Dear Middle School Families,
The sun has been peeking out a bit this week, winter sports teams are in the home stretch of their seasons (playoff energy!), and today marks our penultimate trip to Mad River. As we wind down Trimester 2, spring is on the horizon, and Middle School is buzzing with excitement, anticipation, and learning.
Artie Taylor Court was rocking on Monday evening. Our 5th and 6th grade boys basketball blue team defeated Brice Christian to win the league championship, followed by the 6th grade girls team capping off an undefeated season by defeating Genoa Christian to secure a league championship of their own. Meanwhile, our 7th and 8th grade boys teams each advanced to the next round of the postseason last night, and the 8th grade girls face off tomorrow against Harvest Prep in the opening round of their postseason tournament. Our middle school athletes continue to shine when the lights are brightest!
This week also marked the rollout of our spring Dive offerings, and the breadth of opportunity is remarkable. This trimester, we are offering 32 Dives (a new record!) for middle school students, ranging from Advanced Choir Exploration and Food Science to Introduction to Medicine, The Human Mind, and World of Perfume (an olfactory sensation!). Students can explore data and debate in Who’s the GOAT? and Introduction to Law in the U.S., design products in Impact × Design, build and program in Robotics and Robot Construction, or stretch their creativity in Wild Art, Watercolors, Piñata DIY, and Narrative Figures. Others will dive into podcasting in Mic’d Up, public speaking in Speak Up!, psychology in The Human Mind, or even construct a virtual metropolis in City Builders. As always, the fun is real, but so is the purpose. Each Dive sharpens skills in research, collaboration, communication, analysis, and creative problem-solving. Spring Dives continue to embody our culture of challenge, inviting students to explore new territory, pursue passions, and discover strengths they may not yet know they have. And to top it all off, some of these Dives are being co-facilitated by middle school students themselves…student voice in action! I invite you to browse the full selection here. These are the types of experiences that make me so proud to be a Jag!
Students are also buzzing with excitement about our spring musical, “Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr.,” with auditions taking place in the BPAC on February 23 and 24. Like so many of our middle school offerings, the musical invites students to take creative risks, build confidence and collaborate toward something bigger than themselves. Whether stepping into the spotlight, joining the ensemble or contributing behind the scenes in stage crew and design, students have yet another opportunity to stretch themselves, discover new talents, and experience the joy of bringing a story to life on stage.
Of course, academics continue in full swing. Last week’s 8th Grade International Festival was a powerful celebration of research, public speaking, and immersive learning, as students presented global investigations that connected culture, geography, history, and the United Nations Global Goals. Across grade levels, students are thinking deeply and applying their learning meaningfully. Fifth graders are weaving together literary analysis with hands-on design thinking in their History of Innovation unit, preparing to imagine and prototype original inventions of their own. Sixth graders are exploring rates and algebraic thinking through real-world applications like heart rate data, speed, and budgeting, while also diving into the circulatory system in science through labs and case studies. In seventh grade, students are drafting and revising original creative writing pieces, modeling car-buying budgets with systems of equations, and examining the philosophical roots of the American Revolution through close study of the Declaration of Independence. Meanwhile, eighth graders are stretching into high school-level mathematics, analyzing film as literature, building working trebuchets to understand simple machines, and reflecting thoughtfully on how the empires they studied continue to shape modern societies. Across classrooms, the throughline is clear: students are practicing analysis, revision, modeling, collaboration, and communication in ways that prepare them for Upper School and beyond.
As we look ahead to spring, there are a couple of important events to keep on your radar:
- 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.
- Spring conferences will take place on Thursday, March 19, from 4 to 8 p.m., and Friday, March 20, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. As in the fall, all families will schedule a 20-minute conference with their child’s advisor, who will gather input from subject-area teachers to provide a comprehensive academic and social-emotional update. The Veracross scheduling window for advisor conferences will open on Monday, March 2, and close on Wednesday, March 11. Optional 10-minute conferences with subject-specific teachers may also be scheduled beginning Wednesday, March 11, with that window remaining open through Monday, March 16. As always, we invite you to reach out to teachers for conversation at any time!
Thank you for the partnership and support that make all of this possible. The energy we see on the court, on the stage, in our Dives, and in our classrooms is fueled by a shared commitment between school and home. Trimester 2 has been filled with growth, risk-taking, and real accomplishment, and we are excited to carry that momentum into the spring months ahead. It is a privilege to walk alongside our students and teachers. Go Jags!
With joy,
Louis