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January 4, 2024

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Featured News

Celebrating the First Half of the 2023-24 School Year

MLK Assembly Next Week

The Potomac School community will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at our K-12 MLK Day Assembly on Friday, January 12, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm, in the Spangler Culp Main Court. The assembly will feature student speakers, musical performances, and the presentation of The Potomac School Award for Exemplary Service. 

This award, now in its third year, recognizes individuals in the wider community who are making a difference in the lives of others through service. It is particularly appropriate for the award to be presented at our Martin Luther King Day Assembly, as this holiday is also recognized as a national day of service. Last year’s award was presented to Amanda Marshall, founder of Fair Chance and co-founder of Families4Families.

Parents are invited to attend the assembly; a livestream link will be shared next week. We hope that you will join us! 

Things to Know

PA Winter Spotlight: Pursuing Academic Excellence

The Parent Association Winter Spotlight will be held Wednesday, February 7, from 8:30 to 9:30 am, in the IS Choral Room. Please join us for this annual joint meeting of the Parent Association and Board of Trustees. Assistant head of school for academics, Sarah Beck, will share more about Potomac’s commitment to pursuing academic excellence, including best practices in instruction, our process for curriculum review, and continued emphasis on faculty professional development. We will also learn about Potomac's 2024-25 budget from Board Treasurer Martin Sumner and CFO/COO Dyana Conroy.

Summer@Potomac Priority Registration 2024

There may be a chill in the air and snow on the ground, but the Summer@Potomac team is busy planning amazing summer experiences for our campers all year long! We are excited to once again offer many camp favorites, including Panther Day Camp, Nature Science, Musical Theater, and many more!  Please visit our website for information about the exciting opportunities for your camper this summer. Our summer camp offerings are very popular, and space is limited!

Priority registration will open on January 12, at noon, for Potomac students and campers from the 2022 and 2023 seasons, as well as siblings of both groups. The link for priority registration will not be posted on the website but instead emailed to the families on Friday, January 12, before registration opens. Check out some of our favorite moments from camp this past season.

Panther Pit Success!

Thank you to all our volunteers for working more than 400 hours during the fall season to make the Panther Pit a success! Because of your dedication, we served over 3,000 bottles of Gatorade, more than 1,400 bags of gummy bears, and 1,300 bags of popcorn to around 225 hungry Panthers each day! If you would like to be a part of the team, the schedule for next semester is now open. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Katy Moser or Vanessa Barbee.

Pawz Corner

2024-25 Core Calendar

The core calendar for the 2024-25 school year, which lists breaks and other important dates, is now available to view or download.  

Week Ahead

January

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Fisher Family Dining Room
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Spangler: Culp Main Court

Potomac Social

    PHOTO OF THE WEEK

    Ms. Harter's grade 4 class created a candy cane with their photos!

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    Lower School

    Save the Date! Grade 2 Parent Forum

    Grade 2 parents are invited to join the conversation during our annual Grade 2 Parent Forum. It will be on  Thursday, January 18, from 8:30 to 10:15 am, in the Trundle Family Team Meeting Room in Spangler.  Parent Forums are informal gatherings of parents in a particular grade. At these programs, parents have the opportunity to discuss topics and challenges that are most relevant to their children's developmental stage.

    January Assemblies

    There will be no Sharing Assembly on Friday, January 12, due to the K-12 MLK Assembly, or Friday, January 19, because of a student-only LS Author Assembly.

    On Friday, January 26, please join us for an action-packed K-6 Kids Heart Challenge Assembly hosted by the P.E. Department, highlighting students getting their hearts pumping with high-energy jump rope performances, juggling acts, and ball tricks performed to toe-tapping music. This event will be held in the Spangler Center for Athletics and Community. More details to come! 

    Grade 1 Hosts Publishing Party

    Poetry may be one of our young authors’ favorite genres! Once students in Ms. Berke’s grade 1 class got past the notion that poems have to rhyme, their pens started flying across the page. You would be amazed by the weight and power of their poems. At the end of the unit, each child selected a poem to publish. On the Friday before Winter Break, the class held a poetry reading at a "coffee shop" for our writing celebration. Kids sipped hot chocolate and enjoyed a snack while they listened to poets read their poems out loud. 

    Bundle Up

    Unless temperatures are dangerously cold or there is heavy rain, our LS students will go outside every day for much-needed fresh air and play. Please be sure your child is dressed warmly, with labeled coats, hats, and gloves. Students without boots or snow pants will still go outside but may only play on paved areas. Also, please make sure that your child’s clothing at school still fits, contains their name, and is appropriate for the season. 

    Lower School Family Event: Science and Tech is Coming Soon!

    Mark your calendars! Join us for our LS Family Event, Science and Tech, on Thursday, February 8, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, in Ramsey Auditorium, brought to you by the Children's Science Center Lab and our LS Faculty. Students do not have school the next day due to parent-teacher conferences. For planning purposes, please RSVP no later than Monday, February 5, by 4:00 pm. More details to come.

    Lower School Dates

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    Middle School

    Save the Date! Grade 5 and Grade 6 Parent Forums

    Grade 5 and grade 6 parents are invited to join the conversation during our annual Parent Forums. Parent Forums are informal gatherings of parents in a particular grade. At these programs, parents have the opportunity to discuss topics and challenges that are most relevant to their children's developmental stage.  

    • Grade 5 Parent Forum- Wednesday, January 10, from 8:30 to 10:15 am, in the Trundle Family Team Meeting Room in Spangler
    • Grade 6 Parent Forum- Tuesday, January 23, from 8:30 to 10:15 am, in the Trundle Family Team Meeting Room in Spangler 
    DF6 Class Play - January 12

    Ms. Furr's sixth graders are practicing their lines while on Winter Break since they took on the daunting task of presenting their class play during our first week back. They will perform Alice in Wonderland on Friday, January 12, beginning at 9:05 am, in the Langstaff Auditorium. Here is the livestream link for anyone unable to attend.

    Delayed Openings = Casual Dress for Middle School Students 

    Whenever Potomac has a delayed opening due to inclement weather, MS students may come to school in casual clothing. We encourage MS students to practice their best "snow-day" dance over the break and then give it a whirl starting on January 8!

    Problem-Solving Partners

    Prior to the break, Ms. Harter’s grade 4 class worked to build a research-based "thinking classroom" that used specific protocols to encourage deep thinking, collaborative work, and engagement for everyone. Some protocols they followed were working in randomly selected groups of three and standing while working on a whiteboard surface – which facilitates risk-taking. Students have done a wonderful job working with their partners and have also started using the whiteboards during regular partner work time.

    Bundle Up This Winter

    When highs are below 50 degrees, according to Accuweather, students' legs should be covered per our uniform code. Unless temperatures are dangerously cold or there is heavy rain, MS students will still go outside every day for much-needed fresh air and play. Please be sure your child is dressed warmly, with a labeled coat, hat, and gloves. When there is snow, students without boots or snow pants will still go outside but may only play on paved areas. 

    Uniform Donation On Hold

    Due to the overwhelming amount of donations, we will suspend further contributions until after Spring Break. Thank you so much for your generosity. 

    Middle School Dates

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    Intermediate School

    IS Winter Traditions Assembly

    Just before the break, the IS held its annual Winter Traditions Assembly. Eighth graders Marissa McEwen, Isis Nzekwe, Jacob Cordero, Evan Yu, and faculty members Bill Hoffmann and Alex Helwink spoke about the traditions that make this time of year special for them. While topics ranged from fondue to skiing, all the speakers highlighted the importance of community and appreciating time to reconnect with family. To close the assembly, the IS faculty lined up and read the story “Snow Folks at the Holiday.”

    Save the Date: IS Dance on Friday, January 26

    The Student Council Events Committee has been working hard to plan the IS Dance! Families should mark their calendars for Friday, January 26, from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. The theme is disco, and the dress code is semi-formal. More details will be shared in the January 16 edition of InSights

    Health and Wellness

    The seventh and eighth grade Seminar course includes developmentally appropriate health and wellness topics that align with national standards and Potomac’s approach to this important topic. Sexual health and wellness lessons will take place during Seminar 7 on January 16-19 and Seminar 8 on April 16-19. To learn more about these important lessons, please read this letter, which includes valuable resources for parents on this topic.

    French Students Carol Around Campus

    Prior to the break, IS French students welcomed the winter season, singing “Vive le Vent” (“Jingle Bells”) and spreading holiday cheer as they caroled through the halls and into the Flag Circle building, where they offered lunchtime entertainment! Then, they enjoyed a special French luncheon – a feast of crêpes, quiches, bûches de Noël, and other traditional fare – prepared by parents and teachers. Bonne Année et Merci à tous! 

    Intermediate School Dates

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    Upper School

    Planning the Next Year

    Each winter, at the start of the course selection process, we offer a series of Planning the Next Year events for parents of rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Each event will occur at 6:30 pm in the Upper School Crossroads. 

    • Planning the Senior Year, for parents of juniors, will be held on Thursday, January 11
    • Planning the Junior Year, for parents of sophomores, will be on Thursday, January 18
    • Planning the Sophomore Year, for parents of freshmen, will be on Thursday, January 25 

    These evenings will provide an overview of the academic and co-curricular opportunities available in the year ahead. They will include presentations by the Upper School head, the Upper School director of curriculum and academics, the grade-level dean, and representatives from the College Counseling Office. Parents will hear about the course trajectories in each department and learn more about the course application and appeal processes.

    Students will receive an abbreviated version of the same presentation during the academic day in a class meeting. Following each evening session, the slides and handouts from the presentation will be posted on CampusNET. If you have any questions about these programs, please reach out to Tory Virchow.

    Read More about Planning the Next Year
    Robotics Competes in Two Tournaments

    Before the break, four Upper School robotics teams competed in the regional Sugar Rush VRC Signature Tournament in Hershey, Pennsylvania: 12C Fish ’n’ Chips (Julian Mankovsky ’27, Nikhil Kothari ’27, Tony Diller ’26), 12E Error by Design (Charlie Holtman ’26, Nik Bhargava ’26, Matthew Gardner ’26, and David Gardner ’24, and 12F Festive Flamingos (Avery Miller ’26 and Kate Myslewicz ’27, Shlok Kuchangi ’27, Sophia Sultan ’27), and 12Z Zap (sophomores Alejandra Villafuerte, Katie Lee, Quentin Toner, Sophia Vilela, and Sam Rubin). 

    Separately, three teams competed in the local VRC Seton Christmas Tournament in Manassas, VA: 12G Puzzles (freshmen Cole Peterson, Santi Cangahuala, Sam Kim, Lakan Singson), 12X Tropix (juniors Ava Moazzez, Ben Muhlendorf, Brayden Nelson, Elaina Song, Erim Ozcan, Ritvik Bandi) and 12Y Potomac School Robotics (juniors Adam Bhatti, Andrew Mu, Luke Brittin, Michael Giuliano). Tropix won the Tournament, securing their spots in the Virginia State Championships. They also earned the Design Award, recognizing a team’s ability to document and explain their engineering design process through the engineering notebook and interview. 

    In addition, teams Fish ’n’ Chips and Tropix were featured on the VEX YouTube channel Pits and Parts. Watch the interview. After Winter Break, the teams will compete in the Potomac Tournament on January 13-14 in the Spangler Culp Main Court. Parent volunteers are appreciated and may sign up here.

    Read More about Robotics Competes in Two Tournaments
    Coffeehouse Lights up Crossroads

    Before the break, Upper Schoolers gathered in the Crossroads for Coffeehouse, a beloved December tradition. A packed house adorned with holiday lights and decorations provided a festive setting for an evening of student performances, including cover and original songs, poetry and short story readings, and stand-up comedy. The event also raised awareness and donations for Fair Girls, an organization brought to our attention by the Human Trafficking Awareness Club. A big thank you goes out to Potomac’s building and grounds crew for setting up the space, the technology team for helping with all of our audio needs, all our student performers, faculty who brought in delicious baked goods, and the Coffeehouse Committee, a group of students who helped plan and run the event.

    Read More about Coffeehouse Lights up Crossroads
    An Enchanting Winter Lights Celebration

    Prior to the break, Upper School students gathered for a beautiful assembly celebrating many of our holiday traditions. Personal remarks were delivered by Upper School Head Doug McLane, French teacher Brigitte Searchinger, English teacher Stephen Wicker, and seniors Chase Edwards, Bryce Hall, Sasha Karpova, and Leila Bodner. In addition to the personal narratives shared, many of the Upper School ensembles and a cappella groups filled the space with joyful music. It was a lovely way to send off the division to the holidays and begin ringing in a new year. Enjoy the photos from this assembly.

    Read More about An Enchanting Winter Lights Celebration
    Holocaust Field Trip Explores Human Behavior

    The Holocaust and Human Behavior class visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum before the break. During the semester, they began by studying the roots of antisemitism and scientific racism before the Weimar Republic and the eventual rise of the Nazi party. They then considered how the gradual build-up of Nazi policies against Jews led to the Final Solution and the destruction of Jewish communities across Europe. They also examined Nazi policies against other groups of people in Europe at the time. Understanding these ideas helped students explore the museum in depth as they pondered the choices that individuals made during this era. They will continue using their new understanding as they work on their final projects for the semester. 

    Read More about Holocaust Field Trip Explores Human Behavior
    Embracing the Festive Season

    Carol Jia and Shuping Zhang's Chinese class students connected with peers in China to exchange stories about Christmas and New Year's cultural traditions. Engaging in a unique celebration, students from both sides sang the same song in two languages, bridging the gap between American and Chinese customs. This language exchange not only served as a linguistic exercise but also fostered a rich cultural exchange. Together, they rejoiced in the spirit of the holidays and anticipated the New Year, building connections that transcend borders. 

    Read More about Embracing the Festive Season
    Art for Climate Justice

    The Visions of Resilience: Art for Climate Justice exhibit features artwork for adults and high schoolers across the DMV and will include art from Potomac students and faculty members. Its goal is to explore the emotionally resonant power of art to inspire and raise awareness about climate change and its impact on marginalized communities. This exhibit conveys environmental issues through the universal language of image and feeling to encourage action toward a just, climate-friendly future. The Visions of Resilience: Art for Climate Justice exhibit runs January 5–27, 2024, at Del Ray Artisans gallery in the Colasanto Center, 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22301. The gallery is free, open to the public, and accessible. The exhibit is hosted by the Changing Planet Justice Foundation.  

    Read More about Art for Climate Justice

    Upper School Dates

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    US T208 Tiered Classroom

    Athletics

    All-Met Honors for Fall Athletes

    Congratulations to the following fall scholar-athletes on receiving All-Met honors from The Washington Post: Reagan Exley '24 (soccer) - First Team; Connor Wood ’25 (golf) - Second Team; Sasha Minsky ’24 (cross country) - Honorable Mention; Alden Marin ’26 (soccer) - Honorable Mention; Abby Collis ’24 (soccer) - Honorable Mention; Chloe Lee ’25 (soccer) - Honorable Mention; Bella Kim ’25 (field hockey) - Honorable Mention; Patrick Ritter ’25 (soccer) - Honorable Mention; Jack Smith ’26 (golf) - Honorable Mention.

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    After-School Activities

    Fall ETC Hosts Debate Tournament

    Our fall ETC debate sessions concluded with a highly successful Middle School debate tournament. We welcomed 40 young debaters from Potomac, Nysmith, Holy Trinity, and University Pro to our campus. More than a dozen students in the Upper School Speech and Debate program showed up on a Saturday to judge!

    Our debaters enjoyed three rounds of vigorous competition, gaining valuable experience along the way. The topic, which involved the merits of forgiving student debt, was by no means the most accessible for middle schoolers, but they came prepared with cases to argue and practiced their rebuttal skills against their opponents.

    Several of our teams achieved outstanding results:
    Open Division: Anya Sachdeva ‘28 and Jack  Morrison ‘29, co-champions; Isis Nzekwe ‘28 and Maddie Woo ‘28, runners up; Anaya Gupta ‘28 and Alex Eggers ‘28, third place
    Potomac Teams Placing in the Novice Division: Vincent Nasr ‘30 & Tejas Amin ‘30, tie for runner up; April Tian ‘29 and Eleanor Nagoski ‘29, tie for runner up; Quinn Kelly ‘30 and Ellie Downs ‘30, tie for third place

    Congratulations to these teams! While their results were outstanding, all of those who participated were winners. We look forward to seeing our winter season debaters in the New Year. 

    Extended Day Celebrates Winter Break

    Extended Day ushered in the Winter Break with hot cocoa and gingerbread cookies, ornament making, and a magic show from US School CASCP partnership student Trevor Nelson ‘26, while festive CASCP helpers Daelyn Dimps ‘24 and Deja Dimps assisted Extended Day students in the spirit of the season.

    The Auxiliary Programs team launched the CASCP (Cross Divisional After School Credit Program) in partnership with the Upper School for the winter season. Learn more!

    Extended Day Greetings and Winter ETC

    Extended Day sends hopes for a wonderful New Year to our Potomac Community. We look forward to serving you throughout the rest of the school year. Drop-in Extended Day is available for students from K-8. Learn more about the program and register here.

    Winter ETC classes begin the week of January 16, 2024. Be sure to update SchoolPass with your preferred dismissal options on your student’s ETC class day(s).

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