McLean School of Maryland
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| McLean School of Maryland | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
8224 Lochinver Lane , | |
| Coordinates | 39°2′21″N 77°10′4″W / 39.03917°N 77.16778°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private Preparatory School |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Non-sectarian |
| Established | 1954 |
| Head of School | Darlene Pierro |
| Faculty | 120 |
| Enrollment | 350 (grades K-12) |
| Average class size | 10 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 6:1 |
| Campus | Suburban, 9 acres |
| Color(s) | Blue and White |
| Athletics | 11 interscholastic sports 25 interscholastic teams |
| Athletics conference | Potomac Valley Athletic Conference |
| Mascot | Mustang |
| Tuition | $25,000/Year (Kindergarten) $30,440/Year (Lower School) $33,160/Year (Middle School) $35,615/Year (Upper School) |
| Website | www.mcleanschool.org |
McLean School of Maryland is an independent, non-denominational, co-educational college preparatory day school located in Potomac, Maryland for grades K through 12. It was primarily grades K through 9 until the early 2000s when it created the high school portion of the school (with the first graduating class in 2003). The mission of McLean School has always been to serve a broad range of students including those with learning issues. McLean claims to offer students a traditional curriculum delivered in a non-traditional fashion that focuses on the meta-cognitive process.[1]
School Profile
History
Lenore and Delbert Foster established and headed McLean School in 1954.
After the Fosters retired in 1978, a group of parents, faculty and staff formed a non-profit corporation for McLean School and relocated to the present Lochinver Lane campus in Potomac, Maryland.
Facilities
McLean School of Maryland is situated 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Washington, DC, in Potomac, Maryland. McLean's 9 acres (36,000 m2) along a residential side street are surrounded by homes and townhouses.
The main structure of 47,000 square feet (4,400 m2) was built in the early 1970s as a Montgomery County elementary school. McLean took possession in 1978, and in the 1990s completed a 10,800-square-foot (1,000 m2) gymnasium. In 2000 McLean renovated the building, adding classrooms to the Middle School and building a new three-story wing to house the Upper School. McLean School's campus today includes:
- Two fields for soccer, softball, and lacrosse.
- A playground and equipment for children.
- 60+ classrooms (with computer access) that house around 10 students each.
- Three computer labs.
- A lounge for high-school students.[citation needed]
Academics
McLean offers flexible programs utilizing multiple learning modalities that help all students progress to new levels of learning. Their small classes allow teachers to offer individual attention and support. Their broad curriculum develops learning through the arts, physical education, and computer technology as well as the essential academics. Their students and faculty share a nurturing community that values and cultivates different types of intelligence. The students that graduate leave well-prepared for college. [2]
Course Load
Students in Upper School are required to carry a course load of six year-long academic classes (English, literature, foreign language, history, mathematics, and science). They must take physical education (or an independent physical education contract) for 2 years, and select courses in art, music, computer, and other electives to complete graduation requirements. [3]
Arts
Students have the opportunity to take classes in painting, sculpture, drama, music, film, animation, graphic and web design. Students in every grade are encouraged to tap into the power of the arts as a vehicle for expression.
Lower School emphasis is placed on the elements of art and basic color theory, as students explore a wide variety of subject matter, media and techniques. Also in Lower School students attend general music classes twice a week. Classes expose students to the various styles of music, give an historical overview of music and teach basic symbol- and note-reading and writing. Music classes offer opportunities for expression and interpretation through movement, singing, listening and ensemble work. In addition, each grade 3 and 4 student has the opportunity to join either the Chorus or the Strings Program during one other period of the week.
The Middle School arts program continues on the foundations started in the Lower School. Students encounter more challenging projects in Middle School, as they experience more sophisticated use of media, creative concepts, art terminology and problem-solving. Innovative class assignments include formal subject matter like still life, and perspective drawing landscape, and portraits, painting as well as formal techniques in perspective drawing, observation drawing, and abstractions. Formal techniques in printmaking, photography collage, and ceramics are also introduced. The music curriculum promotes music literacy, history and appreciation. Students in grades 5 and 6 attend general music classes twice a week. Classes focus on refining note-reading skills through ear training and written assignments. Vocal and instrumental repertoire presents students with opportunities to interpret, analyze and critique compositions. Grades 5 and 6 students become acquainted with concepts, in-score symbols and compositional components as they explore music from various time periods and parts of the world. Students in grades 7 and 8 may elect to participate in the Middle School band or the Middle School chorus. The curricula for these applied music classes allow students to participate in an instrumental or choral ensemble that focuses on the development and refinement of performance skills and technique. Musicianship is developed through concepts of notation, phrasing and dynamics. One year’s prior playing experience is recommended for band participants.
Various two and three-dimensional media including pencil, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, and oil on canvas, collage, printmaking and ceramics are components of the program. Sculpture media, including wood, wire and clay, are used in the three-dimensional art component of the program. Computer-generated graphics and illustration are also part of the curriculum. The Upper School music curriculum offers three semester electives. Students continue to develop musicianship and performance skills in Upper School Chorus, Jazz Band and instrumental ensemble courses. The choral elective concentrates on the refinement of vocal skills through the practice and performance of a wide range of repertoire. Strong emphasis is placed on the improvement of score reading, stage presence, poise and execution. Chorus students advance their appreciation of vocal music through solo and ensemble work. Instrumental electives focus on the refinement of technique, note-reading and part-following skills while playing traditional band instruments. Instrumental skills are developed using methods books, jazz charts, class and student compositions. [4]
Athletics
Outside of the curriculum, McLean fields a variety of sports teams every season. Students face other schools in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference. [5]
McLean Boys Varsity Basketball Team won the PVAC Basketball Tournament and regular season title during the 2012-13 season. [6][7]
Accreditation
McLean is accredited by the Maryland Department of Education.[8] It is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools,[9] the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington,[10] the Association of Independent Maryland Schools,[11] the Secondary School Admission Test Board,[12] and The Black Student Fund.[13]
Summer Program
SummerEdge offers full-day and half-day sessions for pre-kindergarten through grade 12, students of all ages and learning styles will have the opportunity to work on their reading, writing, math, science and beyond. There are also other non-academic camp offerings for fun.[14]
References
- ^ "All It Takes Is the Right Formula". McLean School. Retrieved 2013-3-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Admission". McLean School. Retrieved 2013-3-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Course Load". McLean School. Retrieved 2013-3-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Areas of Study". McLean School. Retrieved 2013-3-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Athletics". McLean School. Retrieved 2013-3-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Donte Hobbs's energy lifts McLean School to PVAC boys' basketball championship". Washington Post. Retrieved 2013-3-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "McLean wins PVAC championship". Gazette. Retrieved 2013-3-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Maryland State Department of Education Nonpublic Schools". Msde.state.md.us. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
- ^ "Membership Directory". Nais.org. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
- ^ "Access Denied | Independent Education". Aisgw.org. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
- ^ "Association of Independent Maryland & DC Schools". Aimsmd.org. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
- ^ "Finding a School". SSAT. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
- ^ "Black Student Fund". Black Student Fund. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
- ^ "SummerEdge". McLean School of Maryland. Retrieved 2013-3-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help)