Parkmont School

What percentage of Parkmont students and alums know the basics of bicycle mechanics? We think it must be pretty high. Bike shops and cycling nonprofits have always been popular internship sites among our students, and we love partnering with them! This year, we have been thrilled to partner with Bethesda Bike & Ski and Bikes for the World. We also love taking bike trips! In celebration of World Bicycle Day, enjoy these photos from our archives of bike shop internships and cycling trips in Vermont, Ocean City, Mexico, D.C., and at least one mystery location.

Mulberries for all! On a recent field trip to D.C.'s Kingman Island, middle schoolers noticed that turtles below the bridge were eating mulberries that had fallen from the tree above. They set to work, harvesting mulberries to add to the turtles' feast. Just a few weeks earlier, the students had enjoyed a mulberry feast of their own after an afternoon spent gardening at the Franciscan Monastery. Field trips are an important part of Parkmont's approach. Students experience the material firsthand, learning with all their senses, which energizes their interest in the subject and in learning generally. Regardless of subject, students get to know the city and region, interact with their classmates and teachers in different environments, and discover that myriad interesting jobs and professions exist beyond school. Field trips are an educational feast. And sometimes they come with mulberries!

We're halfway through Session V, and so much has been happening! Multiple camping trips, a Main Lesson trip to NYC and Boston, many ultimate frisbee games & hikes in our Afternoon Classes, field trips galore, Adventure Trips, Senior Petition meetings, the Parkmont Poetry Festival, and, of course, lots of hands-on learning and fun here in our 16th-Street schoolhouse. Here are a few photos from our recent adventures.

Our teachers are downright amazing! The care, intelligence, and humor they bring to school every day are at the heart of what makes Parkmont so special. Parkmont teachers develop fascinating Main Lessons that combine academic subjects with current student interests and tailor their instruction to meet each student's needs. They provide one-on-one academic help and advising, conduct more field trips per teacher than probably any other school in the area, devise a wide variety of creative and fun Afternoon Classes, supervise internships, and pilot the Parkmont van all over the place! They also: fish, crochet, kayak, scuba, paint, climb mountains, rappel down, sing, sew, hike, sculpt, play guitar, run, cook, folk dance, play advanced board games, soccer, basketball, and ultimate, and, collectively, speak at least 8 other languages. And... they love to teach! Thank you, Parkmont teachers, for everything you do!

Not even a week into National Get Caught Reading Month, and we've already caught a bunch of Parkmont students in the act of reading!
Parkmont's progressive, inclusive approach gets students engaged and excited about learning. In addition to assigned texts, our students complete a book of their choice every session for their Independent Reading Project. Finding and reading books they enjoy helps develop a lifelong love of reading and plenty of opportunities to... Get Caught Reading!

The culmination of the 2026 Parkmont Poetry Festival is almost here! We invite you to join us in celebrating D.C.'s young poets this Saturday at a reading and reception. Finalists will read their work, and then we will all gather for treats and refreshment. See the invitation or our website for more information. You may also support the Parkmont Poetry Festival by going to Parkmontpoetry.org/giving.
Founded and hosted by Parkmont School, the Parkmont Poetry Festival has been encouraging middle and high school poets in D.C. for 44 years. We hope you can join us this year for what is always a joy-filled event!

It may be spring break at Parkmont, but our fearless Upper School Immigration class, along with Ethan and Matt, are off exploring Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston! We don’t even know their stories yet, but we can’t wait to hear them!!!!
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What a SPECTACULAR last day of classes for Session IV! Catch these glimpses of two of the moments that made the day so special. 1,000 origami cranes carefully folded by the students in Cole's Paper Arts Afternoon Class were launched from the top of the central staircase, their flight captured on film by a student on the lobby floor who kept filming even as the cranes blanketed her.
Cole and every student in the class helped fold the very last crane to fly.
Earlier in the day, students in Ethan's Immigration Main Lesson embarked on their own journey. They're spending our spring break in Boston and New York learning about the experiences of the tens of millions of immigrants who first arrived in the U.S. through those cities and immigration's profound role in shaping our nation.
The world is our classroom!