Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) is set to open its 100th school when Watson Mountain Middle School welcomes more than 550 sixth-graders to the division’s first four-story school on August 22, 2024. Principal Lenny Compton, a veteran middle school principal, is joined by Assistant Principals Gela Russell and Kjersti Oliver, 41 licensed teachers, and nearly 20 more staff members it takes to make the school run. The architecture of the building used the topography of the site and the grade of the mountain to inform the layout and use of the land while the interior design features plenty of natural light and collaboration spaces throughout.
Everything from the location of the classrooms by subject to the bell schedule is designed to help students collaborate, interact, and get the support they need to learn and “become a legend.”
As teachers have shown up early to check out the new building and collaborate on classroom placement, Principal Compton has listened to their feedback and made adjustments to where subjects are taught to ensure students and teachers can communicate and collaborate. “It only becomes our school when we all do the work together,” says Principal Compton. “Each day, I am energized by the positive, forward-thinking staff that has come together to serve students of this community.”
A customized bell schedule of looping A, B and E days (anchor days) is being piloted at the school to help minimize the length of time in between when students might see teachers, alternating what period starts the day. A student who takes a subject at the end of the day would attend that class at the beginning of the day on the next rotation. “The whole staff was positive about this adjusted bell schedule,” reports Principal Compton.
This is just one example of innovative collaboration with student success in mind. Another is the school mascot, the Yeti. Last year, Mr. Compton approached the 5th graders who were Watson Mountain-bound and asked them what they might like for a mascot. He took the top 10 student suggestions and enlisted the graphics arts class from the Academies of Loudoun to interpret the ideas. The Yeti, wearing goggles that reflect a custom WM and looking more friendly than terrifying, was the all-around top choice. The high schoolers finalized the design and the Watson Mountain team unveiled the legendary creature at an open house for 5th graders before school let out for the summer.
“We have started our school with the idea that each student can ‘be a legend.’ Our Watson Mountain legends are here to do amazing things, search for answers, and leave a positive footprint on their community,” said Assistant Principal Gela Russell.
Assistant principal Kjersti Oliver stated, “My favorite thing about opening this new school is meeting the kids and the community members, and starting on this road together to create a new learning community. We’re bringing together students from five different elementary schools who will get to know each other, work on cross-disciplinary learning together, and even take on what we call “passion projects” where they can explore ideas and solutions that help the community.”
Every space, from the media center to the lunchroom, is designed to promote a sense of community. Floors two, three and four are laid out similarly, with future plans to have each grade sixth through eighth on their own floor. “Collaboration Commons” are located centrally on each floor. Even the locker areas are designed to be used for instruction or collaboration, with countertops that allow them to serve as counter-height workspaces. Classrooms have access to natural light from windows or light cannons that bring light in, down and through to common spaces on lower levels. The first floor houses specialized subjects like Career and Technical Education, and Consumer Science, as well as the school’s lunch room.
Principal Compton notes, “The entire building is designed to facilitate communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. We want each of our Legends to contribute to the totally new learning community we are creating here - with a rich tapestry of people from different places and with different perspectives.”
“There is goodness here. You can feel it.”