The Parkmont Dish: Shwe’s Ohn No Khao Swe
The week school lets out for summer break, the teachers are still working here every day, updating credit sheets, discussing the year just ended, planning for the year ahead, and, especially in this summer of Parkmont Schoolhouse Project, cleaning out the classrooms and other spaces slated for updating over the summer. In other words, lots […]
Alaska: The Big One
Parkmont has had its fair share of adventures over the years. Since I started organizing trips in 2018, we have taken students to Puerto Rico, the Grand Canyon, and the Outer Banks, to name a few destinations. But this year was different. This was the big one. Alaska. Alaska has long been on the roster […]
The Parkmont Dish: Gavi’s Salmon with Warm Spices
A dinner that’s both bright and hearty really hits the spot on a cold evening. This recipe for baked salmon with yogurt and warm spices that Gavi, 6th grade, has so generously shared looks beautiful and tastes delicious. It will nourish your body and your senses! Gavi suggests serving the dish with couscous. If you […]
What We’re Learning: Main Lessons
Held from 10-12 every day, Parkmont’s Main Lessons combine traditional academic disciplines with student interests and are the foundation of our schedule. Check out some of the options from Sessions 2 and 3. Middle School Crime Lab. Become a super science sleuth while performing crime-solving, case-breaking, and crook-catching activities. From dusting for fingerprints to analyzing handwriting and […]
One-to-One Chromebook Initiative
All students received a Chromebook for academic use at school and at home this fall as part of Parkmont’s new one-to-one Chromebook program. In past years, about half the students used school-owned Chromebooks while the rest brought their own devices. More than halfway through the school year, it’s clear that switching to an all school-owned […]
The Parkmont Dish: Crispy, Smoky, Spicy-Sweet Brussels Sprouts
We are excited to share a dish cooked by middle schoolers Gavi, Ari, and Wesley for their Food Science Main Lesson. It was a class favorite, and we think you’ll love it, too! Crispy, pan fried Brussels sprouts tossed in honey and served with a smoky chipotle-lime aioli. Enjoy! Ingredients: 2 lbs Brussels sprouts ¾ […]
Middle Schoolers End the Year at the Bay
The day after feting our eight eighth graders at their Moving Up ceremony, the entire middle school piled into the Parkmont Vans for one last trip. We spent a sunny, fun-filled day at Triton Beach on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Our visit coincided with a Moving Up ceremony of another sort. We […]
Program Highlights
If you’re a student or alum, you’re familiar with the elements that combine to make Parkmont such a warm, interesting, and energetic school. We thought we’d try describing some of those elements to help fill in the picture for those who’ve never ridden in the Parkmont Van. Adventure Trips They aren’t optional. They’re almost always […]
Internships 2025-26
Like the Main Lessons, internships are foundational to our program. We strive to find a good match for every student, and we are incredibly grateful to all of our host sites. Parkmonters interned at 45 sites across the DMV this year, including such longtime friends as the D.C. Public Library and Bach to Rock and […]
Astronomy Overnight: Seeing Stars at Big Meadows
The Astronomy Main Lesson includes an overnight camping trip toward the end of the course so that we can get a chance to actually see some of the stars, constellations, planets, and other things we’ve been discussing all session long. So, with Florence to help protect us from bears and such, Javonne, Cris, Fletcher, Manoj, […]
Immigration Main Lesson Heads to Boston, New York, and Philadelphia
While most of us spent spring vacation taking a break from school, Ethan’s Immigration Main Lesson immersed themselves in the history, legacies, and dynamics of immigration in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, three cities that have been shaped by immigration from colonial times to the present day. Students approached the Statue of Liberty by boat, […]
Food Science at Parkmont
Session 4 at Parkmont was a perfect opportunity to reintroduce the Food Science Main Lesson to our middle schoolers. The class was focused on how the food we eat affects our health and the wellbeing of the planet. Students got to experiment with food, cook food, grow food, and even create their own cookbook! Florence […]