Horizons at Hemlock Overlook in nearby Clifton, VA. Students will participate in group activities and challenges that build teamwork, interpersonal skills, responsibility, communication, leadership, and outdoor-living skills. Participation in this overnight program is a required component of the curriculum. Please complete your student's Permission Slip and the Horizon’s Waiver and email to Registrar Wanda Green at wgreen@greenhedges.org. You can find a Packing List here.
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The First Day of Classes for Middle School students will be on Tuesday, September 8, after the Middle School Overnight Retreat. The Middle School day begins at 8:00 a.m. and concludes at 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, on Fridays students begin dismissal at 3:15 p.m. You may drop off your child as early as 7:45 a.m. and must pick up by 3:45 p.m.
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Middle School Back-to-School Night for parents and guardians is scheduled for Thursday, September 10, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. This is an adult-only event, so please secure your child care early!
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Kyle J. Armstrong Installation Ceremony will take place on Monday, September 14, at 8:15 a.m. in the Green Hedges M.P.R. We encourage you to join as we install our ninth Head of School at Green Hedges!
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The GHS Spring Break Trip is scheduled for Monday, March 22 - Friday, March 26, to Montreal. Mark your calendars for an Information Session on October 2.
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Music and band teacher Phill Harris will be conducting Middle School Band classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. GHS Jazz Band, also led by Mr. Harris, is available as an “elective” to interested students. For students who are interested, there will be a meeting in the M.P.R. on Tuesday, September 8, at 7:45 a.m. Participation in all concerts is required and included in final grades.
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Interscholastic sports remain an important part of the Middle School experience. All Middle School students are required to participate in fall athletics, as practices will be held during the school day in lieu of PE classes. Students will choose between soccer and cross-country in the fall. Signups will take place at Middle School Orientation. Please reach out to PE teacher and Athletic Coordinator Rendell Williams with further questions. Coach Williams will provide more information at the beginning of the school year.
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Two Exciting Middle School dances to look forward to this year are the Fall Halloween Dance on Friday, October 30, after school, and the Spring Dance on Friday, April 9 in the evening.
Extended Day 2026 - 2027
Extended Day is our after-school program that operates from 3:30 - 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday where middle school students can either join a supervised study hall, participate in indoor/outdoor play, and have the opportunity to join clubs for an additional price.
*New this Year* will be a year-long Publishing Club for Middle School students. Stay tuned for more details next week!
For the 2026-2027 school year, Extended Day will begin on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
The pricing for the school year is as follows:
- 1–3 days: $3,813
- 4–5 days: $5,651
- Drop-in: $65/day
For those families who would like to enroll their child(ren) in our Extended Day program this fall, we ask that you please complete the form below, which will serve as your contract for the Extended Day program. Please complete a separate form below for each child in your household. Parents are asked to email Extended Day Director Ashlea Howard at ahoward@greenhedges.org, with any questions or requests.
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