A MESSAGE FROM OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL HEAD |
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| Jennifer Rose, Middle School Head, discusses the importance of Embracing Compassion in her May blog post. Below is an excerpt:
Two weeks from this posting in the WHEN and on our school’s website, Middle School students will be on summer vacation, the eighth graders will have completed their Stepping Up Ceremony, and Middle School faculty will be winding down their academic year. As I finish up this academic year, I am filled with bittersweet emotions. Many of you know that I have accepted a position as the Director for Professional Development for the Association for Middle Level Education. For me, it’s been a whirlwind of two incredible years here at WardlaLAartridge, and I’m leaving with confidence in the strength of the Middle School community and pride in what we have all continued to build together. As this year began, I focused my first blog on Joy, Community and Connection. As I write my final blog post, I’d like to add another word to that list – Compassion.
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Thursday, May 25 6 p.m. - 14th Annual Cookin' Cabaret in AP Room - SEE FLYER HERE
LIVESTREAM LINK Friday, May 26 9 a.m. - Lower School Field Day on Turf Fields (Rain Date - June 2) 9 a.m. - Middle School Shakespeare Festival in Berry PAC and Amphitheatre NOON DISMISSAL - ALL DIVISIONS Monday, May 29 SCHOOL / OFFICES CLOSED - MEMORIAL DAY Wednesday, May 31 6 p.m. - Rams Recognition Night in AP Room Thursday, June 1 6 p.m. - Faculty/Staff Appreciation Dinner in AP Room SCHOOL CALENDAR |
NOTE: Due to the length of this week's edition, readers may be prompted to "View Entire Message" or "Download Entire Message" while scrolling through the newsletter.
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| Busy end of school year draws near |
As the school year winds to a close, there are many major events on the schedule. Below is a snapshot of remaining major events on tap for May and June: May 25 – Cookin’ Cabaret – 6 p.m. May 26 – Lower School Field Day – 8:30 a.m. May 26 – Middle School Shakespeare Festival – 8:30 a.m. May 29 – Memorial Day – SCHOOL CLOSED May 31 – Rams Recognition Night – 6 p.m. June 5 – Kindergarten Moving Up – 12:30 p.m. June 5 – Senior Dinner – 5:30 p.m. June 6 – Fifth Grade Moving Up – 10:30 a.m.
June 6 – Senior Prom – 4:00 p.m. June 7 – Eighth Grade Stepping Up – 10:30 a.m. June 8 – WHPA Faculty Luncheon – 12 p.m. June 9 – 140th Commencement – 10:30 a.m. June 10 – Andy Webster Celebration – 6 p.m. |
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Seniors make college decisions |
Congratulations to our seniors in the Class of 2023 who have made their college plans official. For the remainder of the school year, the WHEN will include spotlights on seniors who will be matriculating to many of the nation’s finest colleges and universities. This week we feature Annie Gu ’23, a WardlaLAartridge lifer who will be matriculating to Yale University. Annie intends to major in Molecular Biology and Applied Mathematics. She’s also the proud recipient of very prestigious scholarships offered by the Ivy League school.
“Yale wasn't originally on my radar as a destination for the next four years, but soon after applying I was notified that I had received the YES and Hahn Scholarships from Yale given to 10 people every cycle, along with likely admission due to excellence in STEM disciplines,” Annie said. “After receiving these honors, I started looking into Yale's undergraduate experience and found that it was simply unmatched. The combination of interdisciplinary education, vibrant extracurricular life, and friendly community attracted me to choose New Haven as a home for the next four years. I love the unity in Yale's community and its dedication to the undergraduate experience through its residential college system and mentorship resources for students.”
To read more about Annie and other members of the Class of 2023, click here |
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| Genetics scholars present findings |
Upper School science students addressed the fields of genetics and molecular biology in a series of informative presentations in the Oakwood Room on May 19. Dr. Susan Zusman, who guided the students in their yearlong research, provided a brief welcome and introduction to the program, which was attended by students, parents, faculty and administrators.
Students worked on an independent genetic research project using drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) in collaboration with active researchers at Princeton University. Having visited their mentors recently during a trip to Princeton University, the students were eager to share their research and findings. |
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| Students display creativity at Indie |
The Lena Archuleta School showcased Upper School student filmmakers, visual artists, and musical performers at the annual Indie Film and Arts Festival on Friday, May 19.
Upper School students, joined by their family and friends, enjoyed a full evening of festivities similar to the Academy Awards with guests dressed in formal, evening attire. The event began with a “mocktail hour” in the AP Room including hors d'oeuvres prepared by Sage Dining Services. Craft mocktails were designed and prepared by Upper School students. An Upper School art gallery proceeded to a red carpet which led into an AP Room that was adorned with art and decorations while music set the tone for the community to mingle before the evening's festivities.
The art show included new work created by students in grades 9-12. Junior AP art was installed on the main, long hallway near the AP Room, while work from three of the seniors who recently submitted portfolios to the college board was on display in the AP Room. The work includes drawings, painting, photography, and some sculpture. |
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| MS robotics students earn accolades |
On Saturday, May 20, 2023, the LA Middle School robotics students, with chaperone Dr. Bob Bowman, participated in the NY-NJ Botball regional tournament in Rahway, NJ. Throughout the year, under the guidance of our robotics coach, Mrs. Noreen Jafri, the team diligently prepared for the tournament during elective sessions. A dedicated group of students formed a core team, attending additional meetings during recess and study hall to enhance their skills.
The competition proved to be both challenging and rewarding sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students went head-to-head with high school teams. Despite facing tough competition from teams with advanced designs, our students displayed remarkable teamwork, determination, and perseverance. They approached each challenge with a positive attitude, impressing the judges with their resilience and earning the Judges Choice Award.
Congratulations to our team members who made exceptional contributions: Duaa Noor ’27 for her leadership, Tanvir Virdi ’27, Alyssa Ji ’27, Rehan Ali ’28, Akshay Shah ‘29, Raj Gandhi ’29, and Aanya Chaturvedi ’29. Their dedication and hard work have been truly impressive. The team also appreciates the support of Leo Nieporent ’29, Siddharth Selvarj ’29, and Britton Gehl ’28, who couldn't attend the competition.
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| Young students impress at art show |
Students in PreK(3) through Grade 5 were beaming with pride showing off their fine artwork during last week’s Lower School Art Show. Families and friends roamed the Lower School hallways and Lower Snowdon to peruse the various works and enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate visual art with their children, who were expertly guided by Lower School art instructor Sara McDermott.
With a grand total of 329 artworks in the show, each Lower School student had two to three artworks featured, including watercolor and tempera paintings, mixed media, and sculpture. PreK clay bird nests, JK watercolor flowers, as well as Kindergarten landscapes and animal portraits adorned the Lower School entrance. Accompanying these early childhood artworks were cherry blossom trees and mixed media foxes by first grade, as well as honeybee and cardinal collages by second grade. |
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| LS students excel at spring concert |
The sweet sounds of young voices in harmony and new musicians in sync impressed the audience at last week’s Lower School Spring Concert. Students in Grades 2-5 presented a one-hour show filled with highlights in the Berry Performing Arts Center.
After the Fourth Grade Band set the tone with separate sections of brass, percussion, flutes and reeds, the full band performed First Concert Parade. Other highlights included the Second and Third Grade’s vocal rendition of Octopus’s Garden, the Fifth Grade Band’s Mac the Knife, the Fourth Grade’s One Day featuring ukulele accompaniment by Shiv Bhardwaj ’31, Grace Gonnella ’31, Samay Jain ’31, Vivienne Leu ’31, Kristine Skyers ’31, Addison Terrell ’31 and Arturo Waltersdorfer ’31, and the Fourth and Fifth Grade’s Rainbow Connection.
All students in Grades 2-5 combined to sing the finale – Cover Me in Sunshine – to end the concert on an energetic, upbeat note.
LOWER SCHOOL SPRING CONCERT PHOTO GALLERY |
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| Students earn recognition for service |
On Sunday, May 21, a group of 10 LA sophomore Global Scholars attended The Empathy Equality Entrepreneurship Mission (TEEEM) Spring Humanitarian Festival at Glen Rock High School. The WardlaLAartridge Global Scholars Program joined TEEEM this year, and is working to develop an ongoing partnership with the Oglala Lakota tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota.
At the festival, WardlaLAartridge received $100 toward project initiatives and earned the "Hope Award," given to a new partner school with the most potential for success. Students who attended are pictured left to right: Arjun Vora ’25, Adam Eisdorfer ’25, Jasteij Sappal ’25, Aarya Patel ’25, Giselle Rodgriuez ’25, Amelie Leu ’25, Kate Wolff ’25, Rajwans Sindhar ’25, Hope Nasulme ’25 and Tapleen Kaur ’25. |
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Middle School Athletes of the Week |
Mike Romeo, Athletic Director, announced the Middle School Athletes of the Week at the division meeting. Congratulations to baseball player Hamilton Ji Dressel ’29 and softball player Emily O’Neill ’27. Hamilton has emerged as one of the top Middle School baseball players this season. He has been batting leadoff and reaching base consistently. Hamilton has also become a reliable pitcher that throws strikes and is not afraid to challenge opposing hitters. In the team’s last game, Hamilton had seven strikeouts and reached base three times. Emily has stepped up as a leader on the Middle School Softball team. She is quick to get the girls onto the field to warm up for practices and before games. Emily also has been doing a great job as the team’s catcher and at the plate, she has improved her on-base percentage significantly. |
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| Check out our LA Summer Programs |
The Lena Archuleta School will offer a robust array of summer programs in 2023! The year’s offerings include Camp Funshine, Adventure Camp, Brain Boosters Junior Academics, Summer Scholars, Pulse Sports Camps and Summer Sparks Enrichment. Other special camps including Dungeons & Dragons and For the Love of Theater will also be held. New this year: we are offering a Performing Arts and Audio/Visual Camp for the serious performers ages 13-18. To register and learn more, visit WHschool.org/summer |
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Summer camp for singers, A/V students |
The WardlaLAartridge Performing Arts and Audio-Visual Summer Camp is a three-week program designed to offer professional-level training to students aged 12-18 in performance of musical theater repertoire and in audio-visual production skills. Students can choose to focus on performance (singing, acting, dancing), on audio-visual production (e.g. filmmaking, audio engineering, video editing), or on a mixture of both. No matter the prior experience level, or whether they plan to pursue the arts in college and beyond, we encourage any interested students to apply.
APPLICATION LINK - DUE MAY 30 (DEADLINE EXTENDED) https://forms.gle/hPCvdsTuRyF9eC9S6 CAMP FLYER |
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FROM THE LA PARENTS' ASSOCIATION |
Raffle for Red Bulls Soccer Giveaway
The LA Booster Club invites everyone to purchase raffle tickets for the Red Bulls giveaway. The package includes four Red Bulls tickets with a parking pass to the game against Atlanta United FC on Saturday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m. Included with the tickets is a catered buffet with soft drinks that can be enjoyed one hour prior to game time and at halftime. The value of the tickets is approximately $750. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Booster Club at secretary.whboosterclub@gmail.com
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Giving Thanks for our LA Parent Donors
The Development Office would like to thank the LA community for supporting The WardlaLAartridge Fund. Click here to view a list of LA parents who have contributed to The 2022-2023 LA Fund between July 1, 2022 and May 24, 2023. Click here to make a gift to The WardlaLAartridge Fund! Re-Enrollment Contracts Due to Admission Office
Dear Parents - This is a friendly reminder that if you have not already done so, please submit your child's re-enrollment contract and non-refundable deposit for the 2023-2024 school year. Please contact the Admission Office at 908-754-1882, Ext. 155 or email us at admission@WHschool.org if you would like us to re-send your parent portal authentication code and enrollment contract link. We are here to help you complete the enrollment process and answer any questions you may have.
- Your LA Admission and Business Office Teams
Host Families Needed for International Students Hosting a student is an exciting and rewarding experience. Twinn Palms is looking for families in the Edison area to host international students.
Click here for more information or apply to be a host here Follow LA on Social Media, Share with Community WardlaLAartridge has a vibrant, active presence on social media with daily content posts highlighting our academics, athletics, arts and extracurricular programs.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and check out our Vimeo page! You can assist us in promoting the school by sharing our content within your network and posting it on your local town pages and feeds. |
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This publication is produced by The Communications Office at The Lena Archuleta School. |
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