Worthingway Weekly

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our AWESOME front office team!

(From left to right in the photo below)

Lara Ruffing - is our Mental Health Specialist. She is a licensed school social worker and has been in Worthington for 20 years! Lara is the proud mom of two young adult children, both of whom went through Worthingway and graduated from TWHS. In her free time, you'll likely find her cooking, listening to music and spending time with her dog and family.

Cerita Todd - is our school counselor. This year marks her 7th year as a school counselor with this being her 3rd year here in our wonderful building. Prior to becoming a middle school counselor, she served as a high school counselor for 4 years and before that served as a college admissions counselor at her beloved Alma Mater, Bowling Green State University. She met her husband and college sweetheart during her undergraduate studies and they have a 4 year old son and will soon be welcoming a new daughter later this month (due in late August)! She enjoys all things home decor, trying out new cookie recipes, hula hooping and simply spending time with her friends and family. She loves the strong sense of community that we share as our staff and loves being together and supporting our students.

Jodi Hill - is an administrative assistant and building test coordinator. She started at Colonial Hills in 2009 and moved to Worthingway in 2010. She has 5 adult children and one granddaughter. All of her children were raised in Worthington and attended various colleges in Ohio, but have all since moved out of Ohio. Her husband works for Ashland Inc. She loves Worthingway because of its diversity and the dedication the staff has to the students here.

Paula Lee - is starting her second year as an administrative secretary at Worthingway Middle School. She previously worked for nine years in a middle school office in Gahanna-Jefferson School District. She loves the students, families, and staff at Worthingway and the welcoming, friendly community of Worthington that she's become a part of. She and her husband, Richard, have two daughters, Alyssa (25) and Amanda (22). They enjoy cooking together, traveling (especially to see their daughters), and hiking. A fun fact about Mrs. Lee is that she still writes in shorthand daily--speedwriting entire words and phrases with symbols!

Amanda DeBernardi - is entering her 9th year in the office at Worthingway. She is the mother of Olivia Trueman who is a 4th grade teacher at the elementary school where she attended, Wilson Hill, and Hadley Trueman, who is a recent TWHS graduate and in her first year at Ohio University. Amanda's degree is in Art Education, so she is at home in the school environment. She most loves sense of community at WWay with the kindness, care and love shown for every student/staff member.

Joyce Casey, MS, RN - is our Licensed School Nurse. She is entering her 9th year in Worthington Schools, with over 30 years of nursing experience. She lives in Worthington with her husband, PR, and her three Thomas Worthington Field Hockey State Champions, Reilly (TWHS Class of 2023), Rowan (TWHS Class of 2025), and Delaney (TWHS Class of 2028). Go Cards!!!

Disconnect To Connect: Why We're Embracing "Phones Off, Friends On" by Dr. Bowers

• Click here to read the blog post

Cell Phone and Other Portable Communication Devices

• Students who bring a cell phone to school will need to put it in their locker at the beginning of the school day and keep it there until the end of the school day.

Student Schedule Pick-Up

• It was great seeing so many students and families at our Schedule Pick-Up on Tuesday, August 5th.
• If your student was unable to join us for that day, they may pick up their schedule on August 11th and 12th from 7:30-4:00. Unfortunately, your student will not be able to walk the building due to meetings in progress on those days.
• On the first day of school, August 13th, we will have printed schedules ready for students who do not have them.

Bus Route Information

• Please click here to view our Transportation page on the district website. You will need to log into VersaTrans in order to receive your child's bus number.

We are very intentional about utilizing the first three days of middle to build positive relationships and teach and practice procedures, routines, and expectations. Our students will start all three days (August 13, 14, and 15) in their "assist" (period 7 on their schedule) class. Our staff has designed engaging lessons that build community and teach building-wide behavior expectations.

The Cardinal Way is how we describe our building-wide behavior expectations.

• Be Kind - with your words to and about others
• Work Hard - approach everything with a learning mindset
• Own It - choose your response to positively influence the outcome

What subject and grade level do you teach?

• Intervention Specialist; 8th grade

When did you start teaching?

• 2008

What is your favorite part about Worthingway?

• The high expectations for staff and students.

What is your favorite part about teaching?

• The light bulb moment students get and when they understand the power of "yet"

What are your hobbies?

• I love spending time with my family, exploring new places, lifting weights, and drinking yummy coffee while reading a book

What is your favorite food?

• pizza and coffee (though not together!)

What is your favorite music?

• girly folk, soul, and pump up jams for working out

What is the most adventurous thing you've ever done?

• Helping Ms. Bateman chaperone a trip to London with 13 students this summer!

What is your favorite corny joke?

• What's a pirates favorite letter?
• you think it's would be rrrrrrrrrrrrrr but really it's the seaaaaaaa

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.

Worthington Connects

• Worthington Connects is a community-driven organization dedicated to supporting local families in need year-round. We partner closely with schools to identify families who could benefit from assistance and rely on generous donations from the community to make our efforts possible. Every contribution helps us provide meaningful support to those in need.
• If you would like to donate or get involved, please visit https://www.worthingtonconnects.org Families seeking assistance are encouraged to reach out to their school counselors, who work with us to connect resources to those who need them most. Together, we can make a lasting impact in our Worthington community!
• Direct donation: https://www.worthingtonconnects.org/giving-page-3

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.

What does the Worthingway PTA do?

We show up in big and small ways all year long to support our school. Here are just a few of the awesome things we make happen with your help:

Canteens – Fun social events for students to connect and unwind.
Teacher Grants – Funding for classroom ideas and projects that help teachers go beyond the basics.
Teacher Appreciation Week – Making our staff feel celebrated and cared for.
Honors Nights – Uplifting and recognizing the hard work and leadership of our amazing students.

And that’s just the beginning!

How can you get involved?

There’s truly something for everyone - Whether you’ve got a few minutes, a few hours, or just want to show support from the sidelines.

• Attend a Meeting – We meet at 7 PM on the first Tuesday of the month in September, October, January, March, and May. Join us in the Worthingway Library or on Zoom - Whatever fits your schedule. Everyone is welcome!

• Stay in the Know – Follow us on Facebook: [Search “Worthingway PTA”]
  Check out our website: https://worthingwaypta.my.canva.site/
  Catch us in Mr. Keenan’s weekly newsletter too!

• Join the PTA or Donate – Every dollar goes directly back into our school community.

• You can donate any amount at https://bit.ly/WwayDonation.

• Want to join? It’s just $7, and part of that goes to the Ohio PTA. Members can vote at PTA meetings and help shape our impact. Join here: https://bit.ly/WwaySchool

• Support Fundraisers & Restaurant Nights – From Chipotle to Butter Braids, our restaurant nights and seasonal fundraisers help us raise the funds that make all this possible. Keep an eye on Mr. Keenan’s emails and our Facebook page for dates!

• Volunteer at the Concession Stand – Grab a shift during a home game and help serve up snacks while supporting Worthingway. All proceeds benefit the PTA. Sign up here!

• Link Your Kroger Rewards – An easy (and free!) way to support Worthingway - Just visit bit.ly/WwayKroger and search for organization RF924.

We know life is busy. Whether you’re able to donate, volunteer, or simply show up - We’re grateful. Thank you for being part of what makes Worthingway such a special place to learn and grow.

• 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

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 9:02. 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.
• There should be no cars in the bus drop off lanes during both drop off and pick up.

District Calendar for 2025-26

Wednesday, August 13

• First day of school (doors open 8:50)

Tuesday, August 19

• School Photo Make-Ups

Monday, August 25

• Open House / Meet The Teacher (6:00-7:30pm)

• 6th grade camp informational meeting (7:30-8:00pm)

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