By Brian Trompeter
Local private schools have swung back into action for the fall semester and many are starting the school year with new facilities, leadership and programs.
• Madeira School in McLean began its fall classes Aug. 28 with 341 students. The all-girls private school has a new head of school, Christina Kyong.
Many of Madeira’s classes are being held in the school’s new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) building. The facility, which has more than 36,000 square feet of floor area, is equipped with solar panels, bird-friendly windows and energy-efficient materials.
The STEAM building has a Maker Space and Fabrication Lab with 3-D and laser printers and a Robotics Lab on the ground floor that permits students to run their robots outdoors.
“Our beautiful new STEAM Center is the most inviting learning space on the planet for young women involved in the ever-evolving STEAM fields,” said M.A. Mahoney, dean of academics and student success.
The school soon will build a large patio outside the STEAM facility where the old science building used to be. Improved drainage from the construction will allow for restoration and improvement of Madeira’s outdoor amphitheater, allowing for more rows of seating at graduations, school officials said.
• The Langley School in McLean started classes Sept. 6 with about 530 students ranging from preschool through eighth grade.
The school last fall opened its new Crossroads Building, which has classrooms for preschool, junior-kindergarten, kindergarten and fifth-grade students, plus the school’s library, design lab and after-school program.
Langley School officials last spring rolled out strategic priorities for continued success, which fell under the categories of “Our People, Our Programs and Our World,” said spokesman Sharon Vipperman.
“During the 2023-24 academic year, Langley will focus on advancing several initiatives within these areas, including affordability, showcasing student learning, service learning that builds on our inquiry-based and social-emotional learning model, and campus improvements that enhance our community events,” she said.
Starting earlier this summer and continuing into early fall, the school is landscaping its new campus green, a large outdoor area in the center of campus that was created with the addition of the Crossroads Building. The green has an outdoor amphitheater, several garden areas and a large, paved, outdoor classroom space, Vipperman said.
“The green will provide a versatile spot for outdoor learning and community events,” she said.
• The Potomac School in McLean began classes Sept. 6 with 1,068 students.
Visitors will notice a brand-new six-lane track that recently was completed at the school’s turf field. Potomac School installed the eco-friendly, multi-sport field in 2022.
Potomac School also is kicking off the second year of the Economics, Finance, Entrepreneurship and Business track of its Upper School Concentration Program. The program allows interested students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of economic and business issues via coursework, individual research and hands-on experience, said spokesman Rita Deurdulian.
“In its second year, this concentration requires coursework during students’ junior and senior years and participation in a four-week commitment in the summer,” she said. “The involvement of the larger Potomac community is a hallmark of [the program]. Throughout the school year, our students will hear from guest speakers, and area companies support the effort by sponsoring a four-week summer internship or research project.”
Potomac School also has a new assistant head of school for academics, Sarah Beck. Beck, who previously served as assistant head of school for programs at The Langley School in McLean, is an “experienced educator with a deep commitment to student success,” Deurdulian said. “She brings expertise in instructional leadership, collaborative learning, strategic planning and implementation, and equitable practices in education.”
• Oakcrest School in the Vienna/Reston area started fall classes Sept. 5 with more than 300 students, which continues the school’s trend of enrollment growth, said spokesman Marty Lerner.
Oakcrest recently welcomed a new interim head of school, Christie Keuchel, and this past spring opened its new athletic facility.
“We are looking forward to enjoying home volleyball and basketball games,” Lerner said.
The school will hold an admissions open house on Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Flint Hill School in Oakton began Upper School classes Aug. 28 and its Lower and Middle School pupils went back to their classrooms Aug. 30. The school’s overall enrollment this fall is 1,066 students.
This fall marks the school’s second year under the leadership of Head of School Patrick McHonett, who has “ushered in a spirit of partnership and connection and has helped us zoom in on student and community well-being as well as strong academic rigor,” said spokesman Carmen Scott.
• Green Hedges School in Vienna began its fall classes Aug. 30 and welcomed 189 students from age 2 through eighth grade.
Green Hedges’ faculty last year began making improvements to the school’s existing math curriculum. The school’s new math curriculum has begun in Grades 1 through 5, said Head of School Jennifer Bohnen.
The school also is working with the Vienna town government to modify Green Hedges’ existing conditional-use permit (CUP), she said.
“This process has begun and will continue through the fall in order to receive the proper permits and updates to the CUP to allow campus improvements to move forward,” Bohnen said.
Also new this fall, Green Hedges has a Middle School Division lead, Aaron Cahn.
“Aaron has his pulse on academic and social trends in Middle School and serves as a learning specialist for this division as well,” Bohnen said. “This was a much-needed position and Aaron was a great fit for our community. Middle school is a pivotal time in a student’s academic career and to be able to better serve and prepare our middle-school students for a future beyond Green Hedges is exciting.”
