A MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING |
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| Sarah Honan, Director of College Counseling, shares some valuable advice from visiting alumni and successful professionals in her February blog post. Below is an excerpt: Over the past several weeks our students have had the tremendous privilege of hearing from “experts” in their respective fields. In January, these “experts” were our own LA alumni, who came back to campus to share more about their experiences transitioning to college as well as some advice for future generations. In February, we hosted five seasoned professionals – including a LA parent, LA alumna and a few friends of LA – who shared more about their respective pathways from college to career as well as the skills they gained along the way that have helped them in their chosen field. Their collective stories were not only relatable, but inspiring to many of our students contemplating this next chapter of life in college. Here are some of those words of wisdom we’d like to highlight: |
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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. |
Thursday, February 8 5 p.m. - Admission Office Cookies, Cupcakes 'n Cocoa in AP Room Saturday, February 10 Lunar New Year Begins Wednesday, February 14 9 a.m. - Lower School Valentine's Dance Party in Laidlaw Gym Thursday, February 15 7 p.m. Booster Club Meeting in Oakwood Room ZOOM LINK Meeting ID: 851 3528 8679
Passcode: 748696 Friday, February 16 10 a.m. Lower School Cabaret in Berry Performing Arts Center 4 p.m. - Booster Club Winter Games in Laidlaw Gym (see details below) Monday, February 19 SCHOOL/OFFICES CLOSED - Presidents' Day Tuesday, February 20 SCHOOL CLOSED - Faculty/Staff Professional Development Day SCHOOL CALENDAR 2023-2024 ONE-PAGE SCHOOL CALENDAR |
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| Admission Re-Enrollment Alert |
Attention, LA Parents! Please be on the lookout for your child’s re-enrollment contract(s), which will be sent via email tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 9. The Admission Office greatly appreciates the timely return of your contract as soon as possible and by no later than Friday, Feb. 23. |
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| LA community celebrates at IFFN |
The LA community gathered in record numbers for an evening of fine food, engaging crafts and wonderful entertainment at International Family Fun Night on Feb. 2 in the AP Room. Students and parents from all three divisions participated in cultural dances, many dressed in festive attire representing cultures from around the world. Other event highlights included henna art, Brazilian crafts and Origami for all to participate and enjoy. Approximately 200 LA students from all three divisions participated in IFFN performances. Dances representing many cultures entertained the audience throughout the evening. Upper School affinity groups including the South Asian Student Alliance, Hispanic Latinx Alliance and the Black Student Alliance performed routines to celebrate the cultures they represent. There was also a fashion show with representation from USA, Brazil, Germany, China, India, Japan, Nepal, Ghana, Haiti, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Thailand, Tibet, Korea. Taiwan and the Dominican Republic. The LA IFFN Choir with students in grades 4-12 performed Michael Jackson’s Heal the World as the finale, directed by Performing Arts Department Chair Sharon Byrne. |
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| Black History Month events continue |
The Upper School’s Black Student Alliance (BSA) kicked off the first full week of Black History Month with entertaining step dance routines at the conclusion of the Monday division meeting in the Berry Performing Arts Center. Eleven BSA members participated in a series of well executed group dances. BSA leader Gbemi Olarewaju ’24 introduced the performance: “Stepping is a unique form of percussive dance that originated in African-American culture. The rhythmic movements and beats, in which performers used their bodies as instruments, were integral to cultural expression. So today, we step to display greatness, show unity, and express love for our communities.” Division meetings and assemblies in all three divisions will continue to observe Black History Month throughout February. The BSA provided a presentation at this week's Middle School Community meeting and is planning to return for another assembly in the Lower School later this month. Additional events in the Upper School include a BSA trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 13 and a visit from Black author Don P. Hooper on Feb. 27. |
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| Vocalists perform with Region Choir |
LA students Anousheh Nazir ’27 and Kartina Chen ’27 performed in the Treble Chorus at the Central Jersey Music Educators Association (CJMEA) Region Chorus concert on Jan. 28 at Monroe High School. They were selected to participate after qualifying at a competitive audition in December. "It was a great and memorable experience,” Anousheh said. “The best part was that everyone in the chorus became great friends and put a lot of effort into the music." The concert program included five numbers: As You Sing, by Sarah Quartel; Paruparong Bukid (The Butterfly Field), Traditional Filipino arranged by Martin Ellis and Henry Leck; Gretchen am Spinnrade, by Franz Schubert and arranged by D. Jason Bishop; Flight, by Craig Carnelia; and Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Traditional Appalachian arranged by David Moore. “I really liked the experience of singing in the chorus for the CJMEA Region II,” Kartina said. “What surprised me was not only the professionalism of the conductor and pianist, but also the cooperation between the choir members. The singers all blended and sang very well together. I hope to have the opportunity to perform with the CJMEA Region II Chorus next time.” |
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| Musicians to play with All-State Bands |
Congratulations to Luke Tan ’24 and Joanne Ding ’24, who earned the opportunity to perform with the New Jersey All-State Band. The LA students, two of the school’s most elite musicians, auditioned for the All-State High School Bands and Orchestra at J.P. Stevens High School in Edison on Jan. 20. Luke was accepted into the Wind Ensemble on Battery Percussion and Joanne was accepted into the Wind Ensemble on flute. Only students who were selected into this year's three New Jersey region ensembles were qualified to audition for All-State, so only the best of the best young musicians are accepted into New Jersey All-State ensembles. Furthermore, students who placed in the Wind Ensemble received the highest audition scores on their instruments. Luke and Joanne will perform at the Atlantic City Convention Center on February 23 and the NJPAC on February 24. For NJPAC ticket information, call 1-800-go-njpac or visit njpac.org. |
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| Seniors earn early college acceptances |
Congratulations to several seniors in the Class of 2024 who have made their college plans official after accepting Early Decision admission to their No. 1 choices. For the next several weeks, the WHEN will include spotlights on seniors who have earned Early Decision admission. Among the first to receive the good news was Demi Dai ’24, an international student who is excited to be matriculating to New York University after receiving an early decision acceptance. Demi will be enrolling in NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with the intent to major in Interactive Media Art. Demi loves art and fashion and has enjoyed the convenience of living close to New York City. She chose NYU partly because the location offers more opportunities to appreciate that bustling atmosphere. Demi also explained another reason for her choice with an academic component: “As an art student, on the question of choosing between an art college and a comprehensive university, I took into account the academic atmosphere and the content of the program. I learned that comprehensive universities have more opportunities to learn about things other than art, such as coding and humanities, which solidified my idea of applying to NYU,” Demi said. Click here to read more about Demi and view other early decision college acceptance features |
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| Sixth graders present cell model projects |
Sixth grade students recently presented their models of the cell and they did not disappoint, coming up with more innovative ways to share their projects. As a treasured teaching tool, this project is a reliable way for LA students to learn about the functions of the cell organelles. In small groups, students met to research the jobs of each part of the cell and discussed how to represent them in a 3D design in the space of a large shoe box. This year there were some new and interesting variations on the items that represented organelles. One project used band-aids to represent the cell membranes as they are thin, flexible and allow only some materials to pass through. Another project used a fidget toy plastic conveyor belt to illustrate the industrious nature of the nucleus making ribosomes, while other groups connected gummy worms and yogurt bite packets (nucleolus) to their contents scattered all over the cytoplasm as protein factory ribosomes. Another new one used a pickle to represent the water filled vacuole. The one that kept the class smiling was the solar powered dancing flowers to represent the chloroplasts. |
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| LS teachers continue service project |
Lower School teachers recently engaged in an enjoyable and important community service activity after school. The teachers created blankets to continue an ongoing, yearlong Lower School project supporting the Edison Animal Shelter. LA parents donated blankets during Winter Break and the Lower School teachers cut and knotted them into little blankets for the animals. Different grade levels have been leading various activities to support the shelter, including a Barksgiving drive for pet food and supplies, and making dog biscuits. Future initiatives being planned include creating dog toys and another food drive in the spring. LS TEACHER SERVICE PROJECT PHOTO GALLERY |
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| 10th graders provide service at CFBNJ |
On Thursday, February 1, the 10th grade class participated in a service day at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside. Students boxed meals for local families, and repackaged bulk pasta for distribution. Students were chaperoned by Mrs. Nicole Nolan, Director of Global Scholars and Community Outreach, along with 10th grade teachers and advisors Mr. Kevin Fette, Mr. Jon McClain, Sra. Maggie Reiter, Mr. Noah Segal, and Dr. Jonathan Wilson. 10TH GRADE FOOD BANK PHOTO GALLERY |
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| Green Club spreads awareness to LS |
The Green Club visited Lower School students during lunch to share a presentation about how much food is going into the trash after school lunches and what happens to the leftover food when students throw it in the trash. They described everything from showing how sad Chef Anibal feels when food is wasted to explaining what landfills are and providing strategies to avoid wasting food and encouraging the community, “Donut waste your food scraps.” Chef Anibal shared how much food went into the trash after one day’s Lower School and Middle School lunches, and encouraged students to be more mindful and make a change in the numbers he reported. Chef Anibal and the Green Club will be working together to report progress weekly. The school community is grateful for all they do to improve a more sustainable environment for all! |
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| Seniors share impactful speeches |
Five seniors delivered excellent speeches within the past week in the Berry Performing Arts Center. Congratulations to Ethan Guo ’24 (pictured), Aanya Mohan ’24, Simrah Razvi ’24, Jack Singer ’24 and Sarah Alves ’24 for sharing interesting, insightful and uplifting stories with the Upper School audience. |
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| Get ready for US musical - Mean Girls |
The WardlaLAartridge Performing Arts Department is excited to announce Mean Girls as its Upper School musical production! Students completed auditions and callbacks and have begun rehearsals for performances that will take place March 8-9 at 7:30 p.m. and March 10 at 3 p.m. in the Berry Performing Arts Center. Leading players include Sarah Alves ’24 as Cady, Julia Machado ’25 as Regina, Kate Clemetson ’25 as Karen, Raiya Patel ’24 as Janis, Ish Singh ’24 as Damian, Charlie Silver ’24 as Aaron, Aarya Patel ’25 as Gretchen, Nidhin Kumar ’24 as Kevin, Anushka Dalal ’24 as Ms. Norbury and Natalie Koegler ’24 as Mrs. George. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Feb. 21. |
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| Experts in Education Series - Feb. 20 |
The LA Admission Office has rescheduled the return of The WardlaLAartridge Experts in Education Lecture Series to Tuesday, February 20 at 6:15 p.m. Jennifer Geissler and Trina Junod, veteran Kindergarten teachers, will be the featured speakers and cover the topic: What To Look For in an Early Childhood Program. They will provide educational insight and best practices for the early childhood years during their presentation, which will be followed by a Q&A session.
The event is open to current and prospective families. We encourage you to invite and introduce the school to your friends and neighbors.
PLEASE RSVP HERE |
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| College Counseling Panel set for Feb. 22 |
The LA College Counseling Office is proud to host a College Panel evening event, featuring guest speakers and seasoned admissions professionals from six different colleges/universities: see attached flyer here Topics to be covered will include: the role of standardized testing in admissions; how applications are reviewed and decided; what colleges are looking for from competitive applicants; the role of demonstrated interest, optional portfolios, and other pieces in the college process; what students can do now to set themselves up for success when applying to college; and much more! This event is open to all Upper School students and their families and will be held on Thursday, February 22 at 7 p.m. in the Berry Performing Arts Center. Because space is limited, we are requiring families to RSVP using this link by Friday, February 16. The link to RSVP will be disabled after Feb. 16 or as soon as capacity for the event is reached, so please be sure to RSVP soon! |
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| Middle School Athletes of the Week |
Mike Romeo, Athletic Director, announced the Middle School Athletes of the Week at Wednesday’s division community meeting. Congratulations to swimmers Sofia Vidal ’29 and Gavin Tobin-Montanez ’30 and cheerleader Alanna Augustin ’30. |
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FROM THE LA PARENTS' ASSOCIATION |
Common Grounds Speaks Event - Feb. 21 The Lena Archuleta School is a proud member of the Common Ground Speaks group, a consortium of Parent Associations from independent schools in the Central/Northern New Jersey area. We work in a collaborative effort to bring education, information, and inspiration to our community. Throughout the year a speaker series is hosted at various schools and the next event is How to Talk to Kids About Anything with Dr. Robyn Silverman on February 21 at 7 p.m. at Newark Academy. This is a free event and all LA parents and guardians are invited to attend. |
Booster Club Hosting Winter Games - Friday, Feb. 16 Join the LA community for an afternoon and evening of exciting sports action at the Winter Games on Friday, Feb. 16. The event will include home games for the boys' and girls' basketball teams, an Alumni Basketball Game, Alumni Swim Meet and Alumni Reception. Come support the Rams of the present and past! |
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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, 2023 and February 7, 2024. Click here to make a gift to The WardlaLAartridge Fund! Clarity Financial Aid Information The Lena Archuleta School will continue to work with Clarity as its financial aid independent, third-party application partner. The school has found that Clarity makes the financial aid application process smooth and secure for your family. Clarity offers a streamlined and user-friendly financial aid application process that can take as little as 20 minutes to complete. It is mobile-friendly, so you can complete your application on your phone or tablet! Furthermore, your 1040 and W2 documents from 2022 will be automatically transferred from the IRS when you complete the verification step, so you will no longer need to upload those documents manually. These are just a few ways in which Clarity enhances the financial aid application process. If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available as well as email support at support@claritytuition.com in both English and Spanish. You may also call Clarity directly at (206) 210-3752 for support. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION TO CLARITY For more information, including videos and a Clarity tutorial, please visit www.WHschool.org/financialaid Free PSAT, SAT, ACT Practice Exams Available The LA College Counseling Office is once again happy to partner with their friends at Revolution Prep to offer full-length, virtually proctored practice college entrance exams for our students. You can register for any/all of these exams here. Attention Parents - Check Your Contact Information Each trimester it is a good habit to double check the information in the school database (PCR) to make sure it is up-to-date and accurate. In doing so, you ensure that the school has the best contact to reach you in the event of an emergency or school closure. The process is simple and quick. PCR is the platform that we will use to contact you in the event of a snow day or any other school closure. Once you follow the steps below to log in (SEE INSTRUCTIONS HERE), please check that ALL of the following information is correct and up to date. - All Parent / Guardian Email Addresses and Phone Numbers
- Your Home Address
- Your preferred Salutation and Identifier (Name, Title, Relationship to Student)
It is our continued effort to ensure that our student and family contact information is accurate, so we thank you for your help. 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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