Dear Middle School Families,
Wellington Winter is in full swing, and with it comes an extraordinary array of opportunities for students to shine – as writers, mathematicians, scientists, linguists, athletes, artists, thespians, researchers, speakers, community members, and leaders...among so much more!
Inside the classroom, our teachers continue to push students to think critically, create, collaborate, and embrace academic challenge. Across grade levels, students are diving deep into interdisciplinary learning experiences that connect content, skills, and competencies in meaningful ways. What a joy it was to see so many of you at the 8th Grade International Festival, a celebration of authentic, student-centered learning that embodies Wellington’s core values. I left with a full heart and a full stomach! Tomorrow’s 7th grade volcano presentations are another capstone academic experience that brings our entire school community together around immersive learning; I’m excited to serve on a few panels throughout the day to get an in-depth look at students’ hard work!
In 6th grade, students have spent the past week presenting their research on Francophone regions to their peers in French class while also studying the principles of Leonardo da Vinci in art. In social studies, they collaborated on research projects that resulted in some truly impressive pyramid renderings, while in science, they applied key scientific principles to hands-on design challenges before moving on to their study of the circulatory system. Finally, I got a dose of nostalgia observing a 6th grade math class learn about percentages through their “A Day at the Mall” project – a fun and practical way to bring math to life!
5th graders are honing their writing skills across the curriculum, transforming their severe weather research into fiction or nonfiction picture books to be shared with 1st graders. They also recently completed an essay in social studies reflecting on their landforms and water forms projects. This kind of metacognitive work – thinking about their own thinking – helps build self-awareness and problem-solving skills, empowering our youngest middle schoolers as they gain independence. In 7th and 8th grade, writing remains a central focus: 7th graders recently engaged in self-reflection on their creative writing pieces, while 8th graders worked through the peer revision process on their argumentative essays, strengthening both their reasoning and their communication.
Outside the classroom, curiosity, ambition, and responsibility are on full display. We’ve got some high-stakes hoops on our hands, as middle school basketball teams are in the home stretch of the season, competing in playoff action! The Middle School Spelling Bee went 25 rounds this year, while an intrepid group of 6th grade mathletes revitalized the Wellington MATHCOUNTS squad last weekend at the regional competition – traditions old and new (and another dose of nostalgia for me: I competed in the state of Maine Middle School MATHCOUNTS Competitions in 2002 and 2003)! The middle school has been buzzing with excitement since last Friday’s announcement of “Into the Woods Jr.” as the spring musical; our collab labs have been repurposed into impromptu rehearsal spaces during morning brain break. Our 8th grade House Leaders met this week with our newly formed WPA Middle School House Parent Committee to brainstorm how we can partner to support our house program – more evidence of how Wellington honors and elevates student voice. And to top it all off, yesterday featured the rollout of the spring dive offerings, with 24 different electives that explore history, technology, podcasting, culture, service, writing, world building, visual arts, entrepreneurship, and more!
As we look ahead to spring, there are a couple of important events to keep on your radar:
- State of the School & All Things Wellington on Thursday, February 20, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in the BPAC. This is a great chance to hear about our strategic vision and signature programming. Click here to RSVP.
- Advisor Conferences on Thursday, March 13, from 4 to 8 p.m., and Friday, March 14, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Veracross portal to sign up will be open from February 24 to March 10.
From the classroom to the stage to the court and beyond, there are so many pathways to success for our students. I remain grateful for this wonderful community, and as always, I appreciate your partnership as we empower young people to be their best selves!
With joy and gratitude,
Louis