Academics

Contact the Middle School

John Mathews

MS Head
(703) 749-6342

Kim Mackay
Assistant to MS Head
(703) 749-6383

Welcome to the Middle School

Welcome to Potomac’s Middle School! Ours is the rewarding job of fostering and challenging fourth, fifth and sixth grade students during a time of tremendous growth and development. This unique age group sits squarely between their wide-eyed Lower School counterparts and their fiercely independent Intermediate School classmates. During these middle years we encourage our students to maintain their curiosity and creativity while stretching their self-confidence and self-advocacy.

 

Middle School

  • Hands-on science learning.
  • The Square is a cozy place to work with a partner.
  • Lots of opportunity to be creative.
  • Exploring the woods during Woodland Recess.
  • Planting herbs and vegetables in Outdoor Education class.
  • Group projects build collaborative skills.
  • Learning from a peer is powerful.
  • Musical performances demonstrate our talents and accomplishments.
  • Science is a place for hands-on exploration.
  • Off to PE in the Chester Gym.
  • Recess on woodland trails.
  • Learning in the outdoor classroom.
  • Solving problems with Kepla blocks.
  • Students can play in the band, choose a string instrument or join the hand bell choir.
  • May Day is a revered tradition.
  • The bus is a chance to make neighborhood friends of all ages.
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From the Desk of Mr. Mathews

  • Straight from the Source

    In preparation for upcoming coffees for new Middle School parents, I’ve been interviewing fourth graders. I decided to go directly to the source for the best information on what being in Middle School is like. I asked fourth graders three questions: What’s cool about Middle School? What’s different about Middle School? What, if anything, came as a surprise when you started Middle School?

    By far the most frequent answer to both “What’s Cool?” AND “What’s different?” was “the freedom.” Fourth graders seem to relish the ability to walk themselves to different classes, and to walk as a clump, rather than in neat, straight lines. Most gratifyingly, children cited at least 10 times the pleasure they get from “being able to go to the library WHENEVER we need a book.” I just loved the joy children seemed to derive from the nearly unfettered access to books.

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  • Developing Social Intelligence

    Children are striving to make connections with each other hundreds of times a day. These connections occur in a huge variety of ways, from lunchtime conversation, to pairing on a social studies task, to dancing together in music. These interactions are complex indeed, and while we may be “wired” for these interactions, it should come as no surprise that negotiating their complexity is not innate. It seems like the Middle School educator’s life is at times surfeited by conflict resolution discussions that emerge because connection has failed to take place successfully. Connecting well is known as being “socially intelligent,” and we are currently addressing this topic at our Tuesday assemblies.



    I sought to approach the topic in assembly by sharing short video “playlets” where feelings are hurt in an failure to connect successfully. I first showed a short video where teachers were the actors, discussing the “villain” of the video, and her reasons for saying things that ultimately hurt anothers’ feelings.

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