Skip To Main Content

Paw Prints Horizontal Navigation

March 30, 2023

paw prints

Featured News

Around the World
Around the World is in Two Weeks

Let's come together on Friday, April 14, to celebrate the diversity of our school community. Around the World is a special Potomac event where all families are encouraged to participate in a global experience that includes exhibits, a parade of flags, cultural performances, and an international tasting menu. The school day will be filled with excitement and enthusiasm as students across the four divisions will take turns visiting the booths. The day’s celebrations continue throughout the evening as we open the event to the Potomac community at 5:30 pm. Learn more! 

Be sure to come with an appetite! You can sample samosas, empanadas, spanakopita, bratwurst, hummus, fragrant Iranian rice, and so much more. Your palates will be delighted by the flavors and aromas as you taste your way around the world. Students will also proudly perform and share their cultures through song and dance.

Cultural exhibits will include representation from Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, China, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England/UK, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, and Ukraine. Thank you to our families for proudly dedicating their time and talent to make Around the World a memorable event. If you have questions or would like to get involved, please contact Around the World chair Haneez Amr or co-chair Janet Manu.

Tonight: An Evening with Jonathan Darman ‘99

Please join us for an evening with Jonathan Darman '99, author of BECOMING FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President, tonight (March 30), in the Engelhard Performing Arts Center, at 6:30 pm. Jonathan will be signing books at the end of the program. Purchase your copy here or wherever you buy your books. Kindly RSVP if you are planning to attend. 

The book is an intimate chronicle of FDR’s years of illness, recovery, and return to the heights of power. BECOMING FDR is a fresh look at the iconic president, his family, and his rivals. It uncovers the clear and striking connection between his private struggles and later public triumphs.

Preliminary Annual Report

Next week, we will publish Potomac’s Preliminary Annual Report, a preliminary listing of annual giving donors as of March 31. Every gift to the Potomac Fund serves an important purpose. Select a gift designation that aligns with your passion when you join the 392 Potomac families who have already made their Potomac Fund contribution this year, and consider making a gift.

Parent Participation by Class as of March 29, 2023

Spotlight Program: Dr. Lisa Damour

New York Times bestselling author and clinical psychologist Lisa Damour, Ph.D., will speak to the Potomac community on April 12, 6:30 pm, in the Langstaff Auditorium. Dr. Damour, whose new book The Emotional Lives of Teenagers is already a NYT bestseller, will share guidance to help parents understand their children's and teens' emotions and how best to support them. Dr. Damour’s previous books are Untangled and Under Pressure, and she hosts a podcast titled Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting. After the presentation, Dr. Damour will be available to sign copies of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers. Learn more and register for this event.

Announcements

Sharing to Help Our Neighbors
Sharing to Help Our Neighbors

Potomac’s annual K-12 Food Drive kicks off on Thursday to support neighbors in need served by SHARE of McLean. Our community partner requests donations of their most needed items, including canned fruit, fruit cups, tomato sauce (no glass), bars of soap, and toilet paper. Please drop donations off at the pantry shelves in each division through April 11. To learn more, check out this video from sixth grade members of the Students for Environmental and Service Learning Action (SESLA) committee that includes photos of SESLA leaders from the last six years, highlighting our school's longstanding tradition to help neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Thank you for donating!

Supporting Your Family’s Well-being

Weaver and Associates is offering a virtual workshop for parents – The Art and Science of Validation. They hope to support the good clinical work in the community by providing a supplemental opportunity for parents to come together to learn skills, develop strategies, and gain a better understanding of how to become more effective with their children. The cost for this workshop is $48. Other workshops of interest may also be found on their website. 

Parent Association Fills Fall Positions

The Parent Association Nominations Committee is pleased to announce that it has completed the fall nominations search, and the following positions have been filled for the 2023-24 school year:

  • Book Fair chairs Cindy Malone and Kim Owen will be joined by co-chairs Neha Sharma and Jennifer Steinhoff 
  • Fall Frolics chair Elizabeth Sutphin will be joined by co-chair Bethany Ritchey
  • New Parent Mentoring Committee chair Rachna Goyal will be joined by co-chair Gia Cillizza
  • New Parent Mentoring Intermediate School Division chair, Kayleen Widdifield
  • New Parent Mentoring Lower School Division chair, Julie Landry
  • Auction co-chairs: Kiley Ohly, Priscilla Stanzel, and Christine Wang

The Parent Association spring nominations cycle is under way and nominees will be notified over the coming weeks. Contact Mary Leigh Morrison or Jen Graham with any questions.

Earth Month Activities

Join the Parents for Environmental Action Committee (PEA) in celebrating Earth Month this April! There are so many ways to get involved. Kick off the month by signing up for a nature walk tomorrow (March 31). Help maintain the natural beauty of Potomac's campus by volunteering at Spring Stewardship Day on Saturday, April 15. Support our annual Farmers Market on Friday, April 21, by signing up to be a volunteer. We hope to see you at these great events!

Blood Drive on April 13 

The INOVA Bloodmobile will be on campus for Potomac's semi-annual Blood Drive on Thursday, April 13, 11:00 am-4:00 pm. Parents, faculty and staff, and students 16 years and older are welcome to donate blood. Students must have written parental consent to participate. The registration and sign-in will be in the East Building lobby on the day of the drive. Please contact Ellen Grass for an appointment.

Pawz Corner

Save the Date: FAPS CampoutMark your calendars for a rescheduled FAPS Campout (postponed from 10/1 due to inclement weather). The fun will take place on Saturday, April 29, at 5:00 pm. Registration information will be sent next week.

Week Ahead

There are no events to display

Water Bottle Reunification Efforts

With Earth Month just days away, the following friendly public service announcement aims to bring awareness to acqua ampulla olvidio mania – the inability to regain one’s water bottle.
 

Potomac Social

    After-School Activities

    Let’s Cheer for Spring Break Camps
    Let’s Cheer for Spring Break Camps

    Spring Break camps were a huge success with Coach Mays’ energy-packed sports camp and Ms. Malik’s S.T.E.A.M camp. Big fun was had by all! Activities included larger than life size court games and swinging through the air on ropes and scaling the wall. Our other adventurers explored the wonders of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics as they designed and grew sprout houses, made colorful elephant toothpaste, engineered with circuit boards, and calculated their way through a laser maze worthy of 007 himself. The students expressed their desire to extend their spring break experience beyond the week and shared how much they love Potomac Spring Break Camp!

    Spring ETC Begins

    Spring ETC classes and private music lessons begin next week. Be sure to mark your calendars and update School Pass on the days your child(ren) attend after school classes. The Spring ETC season will run from April 3 through May 24.

    Spring Sports Clinics

    The spring session for basketball and field hockey clinics with Coach Mays begins on Saturday, April 8. Register soon if you’d like your child(ren) to participate, as space is limited. Learn more about these offerings.

    • Spring Basketball Clinic (K-1), 10:00 -11:00 am, April 8, 15, & 22
    • Spring Basketball Clinic (2-4), 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, April 8, 15, & 22
    • Field Hockey Clinic (3-6), 10:30 am - 12:00 pm, May 6, 13, & 20

    Page Anchor

    Lower School News

    Lower School

    Welcome Back from Spring Break!

    Lower School teachers were excited to greet their students after two weeks of Spring Break. The faculty heard about time spent with family, exciting trips to both cold and warm-weather destinations, delightful stay-cations, and books that students read. Everyone was happy to be reunited with their friends and eager to return to joyful learning at Potomac.

    Reminder - No Sharing Assemblies Next Two Fridays

    There will be no Sharing Assembly tomorrow, Friday, March 31 and Friday, April 7. We look forward to seeing you at our Grade 3 Play on Thursday, April 13.

    Farmer Sharon Helps Kick Off KG Unit on Chicks
    Farmer Sharon Helps Kick Off KG Unit on Chicks

    This week kindergartners kicked off a special unit on chicks. This multi-subject unit will focus on the life cycle of chicks and their basic needs, as well as how we can learn to be stewards of our environment and good partners within our community. Yesterday morning, guest speaker and farmer Sharon Rabie came to visit our kindergarten classes. She spoke to students and brought with her a set of soon-to-hatch eggs that will fit perfectly in our classroom incubators. In the coming weeks, many of the eggs will hatch, giving students the opportunity to see first-hand how a newborn animal acts and develops through the first few days of its life. The students will be responsible for assisting with naming, feeding, and caring for our chicks over the next few weeks, as well as writing about their observations of and experiences with the chicks. The unit will culminate with our May 1 field trip to Hard Bargain Farm, during which we will return the chicks to the farm.

    Ms. Webster’s Second Graders to Visit Chesterbrook Residences

    Following our recent second grade letter writing to residents at Chesterbrook Residences, Ms. Webster's second grade students will visit for a "Spring Chicken" egg hunt on Thursday, April 6. This is a great opportunity to reintroduce in-person visits with this community partner post-pandemic. 

    Lower School Dates

    Page Anchor

    Middle School News

    Middle School

    May Day is Coming on April 28

    May Day is approaching, and the whole school will gather to enjoy this beloved Potomac tradition, featuring familiar songs and intricate maypole dances. Mr. Mathews will send out a detailed letter shortly, but in the meantime, please mark your calendars for Friday, April 28. The event will begin at 1:45 pm in the US Quad.

    Spring Has Sprung

    Middle School teachers missed their students after two weeks of Spring Break. Students shared their adventures in travel, reading, resting, and playing. Everyone was happy to frolic with friends among the daffodil blooms and cherry blossoms during recess.

    Uniform Update

    Yesterday, Mr. Mathews sent this communication to all MS families with an important update to the uniform policy as well as a few uniform reminders.

    CF6 to Present "Hood" Tomorrow

    The Middle School is in for a real treat tomorrow, Friday, March 31. Mrs. Fields' sixth grade class will present Hood, a whacky, farcical spin-off of Robin Hood. Parents are welcome to join us at 9:30 am in the Langstaff Auditorium or watch via livestream.

    Grade 6 Mid-semester Reports

    On Friday, April 14, sixth grade parents will be able to log into the Parent Portal on CampusNET to view their child’s third quarter letter grades in language arts, math, social studies, science, and Spanish. MS Head John Mathews will send out a letter next week with more information about these reports.

    Can You Spell It?
    Can You Spell It?

    Fifth grader Regan Kim, who won our Middle School Spelling Bee before the Spring Break, was eligible (due to her win) to represent Potomac at the Fairfax County Spelling Bee on March 19, at Lake Braddock Secondary School. The county bee is an official Scripps Regional Spelling competition. Regan held her own against spellers much older than her, and she did an amazing job! The words for this regional bee were difficult to be sure and included hiortdahlite, ventail, and oxyblepsia! Congratulations to Regan!

    Spring Club Assembly Next Week

    On Tuesday, April 4, during a morning assembly, MS students will hear about the clubs being offered during the spring club session, which begins that day. While some clubs will continue from the winter session, there will also be many new offerings. We hope the students enjoy trying out some new activities. This assembly will also feature our annual Spanish "r" rolling contest organized each year by Señoras Yu and Page. They must listen carefully as selected students try their best to sustain that difficult Spanish "r" for the longest period of time.  

    Middle School Dates

    Page Anchor

    Intermediate School News

    Intermediate School

    IS Community Action Day Next Week

    The seventh and eighth grade Community Action Day is on Tuesday, April 4. Students will head off campus at 8:30 am. Grade 7 will return to campus by 2:30 pm and grade 8 will be back by lunchtime. All students will be on their regular dismissal bus at 3:15 pm. There are no athletics that day and lunch will be provided by the school. For our various activities, students must dress accordingly, particularly regarding their footwear. 

    Potomac CAD dress expectations

    • Students MUST wear long pants, either jeans or khakis
    • Students MUST wear a Potomac shirt – long or short sleeve with a layer underneath
    • Students MUST wear closed-toed shoes
    • Students MUST bring a refillable water bottle (it should be labeled!)
    • Optional items: rain jacket (please check the weather), an additional layer for warmth (please check the weather), bug spray, sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses
    Trip to the National Gallery of Art
    Trip to the National Gallery of Art

    Before the break, Potomac's Grade 8 Advanced Spanish class enjoyed a day at the National Gallery of Art in D.C. Students observed and discussed Spanish painters while practicing and leading discussions in Spanish. Afterwards, the group dined at Tia Pepa, an offshoot of the legendary Taberna del Alabadero restaurant which offers traditional Spanish gastronomy.

    Save the Date: Class of 2027 Overnight Trip

    Throughout their tenure in the IS, Covid prevented the class of 2027 from having an overnight trip. To provide them with an overnight bonding experience and celebrate their time in the IS, the eighth grade students will spend two days and one night in Richmond (June 1-2). The trip includes rafting, evening activities in Richmond, time at Kings Dominion, and more. Details will be shared with students and parents prior to the trip.

    IS Mental Health Assembly

    The annual IS Mental Health Assembly will be held on Wednesday, April 5. This assembly, along with mental health awareness lessons in advisory and Seminar, helps ensure that students are well informed about this important topic. Please refer to the recent letter shared with families for more details.

    Applications for IS Chesapeake Bay Trip

    Continuing our more than thirty-year partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 18 grade 8 students will have an opportunity to spend three days/two nights with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation learning about the bay. Students participated in a brief assembly about the trip and received this letter explaining further details. Applications are due on Monday, April 3.

    Grade 7 Eggs-periment

    Seventh graders are currently learning about cell transport and using eggs to demonstrate osmosis over the cell membrane. Eggs were soaked in vinegar prior to use which helps to remove the calcium from the egg's cell membrane. They then measured the mass and circumference of their starting rubbery egg prior to covering it in corn syrup. The students hypothesized whether the cell membrane might allow the liquid from the egg to seep out or allow the syrup to seep in. During part two of the lab, they will change the solution that the egg soaks in and observe changes over time.

    Intermediate School Dates

    Page Anchor

    Upper School News

    Upper School

    Washington Area Independent Schools College Fair

    Despite the honorary Snow Day, juniors are encouraged to attend the Washington Area Independent Schools College Fair, which will be held on Monday, April 10, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, at Flint Hill School. The fair is sponsored by Potomac and other independent schools in the D.C. area, and more than 90 colleges will be represented. Because the fair is very popular, it is only open to current juniors and their parents. Though it is best for students and parents to attend together, parents can go on their own if their child has other obligations.

    Read More about Washington Area Independent Schools College Fair
    "Snow Day" Co-curricular Updates

    Though the weather outside is lovely, we have a "snow day" on April 10. With that in mind, we wish to share a few details about athletic practices and contests previously scheduled for that day. Specifically, varsity teams may meet for practice and scheduled games will still take place. JV contests are currently being rescheduled and practices will not be held. Other co-curricular activities, including theatre, speech and debate, and robotics, will hear directly from their program directors with expectations. 

    Read More about "Snow Day" Co-curricular Updates
    Coral Club’s Smithsonian Field Trip 
    Coral Club’s Smithsonian Field Trip 

    Students in the newly formed Happy Coral Club are interested in learning more about reef protection and restoration. To help with this goal, the club's leaders organized a field trip to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History to participate in the “Reefs Unleashed” student program. They completed hands-on work with Smithsonian scientists to learn how marine ecologists measure biodiversity in reefs without destroying the habitat. They also had the chance to put their science skills to work analyzing sample data from a reef and refining possible solutions for protecting and restoring the reef ecosystem.

    Read More about Coral Club’s Smithsonian Field Trip 
    Studies in Biodiversity
    Studies in Biodiversity

    Biodiversity and conservation students visited Langley Oaks as part of their study of secondary ecological succession of old fields. They observed the structure, species composition, and other characteristics of the beech forest at Langley Oaks. They also compared it to two sites on Potomac's campus to try to determine the relative successional stages of each.

    Read More about Studies in Biodiversity
    The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions Book Event

    The College Counseling Office and Parents of Black Students are hosting the authors of The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions on Thursday, April 20, 6:00 pm, in the Langstaff Auditorium. All parents and students are invited to join us for an evening with veteran admission experts and authors Tim Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown. CONNECTdmv and Keith Wilkerson of CollegeThoughts will also be onsite to offer the financial aid workshop “Show Me the Money - How to Strategize for Financial Aid and Scholarships.”

    Read More about The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions Book Event
    Debating During Break
    Debating During Break

    As Spring Break began, the Potomac debate program put another big win into a record-breaking season of success. Seniors Natalie Roots-Nowakowski and Olivia Eads won the Metro Championship in the Public Forum debate, while sophomore Meredith Vorndran took third in the Congressional debate. That cleared the path for two more Potomac students to advance to the NCFL championships at the end of May. Juniors Isabella Chumpitaz and Abigail Woldgebriel both advanced as well. 

    Read More about Debating During Break
    Guest Speaker from the World Bank Joins EFEB Students

    The Economics, Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Business (EFEB) Concentration hosted its final outside speaker of the school year with a visit by Potomac parent and Infrastructure Finance Specialist at the World Bank, Philip Lam. In his talk about International Development/Infrastructure, Mr. Lam explored infrastructure – telecom, water, roads, and energy – through a variety of different data indicators. He discussed the benefits and challenges of infrastructure development and discussed specific improvement projects that he was involved in, including a wind farm in Mongolia and a water project in Angola. Mr. Lam offered our Upper School students a unique global perspective on infrastructure development.

    Read More about Guest Speaker from the World Bank Joins EFEB Students

    Upper School Dates

    -
    US T208 Tiered Classroom

    Page Anchor

    Athletics

    Athletics

    Indoor Track Competes at Nationals
    Indoor Track Competes at Nationals

    Potomac’s indoor track team sent 10 scholar athletes to compete against nearly 8,000 qualified athletes in the Nike Indoor Track Nationals and New Balance Nationals in Boston over Spring Break. Matt Brow '24 earned All-American status for finishing third in the race walk category. Our girls 4x200 team of Tea Picconatto '23, Maya Davis '23, Mackenzie Fulgham '24, and Ally Griswold '26 set a school record and placed 73rd in the nation. Charlie Ortmans '23 placed ninth in the nation in the 5k. Davis finished 153rd in the 60m, Cole Griswold '24 placed 110th in the 400m and 187th in the 200m, Kate Tuttle '24 placed 101st in the 800m and 156th in the mile. Tenley Overdeck '24 finished 33rd in the 400m of the Emerging Elite division while Fulgham placed 50th in the 200m. They, along with Griswold and Tuttle, helped our 4x400 relay place 61st in the nation and posted our third fastest time in school history. We also had three freshmen qualify: Griswold who placed in the top 25 for all freshman in the 400m and 140th overall in the nation for the 200m; Eli Levine who placed in the top 50 for all freshmen in the 800m, and Neik Shariati who placed 55th for all freshmen in the 60m dash.

    Girls Varsity Softball
    Varsity Softball Goes Undefeated in Florida

    During the second week of Spring Break the varsity softball team competed at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, going 5-0. They defeated Blair Academy (NJ) 3-0 behind the two-hit pitching of Alexis Vaughan ’25 and Abby Rebhan ’24. They combined for 12 strikeouts. Potomac’s seven-hit attack was led by Fae Butler ’24 and Paige Schedler ’25 with two hits each. They also had big wins against Grove City Christian (OH), The Pingry School (NJ), St. Luke School (CT), and Green Farm Academy (CT).

    Against Grove City Christian (17-0), Vaughan and Rebhan combined for a no-hitter; Potomac’s offense was led by Rebhan with three hits, including a triple and four runs batted in (RBIs), Vaughan with three hits including a double, Erika Castellano ’23 with two doubles and two runs batted in. Sloan Escobar ’25 had a triple and drove in three runs and Shelby Willcox ’23 also drove in three runs. Against The Pingry School (9-2), Potomac’s 12-hit attack was led by Rebhan with three hits, including two doubles and five RBIs, Anna Castellano ’26, Vaughan, and E. Castellano had two hits each. Willcox also contributed with a triple.

    Against St. Luke School (4-1)  the team had a 14 strikeout performance from Rebhan. Potomac had 10 hits on offense, with the Castellano sisters, Rebhan, and Vaughan each having two hits and Sam Taylormoore ’23 and Hayley Richardson ’24 each having a base hit. Rebhan started the scoring for Potomac with a solo homer in the first inning. In the final game, Potomac defeated the Green Farm Academy (15-4). Potomac had fifteen hits, led by E. Castellano with three hits and two hits by Butler and Taylormoore. Multiple players had single hits including Addie Wolff ’26 and Rebhan hit a three-run homer. The team played excellent defense led by infielders Butler, Zora Burrell ’25, Schedler, and the Castellano sisters.

    Boys Varsity Baseball
    Varsity Baseball Wins Spring Break Tournament

    The varsity baseball team played their way to a 6-1 record last week, including winning their Spring Break tournament in Florida, going 4-0. Marcus Burrell '23 was named tournament MVP for his performance at the plate and in center field throughout the week.

    On Monday, the team won two games, including an epic 5-run rally in extra innings of the nightcap, finished off by a walk-off single from Wyatt Pence '25. Tuesday brought another exciting finish as the Panthers scored six runs in the final innings to come back once again, with this rally capped by a walk-off single from Burrell. Their 3-0 record in pool play earned them a spot in the tournament championship against Key West High School, the team with the most state championships in Florida history. Unfazed, Colby Bohnen '25 delivered a strong start in his first varsity appearance on the mound, and a great team effort on both sides of the ball earned them a 5-3 victory. 

    After a tough loss to a very good Georgetown Prep team, the Panthers rebounded on Saturday with another doubleheader sweep, this time over Steward and St. Christopher's, two VISAA foes. Potomac beat Steward 18-3 thanks to home runs from Paul Witkop '24 and Owen Peterson '24, along with contributions up and down the roster. It was followed up with a 12-2 victory over perennial powerhouse St. Christopher's. Kelly Crittenberger '23 provided a timely grand slam and the team came together once again to get a very important win.

    Boys Varsity Lacrosse

    On March 10, during a rainy game versus Our Lady of Good Counsel in Olney, MD, the Panthers dominated, building four and five goal leads multiple times. But the Falcons of OLGC fought back to tie the game at 10 late in the fourth quarter. After Max Revis '23 intercepted a pass on defense, the Panthers regained their composure and took possession of the ball with only a minute remaining in the game.  As the clock ticked away, Jake Campbell '24 picked up a loose ball and fired a pass to Jack Judd '24 who snapped the shot into the back of the net as the clock hit 00:00! It was an 11-10 Panther victory. 

    The boys traveled south to Ft. Myers, Florida and participated in four days of training, practicing, and team building over Spring Break. The Panthers took care of business with a 12-3 win against the host team The Canterbury School before returning to McLean for a 15-2 win over Saints Peter & Paul of Easton, MD. The next day they played The Heights, which was an excellent, high-level matchup with both teams battling back and forth throughout the contest. Drew Ambrose '23 found Miles Monroe '23 for his third goal of the game to make it 7-6. Then Jake Campbell '24 scored on the powerplay to tie the game. With under a minute to play, The Heights had the ball and an opportunity to take the lead. Max Revis '23 and Sovan Patnaik '23 combined to force a turnover and get the ball to goalie JJ Kim '24 who quickly started the fast break the other way by hitting Andrew Lay '23 in stride with a perfect pass. Lay took the ball and never gave it up, firing it into the back of the net with 31 seconds remaining in the game after drawing a slashing penalty on the play. Faceoff specialist Mackie Repke '25 won the ensuing faceoff cleanly and the Panthers ran out the clock to ice an 8-7 win.

    JV Boys Lacrosse Off to Strong Start

    The spring season is off to a roaring start for the boys lacrosse program. You may have heard loud cheers from Gum Tree in the early evening of Thursday, March 9, as JV earned a win over St. Albans in double overtime. Matthew Gardner '26 stood tall in the cage for his first-ever game as goalie, and Michael Vilasi '25 scored the game-winner before the celebration erupted. The JV team is 1-0 and will look to build on this exciting start when they travel to John Paul the Great later today.

    Athletics Dates