Freed Photography will be on campus Tuesday, September 19, to take individual and class photos for Middle School students. All students will come to school in their regular uniform, even if they have PE on Tuesday (Day 3). PE classes will be tailored specifically for a day in full uniform. Freed Photography will send a link to each parent after pictures are taken to order their preferred photo packages.

Please mark your calendars for MS Back to School Night on Thursday, September 28, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Parents may visit special subject teachers in their teaching spaces between 6:30 and 7:10. At 7:15, MS Head John Mathews will begin his remarks in the Langstaff Auditorium, and at 7:45, parents will make their way to their child's homeroom classroom to hear from their teacher. Light refreshments will be available throughout the evening in the MS Square.

The Physical Education Department has organized a field trip for our sixth graders to George Mason University’s campus of Science & Technology located in Manassas, Virginia, next week. The students will participate in a team development and experiential learning program called “The EDGE,” which stands for energize, develop, grow, and excel. This letter was sent yesterday, which detailed these upcoming trips. Students on the school lunch plan will be provided a bagged lunch from Meriwether-Godsey. All other students should bring a bagged lunch from home. The classes will travel to Manassas on the following dates: 

• Wednesday, September 20: Ms. Morgan/Ms. Coffeen
• Thursday, September 21: Ms. Fields/Ms. Furr 

Grade-level parent information sessions are opportunities for parents to learn about our instructional plans for their children from our head of middle school and several resource specialists. This recommended but optional offering will take place at 8:30 am in the Fisher Family Dining Room on September 21 (grade 5) and September 26 (grade 6). The grade 4 session recording and slide presentation from yesterday will be posted to CampusNET next week.

Middle School parents are invited to join us for our annual Welcome and Friendship Assembly in Langstaff Auditorium on Friday, September 22, at 9:05 am. This MS tradition, which includes class performances, presentations, and songs, will kick off our year with a tone of friendship and caring. Parents who are unable to attend in person may enjoy the show via livestream.

The varsity golf team knocked off Edison High School in its opening match of the season. The teams used a match play format where all six players competed directly with a golfer from the opposing team. Potomac came out on top 5-1. Individual match winners were Connor Wood ’25, Michael Dillow ’27, Jack Smith ’26, Katie Lee ’26, and Annabel Widdifield ’26.

In a pivotal first home game of the season, our women's volleyball team faced a formidable challenge against Jackson-Reed, with a spirited crowd rallying in support. Despite the tough loss, junior outside hitters Zora Burrell and Adalena Rodgers emerged as pivotal forces - their powerful hits kept us in contention. Additionally, freshman Camila Richardson executed several impressive service runs.

Undeterred, they entered the GDS tournament the next day, competing fiercely against top-notch opponents and finishing with a commendable 2-2 record. This tournament provided a valuable learning experience, allowing the team to refine their strategies and showcase exceptional teamwork. 

The boys cross country team continued racking up top 10 individual and team finishes at the Monroe Parker Invitational. Sasha Minsky ’24 finished in the runner-up spot in the varsity race and led the team to a 4th place finish out of 25 teams. In the freshman/sophomore race, sophomore Luke Carter earned a medal as the 8th finisher out of nearly 250 runners. Boys JV finished 15th out of 25 teams led by juniors Finn Nagoski and Javi Almonte, who finished 10th and 11th out of over 200 competitors.

Continuing the strong start to the season, JV volleyball won their first official match against Bullis in two sets. Junior Karrington Hayes served more than 10 serves in a row in the first set, and sophomore Julia Jackson stood out in the second set with some serious hits and blocks to bring in the win.

The JV golf team played exceptionally well in their first match of the season at Laurel Hill Golf Club. They soundly beat Flint Hill 185-217. Cole Peterson '27 shot the low round of the day with a 43. Will Scribner '25, Cliff Kanner-Bitetti '25 and Miles Dewey '26 also contributed to the winning outcome.