Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Our teachers are back in the building, and it is beginning to feel like Wellington! We just need the students and families back, and the school will feel alive again. The summer can be a time of relaxation and some quiet hallways, but it is also a time to recharge and get ready to welcome 330 early childhood and lower school students back to school. This includes the waxing of the floors, counting chairs and desks, and putting up new bulletin board paper. It also includes teachers completing important professional development such as research-based ways to approach early childhood handwriting, an intensive training on reading instruction using brain research, and book studies where teachers read about redesigning reading groups in elementary classes, the neuroscience of the developing brain, and how to be our best selves for all stakeholders in a book about unreasonable hospitality.
There will be many ways for you, as parents, to continue to learn. We will have parent coffees throughout the year, with some focused on building a community within your grade level(s) and others to provide time to learn from experts on how to best support your child at home. We have three coffees coming up, and please mark your calendar. We welcome anyone who can join us for even five minutes to the full 45 minutes of sharing and connecting.
Early Childhood Parent Coffee
Parents of Little Jags, prekindergarten students, and kindergartners are invited to join the assistant head of ECLS, Nicole Franks, the early childhood specialist, Ellen Rhomberg, and me to talk about all things early childhood. We will give some tips and tricks for a successful year, as well as help make connections with other parents. We hope you will join us on August 21, at 8:15 a.m., in the Doerschlag Den.
Fourth Grade Parent Coffee: Big Year, Big Growth: Parenting and Partnering Through Fourth Grade
We are strongly encouraging all fourth graders to have a parent attend a parent coffee on August 26, at 8:15 a.m., in the Doerschlag Den. We will be joined by Libby Steele and Matt Dunatchik from Gestalt Columbus, who will partner with us as we help our fourth graders step into their roles as leaders of the Lower School. I look forward to creating time and space for our community of parents and educators to work together in supporting these future leaders.
Lower School Parent Coffee
Parents of first through fourth graders are invited to join the assistant head of ECLS, Nicole Franks, and me to talk about all things lower school. We will give some tips and tricks for a successful year, as well as help make connections with other parents. We hope you will join us on September 3, at 8:15 a.m., in the Doerschlag Den.
We open the year with 52 teachers supporting our students in seven grade levels. We are proud of how we use our instructional minutes where students participate in special area classes such as WIRED, science, and art, enjoy playtime with grade-level peers during brain breaks, and then focus on core foundational skills in small groups of six to eight. Every child is truly known as a learner, and they are supported, challenged, and given what they need to grow.
We are excited to welcome new educators to our LEAP (for new community members, a group of Jaguars is called a leap)! After a strong pool of applicants and a thoughtful interview process, we’re thrilled to introduce our new (to us!) Early Childhood and Lower School teachers.
Kristin Barnett: Lead Fourth Grade Teacher
Kristin joins Wellington from an independent school in Georgia, bringing 16 years of experience teaching first through fifth grade. She holds a B.S. in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Education. Kristin has taught in Kentucky, Texas, Georgia, and now Ohio, and is passionate about the impact of independent schools.
Max McGrath: Lead Second Grade Teacher
While not new to Wellington, Max will step into the lead teacher role in second grade this year. For the past four years, he has served as a learning guide in second grade, leading reading and math groups and co-teaching across all subject areas. Max has engaged in extensive professional development, including Singapore Math, the Science of Reading, Project-Based Learning, and writing conferences. He holds a degree in Early Childhood and Early Adolescent Education and completed a robust teaching internship as one of just 50 elementary education majors selected in his undergraduate program.
Mindy McCabe: Prekindergarten Learning Guide
Mindy joins Wellington as a prekindergarten learning guide with Cat Hiller. She brings many years of preschool experience, most recently leading a four-year-old classroom at a local preschool. Her excitement for early childhood education will be a wonderful addition to our youngest learners’ experience.
Gayla Roush: First Grade Learning Guide
Gayla joins first grade as a learning guide, bringing years of teaching experience and a love for working with young children. After relocating from Kansas City, she is eager to return to the classroom to support students in small group reading and math instruction, as well as in daily learning activities.
Katie Nowack: Second Grade Learning Guide
Katie returns to Wellington as a second grade learning guide. She previously taught at Wellington in 2021 and most recently worked in the museum field in Columbus, where her expertise will enhance our social studies program. We are excited to welcome her back to the team!
Nicole Franks: Assistant Head of Early Childhood and Lower School
Nicole officially joins Wellington after 20+ years in education and most recently serving as an early childhood division leader and lower school support at an independent school outside Cleveland. She is thrilled to have teachers back in the building and is even more excited to meet all of the students!
Upcoming Events:
August 18: Intake Conferences are a time for parents and caregivers to meet with their child’s homeroom teacher to share important information about the child before the school year even begins.
August 18: Back to Wellington will begin at 4 p.m. for new families, with an assembly for new families at 4:15 p.m. in the Gard Gym. Classroom doors will open to all families beginning at 4:30 p.m. This is a great time to also visit the Sokol Store and the Pre-Loved Apparel Sale.
August 20: First Day of School
August 21: LJ, PK, K Parent Coffee
August 26: Fourth Grade Parent Coffee
September 3: Lower School Parent Coffee (grades 1 – 4)
September 11: ECLS Parent Night at 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. (childcare will be provided for a small fee)
If you need additional information related to the back to school, please refer to our Back to School page. You can find information about dress code, safety and security, drop-off and pick-up routines, and important Wellington Parent Association information.
We will see you soon!
Best,
Shelley Brown
Assistant Head of School for Academics
Head of Early Childhood and Lower School