Middle School

Western Wayne Hosts 50th Anniversary Parade

The entire Western Wayne Community joined together on Saturday, September 24, for a parade to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the school. A number of groups marched some of which included the Western Wayne faculty and staff, members of the chorus in the middle school, high school, and chorus alumni, the Wildcat Marching Band, some local fire house companies, the members of the 2022 Homecoming Court, the Wildcat Cheerleaders, members of Wildcat sports teams, the Spanish Club, and others.
It was a beautiful day and community members lined up at the Western Wayne Middle and High School campuses to watch the parade that went around the school grounds.
“It was awesome to be back to celebrate this event with my friends in the music community at school,” Nick DeCandis, Class of 2022, said.
Western Wayne has a variety of other alumni events planned throughout the year and look forward to hosting more of our past students for these activities.

Western Wayne Cheer, Football, and Band Host Young Wildcats

It’s never too early to try out a future Wildcat activity. Western Wayne cheerleaders, football players, and the band showed their Wildcat Pride through hosting young Wildcats at the home game on Friday, Sept. 16, versus Abington Heights at the Sharkey Rosetti Stadium. Junior Wildcat players and cheerleaders got a taste of what it is like to play and perform under the Friday night lights. In addition, the band hosted students from 8th grade considering joining the high school marching band. They got to play stand tune music with their assigned band buddies during the game. All of the young cheerleaders, football players, and band students had an excellent experience and look forward to possibly participating in their respective activities in high school.

Student Body PBIS Drone Photograph

On Homecoming Day, September 30, 2022, we are planning a school-wide event to assemble students at the Sharkey Rossetti Stadium to form the letters “WWHS” on the field. We will use a drone to take a photograph of the student body in formation as a fundraiser for our high school PBIS team. PBIS is a nation-wide evidence-based program that is used in all Western Wayne buildings. PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, and it is a team of students and teachers that function to support our student body by rewarding good behaviors to improve the climate of the school. 

The cost of the photo will be $15.00 for an 8×10 image. All checks can be made out to WWHS PBIS. Cash will also be accepted. Please send your cash or check to the high school Guidance Office to complete your purchase. Checks can be mailed to: WWHS Guidance 1970A Easton Turnpike, Lake Ariel, PA 18436. 

If you are interested in purchasing an image, please pre-order it using the Google form: https://forms.gle/tvoUckBg6Bi6rHvE6

All money is due prior to your order being placed. Orders will be accepted and money collected until November 1, 2022. An email will be sent to the address you provide when the orders have arrived. Orders are expected to be fulfilled in November.

Western Wayne Students Attend Junior National Youth Leadership Conference

Makayla,  Madelyn, and Hannah look forward to using the skills they learned at the conference as they begin their new journey in high school.  From left:  Makayla Moser, Hannah DeStefano, and Madelyn Vinton.

Western Wayne students attended the Junior  National Youth Leadership Conference held this past July in Washington, D.C.  Freshmen Makayla Moser, Madelyn Vinton, and Hannah DeStefano were recommended to attend the conference by their middle school guidance counselor Mr. Totsky.  The outstanding students did a lot of fundraising to be able to have this experience including selling handmade blanket baskets, having a small basket raffle, and reaching out to the local community and businesses like The Grim Foundation which helped tremendously.  All three students greatly enjoyed their experience at the conference.

Madelyn explained how her favorite part was a museum called Planet World that they saw.  She was also thrilled to meet many new friends from across the country.

“I think what I learned at this conference will help strengthen my leadership qualities by making me work hard and fast while working with everyone,” Madelyn said.  “It made me realize I’m not by myself, and I could never do it by myself.” Madelyn intends to pursue either law or pediatric audiology in the future.

Makayla agreed that getting to tour the monuments and historic places in Washington,  D.C. was her favorite part of the experience along with meeting new people.

“I especially liked visiting Arlington National Cemetery and learning about its history,” Makayla explained.  “We even got to see the changing of the guard. Another enjoyable part was how the new friends I made helped push me to achieve my goals at the conference.”  Makayla aspires to study forensic psychology and criminal profiling in college.

Fellow classmate Hannah’s favorite part of the experience was the guest speakers. Her favorite was a speech given by Anthony Robles, a NCAA wrestler who was born with one leg.

“ We got to speak with him, and his speech was very moving,” Hannah explained.   I learned that there are no excuses for things you can or cannot do.” Hannah is interested in a career in the medical field and has been researching careers like a travel nurse and anesthesiologist.

Freshman Orientation

Western Wayne Class of 2026!

Freshman Orientation will be held on August 25, 2022, from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM in the Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium. 

Middle School Eighth Grade Final Walk

Dawn Krautter, Evan Bahmer, and Brianna Vinton
Krautter, Bahmer, and Vinton walk the Middle School hallways as a final send off for both them and the eighth grade class.

The Western Wayne Middle School continued their tradition on the last day of school which was Friday, June 10, this year. It is called the 8th Grade Final Walk. As a final activity before leaving the building to move on to the high school, 8th grade students took a walk through the hallways appropriately led by three teachers that are leaving the middle school this year Dawn Krautter, Evan Bahmer, and Brianna Vinton.
Krautter, Bahmer, and Vinton led the procession through the hallways of the middle school and received flowers from 6th and 7th grade students along the way. The two women ended up with bouquets at the end and Mr. Bahmer received a beautiful plant along with many well wishes from students, faculty, and staff who lined the hallways and met them outside of the building to celebrate.
Krautter has taught at the school for three and half years. She was the Middle School FCS teacher for two and half years and this past year she was a seventh grade ELA teacher.
“I have had a wonderful experience,” Krautter said. “Western Wayne will always be special to me.”
Krautter will be moving to Valdosta, Georgia. She will be the Lanier County High School FCS teacher next year.

Bahmer, who served as a substitute teacher in many different capacities at Western Wayne for the last two years, will be moving on to a full-time job at Summit Christian Academy in Clarks Summit, PA. He will be teaching math and Bible to middle school students in grades six through eight. Bahmer was born and raised in Michigan. He has a degree from Clarks Summit University in pastoral ministry.
“I am excited for this new teaching position and look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store,” Bahmer said.
Fellow co-worker Brianna Vinton, who was in as a substitute for FCS in the middle school this year, also looks forward to teaching more in the future. She studied at both Misericordia University and Keystone College. She is certified to teach social studies and FCS and will soon have a certification to teach business.
“I loved my experience teaching at my alma mater,” Vinton said.
Western Wayne faculty, administration, staff, and students wish Krautter, Bahmer, and Vinton the best in the future.

Middle School Holds Annual 8th Grade Moving-Up Ceremony

Eighth grader Logan Pauler, who won the American Legion Award, with George Schaffer who had presented him with the award earlier at the ceremony
Logan Paul, winner of the American Legion Award; and Audrey Agnello, winner of The Daughters of the American Revolution Award.
The Western Wayne 8th grade class, the class of 2026, prepare to take their seats after processing into the annual Moving-Up Ceremony.
Western Wayne Middle School Student Council President Jade Wetherington poses with her memory board at the Moving-Up Ceremony.

Western Wayne Middle School Principal Mrs. Jennifer Bradley praised eighth graders for “staying the course” through all of the unforeseen circumstances and regular academic and extra-curricular challenges they faced during their time in the middle school.

This class is particularly special to Bradley because when they began sixth grade, Bradley started her first year as the principal of the Western Wayne Middle School.

To conclude her speech, Bradley wished the students well and asked their audience of family and friends to applaud them.

Eighth grader Jade Wetherington, Middle School Student Council president, proudly led her classmates and all in attendance in the pledge of allegiance.

Jade said she truly enjoyed her time in the Western Wayne Middle School.  She looks forward to all she will learn in high school.  She aspires to either work in theater as an actor or to be a cosmetologist.

“I enjoyed making everyone smile this year at all of the events the student council was able to hold,” she said.

The featured event of the Moving-Up Ceremony was all 8th grade students receiving awards in various categories for excellence or improvement in all academic and unified arts classes.  In addition, students received awards for good citizenship, excellent work habits, and for a variety of high academic achievements such as making the honor roll for 11 quarters in middle school from 6th through 8th grade.  After all of the students received their initial awards, the class of 2026 stood up, and the entire stadium filled with their family and friends gave them another round of applause.

It is also a Western Wayne Middle School tradition for many years that two outstanding students, one male and one female, are recognized for their patriotism and leadership among other qualities.  The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the local American Legion present these awards.   

The Daughters of the American Revolution Award was presented to 8th grader Audrey Agnello.   

Audrey received the good citizenship medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution for being an outstanding student in the 8th grade class who exhibits the qualities of honor and honesty, service, courage, leadership, and patriotism. 

George Schaffer presented the American Legion Award to 8th grader Logan Pauler.  

Logan received this annual award for being an outstanding student in the 8th grade class who exhibits the qualities of honor, scholarship, Americanism, leadership, and courage. 

Both Audrey and Logan felt extremely honored to receive their respective awards.  They also both, at first, felt shocked to learn the Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Legion had chosen them for these high honors. 

Audrey is a hard-working young woman who especially loves to study science and is highly involved in activities and sports at Western Wayne.

In addition, she is a long-time competitive swimmer who is a member of the Pacers at Marywood University.  She also plays soccer, runs track, and plans to join the tennis team for her freshman year.  In addition, she is an honor roll student who also participates in the PJAS club and was the captain of the Middle School Reading Relay Team this year.

She looks forward to her high school science classes the most. In the future, she is thinking about studying genetics or epidemiology.

“My experiences in middle school have helped me to learn how to work and achieve many things independently,” Audrey explained.  

Fellow classmate Logan Pauler is also a hard-working individual and honor roll student. He most enjoys his math classes because he likes problem solving.  

In addition, he is a triple-sport athlete who plays basketball, soccer, and track. 

“I am most looking forward to the seriousness of my high school classes,” Logan, who aspires to be an architect, said.

For the second year in a row, students and their families made poster boards of pictures of favorite memories of their students to add a personal touch of their memories throughout the year to the ceremony.  

Western Wayne faculty, administration, and staff wish the class of 2026 the best on their new journey to the high school.