Hastings Happenings
Ms. Paoloni is being recognized this week by one of her colleagues for exemplifying the CREATIVE characteristic of Upper Arlington’s Profile of an Engaged Learner!
Jamie has developed an incredible Hunger Games unit for her seventh-grade Concilium classes this year. Not only does the unit showcase her creativity as an educator, but it also gives students the opportunity to let their own creativity shine. Jamie spent the summer thoughtfully designing this unit, and it has been so much fun to watch it come to life!
Students are assigned to different “districts” based on where they live in Upper Arlington and work collaboratively to develop their districts. I’ve had the opportunity to judge some of their creations, including district symbols and outfits or uniforms, and I’ve been incredibly impressed by both their creativity and the writing they’ve produced to support their ideas. Honestly, this unit makes me wish I could go back to middle school language arts. We certainly never did anything this engaging!
Jamie’s Hunger Games unit has made a positive impact on both students and staff because it is relevant, engaging, and FUN! It creates meaningful opportunities for students to showcase not only their writing abilities but also their artistic talents, collaboration, and creative thinking.
Congratulations, Jamie, on bringing learning to life and giving students so many opportunities to think outside the box!
Quarter 1 Grades Available October 21
To view your student's grades, please log in to your Parent/Guardian PowerSchool account and click on “Grades and Attendance” in the top-left corner of your screen. Your student's grades will be listed vertically under “Q1.”
Students in current grades 6-8 have an exciting opportunity to travel to Europe in 2028! Mademoiselle Newcomer (French teacher at Jones) is leading a trip to France, Switzerland and Germany! There will be an informational meeting at UA High School on Wednesday, October 21, from 6-7pm for those who are interested in getting more information about this exciting opportunity!
Use this form to RSVP: https://forms.gle/SCidsRH3jDJZR8tu9 and to become eligible for a scholarship!
Email Mademoiselle Newcomer (knewcomer@uaschools.org) with questions, but hope to see you on October 21!
🎿 Interested in joining the Hastings Middle School Ski Club?
Please join us for our Ski Club Meeting on Thursday, October 22, at 7:30 PM in the Media Center!
Registration will open after the meeting.
If you are unable to attend, no worries! I will post the meeting slides and registration information in the Hastings Happenings the following week, so you have everything you need to register.
Dates: 1/15/27, 1/22/27, 1/29/27, 2/5/27, 2/19/27 (make-up day), 2/26/27 (make-up day)
Have questions about Ski Club? Please email lpiunno@uaschools.org after the meeting and after reviewing the posted slides. This will help ensure you have all of the information before reaching out with questions.
We hope to see you there!
Digital Safety Presentation for Parents/Guardians
Upper Arlington Schools invites parents and guardians of students in grades K-12 to join internet safety expert Jesse Weinberger for an evening presentation on today’s digital environment and how families can support safe and responsible technology use. The presentation will build on age-appropriate digital safety presentations Weinberger will provide to students in grades 3-6, focused on digital citizenship, responsible technology use, online decision-making and personal safety.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
6:30–7:30 p.m.
Upper Arlington High School Performing Arts Center
In accordance with the presenter’s event requirements, this session is for adults only. Children and students ages 1–20 will not be admitted to the presentation space. Audio and video recording are also prohibited.
Tri-Village Packers: Thanksgiving and Winter Break Food Distribution
Upper Arlington Schools is partnering with the Tri-Village Packers for their Thanksgiving break and winter break food distribution programs. The Tri-Village Packers will distribute grocery items for the children of families in the Upper Arlington school district for the days out of school over Thanksgiving break (November 25-29) and winter break (December 21-January 4). The food will be provided at no cost for children who would benefit from the support.
To sign up to receive food for Thanksgiving and/or winter breaks, please complete this form by the end of the day on Monday, October 26, 2026. The school district will keep the information you provide in the form confidential unless you request otherwise.
Digital Safety Presentation
Keeping students safe requires preparing them not only for the situations they may encounter at school and in the community, but also for the increasingly complex digital world they navigate every day. As part of our district’s annual Safety Week, held the week of October 19, we will provide students and families with practical, age-appropriate information to support safe and responsible technology use.
To support these efforts, we are pleased to welcome Jesse Weinberger, a former software programmer, a nationally recognized internet safety expert, and the author of The Boogeyman Exists: And He’s in Your Child’s Back Pocket. She will provide age-appropriate presentations for students in grades 3-6 focused on digital citizenship, responsible technology use, online decision-making, and personal safety. Following these presentations, she will also offer an evening presentation on November 4 geared toward parents/guardians.
Date: Tuesday, October 27th
Time: 8:15 - 9:15am
Location: Hastings Auditorium
As part of the presentation, students will be invited to complete a brief anonymous survey on paper about technology use and students’ experiences in digital environments. The purpose of the survey is to provide district-level information that can help inform our ongoing digital safety education and prevention efforts. Students will not be asked to provide their names, and the survey is not intended to identify individual students. A complete copy of the survey questions can be found HERE.
In order for your student to participate in this opportunity, you will need to complete this FIELD TRIP FORM. If you do not want your child to participate, we will provide an alternate, supervised learning activity at their school during the presentation time.
Math 6/7 Club
What: A safe and engaging space for sixth and seventh-grade math students to sharpen their math skills and build confidence. Through interactive games, puzzles, and challenges, students will explore math concepts in a supportive and fun environment.
When: Wednesdays starting 10/7/2026* from 3:25 pm-4:10 pm
Where: Mrs. Kaliker's classroom, Room 226
*Note: There will be no meeting on 10/14/26 due to Mrs. Kaliker going on the 7th Grade Pittsburgh Trip.
Typical Session:
3:25-3:45 Homework Help
3:45-4:10 Game/Activity to support content or review previous content
SIGN-UP HERE! Must be registered to attend!
Questions: Email Mrs. Kaliker at jkaliker@uaschools.org
Math 6/7 Club
What: A safe and engaging space for sixth and seventh-grade math students to sharpen their math skills and build confidence. Through interactive games, puzzles, and challenges, students will explore math concepts in a supportive and fun environment.
When: Wednesdays starting 10/7/2026* from 3:25 pm-4:10 pm
Where: Mrs. Kaliker's classroom, Room 226
*Note: There will be no meeting on 10/14/26 due to Mrs. Kaliker going on the 7th Grade Pittsburgh Trip.
Typical Session:
3:25-3:45 Homework Help
3:45-4:10 Game/Activity to support content or review previous content
SIGN-UP HERE! Must be registered to attend!
Questions: Email Mrs. Kaliker at jkaliker@uaschools.org
8th Grade Shadowing Experience
We are excited to announce the return of 8th-Grade Shadowing Day on Friday, April 16, 2027! This mandatory experiential learning event allows all 8th-grade students to step outside the classroom and explore career paths in real-world professional settings before they transition to high school. Students will spend this official school day off campus with a host and earn instructional-hour attendance credit upon submission of a reflection form.
How Parents Can Help:
Identify a Host: Support your student in reaching out to a relative, family friend, local business owner, or community professional to serve as their workplace host.
Prepare & Plan Ahead: Review the Outreach Guide, discuss career interests with your child, and check out the Shadowing FAQ to help them prepare.
Ensure Attendance Credit: Remind your child to complete and submit the post-event reflection.
If you have questions or are interested in volunteering as a host for local students, please contact Leah Miller, Career Development and Service Learning Specialist, at lmiller@uaschools.org or 614-487-5000.
8th Grade Field Trip Form
Our 8th graders are heading to downtown Columbus on Monday, October 26th, to visit the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, the Ohio Statehouse, and the Ohio Supreme Court. This experience aligns with our social studies standards on civic participation and government structure, while also preparing our students as we get ready to host local veterans in November. Please take a moment to complete the 8th Grade Field Trip Permission Form for your learner by Wednesday, October 21st. Every family must complete the form in order to either grant or decline permission for their learner to participate.
Washington DC Guardian/Parent Meeting Information
Were you unable to attend the meetings? Please check out the links below and reach out to our coordinators with any questions!
Beginning in November, Hastings PTO meetings will move to the third Thursday of each month to avoid conflicts with other PTO meetings and make it easier for families to attend.
Next meeting: Thursday, November 19 | 7 PM | Hastings Commons
There is no December meeting. All Hastings families are welcome!
Date: Thursday, October 22
Help us feed Hastings staff during a busy conference evening! Open donation needs include desserts, dinner plates, baby carrots, croutons, and pumpkin pies. One item makes a difference!
Label donations “Teacher Conference” and drop them at the Hastings office by 11 AM on October 22. Prefer to let us shop? Donate through Venmo @Hastings-PTO.
Order by Monday, October 26 | Delivery Wednesday, October 28
Enjoy a night at home while supporting Hastings! Choose two bottles of wine and charcuterie for two ($85) or a larger charcuterie-only package ($75).
$25 from every order supports Hastings. Delivery is October 28 between noon and 6 PM; pickup is also available.
Tuesday, November 3
Can you donate a dozen treats or give two hours of your time? We still need cookies, brownies, donuts, cupcakes, and gluten-free baked goods. Homemade and store-bought items are welcome! Adult volunteer shifts remain open from 9:30 AM - 5:30PM.
Package treats individually or in small portions, clearly mark gluten-free or nut-free items, and deliver them to the Hastings office by 3:30 PM on Monday, November 2. To contribute toward purchased treats, Venmo @Hastings-PTO by October 29.
Donate treats or claim a shift →
Wednesday, November 11
Help our eighth graders welcome and honor community veterans at this special Hastings tradition.
Open volunteer opportunities include:
Setup: 11:30 AM–1 PM
Cleanup: 3–3:45 PM
Photographer: 1–3:20 PM
You can also donate bottled water or contribute $10 toward supplies and gifts.
Save The Date! Tuesday, November 10 @ Kingsdale
