Thoughts on Potomacs Lower School

[Anonymous]

Thanks In Advance

[Anonymous]

What kinds of things do you want to know? My kids have gone there since Kindergarten and absolutely love it, but I don't want focus on things that aren't of interest to you. If you can provide a little more detail, parents can give you a better response.

[Anonymous]

Wonderful experience for out kids. Brand new facility is gorgeous. Students seem very well balanced, outgoing, smart, and fun.

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

My child attends Beauvoir which I love, but I am a HUGE Potomac fan. IMO - Potomac is the only straight through K-12 which offers the "full package." Your child would not be merely be filling a placeholder for Potomac's excellent upper school which is extremely competitive to get into, but would be a part of a lower school which is dynamic in it's facilities and also in it's devotion to instilling a love of learning, the ever changing needs of young children and an emphasis on the development of the whole child.

[Anonymous]

To the prior poster - same here! Are you hoping/planning to send your child on to Potomac after Beauvoir, or STA/NCS? Do you know how many children from Beauvoir normally get in to Potomac for 4th grade?

[Anonymous]

This is PP 16:46.

I'll have a better idea in two years about which middle/upper school(s) we will consider for our child.

That being said, I went to Beauvoir/NCS growing up, but I also have a ton of friends who went to Potomac and several who presently send their kids there. There are many positives for continuing on to STA/NCS including lifelong friendships & continuity with classmates, excellent courses & teachers, top notch sports facilities & teams, and for me geographic convenience. Unless there are strong unforeseen indicators not to continue on the Cathedral path, and if my child is suited for the rigorous academics of NCS/STA, I will definitely want my child to stay on the current path. So, chances are that I will not consider Potomac down the road. Remember, like NCS/STA, Potomac is extremely competitive to get into and is on par in terms of standards. My point is if my child is qualified for STA/NCS then that's where they will likely go. Potomac is not a plan B (meaning it is not for children who can't or shouldn't get into NCS/STA).

I think the only reason this board doesn't include Potomac in the so called "Big 3" is because it is in Virginia which is a bit of a hike from DC & MD. But, Potomac has always had an excellent bus program which partially lessens the stressful commute. My personal "big 3" is the Cathedral Schools, Potomac & Sidwell. However, I honestly don't know enough about GDS to opine on it but it clearly has vastly improved academically since when I was young and carved it's own niche with its esteemed progressive philosophy, so it belongs in the "big" category too. I also understand Holton has become a real contender in the upper school academic/sports arena and is in the upper echelon of college preparatory schools too (but Holton does start early so it's not quite apples for apples). Finally, I'm a huge fan of St. Patrick's, NPS and Norwood (who always place their graduates at the previously named schools). I always have said this and I mean it... we are so fortunate because the DC area has some of the best schools in the country. (And colleges feel that way too!)

[Anonymous]

Potomac is looking for a new head of the Lower School. As well as the High School. Last year the old Middle School head left on bad terms. All this administrative turnover...why?

[Anonymous]

And for those who care, there is alot of turnover with coaches in the upper school.

[Anonymous]

I can only speak to a lousy admissions experience with the assistant AD for lower school, Anna. What a nasty, mean person. We could tell that they had no interest in our DC despite his awesome test scores and sweet nature the second we started our parent interview with her. Why they let someone like that be the face of the school is beyond me. I don't care how noninterested you are, you have to treat prospective parents nicely and with respect. We had heard such great things about Potomac and have several friends with children there, and were completely nonplussed by the experience.

Our DC is going to a big 3 instead, BTW!

[Anonymous]

We had that same experience, but with the AD at Potomac. Decided to not even apply based on such a cold and uninterested interview experience. Also going to a Big 3 now, btw.

[Anonymous]

There has been administrator turnover at Potomac, but much of it has been long anticipated. The head of the lower school is retiring as has been long planned. (She had retired from Fairfax County before coming to Potomac.) The school is going through an intense interview process to find a great replacement. Numerous parents are involved with the interview process. (I don't know if this is typical for private schools.)

The head of the middle school did not leave on bad terms, she retired. The new middle school is head is the best school administrator that I have ever encountered. The kids love him as much as the parents. I could go on and on, but probably would sound ridiculous.

I don't know as much about the upper school head, but apparently she was not a good fit for the school. She has been here two years. I respect the school for acknowledging that it wasn't working and trying to fix it.

I'm sorry that some of you had a bad experience with the admissions people and chose not to apply because of it. It really is a great place!

[Anonymous]

I will tell you that we have also have alot of this experience at Potomac. Not only with a number of the members of the Administration, but also parents. We experienced a very disconcerting pattern of these stakeholders taking themselves "very seriously".

Now, I realize you are going to get this to varying extents at any private school (ever spent time at a St Albans social function?). That is part of the chemistry you need to assess in your evaluation process. Does it reach a tipping point where you determine it would be too tiresome to deal with continued attitudes like like over the course of the school life? Or do you like this game. We all have different appetites for such.

This decision criteria is in our book, a big part of the intangibles that can only be assessed by getting out and spending time in the school community at functions and events. Unfortuneately, you can't short cut that process and learn it third hand or through research. You've got to experience it yourself. For us, it almost prevented us from applying to Potomac. At the end of the day we did because we have also have a number of wonderful friends here who offset some of the overinflated sense of self that we saw otherwise there. But because of that, it is not our top choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will tell you that we have also have alot of this experience at Potomac. Not only with a number of the members of the Administration, but also parents. We experienced a very disconcerting pattern of these stakeholders taking themselves "very seriously".

Now, I realize you are going to get this to varying extents at any private school (ever spent time at a St Albans social function?). That is part of the chemistry you need to assess in your evaluation process. Does it reach a tipping point where you determine it would be too tiresome to deal with continued attitudes like like over the course of the school life? Or do you like this game. We all have different appetites for such.

This decision criteria is in our book, a big part of the intangibles that can only be assessed by getting out and spending time in the school community at functions and events. Unfortuneately, you can't short cut that process and learn it third hand or through research. You've got to experience it yourself. For us, it almost prevented us from applying to Potomac. At the end of the day we did because we have also have a number of wonderful friends here who offset some of the overinflated sense of self that we saw otherwise there. But because of that, it is not our top choice.

I guess everyone forms their own opinions, but frankly the lack of social snottiness is what first attracted our family to Potomac, and we could not be happier there. Yes, there is a lot of wealth, and some very big names in the technology, law, entrepreneur, and finance space. But what's been remarkable is just how down to earth, low key, and NICE these people are. I think that sort of defines Potomac - there's a true value of kindness and graciousness that just permeates. People who are too stuck on themselves are actually really frowned upon. That's true at the family level, at the student level, and at the faculty level.

I don't have any direct experience with other "Big 5" schools, but I've heard that some can be really caught up in the "social standing" game. That's just not something we've experienced at all at Potomac.

[Anonymous]

As you say, there are always multiple perspectives on a matter. And it is good to hear yours. But it is worth noting that three separate posters had contrary experiences in this regard directly with admissions personnel. And that, from a very small thread.