October 8, 2023

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

October 9-11: Coffee with Principals and PTO at 9:30 (K-5)

October 13-15: Family Photo Fall Fundraiser with Karen Morneau Photography

October 16: Coffee with Principals (ELP)

October 20: Kids Care Club

October 21: ELP Trunk & Eat

October 23-25: Fall Scholastic Book Fair

November 7: No School - Election Day

November 9: Picture Retake Day

November 9: Veteran’s Day Program

November 9: Speaker Series with Alycia Dadd at 6pm

November 17: Kids Care Club

November 22: 2-Hour Early Dismissal

November 23-24: Thanksgiving Break

November 28-December 1: 2-Hour Early Dismissal for Conference Week

November 30: Special Education Awareness Day

Useful Links:

• DPS Calendar 2023-24
• Six Day Schedule for Elementary Schools 2023-24
• Back to School Checklist 2023-2024

Missed last week's Hoot? Click here

Dear Families,

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful weekend of fun! We look forward to the more autumn feeling weather this coming week. 

PTO COFFEES

Coming up this week, we are welcoming parents to morning coffees at Ox Ridge. Please note the schedule below. 

• Monday, October 9 at 9:30 - Kindergarten and 1st grade families in the cafeteria
• Tuesday, October 10 at 9:30 - 2nd and 3rd grade families in the cafeteria
• Wednesday, October 11 at 9:30 - 4th and 5th grade families in the cafeteria
• Monday, October 16 at 9:30 - ELP in the common room        

Enjoy the week!

Melissa Kay

Dear Ox Ridge Community,

It was great to see so many families at our ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday and yesterday’s Sunday Funday event! Big thanks to our Social Committee for organizing such a fun day.  

We’re excited to host our in-person Coffee with the Principals and PTO Monday through Wednesday this week. This is a great opportunity to meet the new Ox Ridge Administration (Principal Melissa Kay and our new Assistant Principals Maya Feldman and Sioban McCormack). The PTO will also be sharing our plans for the year and welcome all ideas.

Have a great week ahead and stay warm as cooler temperatures return!

Vanessa Donatello & Kate Kaufman

PTO Co-Chairs

[email protected]

OX RIDGE BOOK FAIR

The Ox Ridge Fall Book Fair “There’s No Place Like Home” runs October 23-25th.  

Family Shopping Nights are Monday (23rd) & Tuesday (24th) from 5-7pm (those needing a quieter shopping experience may enter at 4:30).  Click here to set up your child's eWallet.

Book Fair Volunteers Needed – Click here to help out! Slots are open for classroom visits (during the school day) plus set up and breakdown. The teacher visit schedule is included in the sign-up sheet if you’d like to coordinate with your child’s class. We need your help to make this event a success!

PTO COFFEE WITH PRINCIPALS

On October 9-11, we will be hosting Coffee with Principals and the PTO. All parents/guardians are invited to attend. There are 4 upcoming sessions:

• Monday, October 9 at 9:30 - Kindergarten and 1st grade families
• Tuesday, October 10 at 9:30 - 2nd and 3rd grade families
• Wednesday, October 11 at 9:30 - 4th and 5th grade families
• Monday, October 16 at 9:30 - ELP families

Each session will be similar. If you have children in different grades, you can come on the day that is most convenient for you.

We are also planning our first Speaker Series for November 9 with Alycia Dadd, Ph.D. (Darien Public Schools Director of Mental Health).

DARIEN SPORT SHOP FALL CHARITY DAYS FUNDRAISER

Support Ox Ridge and have fun shopping with the Darien Sport Shop fall charity shopping benefit! Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Ox Ridge PTO. Purchase tickets here for $10 and receive a 15% discount on all Darien Sport Shop purchases during their charity shopping days, Tuesday, October 17th, and Wednesday, October 18th. Tickets can also be purchased in person at Sunday Funday on October 8th and the PTO / Principal coffee on Monday, October 9th. Any tickets purchased online will be emailed prior to October 17th. This is a great time to purchase outfits and goodies for the holidays! Please reach out to Courtney Concannon or Paola Sordoni at [email protected] with any questions. Happy Shopping!

EXCITING NEWS FROM KIDS CARE CLUB!

Get ready for an amazing start to a year filled with compassion and community spirit! The Kids Care Club is thrilled to invite your students to our first meeting of the year on October 20th at 8:15 am.

What's the Kids Care Club all about? We're a group dedicated to exploring the wonders of local community service. This month we are honored to host Sarah Demark from Person to Person, who will enlighten us about their incredible work and how we can contribute to making a positive impact. We will dive into the spirit of giving as our young philanthropists create vibrant posters for our upcoming Coat Drive, happening from October 23rd to November 3rd. Let's make a difference together!

We can't wait for another fantastic year of caring and sharing. Visit Kids Care Club to enroll your child and join us in shaping compassionate leaders for the future.

Here's to another year of kindness, community, and countless heartwarming moments!

OX RIDGE VETERANS DAY PROGRAM

Ox Ridge will continue the tradition of our Veterans Day program this year on Thursday November 9th. As many of you know, this program is an extremely significant event at our school. Our goal is to continue to develop a greater appreciation among students for our country and the veterans who sacrificed so much for our safety and freedoms.  We look forward to paying tribute to all the veterans in our families and community – past, present, near and far – with an in-person program in our new cafeteria and auditorium! We are thrilled to welcome our veterans back this year. 

How to participate:

If any of the veterans in your life are able to join us in-person that day, please contact us by Monday October 23^rd by emailing [email protected] with the Subject Line “Veterans Day 2023”. We will have our veterans participate in some Q&A with our students as we have done in the past.

If you have a veteran or active duty service member in your family, or if you know a veteran who you would like to honor by having their biography and pictures displayed in school, please complete this form by October 23rd as well.  Please note: If you have submitted your veteran’s biographical information before, it is not necessary to do so again. The photos and biographies will be posted in the pod area for each grade. 

If you are able to volunteer your time, either with set up before, during, or after the celebration or in preparation for the event, please contact us at [email protected]. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to honoring our country’s heroes once again!

DEI: OCTOBER

This October, we will be celebrating kindness and working to create a kinder school community.

We ask each community member (parents, students and staff) to actively engage in creating a kinder atmosphere.

Here are some ideas on how you can participate 

• compliment a job well done as well as positive and helpful attitudes
• Lend a hand by volunteering 
• Include those who are left out
• Actively listen and celebrate differences 

For books on kindness, visit the library and look for some of these titles:

• Kindness Rules by Sabrina Moyle
• Kindness Matters by Kim Thompson 
• Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs Ruler by Margery Cuyler 

PTO FUNDRAISER - MINTED

Ox Ridge is Fundraising with Minted! Get 20% off your Minted card and gift purchases, including custom photo gifts, tote bags, stationery, children’s art and more. For every order placed, Minted will donate 15% back to the Ox Ridge PTO! 

Step 1: Visit minted.com and start shopping!

Step 2: Apply code FUNDRAISEOXRIDGE at checkout to claim your 20% discount. The code can be used year-round!

NEW FAMILIES: OPEN REFERRAL PERIOD FOR DARIEN'S GIFTED PROGRAM

The Darien Public Schools recognizes the diverse needs of all students through the differentiation of a robust and rigorous curriculum that is engaging, meaningful, creative, and cognitively complex. Differentiation and choice exist within the general education program to serve all students within the social, emotional, and learning spectrums. The Darien Public Schools also recognize that gifted students require specialized instruction due to their high intellectual ability and exceptional demonstration of the following traits: original or divergent thinking, curiosity, abstract reasoning ability, passion for learning, and creativity.

The Idea Program offers distinct instruction for students in grades two through eight, based on their unique learning pathways, through rigorous, enriching, interdisciplinary programming through the domains of English Language Arts and Mathematics. The National Association for Gifted Children has identified common characteristics of gifted individuals which can be found by clicking here.

If you believe your child consistently demonstrates a preponderance of these traits, both in and out of the school setting, then you may want to discuss the possibility of a referral with your child’s teacher. Parents/guardians or teachers may make a referral for evaluation for students who are new to the district in grades 2-8 from October 9th to October 27th.  For additional information about the evaluation process and related referral forms visit the program's website, www.darienps.org/idea or contact your building administrator.   

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING PTO VOLUNTEERS



Nicole Sweeney, Christine Auh, Marie Harrison, Meghan Drexler, Cassie Mecsery, Lindsey Rhoads, Danielle Paccione, Alison Meunch, and Meghan Shain (Social Committee) for a fabulous Sunday Funday event

Laura Costello (Special Education) for organizing the Zen Den at Sunday Funday

Jenn Marty (Hoot) for working on the October Hoot newsletter

Meghan Thornton, Mary Elizabeth Garvey, Christina Kreuz, and Sibel Magripli-Mesta (Ox Appreciation Team) for decorating and restocking the staff lounge

Jen Richardson and Megan Beller (Beautification Team) for decorating the school grounds for October.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE FOLLOWING OX RIDGE STAFF

Moura Morash (IDEA) on October 11



DARIEN YOUTH SURVEY COMMUNITY PRESENTATION

Please join Thriving Youth Darien on Thursday, October 12th at 7pm at Darien Library to learn more about what 6-12th graders told us about their mental health and substance use patterns on the 2023 Darien Youth Survey, administered last March by Darien Public Schools.

Georgette Harrison, Director of Clinical and Community Partnerships at Child Guidance Center of Southern CT, will present the findings. A discussion with panelists: Rebecca Campbell, Director of Therapy Services at Sasco River Center; Dr. Alycia Dadd, Director of Mental Health for Darien Public Schools; and John Hamilton, President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberation Programs, will follow.

The event is free and open to the public; anyone interested in learning more about the most concerning issues facing our local youth is welcome to attend. Register at www.communityfunddarien.org/ty-youth-survey 

TOKENEKE SCHOOL PUMPKIN CARNIVAL

The 2023 Tokeneke School Pumpkin Carnival - Saturday, October 14th, 10am - 4pm

For over fifty years, on one special day in October, Tokeneke Elementary School is transformed into a Halloween themed festival and amusement park! There are mechanical rides and boardwalk games as well as a variety of lawn games and art activities including slime and face painting. There is something for children of all ages to enjoy. For those seeking a thrill, make sure to try the Cliffhanger and Zero Gravity rides. Younger children are sure to love the Spinning Cars and the Happy Swing ride. Play the many games to win prizes! Nosh on delicious food from Burgers Shakes & Fries, Heights Pizza and the Tacos Los Potrillos food truck. The Tokeneke Parent and Teacher Organization is once again partnering with Darien Human Services to offer the event free of charge to families in need. Advance discounted ride tickets and punch cards for lawn games and activities can be purchased online HERE and picked up at the WILL CALL table at the event. Questions can be sent to Vickie Coghlin, Pumpkin Carnival Co-Chair. Please spread the word!

Early Start for Special Needs Families!

Select rides and activities will open at 9:30am for families that may need accommodations. We ask that members of the community respect this sensory friendly time, so all families can enjoy the Pumpkin Carnival. Thrilling rides, delicious food and fun carnival games await you! Hope to see you there!

FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL AT MATHER HOMESTEAD

Come to join us on October 21^st from 11am-2pm for fall family fun at the historic Mather Homestead! Hay rides, petting zoo, Revolutionary War reenactor, fire truck visit, face painting, pumpkins, crafts, games and live music by On the Trail bluegrass band! Check out www.matherhomestead.org for more information or to purchase tickets in advance. Event is rain or shine and Mather Homestead is located at 19 Stephen Mather Road. Questions? Email [email protected].

GROWING UP IN PUBLIC: COMING OF AGE IN A DIGITAL WORLD

How do we help our kids navigate growing up in a world where nearly every moment of their lives can be shared and compared? Dr. Devorah Heitner will join us on Tuesday, October 24th at 7pm at the Middlesex Middle School auditorium to discuss her new book - "Growing Up in Public" - and offer strategies to help our tweens and teens navigate boundaries, identity, privacy, and reputation in their always-connected digital world. Program sponsored by Thriving Youth Darien, Middlesex Parent Association, YWCA Parent Awareness, The Depot, YMCA Darien/Norwalk, Family Centers, and Kids in Crisis. Register at www.communityfunddarien.org/ty-programs-and-events.

DARIEN EMS - POST 53 HAUNTED HOUSE

Darien EMS - Post 53 Haunted House - Sunday October 29th from 1:30-3:30pm



Come join us for three different levels of fright on Sunday October 29th from 1:30-3:30pm at our headquarters 0 Ledge Road, Darien. Get your Halloween costumes ready and join us for a fun filled afternoon with exciting events and fun games for kids of all ages. There will be ambulance tours, pumpkin decorating, face painting, and many more games and treats! CPR/AED training will be offered to any adults or children interested. Suggested donation is $10 per child and all donations will support Darien EMS-Post 53, Darien’s Volunteer Emergency Medical Service staffed with state certified Emergency Medical Technicians, who are Darien High School Students and their Adult Advisors. 

OX RIDGE KINDERGARTEN GIRL SCOUT TROOP

Do you have a kindergartener interested in being a Girl Scout? We are starting a Daisy troop for kindergarten girls! Get ready for fun, friendship and amazing adventures! Being a Girl Scout encourages girls to develop skills, character, courage, other important life skills, along with having great adventures with friends and spending time outdoors. Click this link to join (our troop number for kindergarteners is 50558 if you need to search for the troop). Our first meeting will be Thursday, November 2 at 3:30 pm, and we will meet once a month. Stay tuned for details! Contact Kathleen Sartorius with questions.

7th ANNUAL RUN WITH THE SAINTS 5K

Lace up for the 7th annual Run with the Saints 5K Run and 1-mile Fun Run/Walk on Sunday, November 5 beginning at 11:30AM. The family-favorite event includes an open-air lunch. All festivities are open to the public and will be held at Saint Luke’s, 1864 Post Road, Darien. Event fees include adults ($40), kids ages 11 to 15-years-old ($20), children aged 10 and under ($15). All proceeds support Saint Luke’s outreach including Person to Person. Register online by midnight on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at Run with the Saints.

MUSIC FOR YOUTH

Darien Music For Youth is a 501(c)(3) that has been supporting music education in Darien for over 50 years, relying on donations to make this happen. All donations go straight into programs in the schools. Building on the success of last year’s strings festival year with Mark Wood's Electrify your Symphony, we are geared up for a choral festival year for 2023-2024 with numerous visiting vocal ensembles and a culminating masterclass and concert in the spring with the talented Western Connecticut State University choir. We will also continue our poster and graphic design contests, summer music scholarships, and offer bonus events for all students. We need your continued support! Review this MY FLYER for more details, and please click here to donate. 

OX RIDGE HOOT | HOOT EMAIL | PTO WEBSITE

EDITORS NOTE:

Danielle Kohlberger - September, December, March, June 2

Jennifer Marty - October, January, April, June 9

Roberta Brodis - November, February, May, June 16

OX RIDGE HOOT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

The Ox Ridge Hoot is emailed every Sunday during the school year. The deadline for submission is Thursday at noon. Please send your submission to [email protected] with the text of your e-mail, single spaced and left adjusted (NO FORMATTING!), with "Ox Ridge Hoot Submission" in the subject line. 

"Community News" information/events will run for a maximum of two consecutive Hoot editions. Please time your submissions accordingly. 

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT OR DECLINE ALL SUBMISSIONS.

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