Student Life
Events and Traditions
SERVICE LEARNING: SHARE OF MCLEAN
Members of the grade 6 Students for Environmental and Service Learning Action (SESLA) committee leaders delivered more than 700 food items from Potomac’s annual K-12 Food Drive to SHARE of McLean. Thank you to our community for your generosity of spirit, and thank you to the sixth grade leaders for their service learning leadership!
ASSEMBLIES and plays
Gathering together as a connected community is a hallmark of The Potomac School, and the Middle School wholeheartedly embraces this ideal. Over the years, our Middle School students have gathered together once or twice a week to share songs or poems, welcome visiting authors and performers, and discuss important character education issues together as a community. Our students also enjoy opportunities to share their talents while building their confidence performing in front of an audience during class plays. The Halloween Assembly in October and Winter Assembly in December are much anticipated events in the Middle School.
MAY DAY
May Day is the most treasured event in the Middle School. This tradition began in the earliest days of Potomac, and visiting alumni speak in fond detail about their memories of the event. Middle School students treat the entire school community to traditional songs and dances that have been performed by Potomac students for generations.
EARTH DAY AT THE FARMERS MARKET
On Earth Day Middle School students join the entire student body on such campus projects as stream cleaning and planting. The Earth Day celebration follows a month-long "Green Challenge," where our community works to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Part of this is participating in our school-wide Farmers Market where student-grown vegetables, plants, and herbs are available for purchase.
FIELD DAY: TUG-OF-FUN!
The P.E. Department works with Middle School parents and students on two fun activities: Kids Heart Challenge and our Middle School Field Day. Students practice their jump roping and basketball skills during the month of January in preparation for our annual fundraiser for the American Heart Association. On Field Day, parents join their children for an afternoon of fun activities, including an obstacle course, a variety of silly relay races, and the limbo.
ANCIENT GREECE
To culminate their study of ancient Greece, our fifth graders present at an assembly each year. The students typically wear decorated chitons and share odes and dances. Then, “city-states” made up of groups of students proudly carry their flags to the Turf Field, where all fifth graders compete in a variety of games under the watchful eye of Zeus. Finally, our Olympians enjoy a well-deserved Greek feast, served by Potomac's catering service, Meriwether Godsey.
When discussing medieval pilgrimages, we decided to do our own version of The Canterbury Tales. We used our beautiful campus as stations along the route to Canterbury. The students heard stories from the tales and felt a sense of what it must have been like during medieval times.Catherine Fields, Middle School Faculty
CLUBS
Middle School faculty and staff offer a variety of clubs throughout the year during the activity period held once a cycle. Past clubs have included Dance, Writing, Art, Creative Construction, Quiet Reading/Games, Robotics, Basketball, and Ultimate Frisbee. Children are encouraged to suggest new clubs to the Middle School Head for future inclusion.
UNIFORMS
A uniform is required in Potomac's Middle and Intermediate Schools. We feel this long-standing policy helps equalize the learning environment. Several of the Middle School uniform items must be purchased through the Lands' End Uniform Company. Other items, such as polo shirts and shoes, may be purchased elsewhere.
The Middle School also operates a “gently used” uniform store called the Panther Post, where parents may purchase uniform items at significantly reduced prices.
LUNCH
We partner with Meriwether-Godsey to offer an optional lunch service to Middle School families. Meriwether-Godsey provides a weekly menu of healthy, well-balanced meals for students. Hot lunch options and a salad bar are provided.
Efforts are made to be as environmentally friendly as possible: everything used in the lunchroom–all utensils (and the plastic in which they are kept), plates, cups, and soup containers– are all biodegradable and compostable. Meriwether-Godseys service is an easy, nutritious, and environmentally-friendly alternative to packing lunch each day.
LIBRARY
All Middle School classes have one or two scheduled library sessions per cycle. Students have the opportunity to check out books during scheduled classes and may also visit the library with the classroom teacher’s permission during other times.
The library loans out audiobooks, MP3 players, and DVDs as well as books. Parents are encouraged to open an account and check out materials. The library also has several Internet services that may be of interest to families. Its extensive collection of databases can be accessed at home.
Enrichment Programs
Our extended day program is offered to students who need to remain on campus after the regular school hours. For a fee, parents may use this service every day or a few days a week depending on their need. A dedicated staff plans activities and allows time for homework.
In addition to the extended day program, Potomac offers an enrichment program called ETC (Education That Continues), which includes a variety of classes such as cooking, dance, robotics, Chinese, and more. Parents may also sign up their children for instrumental or voice lessons after school.