Potomac School (McLean, Virginia)
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The Potomac School is a coeducational, college-preparatory independent day school located on a wooded 90-acre campus in
McLean, Virginia McLean ( ) is an Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population of the community was 50,773 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is ...
, United States, three miles (5 km) from
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
Average class size is 15-17 students. For the 2021-22 school year, Potomac enrolled 1,066 students in grades K-12. The school has four divisions – Lower School (K- 3), Middle School (4-6), Intermediate School (7-8), and Upper School (9-12) – each providing a balanced educational experience.


History

At the turn of the 20th century, three
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
residents, Edith Draper Blair, Hetty Fairfax Harrison, and Ellen Warder Thoron traveled to New York City to research
John Dewey John Dewey (; October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and Education reform, educational reformer. He was one of the most prominent American scholars in the first half of the twentieth century. The overridi ...
's teaching model and educational philosophy. The women's interest in early childhood education as a joyful and enriching endeavor led them to found The Potomac School in 1904. The school's original location was in the
Dupont Circle Dupont Circle is a historic roundabout park and Neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Washington, D.C., located in Northwest (Washington, D.C.), Northwest D.C. The Dupont Circle neighborhood is bounded approximately by 16th St ...
neighborhood of Washington, D.C. In 1906, Potomac relocated to 18th and M Streets NW; a decade later, the school, at that point enrolling students through grade 8, moved to a larger facility at 2144 California Street in
Northwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...
Washington, D.C.   Looking toward greater future expansion, Potomac's board of trustees purchased 55 acres of farmland in
McLean, Virginia McLean ( ) is an Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population of the community was 50,773 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is ...
, in 1948. The ensuing years brought significant growth, with additions of land and facilities, an increase in the student population, and the addition of new programs. In 1987, Potomac added an Upper School to serve students in grades 9-12. The first senior class graduated from The Potomac School in 1990, and in 2004 the school celebrated its Centennial. Enrollment reached 1,000 for the first time in 2009.


Arts

The school has extensive programs in vocal and instrumental music, fine arts, and theater. The school offers extensive arts programming in during the summer season in partnership with the Handwork Studio.


2011 Sexual abuse

In 2011, a former Potomac student accused a former Intermediate School teacher and administrator of abusing her in the late 1960s. The accused individual was arrested by Fairfax County police in November 2012. He was convicted in October 2013 of molesting five girls and sentenced to 43 years in prison. In addition to the police probe, The Potomac School initiated an independent investigation, which was completed in June 2014. The school announced that it would turn its findings over to Fairfax County police and would institute comprehensive training in abuse prevention, background checks of all employees and volunteers, and standardized practices for handling abuse complaints.


Notable alumni

*
Michael Arndt Michael Arndt is an American screenwriter, who has written for the films ''Little Miss Sunshine'' (2006), ''Toy Story 3'' (2010), and '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015). Arndt won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for ''Littl ...
, screenwriter, ''
Little Miss Sunshine ''Little Miss Sunshine'' is a 2006 American tragicomedy road movie, road film directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (in their directorial debut) from a screenplay written by Michael Arndt. The film stars an ensemble cast consisting of G ...
'' * Chris Ayer, solo guitar artist * Rostam Batmanglij, rock musician,
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*
Zal Batmanglij Zal Batmanglij (; born April 28, 1981) is an American film director and screenwriter. He directed and co-wrote the 2011 film '' Sound of My Voice'' and the 2013 film '' The East'', both of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as ...
, film director, '' The East'' * Alice Louise Davison, linguist * Sasha DiGiulian, rock climber *
Julie Finley Julie Finley (born c. 1937) was the United States Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). She was nominated by President George W. Bush. Education Finley is a 1952 graduate of the Potomac School and a 1955 ...
, former
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to the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is a regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization comprising member states in Europe, North America, and Asia. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, the p ...
*
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, writer and director * Sarah Meeker Jensen, architect * Dwaune Jones, professional football coach,
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Thomas Kean Thomas Howard Kean ( ; born April 21, 1935) is an American politician, statesman, and academic administrator from the state of New Jersey. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, Kean served two terms as the 48th governor of New Jersey f ...
, politician and businessman * Roger Kent, politician *
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, former professional football player,
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,
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, and
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* Robert McDowell, 2-time
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(FCC) Commissioner * Ellen McLaughlin, playwright * Jon Metzger, vibraphonist *
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, founder of
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and philanthropist with
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* Antonio de Oyarzabal, Spanish diplomat * Adam Platt, ''New York'' magazine restaurant critic * Keshia Knight Pulliam, actress best known for playing
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on
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*
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, socialite *
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, music critic for
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* Janet Auchincloss Rutherfurd, socialite *
Frances Sternhagen Frances Hussey Sternhagen (January 13, 1930 – November 27, 2023) was an American actress. She was known as a character actress who appeared on- and off-Broadway, in movies, and on television for over six decades.Joy, Car"Frances Sternhagen i ...
, actor in television, theater, and film *
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, film director * Nina Auchincloss Straight, author and socialite * Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, retired Saudi Arabian diplomat * Derek Thompson, journalist, ''
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'' *
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References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Potomac School Preparatory schools in Virginia Independent School League Educational institutions established in 1904 Private K–12 schools in Virginia McLean, Virginia 1904 establishments in Washington, D.C.