Potomac Stories

Last week, students in French 1B traveled to the Alliance Française for Festinema, a program dedicated to promoting Francophone culture to youth through cinema. They attended a private screening of Asterix et Obelix: Mission Cleopatra. Alliance library staff introduced the film by highlighting the history of the famous comic books of the same name. After the screening, they led a discussion en français in which our eighth graders shared their interpretations. Students returned to school for a French picnic, a tasty end to a morning of French culture.

Last week, the SERC Class of 2025 presented their research findings during the annual SERC assembly. The science on display was phenomenal, as was the ability of the students to distill complex processes down to essential knowledge. Upper School students and faculty learned about drones and forensic science; AI and convoluted neural networks, nanoparticles and material science, genetic variants and agricultural yields, and more. The SERC seniors took the audience on their journey through the program, from learning about their respective scientific fields to the bonds they formed over the last three years. Thank you, Seniors, for your remarkable commitment to the SERC program and each other.

Over last weekend, members of the Upper School Band traveled to Philadelphia for a trip packed with music, history, and unforgettable moments. Students had the opportunity to work with Dr. Patricia Cornett, a leading collegiate conductor from Temple University, in a dynamic and inspiring master class. The group explored the city’s historic roots with a visit to Independence Hall, ran up the famous “Rocky steps” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and sampled everything at Reading Terminal Market. They also took in a high-energy performance of & Juliet. The highlight of the trip was a jaw-dropping concert by the Philadelphia Orchestra, which performed Stravinsky’s The Firebird —an experience that left students absolutely mesmerized. 

On Thursday morning, IS French students heard from Mr. Wendpanga Dipama, a representative from the International Monetary Fund. His presentation introduced the students to the life and culture of Burkina Faso. Most importantly, he discussed the role the French language plays in his country and around the world. While his presentation was incredibly thoughtful and engaging, our students' questions may have been the most impressive part of the program. Enjoy the photo gallery.

Students in grade 4 have been learning about the challenges of food insecurity in our community as part of their Service Learning experience.  Following their scheduled Sandwich Day on April 2, students in JA4 and JH4 loaded the buses and personally delivered sandwiches to our partners at Cornerstones in Reston. While there, students had the chance to tour the emergency services center, including the food pantry, ask questions to learn more about the needs in our community, and play with the preschoolers at the Laurel Learning Center. It was a wonderful day of full-circle service for our fourth graders. DWM4 and KW4 will make the same trip following their Sandwich Day on Wednesday, May 7.  

Third graders continue to explore geology by looking at sediment that they took from the creek on campus with both a magnifying glass and a microscope. They also hovered a magnet over it to see if it picked anything up. Indeed, it picked up iron!