Potomac Stories

Potomac is committed to fostering not only academic excellence but also the overall well-being of our students. Our Health and Wellness team, including our school counselors, is dedicated to promoting balance in our students' lives. During the upcoming Parent Forums, our team will share our approach to creating practical strategies to help your child thrive at school and home. Read how to support your child's wellness, manage stress, and cultivate a healthy balance in this piece from Head of Intermediate School Ryan Woods. 

To help those affected by the recent hurricanes, the IS Service Learning Committee, in collaboration with the PASLC and other student leaders on campus, organized a drive to put together Hygiene Kits to support the relief efforts of Convoy of Hope. Many thanks to all who participated, whether through sending in completed kits or bulk items or joining our assembly sessions. Our community created nearly 500 hygiene kits, bringing dignity and support to those in need after devastating loss. Your generosity of spirit is an inspiration and a true reflection of our core values. 

Just before Spring Break, Emirati astronauts Hazzaa Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi visited The Potomac School ahead of meetings in Washington, D.C. Students in grades K-8 heard firsthand accounts of their space missions. Al Mansoori was the first Emirati to go to space, traveling to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2019, while Al Neyadi took part in the UAE’s second mission to the ISS in 2023. Al Neyadi was the first Arab to serve on the ISS for a long-duration mission. Al Neyadi told students how space unites us to give us new knowledge, sharing that “the UAE has been collaborating with NASA for years, gaining valuable experience, building strong friendships, and working towards common goals together." Read the story.

With the Economics, Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Business (EFEB) concentration program in its second year, we’re checking in to learn about highlights from the pilot year – which connected participants to various members of our community. Through coursework, hands-on experiences, and individual research, EFEB students can gain a profound understanding of the business world while preparing themselves for future success. Learn how year one went, read student reflections, and if you would be interested in sponsoring a four-week internship in the summer of 2024, please email Dyana Conroy to discuss further.

On Wednesday, students participated in Potomac’s final Sandwich Day of the school year, bookending our October kick-off to resume Potomac's 33-year Service Learning initiative. Each month, K-12 students took responsibility for learning about local food insecurity and achieving food equity in preparation for Sandwich Day. In total, LS, MS, IS, and US students prepared 8,056 sandwiches with respect for long-standing partners, Martha's Table and Cornerstones, to benefit community members in need. Each sandwich donation was packaged in compostable bags accomplishing our goal of creating a more environmentally sustainable Sandwich Day. Thank you to the support of our Potomac community for relaunching our school's long-standing tradition with renewed importance. A special thanks to PASLC leaders Gretchen Speigel and Tiffany Butler and parent volunteers in each division for spearheading logistics to count and deliver the K-12 sandwich donations.

The Potomac community packed 20,000 meals last weekend for families impacted by the crisis in Ukraine.  Dozens of Potomac families joined the meal-packing effort organized by The Fathers Association of The Potomac School and the Parent Cultural Competence Committee. Students from the Upper School’s Global Perspectives and Citizenship (GPAC) program also were important partners in this great service event.