2022 August Academics

August Academics classes are a refresher course for students enrolled in grades 2-12 at Potomac for the 2022-2023 school year. These classes aim to review important concepts for a successful start of the school year. For the upcoming year, these classes will be held the week of August 22, Monday-Friday except for the College Essay Writing Class for seniors (offered virtual only - July 25-August 3). For details about this class, please check the Upper School section listed below.

Registration will open Wednesday, May 4 and run through Friday, July 29. Click here to view our offerings at a glance. Information about class size, refund, and cancellation policy can be found here.

Before registering be sure to check your student's sport schedule with their coach to avoid any scheduling conflict.

The annual cross country cabin trip (grades 9-12) is scheduled from Tuesday, August 23 to Friday, August 26, 2022. This trip is not mandatory.
The JV and varsity football team is scheduled to practice everyday from 8:30-11:00 am, the week of August 22.

Lower School

Math Mania! For Grades 2-3
Creative Writing Workshop For Grades 2-3

Math Mania! For Grades 2-3

Creative Writing Workshop For Grades 2-3

Middle School

Welcome to Math in Focus for 4th grade (New Students Only)

During the school year, fourth graders will use Math in Focus (MIF), a program based on Singapore Math model. The program focuses on an in-depth understanding of mathematical concepts and problem solving, which may be unfamiliar to your child if they have not had previous exposure to Singapore Math or Math in Focus. This class aims at introducing basic problem-solving strategies that will help with the adjustment to the curriculum next school year.

Teacher: Douglas Mogle, 4^th grade teacher
Time: 9:00-12:00 pm (new students only)
Cost: $525 weekly

MATH IN FOCUS FOR 4th GRADE (RETURNING STUDENTS ONLY)

During the school year, fourth graders will use Math in Focus (MIF), a Singapore Math program. The program focuses on in-depth understanding of mathematical concepts and problem solving. This class is a review of the problem-solving strategies that will help with the curriculum in grade 4.

Teacher: Jenny Harter, 4^th grade teacher
Time: 9:00-12:00 pm (returning students only)
Cost: $525 weekly

Math Adventure for Grades 5-6

WAITLIST ONLY

Math comes alive in Math Adventure! From building blocks to the great outdoors, math is connected to everything. Using manipulatives, games, puzzles, technology, and design thinking projects, students strengthen an understanding and love of math. Students take risks, learn from mistakes, persevere, collaborate, and have FUN with math! Daily projects and unique, hands-on explorations connect to algebra, geometry, measurement, problem-solving, and critical thinking - a fun and relaxed warm-up to a new school year in math.

Teacher: Kate Morgan, 6^th grade teacher
Time: 9:00-12:00 pm
Cost: $525 weekly

Language Arts Prep Course for Grades 5-6

This class is aimed to provide additional support and guidance in language arts to young writers and readers. From organizing ideas in writing, to focusing on reading comprehension strategies and grammar, students will practice the fundamentals.

Teacher: Catherine Fields, 6^th grade teacher
Time: 9:00-12:00 pm, for grade 5 students and 1:00-4:00 pm for grade 6 students
Cost: $525 weekly

Intermediate School

Study Skills and Learning Habits for Grade 7

How do successful students manage their time, homework assignments, study for tests, arrange their study space at home and organize their backpacks? Do they have strategies to plan out what they have to do or know how to deal with something they don't understand? We will tackle all the parts; binders, notebooks, planners, teachers, class notes, homework, projects, quizzes, tests, etc. Students will practice various strategies related to organization, time management, reading comprehension, note-taking, and studying. We will look at how technology can support organization and success. The focus will be on advocating for themselves with teachers, so they feel responsible and in control. Students will explore strategies to help them focus and remain calm; meditation will be involved. They will leave with many resources which will help them navigate and be successful the entire school year!

Teacher: Jennifer Ashley, Technology & Innovation Coach and Charlotte Berlin, Intermediate School History Teacher
Time: 9:00-11:00 am
Cost: $395 per week

Skills for Effective Writing for grades 7-8

This class aims at strengthening writing skills, preparing students for the coming school year. Through a combination of activities, mini-lessons, modeled examples, and sustained writing practice, students will work towards a stronger command of sentence structure and grammar, with additional emphasis on clarity of expression and organization of ideas. Students will receive individualized attention and feedback on their writing, and each student will be provided a writing reference guide and computer to use for the week.

Teacher: Jennifer Ashley, Technology & Innovation Coach and Charlotte Berlin, Intermediate School History Teacher
Time: 11:30-1:30 pm
Cost: $395 per week

Gearing Up for Math for Grades 7-8

In this class, students will review and reinforce important concepts for a successful start of the year while being exposed to the type of problem-solving that will be expected of them in their math class. This class is perfect for students who are new to Potomac as well as students who would benefit from a refresher before the school year begins. Topics covered include number theory, integers, fractions, decimals, and solving one-variable equations.

Teacher: Carl Long, Upper School Mathematics Teacher
Time: 11:30-1:30 pm, 2:00-4:00 pm (WAITLIST ONLY)
Cost: $395 per week

Learning to Learn! Skills, Habits, & Tools to Continue Strong in the Intermediate School For Grade 8

Built specifically for 8^th graders at Potomac, this course introduces or continues to build students' understanding of how learning happens and strategies that they can use to start the second half of their Intermediate School journey off on a strong note. Specific skills and content include the IS Habits of Learning, note taking, organization, and time management, as well as aspects of the brain and its functioning that are directly involved with learning and attention.

Teacher: Alex Helwink, Intermediate School Learning Specialist
Time: 9:00-11:00 am
Cost: $395 per week

Upper School

Analytical Writing for grade 9

WAITLIST ONLY

This skills-intensive course is designed for 9^th graders who would like to work on their writing skills. We will focus on the basic processes involved in writing effective critical paragraphs: reading for meaning, formulating ideas through the brainstorming process, composing clear and structurally sound sentences, crafting strong assertions, supporting ideas with evidence and analysis, and editing for accuracy. Students should expect to write daily, and to receive daily feedback on their writing. This class does have homework each night.

Teacher: Anne Nightingale, Grades 7-12 Chair of the English Department and Upper School English Teacher
Time: 11:30-1:30 pm
Cost: $395 per week

Executive Functioning Skills & Strategies FOR Grades 9-10

This interactive week-long course will lay the foundation for students to understand who they are as a learner and develop effective strategies to “learn how to learn”. This 10-hour course will guide students through developing strategies for note-taking, annotating, purposeful reading, memory strategies, and organizing both ideas and information.

Topics will include:

Who am I as a learner? Metacognition, cognitive flexibility, and executive functioning
Note Taking and annotating
Active reading
Time management
Memory strategies
Organizing ideas and information (using technology)

Teacher: Dr. Jennifer Durham, Director of Learning Support, Grades 7-12
Time: 11:30-1:30 pm, Monday-Friday
Cost: $395 per week

College Essay Writing For Grade 12 (Virtual Only)

All Potomac seniors are strongly encouraged to take this 10-hour "bootcamp", where they will tackle different aspects of the college application and essay writing -

Brainstorming
The Personal Narrative vs. Analytical Essay - “Telling your story/Sharing your voice”
Creating a working draft
How to write a supplemental essay?
One-on-one meetings with college counselors and English teacher to review essays
Nuts and bolts of filling out the Common Application: Activities section, FERPA, ED, EA, REA, Regular Decision.

At the conclusion of the workshop, students will have a college essay ready to go for the beginning of the school year and have most of the Common Application completed.

Teachers: Franz Ritt, Upper School English Teacher, Anne Nightingale, Grades 7-12 Chair of the English Department and Upper School English Teacher and Sally O'Rourke, Interim Associate Director of College Counseling
Date: July 25-August 3 (Monday, 7/25, Wednesday, 7/27, Friday, 7/29, Monday, 8/1 and Wednesday, 8/3)
Time: 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Cost: $395 per week

The Potomac School

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2022 August Academics