It’s hard to believe that fall is already upon us. As we watch the seasons slowly change, it’s a beautiful time to reflect on the start of the school year and the routines/habits that students are forming as we settle into the academic year. This is also a great time to check in on strategies for school/life balance that are working and identify others that may need some fine tuning. How is completing home learning going? What outlets do students have for self-care, resetting in an emotional moment, or decompressing after a long day? What traditions do you have as a family to maintain connection in the hustle and bustle of a busy week? There has been lots going on here on campus, deep learning occurring in the classrooms, and many WNS traditions ahead of us in November and December as we prepare to wrap up 2025 to look forward to.
With love, Mrs. Rod
The 8th grade recently took an amazing trip to Washington, D.C. Even with a government shutdown, students were able to explore significant historical and cultural landmarks. Among the places they visited were the FDR, MLK, and Jefferson Memorials, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Portrait Gallery, the Lincoln, Vietnam Veterans, and Korean War Memorials, and the US Holocaust Museum. This trip provided a wonderful bonding experience, and we hope that the memories, connections, and lessons learned will stick with them throughout the rest of their 8th-grade year.
7th Grade Joshua Tree Retreat: October 22-24
7th graders recently returned from an incredible threeday adventure in the desert, where they spent their days hiking, rock climbing, scrambling, and bouldering. With no screens in sight, students fully immersed themselves in the natural beauty around them They were able to breathe in the fresh air, soak up the sunshine, and enjoy time with friends. The trip was the perfect mix of challenge and connection, giving students the opportunity to push themselves, support one another, and make memories that will last well beyond their middle school years
6th Grade Catalina Retreat: October 22-24
On October 22, 6th graders set off for their overnight adventure to Fox Landing. Just 26 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, the island felt worlds away from everyday life! During their stay, students discovered the island’s natural wonders on an ecology hike and explored oceanography firsthand, studying plankton, investigating tide pools, and snorkeling in the clear water The highlight for many was the thrilling night snorkeling experience! The trip was a perfect mix of learning, adventure, and connection, as students grew closer as a class while unplugging and enjoying the beauty of nature.
Buddies: October 15
Buddies time is always something both Middle School and Lower School students look forward to. This week, buddy pairs spent time getting to know one another, discovering things they had in common, and decorating pumpkins with markers and stickers. The morning was definitely filled with smiles, laughter, and fun!
Curriculum Spotlight: English
Students have just wrapped up their reading of Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman Centered around a burgeoning community garden, the novel presents 14 distinct perspectives on people in the neighborhood, their backstories, and their eventual connections to one another This book facilitated important conversations centered around our year-long theme, 'The Danger of a Single Story,' as we witnessed strangers' judgment transform into kindness and even friendship. Throughout the unit, students practiced annotating and examining the text closely. As the final assignment, students worked to create their own version of the class Seedfolks. They selected a location (not a community garden) as a class and individually developed a fictional character. Students participated in a "Character Mingle" to explore ways to connect their fictional characters, similar to what we observed in our mentor text. Now, students are writing their chapters, which will be compiled into a single book in the future.
7th grade has been reading I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys, looking closely at vocabulary, analyzing text through assignments like close readings, stretch to sketch, and thematic group assignments to look at themes like censorship, surveillance, and figurative language As our journey continues, students have engaged in a Socratic Seminar to further question the text amongst their peers We will conclude the unit with a final essay on I Must Betray You, where students will prepare a thesis with multiple pieces of evidence from the text to prove their claims
6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade
8th graders have been studying the works of 19th-century American Romantic and Transcendentalist poets They are exploring how these early writers experimented with style, form, and content to define an American literary tradition distinct from their European predecessors Students have been examining the Romantics’ fascination with the "sublime" and emotional intensity and the Transcendentalists’ focus on individual self-reliance, equality, and, of course, nature. In addition to writing their own love poems in the style of Edgar Allan Poe and tiny riddle poems in the spirit of Emily Dickinson, students will conclude the unit by writing a poetry explication on their favorite poem from the era to demonstrate their understanding of how a poem’s small details work together to create an overarching effect or theme.
Curriculum Spotlight: Theater Arts
6th Grade
Students are in the midst of their physical theatre unit, learning how to tell stories and express emotion through pantomime, acting without speaking! Our thespians are hard at work creating one-minute stories to music through pantomime with a partner or small group Students will wrap up this unit with one of their most popular and beloved physical theatre projects: lip sync.
7th Grade
7th graders are in the middle of our Shakespearience, having learned about the life and history of Shakespeare and working with our first comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We’re currently exploring stage combat through sword fighting Students are taking moments from Midsummer scenes, creating combat choreography, and will present their staged combat pieces over the next week.
8th Grade
Our playwrights are hard at work conceptualizing ideas and writing them for the stage. As we develop our writers’ toolbox, students are creating rough drafts and fleshing out their mini-plays. Over the next few weeks, our writers will finalize their scripts, vote on four miniplays per section, and begin putting these scripts on their feet to ignite the second half of the eighth-grade show process.
Curriculum Spotlight: Music
Middle school musicians have completed their Music Identity Units, which encouraged deep reflection on what music means to them. They designed their binders and curated Music Identity Playlists—musical timelines documenting songs significant to their lives. To expand their practical skills, they received initial instruction in percussion, guitar, and singing. Most recently, students completed their first composition exercise of the year; using the software Noteflight Learn, they were given a basic rhythmic template and challenged to compose an original melody starting and ending on the note G. This exercise serves as an introduction to music notation. Later in the year, students will advance their skills by exporting these compositions from Noteflight Learn into Soundtrap for hands-on recording and production. Each grade level has begun working on their songs for the upcoming Performing Arts Showcase in December.
6th Grade
As part of the Performing Arts Showcase, students are learning “Something’s Gotta a Hold on Me” by Etta James, a Los Angeles-based artist. As part of this work, they are learning about Etta James’ life and accomplishments.
8th Grade
7th Grade
Students have begun rehearsing their number for the Performing Arts Showcase. Students are learning a rendition of “Changes” by Tupac Shakur, a Los Angeles-based artist As part of this work, they are learning about Tupac’s life, accomplishments and activism.
8th graders have begun rehearsing “Island in the Sun” by Weezer, a Los Angeles-based band. As part of this work, they are learning about the life of Rivers Cuomo and Weezer’s origins, including their musical influences and the band’s influence on society.
Halloween: October 31
Halloween at WNS is always an event to remember, filled with excitement, costumes, and plenty of laughter Each grade proudly showcased their costumes, dancing, and parading with the rest of the school This year, eighth-grade parents stole the show as they danced out in their Bad Bunny costumes. Students from Kindergarten to 8th grade followed with their own parade across the turf, with faculty, staff, and WNS families joining in the fun. Students also had time to connect in advisory, play games, and enjoy family groups. The energy was contagious! We look forward to more events like this throughout the year. Thank you to everyone who participated!
Upcoming Dates & Announcements
Every Friday is Spirit Day! The entire community is encouraged to wear WNS gear to celebrate community and belonging. Feel free to wear any kind of WNS gear every Friday.
Fall Conferences - Monday, November 3 & Tuesday, November 4
Affinity Groups - Wednesday, November 5
Affinity Groups are gatherings of our WNS middle schoolers who share a common identity, interest, or experience. These groups provide a space for students to connect, support one another, and discuss issues relevant to their shared identity. Often organized around aspects like race, gender, culture, or interests, affinity groups foster community, promote understanding, and encourage conversations about equity and inclusion within our community. We also use these groups as a way to promote collective action, advocacy, and empowerment.
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7 & 8 Grade Fall Dance - Friday, November 7
Family Groups - Breaking Bread - Friday, November 21
Breaking Bread is a long-standing WNS tradition where Family Groups meet around an oilcloth signed over the years by past members of that family group and share a moment of gratitude. New members of the family group get to sign their name on the cloth, and then we break bread together.
Mid-Semester Reports: These will go live in OnCampus on Monday, November 24. These are a snapshot in time and not a formal report.
Fall Break - Monday, November 24, through Monday, November 28
