A MESSAGE FROM OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR |
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Mike Romeo, Athletic Director, discusses the importance of being a Unified Team in his April blog post. Below is an excerpt: We all know that successful teams usually possess a noticeably high level of unity. You might see team huddles with arms over each other's shoulders or players rushing to help a teammate up to their feet after a fall. These are things that set a quality team apart, small but important details that have nothing to do with skill or ability.
When teams buy into the concept that all of their teammates are family, the experience can be transformative for high school students. As the Athletic Director, it’s my hope that our teams at WardlaLAartridge place a high priority on unity and recognize the benefits and positive impact it has on our student-athletes. Shaping character, building relationships, and fostering a sense of belonging that goes beyond wins and losses is a huge part of the scholastic sports experience.
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Friday, April 26 Lower School Earth Day Celebration - all day
6 p.m. - INDIE Film and Art Festival in AP Room/Berry Performing Arts Center Tuesday, April 30-Wednesday, May 1
8 a.m. - Senior Capstone Presentations in Oakwood Room Tuesday, April 30-Friday, May 3
Eighth Grade Trip to Washington, D.C. Thursday, May 2
10:30 a.m. - Senior Capstone Presentations in Oakwood Room 7:30 p.m. - Upper School Spring Concert in Berry Performing Arts Center
Tuesday, May 7 8:30 a.m. - Early Childhood Spring Concert in Berry Performing Arts Center
11 a.m. - Jim Howard Golf Classic at Colonia Country Club SCHOOL CALENDAR 2023-2024 ONE-PAGE SCHOOL CALENDAR
2024-2025 ONE-PAGE SCHOOL CALENDAR |
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| Eighth graders share Capstone work |
Eighth graders in the Class of 2028 shared their research with fellow students, faculty, staff, administrators, family and friends during the Middle School Capstone Showcase on April 19 in the Berry Performing Arts Center.
The eighth grade Capstone is an action research project that extends over several months. Students respond to an essential question, which introduces them to the complexity of problems for which there are no easy answers. Students are encouraged to explore an issue of global significance and personal relevance by cultivating a range of research skills. This multi-disciplinary project builds reading, writing, research, artistic, critical thinking, and presentation skills while also fostering curiosity, collaboration, teamwork, and resilience.
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| INDIE Film & Art Festival - April 26 |
Join the LA community for this year's INDIE Film & Art Festival tomorrow night, Friday, April 26!
The AP Room Mocktail Hour and Upper School Art Show will take place from 6-7 p.m., followed by an entertaining evening in the Berry Performing Arts Center beginning at 7 p.m. The night will include original student films and outstanding live performances. The theme for this year's event is La La Land and we anticipate that the evening will be filled with whimsical movie magic.
VIEW THE EVENT TRAILER Purchase tickets at https://twhsnj.booktix.net/ |
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| US students earn National Latin Exam awards |
Nick Pelullo, Upper School Latin teacher and World Language Department Chair, proudly recognized six students who earned medals for their achievement on this year’s National Latin Exam. Six Upper School students earned silver medals for Maxima Cum Laude. They joined Mr. Pelullo for a photo on the Berry Performing Arts Center stage. Advanced Poetry Exam – Shachee Kumar ’24, Oliver Laskow ’25, Mason Clemetson ’25, Vinay Karthik ‘25 Intermediate Latin Exam – Helen Tang ’26, Elana Nieporent ’27 (not pictured) |
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| Rams honored for GMC Sportsmanship |
LA juniors Jai Maurya ’25 and Rajwans Sindhar ’25 were among 70 student-athletes honored at last week’s Greater Middlesex County Sportsmanship Luncheon at the Pines Manor in Edison. The event celebrated student-athletes who compete with dignity and grace while setting a positive example for teammates and opponents both on and off the field. Jai and Rajwans are pictured with Michael Pede (left), GMC President, and Frank Noppenberger, GMC Past President and Executive Director.
Jai plays first singles for the LA boys’ tennis team in the spring. Rajwans is a multi-sport athlete competing in soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, and track and field in the spring. They were joined at the event by LA Athletic Director Mike Romeo, who also was proud to accept a Sportsmanship Award on behalf of the school for accumulating the most team sportsmanship awards during the spring 2023, fall 2023 and winter 2024 seasons combined. |
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| LA girls set to compete in Penn Relays |
Five WardlaLAartridge athletes will compete in the prestigious Penn Relays, the largest track and field competition in the United States. This event has been hosted annually since 1895 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
The Rams will compete in the 4x100 and 4x400 relay events on April 25. LA athletes, from left, who are scheduled to run: Jayla Presley-May ’26, Bianca Bellino ’25, Naomi Craig ’25, Naomi Valcourt ’24 and Elana Nieporent ’27. |
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| MS students perform at dance showcase |
Five Middle School dance students put on a show for their peers at the Middle School community meeting on April 17. The performance culminated their participation in an elective dance class taught by LA senior and award winning dancer Sanya Sidhu ’24, who was beaming with pride watching her young students on stage.
Sanya provided a brief introduction to the course and welcomed her dancers to the stage. Students Geeta Kumar ’29, Rishi Nihalani ’29, Krishna Kumar ’29, Arika Shah ’29 and Daania Watson-Willis ’29 entertained the audience with an upbeat routine that featured many of the movements they learned during the school year.
Students from the audience were invited to join Sanya and the dancers on stage to learn the routine and perform it to music. There was great enthusiasm in the room as the students enjoyed learning something new and performing in front of their classmates and teachers.
“The work they put in showed clearly through their incredible performance,” Sanya said. “I am so proud of them and cannot wait to see how these students as well as the program will grow over the next few years!”
MS DANCE SHOWCASE PHOTO GALLERY |
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| Juniors spend day in service at Branch Brook |
On April 18, the juniors in the Class of 2025 celebrated Earth Day early while visiting Branch Brook Park in Newark to do some spring cleaning and trash management. Branch Brook Park is the nation’s oldest county park. At 360 acres, it is the largest developed park in the county and is home to 18 varieties of cherry blossoms.
The trip was planned and organized by Mrs. Nicole Nolan, Director of Global Scholars and Community Outreach, and supported by chaperones Mr. Andrew Sullivan, Mr. Cristian Fernandez, Ms. Michelle Penny, Mr. Nick Pelullo and Dr. Brent Giles. Despite less than ideal weather conditions with cold wind and rain, the group made a significant impact.
Branch Brook Park showed its appreciation with an Instagram post the next morning: Your enthusiasm and hard work in preserving the natural beauty of our park is inspiring. We are grateful for your commitment to environmental stewardship and community service. Together, we’re cultivating a space where nature and community thrive. |
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| Dr. Wilson guest lecture enlightens students |
Dr. Jonathan W. Wilson, Upper School History teacher, recently served as a guest lecturer in LA's College Counseling course. Based on his experiences as a university professor and those of his colleagues and friends, Dr. Wilson gave juniors insight about what to expect when heading off to college. Students valued his tips for success and took full advantage of the opportunity to ask questions. Topics covered during Dr. Wilson's thoughtful and engaging presentation included relationship building with higher education faculty, course rigor, time management, and selection of fields of study. This memorable event is one example of the strong collaboration among members of our community, all of whom are dedicated to helping young people reach their potential at LA and beyond. |
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| Thespians nominated for state awards |
The WardlaLAartridge Performing Arts Department received four nominations in the Montclair State University Theatre Night Awards. Sarah Alves ’24 and Isabella Rovito ’24 earned individual nominations and both the 2023 musical and play received outstanding acting ensemble nominations. Congratulations and good luck to the LA nominees: Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Fantasy/Fable Musical – Sarah Alves ’24 as Cinderella in Into the Woods Outstanding Acting Ensemble in a Fantasy/Fable Musical – Into the Woods
Outstanding Achievement by a Stage Manager for a Play – Lost Girl – Isabella Rovito ’24 Outstanding Acting Ensemble in s Sci-Fi/Fantasy Play – Lost Girl
The event will be held at MSU's Memorial Auditorium on Monday, May 20 at 7:15 p.m. To purchase tickets to the High School Ceremony, please use the following link: msutnawards.booktix.com |
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| Upper School Athlete of the Week |
Mike Romeo, Athletic Director, announced the Upper School Athlete of the Week at Monday meeting. Congratulations to softball player Sophia Riccio ’26.
Sophia had a big week to lead the Rams. She earned two pitching victories, including a no-hitter and one-hitter on the way to her third and fourth pitching wins of the season. At the plate, Sophia smashed a home run vs. Dunellen and is hitting .500 through the first six games for the Rams. |
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| Middle School Athletes of the Week |
Mike Romeo, Athletic Director, announced the Middle School Athletes of the Week at the divisional community meeting on April 24. Congratulations to softball player Sasha Buezo ’30 and baseball player Eric Redman ’30.
Sasha has been an all-star teammate this season. Her positive attitude and commitment to the team has been inspiring. She is willing to do whatever it takes for the team and never turns down a challenge.
Immediately when the season began, Eric put his name forward and fully committed himself to learning perhaps the most physically and mentally demanding position on the field: catcher. Every practice, he has been asking to work behind the plate and improve his craft. He has put himself forward for the good of the team, without complaint, always with a smile on his face. He has taught us all what it means to be a team player. |
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| Sign up and play! - Golf Outing - May 7 |
Please join us for the second annual Jim Howard Golf Classic on Tuesday, May 7 at Colonia Country Club. Golfers will compete in a scramble format, with a shotgun start beginning at 11 a.m. A reception with hors d'oeuvres, beverages and awards will follow at 4 p.m. The $295 fee per golfer (or $1,000 per foursome) includes the reception. For more information about the event and sponsorship opportunities, visit the registration link below:
REGISTER FOR THE GOLF OUTING HERE |
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| Explore our LA Summer Programs |
Now that spring has arrived, it’s the perfect time to register for our 2024 Summer Adventures and get ready for a summer of fun!
Visit WHschool.org/summer to view all of our offerings for the summer of 2024. We have programs for students of all ages that are sure to excite and engage campers to provide an enriching and memorable experience. |
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FROM THE LA PARENTS' ASSOCIATION |
Super 50/50 Raffle and Food Truck/Vendor Event
All LA parents should have received an envelope with 40 raffle tickets for our Annual Super Raffle! Each ticket is only $5.00 and you are welcome to buy or sell as many as you would like and to whomever you choose. For each ticket sold simply keep the bottom half and return the top half with payment. You can drop them at the reception desk at school, send them in with your child, and/or mail them to school (with Attn: WHPA). Cash, checks, credit card, Zelle and Venmo are all acceptable for payment. The more tickets we sell, the larger the prize is for the winners. Winners in the past have received up to $10,000 in prizes! If you have not received your mailed tickets by next week, please contact us at parents@WHschool.org. The drawing will be held at our next event, The Spring Food Truck and Vendor Event.
The Food Truck and Vendor Event will be held on Saturday, May 18 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. There will be fabulous cuisines and sweets to choose from, lots of vendors for shopping, free entertainment for the kids including a bounce house, face painting, balloon art, a DJ for music and games and so much more. You will also have the opportunity to take part in the Annual Silent Auction for a chance to win many amazing prizes! Entry is only $5.00 and the event is open to all so make sure to invite your family and friends.
If you know someone who has a food truck and may be interested (space is extremely limited), please have them email deepaj@jdlawoffices.com. If you or someone you know would like to be a vendor, please email kiera.dukes@icloud.com. If you would like to donate an item for the silent auction or have any questions, please email us at parents@whschool.org. |
Last Call for BBQ Dinner Box - Monday, April 29
The BBQ box is the final dinner box for the 2023-2024 school year. It includes
BBQ pulled pork, BBQ tofu, mac and cheese, corn bread and coleslaw. You can choose between meat or vegetarian. The box is $40 and will feed a family of four.
The order is due by midnight on Monday, April 29 and the box must be picked up on Thursday, May 2, between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m.
If you have any questions, please contact us at parents@whschool.org or Shakti Jha at 908-405-4647.
PLACE ORDERS HERE |
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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 April 24, 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 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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