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Whittier Middle School

JGW Update 9/28/26

Posted Date: 09/28/26 (10:08 AM)
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Hello JGW Families,

I hope that you managed to stay dry this weekend. It definitely was a soggy one! Here are a few updates for the week(s) ahead.


BEGINNING BAND INSTRUMENTS

Beginning band instrument rental night is at Nettle Middle School today, September 28th from 3:30-6:30pm. All beginning band students should attend.



SCHOOL PICTURES

School picture day has been rescheduled due to a conflict with this Wednesday’s early release. School Pictures will now be taken on Friday October 9th. Sessions with the photographer are scheduled a year in advance before we had the new school year calendar including early release days. 



NEW SEL CURRICULUM

Our Counseling Team recently introduced an exciting, evidence-based mental health program that can help our

students better engage in learning, learn to self-regulate their behavior, and improve their attention skills and well-being. MindUP is a classroom-based program that teaches children strategies guided by the fields of neuroscience, mindful awareness, cognitive flexibility, and positive psychology to support success in the classroom and life.


MindUPTM was created collaboratively by university scientists and school-based educators. The program helps children understand the ways brains work and how their thoughts and feelings affect their behavior. It has five goals:

1) To foster a cohesive, caring classroom climate

2) To foster focus and mindful awareness

3) To build emotional literacy

4) To increase positive qualities such as perspective-taking, empathy, gratitude, and kindness

5) To increase optimism, well-being, and resiliency


A signature practice of the program is the MindUP Brain Break. The MindUP Brain Break is a simple mindful breathing and listening exercise that is practiced three times per day. This activity can help foster attention and self-regulation.


MindUPTM provides a collection of online materials designed for families to practice MindUP strategies at home. These materials are designed to complement the school program and can be paced along with children’s learning in the classroom. You can access these resources for free here: https://home.mindup.org/ 


For further details about MindUPTM, please visit www.MindUP.org.  If you have questions about

the program or would like more information, please feel free to contact your child’s counselor (see below). 


September's Lesson is “Building Awareness” and began last week with Grades 5-7and wraps up with Grade 8 classrooms tomorrow. We are excited about the potential this program holds for helping our classrooms become communities of more engaged, focused, and optimistic learners!



ATHLETICS

  • Tuesday 9/29/26 - HOME Game - Whittier v. Nettle [GIRLS play first]

  • Thursday 10/1/26 - HOME Game - Whittier v. Consentino [GIRLS play first]

  • Cross-Country Meet to be RESCHEDULED



MARK YOUR CALENDARS

  • 9/30/26 Early Release Day - 11:05am dismissal

  • 10/9/26 School Picture Day - RESCHEDULED FROM 9/30/26

  • 10/12/26 - NO SCHOOL - Veterans Day Holiday

  • 10/16/26 is the 3rd Annual High School & Career Fair

  • 10/22/26 Parent Teacher Conferences 5:30pm - 7:00pm

  • 10/29/26 JGW Fall Festival 5:00pm - 6:30pm


Thank you, and let’s have a great week!


Kevin Higginbottom, Principal