Potomac Stories

As part of their Service Learning curriculum focused on homelessness, hunger, and poverty, Ms. Armstrong’s and Ms. Harter’s grade 4 classes visited the headquarters of Martha's Table in Anacostia on Tuesday. While there, students were given a tour of the facility to learn about the many ways that they support our community by providing healthy food, early childhood education and care, fitness classes, and job training and resources. See below for the list of upcoming Service Learning trips. 

Students in grade 5 are approaching the end of their geography unit. They have worked in pairs to create a travel brochure using Adobe Spark. This graphic design tool is a great way for students to be able to create realistic brochures that help illustrate the concepts covered in class. Classmates have shared their knowledge of landforms, absolute and relative location, climate, economy, and more. 

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.

Over the weekend, six teams representing Potomac’s fifth and sixth grade robotics squad participated in the VEX IQ Robotics Tournament at the Nysmith School. The competition featured teams of students in grades four through eight from Virginia and Maryland. All of the Potomac teams showcased their coding and driving skills and their ability to collaborate effectively with various teams. Each team exceeded expectations for their first tournament of the year, with two of our teams reaching the final round. Team 10227X, featuring sixth graders Erik Eggers, Timmy Abbott, and Veer Mathur, earned a third place finish, and Team 10227Y, featuring fifth graders Henry Lettow, Ronan Malone, Park Hoffmann, Gates Marwell, and Liam Marwell, earned a fifth place finish. The Middle School #pantherbots will be back in action at the Potomac School Tournament on January 14. 

A coven of witches concocting a vile brew set a terrifying tone for this year's assembly. The show included original interpretations of poems by each fourth and fifth grade class – students composed an original rhythm to accompany the poem as well as movements and creative narrations. Sixth grade band, bells, strings, and choral ensembles all performed. A headless character closed the assembly along with the Service Learning club to remind all attendees to donate coats and jackets, which will go to Cornerstones, one of our community partners. View the gallery here and see the K-12 video celebrating Halloween on Potomac’s campus.

This week, the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools helped Potomac kick off our 34-year Sandwich Day tradition. This initiative helps students learn about and address food insecurity and food equity in our local community. Students from Mr. McEwen’s, Mrs. Callahan’s, Mrs. Mendoza’s, Mrs. Furr’s, and Ms. Coffeen’s classes made 344 sandwiches for Martha's Table in DC. Grades 10 and 12 also participated a day earlier. Many thanks to our fantastic parent volunteers for helping to make this service opportunity possible! Enjoy the photo gallery.