In the Middle

Welcome back to our Middle School Newsletter! This newsletter is your go-to source for staying informed and engaged with all the exciting things happening in our school community.

Inside each issue, you'll find:

• Key Updates: Important announcements and school news.
• Student Spotlights: Celebrating the achievements and creativity of our middle schoolers.
• Upcoming Events: Mark your calendars for sports, clubs, and special activities.
• Classroom Highlights: A peek into innovative projects and lessons.
• Parent Resources: Tips and tools to support student success.

Our goal is to foster communication, celebrate our vibrant school spirit, and keep everyone connected. We encourage you to share your thoughts, ideas, and any content you’d love to see in future editions.

Let’s continue to make this newsletter a reflection of the amazing energy and talent within our middle school community!

Sincerely,

GMS Publishing Community

Social & Personal Growth:
Practice active listening during conversations with friends and family.
Volunteer to lead a group project or take a leadership role in a club.
Join a new extracurricular activity, like a sport or art club, to build new skills.

How to Make Them Stick (SMART Method)

Instead of a vague goal like "do better in math," use the SMART framework to create a plan you can actually follow:

1. S - Specific: State exactly what you want to do (e.g., "Complete all math homework").
2. M - Measurable: How will you track it? (e.g., "Check it off on a calendar every day").
3. A - Achievable: Is it realistic? (e.g., "I have 30 minutes after practice to do this").
4. R - Relevant: Does it matter to you? (e.g., "I want to feel more confident for tests").
5. T - Time-Bound: When is the deadline? (e.g., "By the end of the marking period")

To celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., our class found a creative and meaningful way to honor his legacy. Each student chose their favorite and most inspirational Martin Luther King Jr. quote and wrote it on a paper heart to decorate our hallway.

As you walk past our classroom, the hallway is filled with colorful hearts displaying powerful words about kindness, equality, courage, and hope. Every quote was carefully chosen because it meant something special to the student who wrote it. Some students picked quotes about standing up for what is right, while others chose quotes about love, peace, and helping others.

This activity helped us learn more about Dr. King and why his message still matters today. While writing the quotes, we talked about how his words can inspire us to be better classmates, friends, and community members. The hearts remind us that even small actions—like being kind or standing up for someone—can make a big difference.

Decorating the hallway also allowed us to share Dr. King’s message with the rest of the school. Teachers, students, and visitors can stop, read the quotes, and reflect on the powerful ideas Dr. King shared with the world.

Our class is proud to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday in a way that spreads positivity and inspiration. The hearts in the hallway are more than decorations—they are reminders to lead with kindness, respect others, and always try to make the world a better place.

The Garfield school community will gather on January 22nd for a meaningful celebration of legacy, leadership, and impact as the high school gymnasium was officially dedicated in honor of Frank M. Dawson, a former educator, gym teacher, and coach whose influence shaped generations of students.

The newly named Frank M. Dawson Gym now stands as a tribute not only to athletic excellence, but to the values of teamwork, perseverance, and character that Mr. Dawson instilled in students throughout his years here.

This dedication ceremony on January 22nd invites faculty, students, alumni, family members, and community leaders to the gym. Many who will still remember how Mr. Dawson was a mentor who believed in them, often before they believed in themselves.

Former students often describe Mr. Dawson as someone who emphasized effort over outcome and character over statistics. Wins and losses mattered, but respect, discipline, and teamwork mattered more. Many credit him, including our editor, Dr. Bugge, with teaching life lessons that carried into careers, families, and communities long after graduation.

The decision to dedicate the gym was approved because Mr. Dawson embodied what the school strives to represent. For current students, the dedication serves as both a history lesson and an inspiration. Every class, practice, pep rally, and game held in the gym will now carry the reminder that greatness is built through commitment, kindness, and consistency.

With the dedication of the Frank M. Dawson Gym his legacy will continue to echo through the sounds of bouncing basketballs, cheering crowds, and students learning not just how to play, but how to lead.

According to a 1973 Sesame Street calendar, Rubber Duckie's Birthday is January 13th so around the country it's National Rubber Ducky Day! A friend of Ernie and Big Bird, Duckie made his debut in a February 1970 episode.

#NationalRubberDuckyDay

The rubber ducky (also spelled duckie) has come a long way from his first concept as a chew toy for children. While the origin of the first rubber ducky is uncertain, many rubber molded toys came about when rubber manufacturing developed in the late 1800s. They produced a variety of toys from dolls and various animal shapes, including the rubber duck.

This past weekend’s NFL playoffs gave fans some of the most exciting football we’ve seen all season. From last-minute touchdowns to dramatic comebacks, Wild Card Weekend didn’t disappoint — and it’s set up a thrilling Divisional Round as the road to Super Bowl LX continues.

The Wild Card round began with four nail-biters and one defensive battle:

• Rams vs. Panthers — The Los Angeles Rams edged the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in a game that came down to the final minutes. A late touchdown drive led by star QB Matthew Stafford sealed the win.

• Bears vs. Packers — The Chicago Bears pulled off a huge comeback, winning 31-27 after trailing by 15 points. This marked a massive emotional victory for the Bears and sent their fans into celebration.

• Bills vs. Jaguars — The Buffalo Bills kept the drama rolling with a 27-24 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Josh Allen scored the game-winning touchdown in the final minute, clinching the Bills’ first road playoff victory in over three decades.

• 49ers vs. Eagles — In a major upset, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 23-19. Brock Purdy connected with Christian McCaffrey for the game-deciding score late in the fourth quarter.

• Patriots vs. Chargers — The New England Patriots dominated on defense in a 16-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Rookie QB Drake Maye shown bright, helping lead New England to its first playoff victory in years.

All of these exciting games — including three that were won in the final two minutes — helped make this Wild Card Weekend one of the closest and most competitive in NFL history.

Looking ahead, the Divisional Round is now set:

• Bills vs. Broncos

• 49ers vs. Seahawks

• Rams vs. Bears

• Patriots vs. Texans

These matchups promise even more big-moment football as teams chase a chance to reach the Conference Championships and ultimately Super Bowl LX on February 8.

Stay tuned next weekend for the next chapter of playoff action — it’s going to be one you won’t want to miss!

Always and Forever: A Sweet Ending to a Beloved Love Story

If you enjoy romance novels that feel real, emotional, and easy to relate to, Always and Forever by Jenny Han is a book you should definitely read. As the final book in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series, it brings Lara Jean’s story to a meaningful and emotional close.

The novel follows Lara Jean as she navigates love, friendships, family, and important decisions about her future. As graduation approaches, she begins to question what she truly wants and how her choices might affect the people she loves most. The story blends romance and drama in a way that feels honest and realistic for teenagers.

One of the strongest parts of the book is Lara Jean herself. She is extremely relatable, thoughtful, and genuine. Her inner thoughts and reflections often feel like real-life advice, making readers feel understood. Her love for baking and her emotional nature make her character even more enjoyable and easy to connect with. Peter, her boyfriend, plays an important role in the story as well, and their relationship feels sweet and authentic. Other characters, including Chris and Gen, help show different sides of friendship and growth.

The main theme of Always and Forever is finding happiness and understanding what love truly means. The book also focuses on growing up, learning to make difficult choices, and discovering who you are outside of relationships. It reminds readers that change can be scary, but it is also a natural part of life.

Personally, I loved this book. Lara Jean’s advice and experiences felt meaningful, and her character made the story enjoyable from beginning to end. The book was emotional, relatable, and comforting to read.

Overall, Always and Forever is a great choice for readers who love young adult romance and realistic fiction. It’s a sweet and thoughtful ending that many readers will remember long after turning the last page.

Poetry is back in the spotlight! After some time away, Poetry Corner has returned as a regular feature in our school newspaper, giving students a place to share their voices, ideas, and creativity. From funny rhymes to thoughtful verses, this space is all about celebrating student writers. Get ready to read, enjoy, and maybe even submit a poem of your own.

He shouts in gold lit towers,

a voice made sharp with pride,

promising strength and greatness

while pushing mercy aside.

A man who speaks in borders,

in walls of steel and fear,

who counts the world in winners

and casts out those not “from here.”

He calls it law and order,

a clean and simple plan,

but papers tear like families

when power hardens man.

At dawn the doors are broken,

a child grips their mother’s sleeve,

numbers stamped on beating hearts,

told quietly to leave.

Deportation wears a tidy name,

but chaos walks its track

it takes a life mid-sentence

and never gives it back.

A terrible person is not one

who stumbles, learns, or bends,

but one who sees the suffering

and calls it “making ends.”

History will read the echoes,

not the slogans, not the cheers

it will measure leaders plainly

by the weight of others’ tears.

-Nayeli Lopez

They call it a process,

a line on a form,

A stamp that says removed

as if a life were a typo that could be erased.

But deportation has a heartbeat.

It has a mother who packs too quietly,

A child who learns goodbye

before learning long division,

a home that becomes a memory overnight.

They say go back to where you came from

as if roots were suitcases,

as if love spoke only one language,

as if belonging were temporary

for some and permanent for others.

Borders are drawn in ink,

but pain is written in people.

No wall can measure worth,

no law can weigh a dream

without breaking it.

To deport is to pretend

that humanity stops at a line,

that safety is a privilege,

that compassion has conditions.

But justice should not have an accent.

Home should not be fragile.

And no one should be forced to leave

the place where their life

is already growing.

-Nayeli Lopez

After school, while most classrooms go quiet, one room fills with laughter, dramatic gasps, and the unmistakable clatter of dice. That’s the sound of our school’s Dungeons & Dragons Club in action.

Dungeons & Dragons, often called D&D, is a tabletop role-playing game where players create characters and work together to tell a story.

Our club is split into different adventuring parties, each with its own campaign and goals. My team is currently deep in a dramatic political storyline—our characters are plotting to kidnap the king. Don’t worry: this is strictly in the fantasy world of the game. In reality, it means we’re negotiating with shady nobles, sneaking through castles, and arguing for 20 minutes about whether our rogue should disguise himself as a guard or a court jester.

What makes D&D Club special isn’t just the dragons or magic spells—it’s the creativity and teamwork. Players have to think on their feet, communicate clearly, and collaborate, because no one survives a campaign alone. It’s part improv theater, part strategy game, and part creative writing workshop.

The club is also very welcoming. You don’t need to be an expert or even know the rules to join. Veteran players are always happy to help new members make characters and learn the game, and every campaign is a chance to try something new.

Whether you want to be a noble knight, a chaotic wizard, or someone whose main life goal is overthrowing a fictional monarchy, Dungeons & Dragons Club has a place for you. If you’re looking for a club where imagination runs wild and every week feels like stepping into a storybook, consider rolling initiative and joining the adventure.

Do you have an opinion? A story to tell? Come and join the school newspaper with us. Have fun with your friends and report on happenings throughout the school.

Email: abugge@gboe.org
Location: GMS, 175 Lanza Ave, Garfield NJ 07026
Phone: 973-272-7020