How’s Potomac US Administration? How are the teachers?

[Anonymous]

Agreed, the new space is opening up the opportunity for robotics space in the old squash courts, an expanded squash team (which is grown from within—they were having to cut lifers who played squash well), let the student and parent body fit in one building, and add a dance studio. There will be more sports opportunities for kids who aren’t great at sports because there will be more basketball court space for C teams. The other major project is 100% around improving the academic experience for MS). Yes, it is too indulgent and could have been done less expensively, but i don’t think it signals anything about athletics taking over the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this Head of School is sports obsessed and that adding another layer of high-priced athletic administration is in keeping with the same mentality that went into building the new athletic center. For a long time, the private school pendulum had swung too far (in my opinion) in the direction of recruiting big-time athletes and fielding teams so competitive that the average lifer at a lot of schools never had a chance to play varsity. Now, it's swinging back at a lot of places - see Gilman in Baltimore as an example of no longer letting the athletics tail wag the dog of an entire school. But my perception is Potomac sees building a big-time sports program as a way of differentiating itself from other schools. I can understand that it's a strategic decision and one that might help boost recognition, and even applications and donations - but it's not to my liking.

As a parent of current kids at Potomac US, that is false. There are many average lifers on Potomac varsity sport teams. I absolutely love the new athletic and academic center. I think Potomac parents are invited to be there this afternoon for the opening.

[Anonymous]

No one else bothered by the casual dog whistling of "the average lifer not having a chance to play varsity due to all these athletic recruits"?

There are ~300-400 kids in the upper school at Potomac, divide that in half for the pool of boys/girls and even less than that for students that actually want to play sports. If your kid can't make a varsity team maybe they just aren't an athlete. No problem there.

[Anonymous]

The HOS is extremely impressive imo. Current parent. We've been impressed with everything at Potomac and the way they are assessing and changing in real time. They don't just talk about doing things. They study them and then DO them earnestly. Lots of very well intentioned, thoughtful, intelligent, collaborative people making decisions there.

[Anonymous]

How’s the US Math program?

[Anonymous]

Terrific.

[Anonymous]

Teaching very uneven in 9th