In the Middle

Have you ever heard someone say they were “born in the Year of the Horse”? That’s because in the traditional Chinese zodiac, every year is named after an animal — and the Horse is one of the most exciting!

What Is the Year of the Horse?

The Year of the Horse is part of the Chinese zodiac, a 12-year cycle used in many Asian cultures. Each year is represented by an animal:

Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.

If you were born in 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966 (and every 12 years before that), you were born in a Horse year! The next Year of the Horse will come around again in 2038.

What Does the Horse Represent?

In Chinese culture, horses symbolize:

• Energy

• Speed

• Strength

• Confidence

• Independence

People born in the Year of the Horse are said to be hardworking, adventurous, and full of life. They often love trying new things and aren’t afraid of challenges.

Your Chinese Zodiac Sign is determined by your birth year and the lunar calendar, with the new year typically falling between January 21 and February 20. Because the Lunar New Year changes dates annually, those born in January or February may belong to the previous year's animal sign.

Bendigo Joss House Temple +3

Here are the recent Chinese Zodiac years and their corresponding animals:

• Rat: 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
• Ox: 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
• Tiger: 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
• Rabbit: 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
• Dragon: 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
• Snake: 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
• Horse: 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
• Goat: 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
• Monkey: 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
• Rooster: 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
• Dog: 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
• Pig: 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031

Stress is something almost everyone feels — especially in middle school. Between homework, tests, sports, and friendships, it’s important to find simple ways to relax. Two popular fidget toys students love are NeeDoh and dumpling squishies. Both are soft, squeezable, and fun — but which one is better for stress relief?

NeeDoh is a super-soft sensory ball that you can squeeze, stretch, and squish over and over again. It always returns to its original shape, which makes it satisfying to use.

Why students like it:

• Smooth, dough-like texture

• Comes in bright colors (some even change color!)

• Great for calming nerves before a test

• Small enough to fit in a backpack

Because of its simple design, NeeDoh is easy to use without distracting others.

A Dumpling squishy is a soft toy shaped like a real dumpling. Some are made of mochi-like material and feel stretchy and slightly sticky (in a fun way).

Why students like it:

• Cute and fun design

• Unique texture (often softer and stretchier than NeeDoh)

• Fun to collect different “flavors” or faces

• Makes stress relief feel playful

The dumpling shape adds personality, which makes it more than just a plain stress ball.

Which One Is Better?

It depends on what you prefer!

• If you like smooth and simple, NeeDoh might be your go-to.

• If you like cute designs and extra stretchiness, a dumpling squishy might be more fun.

Both help by keeping your hands busy, relaxing your muscles, and giving your mind a break.

Stress relief doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you choose a colorful NeeDoh or an adorable dumpling squishy, the important thing is finding something that helps you stay calm and focused.

Sometimes, the best way to handle middle school stress is just to take a deep breath… and give it a squeeze.

Garfield pride was on full display as Garfield Middle School teamed up with the Garfield Gifted & Talented classes & Talented Program and the Bergen County Department of Human Services/Food Security for an exciting canned soup drive competition against Wood Ridge Jr./Sr. High School — and we’re thrilled to announce… GMS brought home the trophy and the bragging rights!

This friendly rivalry wasn’t just about winning — it was about giving back to our community. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our students, families, and staff, hundreds of cans of soup were collected and donated to support local families in need through the Bergen County Food Pantry.

How It Worked at GMS

The competition brought out teamwork and school spirit across every grade level:

• Each homeroom collected cans of soup

• The floor with the highest total won a dress-down day

From chicken noodle to tomato to hearty vegetable, students donated every variety of canned soup imaginable. Boxes quickly filled up in classrooms and drop-off spots across the school.

The competition against Wood Ridge Jr./Sr. High School made things extra exciting, but the real victory was helping families across Bergen County. Our school community proved that when we work together, we can make a BIG difference.

Congratulations to the winning homeroom and floor — and congratulations to Garfield Middle School for showing outstanding leadership, generosity, and Bulldog spirit!

Let’s keep the momentum going and continue finding ways to support those in need.

Garfield Middle School has a new program that’s warming hearts — and mornings! Our school’s “Brew Crew” is a student-run coffee service that gives MD students the opportunity to prepare and deliver pre-ordered coffee to teachers and staff throughout the building.

More than just a caffeine boost, Brew Crew is about building confidence, independence, and real-world skills.

What Is Brew Crew?

Brew Crew is a school-based program where MD students:

• Take and organize coffee orders from teachers and staff

• Prepare drinks carefully and safely

• Deliver pre-ordered coffees throughout the school

• Practice communication, teamwork, and responsibility

Each delivery is handled with care and a smile. Teachers look forward to their morning coffee, and students take pride in a job well done.

While the program may center around coffee, it’s really about opportunity.

Through Brew Crew, students develop:

• Workplace and life skills

• Time management

• Social interaction and communication

• Confidence and independence

Students learn how to follow multi-step directions, handle materials responsibly, and interact professionally with adults in the building. Every cup delivered represents teamwork and growth.

A Win for Our School Community

Teachers and staff love supporting the program — and starting their Friday mornings with a fresh cup prepared by our hardworking Brew Crew members makes it even more special.

Programs like Brew Crew show what makes Garfield Middle School such a supportive and inclusive place. It’s not just about academics — it’s about creating meaningful experiences that prepare students for the future.

So the next time you see a Brew Crew delivery in the hallway, give them a wave. They’re not just delivering coffee — they’re delivering school spirit, confidence, and success, one cup at a time!

There are many signs that a snow day is coming. The sky turns a dramatic shade of gray. Group chats light up with weather radar screenshots. Someone confidently announces, “It’s definitely sticking.” And suddenly, everyone becomes a meteorologist.

But beyond the sledding and sleeping in, snow days come with their own special language. In honor of our favorite unexpected holiday, here’s your official guide to Snow Day Vocabulary.

Flurry (noun): What the weather app calls it.
Blizzard (noun): What students call it.

A flurry is technically just a brief, light snowfall. But when you’re staring out the window at 6:15 a.m., even three floating snowflakes feel like a personal gift from the universe. Optimism runs high. “It’s picking up!” someone insists. Meanwhile, parents squint at the driveway and say, “That’s nothing.”

Stick (verb): To accumulate on the ground instead of melting into sad, slushy disappointment.

Few questions are more important on a winter night than: Will it stick? This phrase has nothing to do with glue and everything to do with ground temperature, a concept most of us pretend to understand. If it sticks, there is hope. If it doesn’t, we prepare for the tragedy of “two-hour delay.”

Snow Day Call (noun): The early-morning announcement that determines your fate.

This sacred message may arrive as a robocall, text alert, email, or notification. Students wake up every 20 minutes to check their phones, just in case. Some claim they can sense a snow day before the call even comes. Others refresh the district website like it’s a live sports score.

When it finally arrives, reactions range from silent fist pumps to dramatic celebrations. Somewhere, a sibling yells, “GO BACK TO SLEEP!”

Two-Hour Delay (noun): Not a snow day, but not not a snow day.

This is the compromise no one asked for. It sounds generous. It is not. You get just enough extra sleep to feel hopeful, but not enough to fully relax. The roads are “passable,” which is adult code for “we’re still going.”

Students everywhere respond with the same phrase: “It should’ve just been a full day off.”

Snowpocalypse (noun): Any snowfall over three inches.

The term is used dramatically and often inaccurately. Bread and milk mysteriously disappear from grocery store shelves. Weather maps are screenshot and circled in red. People begin sentences with, “This could be historic.”

In reality, it might be five inches and gone by the weekend. But for one shining evening, it feels like we are starring in our own winter disaster movie.

Snow days are more than just canceled classes. They’re shared experiences, group chats at dawn, and the collective hope that maybe—just maybe—we won’t have that math test after all.

So the next time someone says, “It’s coming down hard,” you’ll know exactly what they mean.

Stay warm, stay hopeful, and may your flurries always stick.

New Kid by Jerry Craft is a graphic novel that perfectly captures what it feels like to start over at a new school.

If you’re heading into middle school or switching schools soon, this book is especially for you. It tells a story that feels real, relatable, and honest about fitting in, making friends, and finding confidence.

The story follows Jordan Banks, an artistic middle schooler who loves drawing cartoons. Instead of attending art school like he hoped, Jordan is enrolled at Riverdale Academy Day School, a private school known for its high academic standards.

As one of the few Black students at the school, Jordan struggles to fit in while also trying to stay true to himself. He uses his sketchbook to draw cartoons about his experiences, which helps him understand what’s happening around him.

Throughout the story, Jordan works on making new friends and becoming more confident in who he is. The book shows his ups and downs in a way that feels very real — especially for students experiencing middle school for the first time.

The main theme of New Kid is about finding your voice and being yourself, even when you feel different from others. Jordan is trying to fit into a predominantly white private school while also understanding who he truly is.

I think New Kid is a terrific book. I’ve read it multiple times because it’s that good! I like how Jordan has to work his way up to making friends and becoming more confident. He’s different from others, and that’s what makes him interesting.

Since Jordan dreams of going to art school, it makes the story even more inspiring for anyone who has big dreams. I would definitely recommend this book to other students, especially those about to start middle school.

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.

The snow is melting, drip by drip,
Icicles fall and slowly slip.
The days grow longer, light stays late,
Winter loosens its icy weight.

The trees once bare and cold and gray
Now hold small buds along each spray.
A patch of green peeks through the ground,
New life is waking all around.

The wind feels softer on my face,
The sun shines warm in open space.
Birds return with cheerful song,
As if they knew it all along.

Spring is a promise, fresh and new,
A chance to start, to grow, to do.
Like flowers rising after snow,
We bloom more than we even know.

So when the world feels cold and tight,
Remember this: more warmth, more light
Are on their way — just wait and see.
Spring brings hope to you and me.

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