Worthingway Weekly

Middle school is the perfect time for students to fail. At Worthingway, we hope that we provide students with the opportunity to fail throughout their time here. You may have gasped at that last sentence. Let me explain.

We view failures (or mistakes) as opportunities to learn and grow and get better. The stakes are low in middle school. We want our students to make as many small mistakes as they can now so when the stakes are bigger, they will be more prepared. We want our students to forget their homework, misplace their binder, or even say/do something that they regret (to a degree).

As a former coach, my team learned more and grew more from our losses than our wins. In order to grow and get better, we took the perspective that we can learn from losses and use them to propel us to improve. At Worthingway, we take the same approach with students when they fall short or don't succeed to the level at which they wanted. We spend time coaching and supporting the students by reflecting on what happened, who was affected/impacted, and how we can do different next time.

I shared this with our families last year, but one of my favorite books is The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey. Here is a chapter that is particularly about parenting a middle school child.

Now, it's really tough on a parent when their child makes a mistake, fails, or has trouble adjusting. We get that - we have been there as parents as well. We take the long game approach by using times when we fall short to help us get grow and get better. We are honored to join you on the difficult but beautiful work of raising our Worthington students who will change the world.

6th Grade Camp Information

• If you were not able to join us on Monday for the camp meeting, here are the slides.
• Click here for the camp link
• Click here for the packet that was distributed at the meeting
• Click here for the packing video
• Questions about camp should be directed to your students' assist (period 7) teacher.

After School Events

• Students are not allowed to remain in our building after school if they are staying to watch a sports event. We do not have supervision for the students. Students should go home and come back if they would like to watch a game.

Title I Information

• Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESEA), provides financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards. Our school receives Title IA funding.
• Parents/families of students in our building have a right to know about teacher qualifications and state-mandated assessments. All teachers providing Title I interventions are properly licensed for their positions and anyone can search licensure information on any educator at https://core.ode.state.oh.us/Core4/ODE.CORE.Lic.Profile.Public.UI/ . In addition to being linked here, these documents are available on the Title IA page of our school website.

What year did you start teaching?

• 2022

What do you teach?

• Choir, grades 6-8

What is your favorite part about Worthingway?

• My students are my favorite part about Worthingway. Every day is something new—whether it’s a fun rehearsal, a spontaneous jam session in the hallway, or just seeing the way they light up when they learn something new. It’s really rewarding to be a part of their growth, both as musicians and as people.

What is your favorite part about teaching?

• My favorite part about teaching is seeing students grow and develop their voices, both musically and personally. It's so rewarding when a student who may have been nervous at first starts to feel more confident and proud of their progress. I love creating an environment where students can express themselves through music and discover their love for singing. Plus, watching them perform and seeing how excited they get when they create something beautiful together is an incredible feeling!

What is your favorite food?

• cajun chicken and shrimp alfredo

What is your dream vacation?

• somewhere with the sun, sand, and lots of money to spend

What is your favorite type of music to listen to?

• I like listening to all types of music. My most listened genres are R&B, pop, alternative, and gospel music.

What is your favorite corny joke?

• Why did the scarecrow become a choir teacher? Because he was outstanding in his field

Bus Riders After School

• We held bus drivers a little big longer from leaving this week as students are just learning the process and their bus number. Starting on Monday, the buses will roll out at 4:00. Students need to be sure that they are looking for their bus number and going to their bus instead of socializing with friends or not paying attention. If a student misses the bus, they will be instructed to go to the front office and call home for someone to come and pick them up.
• Not all of our buses arrive at the same time. So bus riders should look for their bus when they come out to the bus loop and if they do not see it, they should continue to watch for their bus to arrive. We do not announce arrival of buses - students need to be responsible to be looking for their bus.

Recognize a Staff Member with a Cardinal Compliment

• Has a teacher, counselor, or staff member made a positive impact on your child? We want to hear about it! Take a moment to fill out our form to recognize a Worthingway staff member who has gone above and beyond. Your kind words mean a lot and help us celebrate the amazing work happening every day in our school community.

Bell Schedule

• Click here for our bell schedule

Schoology

• Schoology is our LMS (Learning Management System). Basically that means it is the "website" that our teachers use to house and communicate learning goals, assignments, and even some assessments.
• Parent Guide: Schoology
• What is Schoology?

Infinite Campus

• Infinite Campus is where you can access your students' grades, attendance, etc.
• Parent Guide: Infinite Campus

Securly Home

• You can download the Securly app to keep your student safe while using their school issued chromebook at home. Click here to learn more.

Best Resource!!!

• Click here for a comprehensive document that will help you with Schoology and Infinite Campus and Securly Home.

School Lunch

• Parent Guide: My Payments Plus
• Put money in the school lunch account through MyPayments Plus.
• School district lunch information can be found here.
• Apply for Free/Reduced if you think you might be eligible.

Drama Club is Starting Again!

What we do: Learn about theatre, play acting games, and discuss our favorite shows! (Please note, we are currently not planning on a large-scale performance this school year. A smaller performance may be planned depending on student interest and commitment).
When: 4-5pm every other Tuesday starting Tuesday, September 17th

Learn More and Sign Up Your Student: https://forms.gle/pk6VD3zPAHXsYd78A

Worthington is going to study Theatre in England in Summer 2026, and your student is invited! My name is Mackenzie Wendt, and I am the Drama Club Advisor at Worthingway Middle School. I have a background in theatre, lived briefly in London, and want to take Worthington students to my favorite city in the world: London!

I'm hosting an info session about this awesome opportunity on Wednesday, September 17th, from 7:30pm-8:30pm via GoogleMeet. Please register to attend if you are interested! Even if you can't make it, you should still register so I can send you the information: https://bit.ly/4or9K5Q. If you have already attended a previous session, I will be presenting most of the same info, but you are still welcome to attend!

Worthington Schools is thrilled to share that we’re heading to Paris, Barcelona, & Madrid for 10 days in June 2026, and we’d love for your student to join us!

This is an incredible opportunity for students (and parents!) to experience different cultures and gain lifelong skills like empathy, independence and confidence. Come to our information meeting on September 9th to get all the details, including what we’ll see and do, hands-on learning activities, trip costs, and how to secure a spot on tour.

Meeting details:

Date: September 9

Time: 7:00 PM

Location: KMS Auditorium

RSVP here to join us: https://bit.ly/4lW4O7r

Email Mr O'Neill with any questions: boneill@wscloud.org

Educational Travel Opportunity to Italy!!

We are thrilled to invite you to attend a parent info session where we will dive into one of Worthington’s most exciting student travel opportunities – Mrs. Perkins’ Experience Italy Tour.

️ Parent Meeting Date: Sept 25th Time: 6:00 PM Location: Via Zoom

Register Now: To confirm your attendance, please register using the link below: https://bit.ly/4mxn3jc

Don’t miss this chance to ignite your child’s curiosity and passion for exploration. We look forward to seeing you there!

8th grade Trip to Washington DC

All 8th graders in Worthington schools are invited to participate in a trip to Washington DC. This is not a school sponsored event - it is through World Strides. Please click here for more information

Did you know that your everyday grocery shopping at Kroger can directly benefit the students, teachers, and programs at Worthingway Middle School - At no cost to you?

We’re doing a big push this fall for Kroger Community Rewards, and we need your help!

What are Kroger Community Rewards?

It’s a free and easy way to support our school. When you link your Kroger Plus Card to Worthingway PTA, Kroger donates a portion of your purchases to our PTA - Every time you shop.

This funding helps us support:

• Classroom materials & teacher grants

• Canteen events for students

• Staff appreciation meals

• Honor Nights and more!

How to Sign Up (Takes Less Than 2 Minutes!)

1. Go to bit.ly/WwayKroger

2. Sign in to your Kroger account

3. Click on Community Rewards

4. Search for our organization:
   Worthingway Middle School PTA or RF924

5. Click Enroll – and you’re done!

(You can even ask grandparents, friends, and neighbors to sign up too!)

Already Signed Up?

Amazing! Double-check that your rewards are still active—Kroger requires renewal every so often.

Looking for more ways to help?

Donate Online: https://bit.ly/WwayDonation
Join the PTA for $7: https://bit.ly/WwaySchool

Every dollar goes right back into supporting our school community - And every little bit counts!

Stay Connected:
Follow us on Facebook: Worthingway PTA
Visit: https://worthingwaypta.my.canva.site

Thank you for helping us make this school year AMAZING!

Worthingway PTA
WorthingwayPTA@gmail.com

• All student-athletes must be registered in Final Forms in order to receive athletic communications and participate in any athletic tryouts, open gyms/fields, and practices.
• Worthington students in grades 6-12 who provide their student ID will be admitted free into any home Worthington athletic contest.
• You may use this link to purchase tickets for athletic events through Hometown Ticketing.
• Check out our athletic website for more information
• Team schedules can be found here

Thomas Worthington High School is excited to have our students attend events free of charge again this year! Students will not be admitted to the athletic event without a school ID.

Please read this letter regarding events at TWHS.

Here are the Game Expectations for Thomas Worthington High School Events:

• Worthington Students in grades 6 - 12 will be admitted FREE to regular season events with a school ID (you should either take a photo of your ID or download it to your phone)

• Footballs, soccer balls, etc. are not permitted to be brought into the game

• Students will be expected to sit in the stands during the game. No gathering in other areas of the stadium. Please sit in the student section

• No face paint or full face masks permitted to be worn

• No food or drink is permitted to be brought into the stadium

• Do not bring bags into the stadium of any type

• Re-entry is not permitted without purchasing ticket

• Cheer for our team. Cheers directed towards our opponent, their fans, officials, etc. are not acceptable

• Please clean up your area at the student tailgate. Nobody likes a mess or paint on their cars! Let an administrator know if you need more trash cans/bags

• A reminder that games are all ‘school events’ and all rules regarding appropriate behavior apply even though it is after school hours

Students that are dropped off or picked up by car will enter via our main office entrance (Rieber Street). Buses will drop off and and pick up at our 6th grade entrance (Guyer Street side). Important notes:

• Student Safety is our top priority. Please be mindful of our walkers and bike riders (we have bike racks on our bus drop off side). If you exit on the Guyer Street side, please yield to crossing students AND incoming buses.
• Doors open at 8:50 for student drop off. Students will be instructed to remain in the cafeteria or gym until 9:03. Classes begin at 9:10 and end at 3:50.
• We ask families to pull all the way forward to the end of our main lot at pick up time. Cars that stop at the front doors can create backups that extend onto Rieber St.
• You may notice one or two cars in the bus loop at the beginning and end of the day. These vehicles have special permission to be here for their students' transportation needs.

• District Calendar for 2025-26

September 1

• No School (Labor Day)

October 9

• P/T Conferences

October 15

• P/T Conferences

October 24

• School Photo Re-takes

October 27-29

• 6th grade camp

Mr. Todd Keenan, principal (tkeenan@wscloud.org)

Mrs. Abby Jinks, assistant principal (ajinks@wscloud.org)

Mrs. Cerita Todd, counselor (ctodd@wscloud.org)

Mr. Nick Wiedenhoft, athletic director (nwiedenhoft@wscloud.org)

Mrs. Paula Lee, administrative assistant (plee@wscloud.org)

Ms. Amanda DeBernardi, administrative assistant (adebernardi@wscloud.org)

Mrs. Jodi Hill, attendance and testing (wayattend@wscloud.org or click here)

Mrs. Joyce Casey, school nurse (jcasey@wscloud.org)

Location: 6625 Guyer Street, Worthington, OH

Phone: 614-450-4300

School Website