JANUARY 2016

Principal’s Message

Mission StatementWellington Landings Community Middle School is committed to empowering all students with the knowledge and skills necessary to reach their full academic potential and to become productive citizens and lifelong learners.

WELLINGTON LANDINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL

A publication for the parents, students, and community of Wellington Landings Middle School

1100 Aero Club Drive • Wellington, FL 33414 • Ph: 561-792-8100 • Fx: 561-792-8106

VOLUME 16 ISSUE 1

Success is the sum of small efforts,

repeated day in and day out.

Robert Collier

Dear WLMS Families, The spirit of the holiday season is all around us, and it is a wonderful time to remember our blessings! We are very thankful for the countless hours our volunteers give us, for our PTO, and for the support we receive every day from our parents. I believe the faces of our children best express the true meaning of the holiday season, as their expressions radiate a sense of hope and joy for life and for the opportunities that await them. To the students, parents, teachers, staff, and friends of Wellington Landings Community Middle School, I wish you all a joyful holiday season and a happy new year!

Sincerely,

Blake BennettPrincipal

Coming Soon! Our annual Walkathon is January 29th. We look forward to a very healthy and successful fundraiser! If you can support the fundraiser by donating a prize for the event, please contact the PTO at landingspto@yahoo.com.

Choice Programs Deadline Wellington Landings Middle School held its annual “Choice Fair” on November 24th. The eighth grade class received information about the different choice programs that local high schools offer. The following high schools attended the fair: John I. Leonard, South Tech, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, and Seminole Ridge. Students have until Friday, January 29, 2016 to apply for a choice program, except for A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts whose deadline was prior to the newsletter mailing date.

Happy Holidays from the Wellington Landings Middle School Family

“Landings Advisor”January 2016

Published Four Times Per YearThe School District of Palm Beach County

3300 Forest Hill Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL 33406

Issue #4

WLMS Students Make a Difference

Thank you to all students and staff who made the holidays a little brighter for families in need by bringing in food for the Food for Families drive. Twelve hundred food items were collected! Mrs. Schmidt’s classes were the contest winners, with 370 cans! Special thanks to the Social Studies teachers and the National Junior Honor Society members who helped to make the Food for Families drive a success! NJHS sponsored the Food for Families drive. More than 1200 food items were donated by WLMS students and staff.

National Junior Honor Society members help with Food for Families Drive

From the PTO President: The “You’ve Been Treated” fundraiser was very successful. Thank you to all who ordered the treats. We sold 500 cups filled with candy and made $800! Thanks to all who helped! On October 14th the PTO hosted “Coffee with the Principal” for parents and interested community members. This casual meeting provides a forum for open dialogue about current events on campus. Please check the calendar and join us for the next “Coffee with the Principal.” Our “Giving Tree” has sprouted more leaves!! The “Giving Tree” is made of leaves on which are written teacher wishes. You can make a wish come true! If you can provide a wish, please take a leaf (or leaves) and return the item with the leaf attached to Student Services. Stop by Student Services to see what is on the tree. After all, it is FALL and the branches should be bare!! Thanks to Christine Ciccone, Box Tops Coordinator, for her leadership with the Box Tops program. Box tops help to bring in much needed funds to our school. Thank you to all who have shared their time, energy, and talents this school year. Our PTO continues to be successful because of your efforts.

Veronica ZavaletaPTO President

A Lesson Students Will Never Forget! Wellington Landings eighth graders felt fortunate to wrap up their Anne Frank unit with Holocaust survivor, Zelda Fuksman, sharing her survival story. Zelda and her family survived by traveling from Poland to Siberia to avoid the Nazi rule. Her entire family eventually made it to the United States in 1949. Mrs. Fuksman shared the struggles and fears that she experienced as a child. She also shared her insights into diversity and bullying that she gained as a result of her life story. Many 8th graders walked away feeling emotional but also determined to not just be a bystander to any bullying situation.

Holocaust survivor Zelda Fuksman shared her survival story with WLMS eighth graders. Pictured to the right are Nick Ndreca, Mrs. Fuksman, and Mrs.

Hackenberg, who worked with FAU to arrange our speaker.

Clip and CollectPlease send in your Box Tops!!!

Box Tops are BACK at Wellington Landings! The Box Tops program is an easy way to earn money for our school, and you can help us reach our goal! We will have monthly contests throughout the year. The student who brings in the most Box Tops each month will win a SELFIE STICK! The student who brings in the most Box Tops for the year will win a FREE YEARBOOK! Simply bring the Box Tops to Student Services in an envelope or baggie with your student’s name on it...and please keep clipping and collecting all year long! Thank you!6th grader Shawn O’Sullivan

is a Box Tops Contest winner!

Thanksgiving Feast!

WLMS Principal Bennett and Wellington High School Principal Crocetti receive checks from the Village of Wellington Education Committee. The $25,000 from the Keely Spinelli Grant will help to fund materials and equipment to supplement the curriculum in reading and math.WLMS teachers and staff enjoy a

Thanksgiving feast!

PTO volunteers give us even more to be thankful for!

Calendar12/18 .................End of 2nd nine weeks12/19 –1/4 .......Winter holiday for students1/4 ......................Teacher work day; no school for students1/5 ......................Begin 3rd nine weeks1/6 ......................PTO meeting – 9:30 AM, Room 2071/9 ......................National Junior Honor Society trip to Busch

Gardens1/11 ...................SAC Meeting – 6:00 PM, Media Center1/15 ...................Reading Plus No-Collar Day for on-track

students1/18 ...................Holiday - no school1/19 ...................PSAT Exam for 8th grade students only1/20 ...................Report cards sent home1/23 ...................6th grade trip to EPCOT Center1/29 ...................Walkathon1/29 ...................Deadline for Choice Academy applications1/29 ...................Reading Plus No-Collar Day and Courtyard

Event for on-track students2/3 ......................PTO Meeting – 9:30 AM, Room 2072/4 ......................Early Dismissal, 1:00 PM, PBS Day2/5 ......................Reading Plus No-Collar Day for on-track

students2/8 ......................SAC Meeting – 6:00 PM, Media Center2/12 ...................Progress Reports2/15 ...................No school for students2/19 ...................Reading Plus No-Collar Day for on-track

students2/23 ...................Early Dismissal, 1:00 PM3/2 ......................PTO Meeting – 9:30 AM, Room 2073/5 ......................Music Department Pancake Breakfast 9

AM – Noon3/7 ......................SAC Meeting – 6:00 PM, Media Center3/10 ...................Spring Picture Day3/11 ..................Reading Plus No-Collar Day and Courtyard

Event for on-track students

Students in Mrs. Nahom’s class created diorama book report projects.

Students show their spirit on Twin Day

Mrs. Weissert’s students work on a lab.

Mrs. Stern’s class celebrates success with Reading Plus!

Ms. Kline’s students run for class office.

Teachers get in the act as well!

STUDENTS (AND TEACHERS) WITH SPIRIT!

Band

Wellington Landings 8th grade band members play with the Mighty Wolverine Sound during the Wellington High School’s home football game against St. Lucie on Sept. 25th.

Future Van Gogh’s and Da Vinci’s

Landings art students created Artist Portrait T-shirts inspired by the artists: Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Vincent Van Gogh, and Leonardo Da Vinci. Great job, artists! 

Young Philanthropist Makes WLMS Proud!

WLMS student Noah Norwitch makes a presentation to Wellington Village Council. Noah has raised thousands of dollars for various charities. This year, Noah raised funds to help kids who do not have money to play organized sports. Noah asks friends and family to make contributions rather than giving him birthday gifts.

Team Sasha!

Mrs. Fabrizi, Mrs. Ryerson, Mrs. Carey, and Mrs. Epstein support Team Sasha in the 21st National Down Syndome Society Buddy Walk at Dreher Park.

Hitting All the Right Notes

The WLMS Beginning Chorus performs at Wellington High School under the direction of Ms. Alayna Morton.

The WLMS Advanced Chorus performs at Wellington High School under the direction of Ms. Alayna Morton.

Drama Class Performs Poetry Show

Poetry burst into life this October when Mr. Mulally’s drama class performed dramatic presentations of classic poems for various WLMS classes. Starting with “A Fly, A Flea in a Flue” and continuing through “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, and “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” by Maya Angelou, groups of two to six students took the stage with stunning skill and enthusiasm. The show climaxed with a Shel Silverstein tribute including “Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too” and “Jimmy Jet and his TV Set.” During the grand finale, all thirty students gathered on stage for a humorous and touching rendition of Silverstein’s “Clooney the Clown.”

WLMS Debaters Participate in Tournament

WLMS students are ready to have their say at a debate tournament hosted by WLMS in November. Mr. Cartagena coordinated the tournament.

Academic Games News

Equations

The Academic Games Equations teams finished the math competition with amazing success!!! The seventh and eighth grade team placed second out of twenty schools.

Lance Nelson, pictured above with Mrs. Walsh, placed in tenth place in the Sixth Grade Equations competition. The sixth grade team placed second out of seventeen schools. Congratulations!

Language Arts The exciting Language Arts Academic Games Season ended on Tuesday, November 17th. Wellington Landings players came out on top. The Elementary Division team took first place in Palm Beach County and the Middle Division placed second in the county. Individually in the Elementary Division, Gavin Grave de Peralta placed second. Asher Smith placed fourth, Noah Norwitch placed tenth, and Lance Nelson placed twelfth. In the Middle School Division, Nicholas Kapsos won first place in Palm Beach County. Matthew McGann placed eighth and Elijah Villafane placed tenth. Fritzgerald Duvigneaud and Tasawar Hannan tied for fifteenth place. The players ranked in the top five will compete in the national tournament in Atlanta, Georgia in April. The players in the top fifteen will compete in the state tournament in March. Congratulations to all the players on an amazing season.

Middle Division Language Arts Academic Games Team: (Left to Right) Grady McBrayer, Elijah Villafane, Noah Villafane, Nicholas Kapsos, Fritzgerald Duvigneaud, Tasawar Hannan, Alessandra Grace, and Matthew McGann.

Elementary Division Language Arts Academic Games Team: (Left to Right) Front Row: Holden Kapsos, Asher Smith, and Noah Norwitch. Back Row: Gavin Grave de Peralta, Tagin Krauel, Lance Nelson, Matthew Grace, and Mrs. Walsh.

Character Counts! Character Counts is an approach to altering the school climate and strengthening the character of American young people by focusing on the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, caring, fairness, and citizenship. The Palm Beach County School Board has partnered with the Sun Sentinel to recognize and support students who demonstrate exemplary character. Each month classroom teachers and other school staff select students who best exemplify good character. The students’ names are read during morning announcements, and they receive recognition certificates and treats. Trustworthiness was the character trait for the month of October and respect was the character trait for November.

Just a few of many WLMS students rewarded for demonstrating exemplary character.

The Ballots Are In!

National Junior Honor Society officers: Nicholas Ndreca, Reagan Dowling, Martino Trotta, Fritzgerald Duvigneaud, and Daniela Walters

Look what’s happening in After School...If you are interested in any of our after school programs, please call

Mary Baldwin at 792-8105 or check Edline.

Parade Pics! WLMS Participates in Wellington High School’s Homecoming Parade

Mr. Fill, Mr. Torregrosa, and WLMS students show Gator Pride!

Mr. McMasters marches in the parade as the WLMS Gator mascot.

Mrs. Gerboc rides in style with her husband and daughter.

WLMS Student Government members march in parade. WLMS Cheerleaders are all smiles!

Safety First!

The Safe School Ambassadors group participated in an all-day training on October 30, 2015. The Safe School Ambassadors program is an “inside-out” approach to improving school climate, one that relies on social norms and the power of students to help stop bullying and violence. Safe School Ambassadors are selected based on specific criteria including strong position and influence in their peer group, good communication skills, and a history of standing up for friends.

Mrs. Epstein and District staff train WLMS Safe School Ambassadors.

JTI Members Take a Test

Jewish Teen Initiative (JTI) club had a great meeting on November 5th with a “Blind Taste Test”. Students were blindfolded and then asked to distinguish between traditional “American” snacks and their Israeli counterparts. Facilitator Matthew Vogel brought an interesting variety of food to “nosh” on.

Measure Twice! SECME club members attended a workshop on building mousetrap cars where they learned how important it is to measure twice before cutting anything. The workshop was held on a Saturday morning at Pine Jog Elementary School. The knowledge gained there will be used to make our own mousetrap cars which will be used at the SECME Olympiad in April. The SECME Club is proud to announce that Ruth Shelby, a 7th grade member of SECME, was chosen to participate in the 2015 Girls Leadership Institute STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Academy on Saturday, November 14 at Scripps Research Center in Jupiter. Two hundred girls applied, and only half were accepted! Congratulations, Ruth!

SECME Club members learn about building mousetrap cars.

Gator Guides Show the Way

Gator Guides have fun while guiding those visiting WLMS. Mrs. Shields coordinates the Gator Guides.

MajorettesWLMS Majorettes are Julia Amazzo, Jessica De Maria, Eve Essery, Alyssa Falta, Kayli Figueroa, Danette Fisher, Rose Gibbs, Margaret Hunt, Jamie Inguanta, Brianna Keller, Kayden Muller, Gisele Poitras, Avery Redlich, Taylor Shackelford, Sierra Pagan, Morgan Sparler, Camryn Strode, Meghan Vigoa, Adrienne Walsh, and Ashley Wood.

Taking Time to Be Kind!

Kindness Ambassadors appreciate our staff.

Spooktacular! Over 300 students attended the Halloween Dance on October 30th. The costumes were awesome, the DJ was fantastic, and the students had a great time. The dance was a fundraiser for the Reading and ESE departments. Thank you to all of the parent volunteers and teachers who helped make this event such a success!

Students had a “spooktacular” time at the Halloween Dance!

WLMS Cheer Team

The WLMS Cheer Team includes: Karsyn Baughman, Brianna Bolton, Najjlah Brown, Ariel Burks, Ashlyn Carter, Caitlin Cole, Kayla Cooper, Hunter Denton, Taylor Denton, Reagan Dowling, Kelsey Dunnam, Gabby Escudero, Peyton Geisler, Anna Glass, Mackenzie Hannan, Ashley Illsley, Kaylee King, Kellie Kleino, Kailey Madden, Jayna Manohalal, Julie Mineo, Sophia Osborne, Kayla Ramkumar, Autumn Samson, Erin Smith, Victoria Tollinger, Emily Trinchet, Jade Wong, Livie Woolwine, Tori Kate Woolwine, and Tessa Yeackley.

Dance Team

Dance Team members are Alexa Alvarez, Aleena Anderson, Alexis Anderson, Angelina Bleggi, Logan Castellanos, Corinne Dolan, Skyler Falci, Abby Judah, Kristin Lederer, Victoria Lederer, Victoria Lopez, Brianna Mathias, Melissa Rodriguez, Sofia Rodriguez, and Julia Shahak.

Flag Football is a Big Hit! The flag football program is one of the most popular after school activities that Wellington Landings offers. With six teams battling for top seeds, the final games and playoffs this year will definitely bring excitement and competition as the season comes to a close. Three teams have four wins and are competing for seeds one and two so they will be granted a “bye” first round. Every team has a chance at being a “Cinderella Story” with a playoff sweep for the championship. Playoffs take place during the first week of December with one extended game played each day (weather permitting). The championship game is in mid-December. Spectators, cheerleaders, and a trophy ceremony bring a “professional-esque” feeling to the big day. Let the games begin at Wellington Landings! The flag football teams: Stealers, Redskins, Florida State University, Packers, Giants, and Louisiana State University.

Wellington Landings Middle School Non-Profit OrganizationUS Postage PAID

Orlando, FLPermit# 2346

1100 Aero Club DriveWellington, FL 33414

To: Addressee or Current Occupant

Baseball The Wellington Landings Baseball Team recently held an awards banquet. The evening provided the players and coaches another chance to reflect on the season and share some stories. All of the players were recognized for their contributions throughout the season, and four players were recognized for their superior performance. Mason Manriquez was recognized as the team’s MVP in recognition of his leadership and team-building skills. Chris Duprey was recognized as the offensive player of the year. Jake Penta was recognized as the team’s defensive player of the year, and Dylan Rust was recognized as the Gator Award winner.

The WLMS Baseball Team enjoys a post-season banquet with Mr. Henry and Mr. Cartagena.

Soccer The Boys’ Soccer Team is off to a great start this season! Their current record is 3-1 with wins over Crestwood, Western Pines, and Lake Shore. The team is captained by eighth-graders Dustin Nicholson and Morgan Suarez who led the team in goals scored and assists, respectively. Tyler Miller has also added much to the team with his offensive role. Midfielder Alex Brown has proven to be a solid midfielder, backed up by the defensive presence of Caleb Walker and Kyle Diogo. When asked what his favorite part of being on the team was, sixth-grader Santiago Camargo said, “What I like about soccer is that it gives me motivation to get through the school day and keep my grades up.”

Gators Up at Bat! The Wellington Landings Softball Team had an outstanding season! The girls earned an overall record of 8-3. The girls’ hard work clinched them a spot in the playoffs, but unfortunately, they were unable to defeat Independence Middle School in the first round. Most importantly, the girls had lots of fun this season! From their bagel breakfasts to their pizza dinner, the softball team had no shortage of laughter! The team even made an appearance at the homecoming parade and awed the crowd with their enthusiasm! Eighth graders Morgan McNeill, Hannah Dube, Izzy Marshall, Katlyn Martinez, Alison Rodriguez, Ashley Wood, Alexis Mobilia, and Jordyn Maybrown will be missed next season, and we wish them the best of luck in high school! Seventh graders Paige Rodriguez, Rylee Hagan, and Jolie Skivington along with several sixth graders will return next season and continue to lead the way! We are already looking forward to next season! Go Gators!

Girls’ Softball Team had a great season!

Bump, Set, Spike! “Volleyball is exciting!” Sixth-grader Amber Swift can barely contain herself when talking about being a part of the team! “Even practice is fun!” The WLMS Lady Gators have definitely impressed many with their start of the 2015 season! Their current record is 2-2. Captains Rose Gibbs and Erin Williams have led the team both on and off the court. Logan Castellanos, Skyla Anderson, and Grace Fowler have been a huge presence and helped the team tremendously!