DARIEN AFTER SCHOOL - ROLLING REGISTRATION

BLAST through the cold with sports, music, art, science, theater and more... After School Winter Enrichment Programs right here at your school! Winter classes are offered through April 6th. Rolling registration open throughout the session (*late fees may apply).

Schedule, program details & registration online here. Questions: Reach out to us anytime! info@darienafterschool.com  / 888.212.3837

PTO VOLUNTEER FAIR

Interested in joining the Ox Ridge PTO for the 2023-2024 school year? Please come to our PTO Volunteer Fair being held before our PTO Speaker Series on Thursday, January 26th at 7pm in the Ox Ridge cafeteria. Come and learn more about our various PTO roles! Refreshments will be served. We hope to see you there! 

PTO SPEAKER SERIES - SCIENCE OF READING

Please join Ox Ridge literacy specialists, Amanda Roesing & Jacky Kennelly alongside Christina Ulreich and Luke Forshaw on Thursday, January 26th at 7:30pm in the Ox Ridge cafeteria to learn how our school community supports all students in becoming skilled, engaged literacy learners!

This has been a particularly exciting year in the world of literacy education as schools across the country worked to integrate elements from the "Science of Reading" into teaching. We'll plan for a lively discussion of schools' continuum of literacy instruction and discuss how our recent study of "Shifting the Balance" help us consider all of the vital elements that go into developing skilled readers.

FIRST ANNUAL TALENT SHOW LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS

Exciting News! On Thursday, March 30th at 7pm, Ox Ridge will host its first annual Talent Show - OX ROCKS - at Darien High School. OX ROCKS is a chance for the school and community to celebrate all talent and creativity while coming together in an inclusive, empowering and fun environment. All 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students will be eligible to participate. We will send out more information about details and entry in the coming weeks. Please mark your calendars now!

In the meantime, we are looking for volunteers to help with graphic design (branding and logo), a photographer to help with pictures on the day of auditions in early March (everyone makes it!) and show day March 30. We're also looking for anyone in production with experience in technology and/or backstage work. To volunteer, please email Ann Gallagher.

OX RIDGE PARENTS NIGHT OUT

Staring down a long winter? Break it up by joining us for an Ox Ridge Parents Night Out at 314 Beer Garden. We’ll beat the monotony of the cold with a Groundhog Day Party on Thursday, February 2 from 7-10pm. Drinks, light bites and lots of fun included! We’ll have an enclosed, heated area. $65 per person. Register here by 1/26!

SAVE THE DATE: HOOTIE HOEDOWN FUNDRAISER! 

We are excited to announce that our Ox Ridge fundraising event "The Hootie Hoedown” will take place on Saturday, March 11th from 7-11pm at the Wee Burn Country Club! This will be our first in-person fundraiser since 2019! Planning is underway and more details are coming soon! Grab your cowboy hats and boots for what will be a fun evening for our Ox community! For more information or questions, please email Danielle Paccione and Heather deBie.

2023 - 2024 DARIEN PUBLIC SCHOOL BUDGET PROCESS UPDATE

During an all-day meeting on Saturday, January 7th, the Superintendent’s Proposed 2023 - 2024 Budget was discussed in detail by The Board of Education (BOE), community partners* and members of the public. All had an opportunity to make comments and ask questions.

Below is a list of the Responsibility Centers (RCs) in the order they were discussed along with corresponding timestamps:

• RC 1 Darien High School 02.15
• RC 2 Fitch 1.10
• RC11 Athletics / PE 1.22
• RC 3 Middlesex Middle School 01.21
• RC 05, 07, 08, 09, 10 Elementary schools 18.44
• RC 12 Facilities 50.10
• RC 25 Fixed Expenses 1.24:19
• RC 13 Music 1.38
• RC 14 Art 1.44:43
• RC 21 Library / Media start 0.01
• RC 17 Health 04.05
• RC 22 Technology Education 14.45
• RC 15 Technology 42.25
• RC 26 ELP 1.05:33
• RC 24 Special Education 1.25
• RC 19 Curriculum .35  
• RC 23 Summer School 26.55
• RC 20 Finance 28.07
• RC 16 Administration 30.15
• RC 18 Personnel / HR  35.30
• RC 27 Security 46.40
• RC 28 COVID 52.32

* RTM Education, RTM F&B, CDSP, Board of Finance, SEPAC

Additionally, for your convenience, below please find:

• Superintendent’s Proposed 2023-2024 Budget
• High-level presentation regarding the Superintendent’s Proposed 2023-2024 Budget
• Document with answers to the BOE’s initial budget-related questions raised on January 7th
• Direct link to all budget materials

Parents / guardians are encouraged to get involved, direct questions / comments / thoughts to your PTO Chairs or Building Principal, or speak directly during Public Comment at the Board of Education meetings (open to the public).  

Further discussion regarding the Superintendent’s Proposed 2023-2024 Budget will take place during the next BOE meeting on Tuesday, January 17th.

DARIEN GIRLS BLUE WAVE BASKETBALL CLINIC

Come join the Darien High School Girls basketball team and coaches for a fun basketball clinic TOMORROW - Monday, January 16th (MLK Day) from 9am to 11am at the Darien High School gym. This clinic promises to be a fun two hour session for girls in 3rd - 8th grade to tune up their basketball skills and develop some new moves! 

The cost is $50 per player and checks are to be made out to Darien High School with “Girls Basketball” in the memo. All proceeds will go to support the Darien Girls’ High School program.

To register for the clinic, please email jennifer.erdlen@gmail.com with your child’s name, grade, parent contact/phone number and parent email address. On the morning of the clinic, please send in a check with your child. We will collect the checks at the entrance of the gym beginning at 8:50am.

NEW WINTER + SPRING OFFERINGS AT DARIEN ARTS CENTER

Winter and Spring registration is open for Visual Arts, Dance, Martial Arts and Music classes for all ages at darienarts.org. Classes begin in January. Art classes for kids include drawing/painting, cartooning, digital illustration and caregiver & me for pre-schoolers.

New Visual Arts Classes include:

Creations!, Grades 3-5 | Thursday, 3:30-5pm, Jan.19 - Feb. 16 | $200. Taught by local artist Lisa Thoren. Students will learn about and be inspired by famous artists from different time periods, while experimenting with various techniques and colors.

YWCA PARENT WORKSHOPS

“Parenting with Ease: How to Use an Appreciative Mindset to Create the Life You Want with Your Child” on Friday, January 20th at 8:30am will feature Darien parent coach, author, and mother of four Jacqueline Blair Telgheder. For parents of children ages 3-15 who want relatable stories, fresh approaches, and impactful action steps to get out of the trenches. Event is free and open to the public, co-sponsored by YWCA Parent Awareness, and will be held at New Canaan Country School 635 Frogtown Road, New Canaan. Register at www.countryschool.net/parenttalk  

The Thriving Youth Task Force & YWCA Parent Awareness are presenting a “Creating a Bully-Free Culture: Modeling Kindness & Inclusivity for our Children” workshop on Thursday, January 26th at 7pm

at the Darien Community Association (274 Middlesex Road). Led by executive coach & corporate trainer Melissa Schulz, about how bullying is a cultural issue and what we can all do to become “upstanders” - instead of bystanders - and create a culture/community that is more inclusive. This event is ideal for parents, guardians, caretakers, grandparents, educators, and anyone else that interacts with young people! Registration is required here.

“Understanding Executive Functioning: The Grit and Get Moving Skills All Kids Need” will be held on Thursday, February 2nd at 7:30pm at Darien Library Community Room where Kit Savage, MBA and Certified Executive Functioning Coach to learn about the Executive Functioning skills our children need to thrive, and how needs shift from middle school to high school to college. Understand the neuroscience behind EF and learn realistic parenting tools to help your child overcome deficits and build stamina with grit, emotional regulation, and self-awareness. Great for Parents grades 4-12 as well as teens. Sponsored by YWCA Parent Awareness and Darien Library, register at www.ywcadn.org 

DARIEN MUSIC FOR YOUTH

The Darien Music for Youth and DPS Music Department 2023 Poster Contest is here! Create, have fun, and win a chance to have your artwork displayed and be recognized from the stage at the district-wide Electrify Your Symphony concert on Tuesday, April 4th at 7pm at DHS! Instructions and entry form here.