Potomac Falls High School


Potomac Falls High School is a public secondary school in Sterling, Virginia unincorporated area in Loudoun County, Virginia. The school is part of the Loudoun County Public Schools system and is located on 46400 Algonkian Parkway. Rated in America's Top Public High Schools in 2019, Potomac Falls' student body is drawn from the Cascades, Countryside, Broad Run Farms, and Dulles Town Center communities.

History

Potomac Falls High School opened in 1997, drawing its student body from Park View High School, Broad Run High School and Seneca Ridge Middle School. It was the first high school built in the county in 21 years, following Park View's opening in 1976. There were about 900 students in grades 9–11 when Potomac Falls opened. There was no senior class since seniors attending Park View and Broad Run who lived in Potomac Falls' attendance area remained at those schools through graduation.
In 2003, students from Potomac Falls and Park View High School were fed into Dominion High School after the schools became overcrowded while students from Broad Run High School and Park View were sent to Potomac Falls. However, growth has stabilized in Sterling since then, and there are no new high schools being planned in the area for the foreseeable future.
The high school design for Potomac Falls has been used for every new high school built in Loudoun County since then. Stone Bridge opened in 2000 with Potomac Falls' design, but with a larger auditorium and some additional classrooms. Heritage, Dominion, Briar Woods, Freedom, Woodgrove, Tuscarora, John Champe, also all use the same design. The design remained but was updated for Rock Ridge and Riverside.

Lawsuits

Demmon v. Loudoun County Public Schools, 342 F.Supp.2d 474 – As a fundraiser, a parent organization offered parents and community members the opportunity to purchase and order inscriptions for paving bricks to be placed in a sidewalk around the flagpoles at Potomac Falls High School. Purchasers could choose text and/or symbols to be inscribed on the bricks. Some purchasers paid to have their bricks inscribed with a Latin cross. After one parent complained, school officials removed from the walkway every brick containing a cross symbol.
Case Status – The court held that free speech rights of parents were violated where the school removed bricks inscribed with a Latin cross. The court held that symbols were not school-sponsored speech; and that a walkway where the bricks were displayed constituted a designated or limited public forum and that the school engaged in prohibited “viewpoint discrimination.” The bricks were later reinstated.

Demographics

In 2015–2016, Potomac Falls' student body was 53% White, 20% Hispanic, 9% Black, and 12% Asian.

Accreditation and test scores

Accreditation

Potomac Falls is a fully accredited high school based on its overall performance on the Standards of Learning tests in Virginia.

SAT scores

The average SAT score in 2006 for Potomac Falls was a 1,555.

Enrollment history

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

The Potomac Falls' mascot is the Panther. Sports teams play in the 4A Dulles District and Region II. At its opening, the Panthers played in the AAA Concorde District and the Northern Region, but the Panthers were at a severe disadvantage as their enrollment was considerably below the AA/AAA cutoff, and most of its member schools included some of the largest schools in the state, including Herndon and Chantilly High Schools. Both schools had enrollments of nearly 2,500 students at the time while Potomac Falls' enrollment in the 1998–1999 school year was at around 1,200. Potomac Falls played in the Concorde District nevertheless partly because Park View and Broad Run were also in the Northern Region but played in the Liberty District, and it was assumed that most AA sized high schools in Northern Virginia, like George C. Marshall High School, would play up in AAA.
Since Potomac Falls' move to AA in 1999, the athletic teams have enjoyed much success, particularly in their soccer programs. Potomac Falls has won seven AA state titles, two girls soccer titles in 2000 and 2004, one in boys soccer in 2006, one in boys golf in 2001, two in boys basketball in 2010 and 2011, and one in boys tennis in 2002. In 2017, the Varsity girls field hockey team received a regional title, and placed third in the group 5a state tournament.
The cheerleaders of Potomac Falls received the regional and district title in 2006, and placed 3rd in the state. In 2008, the cheerleaders also took the district title. The Panther Dancers won a state title in their jazz routine in November 2006.
The Potomac Falls Boys Cross Country team has consecutively won the Dulles District AA title since the 2001–2002 Season to 2010. As of the end of the 2010 season, it has won 10 Dulles District titles in a row.
The Potomac Falls Boys Swim Team won the Dulles District AA Title in the 2002-2003 season, and many swimmers have performed well at the regional and state meets. Matt McLean, a 2006 graduate and member of the swim team, competed at the University of Virginia and was a gold medalist at 2012 London Olympics in the Men's 4x200 Freestyle Relay, the record setting relay that gave Michael Phelps his 19th gold medal.
The boys basketball team has been doing very well over the past few years. Greg Graves was named the Virginia High School Coaches Association Division 4 Player of the Year for the state of Virginia for the 2011-2012 season. Lukas Mihailovich was also player of the year, led the Panthers to back to back state titles, and played at James Madison University

Band

The Potomac Falls band has earned the title of Virginia Honor Band by the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association over eight times since its opening in 1997, attaining overall "superior" ratings at both the State Marching Band Festival and the District Concert Band Festival each of those years. The marching band is a member of the USBands circuit where it regularly earns awards and recognition for outstanding performances. In 2008 the band sponsored a trip to Hawaii and in 2009 the band traveled to New York City. The Band program offers two concert bands, Jazz Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Marching Band, Flute Choir, and numerous other ensembles based on student interest. The band program has also provided musicians for the annual musical since 2010.
In addition to the music performance ensembles, the Potomac Falls Band Program sponsors an award-winning Winter Guard that competes in the Atlantic Indoor Association circuit.
The Band Program is supported by a non-profit group: The Potomac Falls Band Boosters.
Potomac Falls sponsors an annual winter drumline and/or guard competition called the Symphony of Design, although this was cancelled due to snow for the 2014 season. The competition is run by the band staff with aid from students and parents of the program.

Guitar

Potomac Falls's current guitar program offers classes for Beginners, Intermediates, Advanced, and Artist guitar students. In 2006 and 2007 the Advance Ensemble had trips to New York City to receive master classes from prominent members of the music community. There was a trip to Chicago in 2009.
The three ensembles have performances during winter, spring, and a recently created "Solos Night", to showcase solos, duets and quartet performances. The Potomac Falls High School guitar quartet, whose members are chosen from among the students who audition for it, performs for the community, and has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
The guitar program also runs a guitar club which offers performance opportunities to students not enrolled in the program through a "Coffee House" Performance each season.

Debate

Potomac Falls has a debate team. The school competes in Public Forum and Student Congress tournaments across the state.

Alumni