Potomac Stories

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.

Yesterday, our K-12 students relaunched Potomac's 33-year Sandwich Day tradition to support Martha’s Table and Cornerstones, by making 1,058 sandwiches. Our school-wide tradition returns with a focus on learning about and addressing food insecurity and achieving food equity in our local community.

New this year, our students will use compostable sandwich bags, eliminating up to 18,000 plastic bags used for packaging donations each year. This environmental initiative was inspired by a project by Matt Brow '24. This year’s compostable bags were generously provided through a Green Grant from Potomac’s Office of Stewardship, Sustainability, and Outdoor Education.

Watch the kick off video that our K-12 student leaders created and view the schedules for the divisional Sandwich Days from October through May. Thank you to Parent Association Service Learning Committee Co-chairs Gretchen Speigel and Tiffany Butler and our K-12 parent volunteers for spearheading yearlong Sandwich Day logistics, and to Potomac families for donating sandwich-making supplies. We will share more information, including Potomac’s Sandwich Day history, throughout the school year. Enjoy photos!

A very meaningful part of Potomac’s Opening Assembly is the presentation of the school’s Bill Cook Excellent Teaching Award. Named in honor of beloved teacher and assistant head of school Bill Cook, who passed away in 2016, the award is presented annually to teachers “who exemplify the commitment to excellence and love of learning that define a Potomac School education.” This year there were two honorees: Nick Hanson and Shefali Sardar.

Mr. Hanson joined Potomac’s Music Department in 2006. Through his efforts, the school’s handbell program has grown to include five ensembles, featuring 139 students in grades 5 through 12. In addition to leading Potomac’s program, he has spoken at music conventions and conducted at handbell festivals throughout the United States and in England, China, and Singapore. Many of his handbell compositions and arrangements have been published. 

Ms. Sardar is the Middle School’s first academic dean, a role she has held since 2016. In nearly 25 years at Potomac, she has held a number of classroom and administrative positions. She began as an MS teaching intern, then served as a sixth grade teacher, a language arts resource teacher, and the Middle School’s language arts and humanities coordinator before being named dean.

Both Mr. Hanson and Ms. Sardar are known for their focus on student success and unwavering commitment to excellence. We thank them for their many contributions to Potomac and congratulate them on receiving this well-deserved honor.