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JagsConnect Upper School Programming – A Season of Purpose and Possibility
This fall, Wellington’s upper school students gained practical tools for life beyond graduation through JagsConnect. From career interest assessments and LinkedIn workshops to alumni panels and site visits, students built skills that support internships, networking, and early career exploration. See how Wellington prepares students for what comes next.
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Jags on the Roam: Fall 2025 Recap
This fall, Jags on the Roam followed Wellington alumni pursuing meaningful work in fields ranging from national service and public interest law to tech, entrepreneurship, and community-centered real estate. These profiles offer a glimpse of what Wellington graduates grow into — curious, confident adults who make the most of the opportunities in front of them. See how a Wellington education continues to open doors long after graduation.
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More From the Well Said Blog
Want to read more stories from Wellington? Check out these recent posts:
Find more at wellington.org/blog.
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WPA Pre-Loved and Ski Apparel Sales
Friday, January 9, 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Jag Friday (Dress Down Day)
Friday, January 9
WPA Meeting
Tuesday, January 13, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
Well Life Series Parent Webinar With Tina Payne Bryson: Elevating Discipline With the Brain in Mind
Tuesday, January 13, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Learn how to register
Upper School Preview Parent Coffee
Wednesday, January 14, 8:15-9 a.m.
Sunday Supper Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Sunday, January 18, 4-7 p.m.
Register
School Closed: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday, January 19
First Grade Preview
Tuesday, January 20, 8:15-9 a.m.
Online Re-enrollment Opens
Wednesday, January 21, noon
Parent & Caregiver Coffee With the Head of School
Thursday, January 29, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Save the Date: Athletic Boosters Piada Spaghetti Dinner & Online Auction
Friday, February 6, 4:30-8:30 p.m.
Purchase tickets and learn more
Save the Date: Learning Showcase & State of the School
Thursday, February 19, 6-8:30 p.m.
Reserve your seat
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Wellington Girls on the Run completed their 5K race on Saturday, November 22, 2025, after a wonderful season of training! Pictured L to R: Rosalie Highland ’35, Ayla Makkar ’34, Leah Bernell ’34, Lydia Joseph ’34, Cynthia Xin ’34, Upper School Academic Dean Sharla Starker P ’17 ’22, Abigail Oman ’34, and Alex Schramm. Not pictured but participated in Girls on the Run: Brooklyn Buechel ’34, Maya Farmer ’35, ECLS Learning Specialist Justine Smith P ’39, and Lower School Lead Allison Watts.
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Congratulations to Ashley Koff ’91 on the release of her new book, “Your Best Shot.” Drawing on more than 25 years of experience, she offers a thoughtful, personalized approach to weight health that emphasizes sustainable choices and real-world impact.
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Online Re-enrollment Opens January 21
Online re-enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year opens on Wednesday, January 21, at noon. Contracts will be due on Friday, January 30. More details will be sent via email from Head of School Eliza McLaren.
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Summer Program 2026 - Registration Opens Soon
The 2026 Wellington Summer Program offers eight weeks of exciting opportunities for students in prekindergarten through grade 12. Registration opens for Wellington families on Monday, January 12, and for the general public on Monday, February 9. The program catalog will be shared in the Friday weekly email on January 9, so you can start planning ahead. For more information, visit www.wellington.org/summer.
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Family Feedback Survey - Please Complete by January 31
As part of our ongoing work to support students and families, we invite you to share feedback on your child’s experience. Please complete a form for every division in which you have a child enrolled by January 31. Your perspective helps guide how we live our mission and values each day.
Early Childhood and Lower School (Little Jags - grade 4)
Middle School (grades 5 - 8)
Upper School (grades 9 - 12)
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Save the Date: Learning Showcase & State of the School - February 19
Join us on Thursday, February 19, for an evening that highlights both the learning happening across Wellington and the vision guiding our future. The night begins with a Learning Showcase from 6-6:30 p.m., where students from Little Jags through grade 12 share their work in an open-house format. At 6:45 p.m., Head of School Eliza McLaren will deliver the State of the School address, offering reflections on the year, updates on key initiatives, and a look ahead. The evening concludes with a reception from 8-8:30 p.m. Complimentary childcare for Little Jags through grade 5 will be available from 6:30-8 p.m. (registration required). Parents, caregivers, faculty, staff, and trustees are warmly invited to attend. Please reserve your seat in advance.
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2026-2027 Major Dates Now Available
The major dates calendar for the 2026-2027 school year is now available. You can access it here or through the School News & Information page in the parent portal.
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Now Accepting Sibling Applications
We are now accepting sibling applications for admission for the 2026-27 school year. Learn more and apply in the . Siblings of current Wellington students are given early consideration if the application is submitted by January 31. Please get in touch with the Admissions Team at or 614-324-1564 with questions.
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Winter Weather School Closing and Delay Protocols
Winter weather has arrived! Please check out our new landing page with school closing and delay protocols, including information about our decision-making process, communication methods, delayed start arrival times, and transportation.
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Wellington Sunday Supper - January 18
Wellington is launching a new community tradition: Wellington Sunday Supper. Our first gathering will take place Sunday, January 18, from 4-7 p.m., in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The evening will include a shared meal, time for reflection and conversation centered on “The Letter from Birmingham Jail,” and opportunities to connect with fellow families. All are welcome. RSVP is required; learn more here.
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MLK Service Day with the LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group
Join us on Monday, January 19, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., in the Thomas Family Dining Room. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service, the LGBTQIA+ Families Affinity Group invites you and your family to participate in a meaningful day of giving back. We’ll be packing sack lunches to donate to the YWCA, helping to address a critical issue in our community: hunger. Learn more and sign up here.
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Parent & Caregiver Coffee With the Head of School - January 29
Join us on Thursday, January 29, from 8:30-9:30 a.m., in the Doerschlag Den for coffee and conversation. Head of School Eliza McLaren and Assistant Head of School for Academics Shelley Brown will share school updates. We look forward to seeing you there.
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Save the Date: Athletic Boosters Piada Spaghetti Dinner & Auction - Friday, February 6
Mark your calendar for the Athletic Boosters Piada Spaghetti Dinner! Enjoy a delicious meal from Piada and stick around to cheer on our boys and girls varsity basketball teams and celebrate our senior winter athletes. Tickets are $10 per person if purchased in advance, with proceeds benefiting Wellington Athletic Boosters. For more details and to buy tickets, visit www.wellington.org/spaghetti. If you’d like to provide additional support, volunteers are needed in 90-minute shifts. Sign up now! Online auction items are coming soon!
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Parent Webinar Series With Tina Payne Bryson: Elevating Discipline with the Brain in Mind - January 13
As part of our commitment to supporting families, Wellington is providing parents and caregivers with complimentary virtual access to the 2025–26 ISACS Parent Webinar Series. The series continues Tuesday, January 13, from 7:30–8:30 p.m., with Tina Payne Bryson, author, speaker, and pediatric psychotherapist. Bryson will share research-based insights and practical strategies for approaching discipline through a brain-based lens, helping caregivers better understand behavior, strengthen relationships, and support skill-building at home. Advance registration is required for all webinars in the series. View the registration guide.
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Digital Citizenship Parent Committee - Special Speaker on February 5
We hope you can join us to hear from alumni parent Chris Vineis P ’02 ’06, founder of Unite for Safe Social Media. Join other Wellington parents interested in resources and current safety initiatives for digital citizenship within their families and the Wellington community, and exploring ways to support one another. Meet in the Doerschlag Den on Thursday, February 5, at 8:15 a.m.
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Grandparent Information Needed for Grandparents & Special Friends Celebration - May 1
Grandparents and special friends are invited to our annual celebration on Friday, May 1, 2026. We need your help to ensure invitations are sent to grandparents. Please log in to your Veracross parent portal and navigate to Family Profile Changes, Household Contacts, and Contacts for My Children to ADD grandparent email and mailing addresses (please no parent information). For existing grandparent records, you must email to share address updates. To request that grandparents DO NOT receive a printed or digital invitation in March, email eggleton@wellington.org by February 13. If your child does not have a grandparent to attend on May 1, consider sharing the registration link with a special friend (18+) once registration opens on March 27. Stay tuned. Questions? Email eggleton@wellington.org.
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WPA Pre-Loved and Ski Apparel Sales - January 9
Join the WPA on Friday, January 9, from 7:30-8:30 a.m., in C147 for our regular monthly pre-loved apparel sale and a special edition ski apparel sale. Proceed down the lower school hallway and up the steps. Then, follow the sign to turn right at the Alumni Commons. C147 is the old athletics training room. The sale will have ski apparel available for all ages, regardless of participation in the winter ski program. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to gear up for the season.
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Upcoming Featured Competitions
There is nothing like cheering on Jags together. As you’ll read below, this winter, we are spotlighting featured competitions as an easy way to gather, show school spirit, and support our student-athletes. For the latest schedules and updates, follow Wellington Athletics on Instagram .
All-Region Honorees for the Great Lakes Region
Upper School Boys Soccer:
Finn Basobas O’Carroll ’26 and Benjamin Butler '27
All-American Honorees
Upper School Boys Soccer:
Finn Basobas O’Carroll '26
Winter Sports Update:
Upper School:
Upper School Girls Basketball:
Early in December, the varsity girls accomplished a four-peat by winning the Jaguar Invitational for the fourth year in a row with a 35-25 win over Madison Christian. Jeanie DeSantis ’26 was named the tournament MVP, finishing with 30 points on Friday and adding 6 more in the championship game! The girls are having another spectacular season and remain undefeated at home! Come out this Friday, January 9, for their featured matchup against Grove City Christian at 7:30 p.m. The theme is whiteout, and Wellington families will receive pens and Bingo cards for the game!
Upper School Boys Basketball:
After a bit of a slow start, the boys basketball team has found its stride, having won three of its last four games, including wins over league rivals Berne Union and Miller. The JV and varsity teams have their featured matchup next Friday, January 16, at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. vs. Bishop Rosecrans. We will also be celebrating all our Fall Sports Award winners at halftime of the varsity game.
Upper School Swim and Dive:
The swim and dive team is ramping up as they get closer to championship time. Many student-athletes have continued to secure personal records, with seven personal records coming in the last two meets. Jack Mahaffey ’27 has started this year where he left off; he has broken the school record for both the 50 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. According to swimmeet.com, he is ranked #1 in Ohio DII for the 100 backstroke and ranked #6 for the 50 freestyle. Come support the team in their next featured competition on January 23, at 6 p.m., at the Columbus Aquatic Center, where they’ll be taking on Centennial and Whetstone.
Upper School Bowling:
The girls varsity bowling team is currently 3-1 with a 2-0 record in conference play. You can cheer on the team at their next featured competition on January 30, at 4 p.m., at Bowlero Sawmill.
Middle School:
Middle School Boys Basketball:
The 7th and 8th grade boys basketball teams are both on a tear this year! The 7th grade team is currently 7-0 while the 8th graders are 6-1.
Middle School Basketball Bash:
On Monday, January 12, we will once again host our annual Middle School Basketball Bash. The 8th grade boys and girls both will play Patriot Prep, with the boys game tipping off at 4:45 p.m. and the girls tipping off at 6 p.m.
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Please send comments and submissions to bugle@wellington.org. To be considered for the next issue, content is due by 5 p.m. on the first Monday of the month.
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