SHOP & SUPPORT OX RIDGE AT THE CABANA!

Join us on Tuesday, February 7th from 9:30-12:30pm at The Cabana (1084 Boston Post Road) to shop their latest resort collections, winter classics, Valentine’s Day, and new pieces from Dudley Stephens! Perfect for those warm and cold weather trips during February break! Receive 10% off your purchase and 10% of sales will be donated to the Ox Ridge PTO!

Please RSVP to Danielle Paccione and Heather deBie by February 5th. Please contact us also with any questions or for online shopping details.

KINDNESS WEEK IS COMING!

National Kindness Week is next month from February 13th to 16th. The PTO will sponsor several fun activities and events for our students that week. On Wednesday, February 15th, we'd love for all students to wear our 2023 Kindness t-shirt or Ox Ridge spirit wear. The t-shirts are available for $10 each - click here to purchase by Friday, February 3rd. Orders will be delivered to your child's classroom.

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.

FIRST ANNUAL TALENT SHOW - OX ROCKS

Ox Ridge will host its first annual talent show – Ox Rocks – on Thursday, March 30th at 7pm 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 graders are eligible to participate!

Please be on the lookout next week for a Google Sign-Up, which will allow

you to enter your child(ren) into the show and to indicate their talent for the

show.

Please encourage your child be as creative as possible when considering

their performance; singing, dancing, comedy, magic, gymnastics, and

acting are just a few ideas. Think outside the box!

We are so excited to celebrate and showcase our student’s diverse talents

and interests!

2023 - 2024 DARIEN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET PROCESS UPDATE

On January 24th, the Board of Education (BOE) held a Regular Meeting. Presentations on three programs (DHS Mental Health and Wellness, Fitch Academy, School Security) were given and discussions regarding the Superintendent’s Proposed 2023-2024 Budget continued. 

The overall proposed 2023-2024 budget is $116,068,266 (a 4.94% increase over the 2022-2023 budget). BOE leadership suggested targeting a reduction of $1m and several BOE members encouraged District Administration to revise the budget with a focus on efficiencies. 

A replay of the meeting can be found here. Individual Board Members’ suggestions on specific line items or programs that may be added or cut from the proposed budget begins at 2.37:29.

If you have any questions or thoughts, please share them with Meghan Thornton or Christina Cruz, your PTO Chairs, or Dr. Luke Forshaw, Principal and / or directly with the Board of Education. 

Additionally, parents, guardians and members of the public may share perspectives during the Public Hearing on January 31st at 7pm in the BOE meeting room (35 Leroy).

YWCA PARENT AWARENESS WORKSHOPS

YWCA Parent Awareness is a family-focused program that has provided free support and education to parents and children for over 20 years with the goal of encouraging healthy, positive development of Darien youth and families. At the request of the Darien United Way, the YWCA assumed the program in July 1998 from the volunteer-run Council on Drugs and Alcohol, which ran the program since the 1980s. The goal was to replace the narrower focus of preventing high-risk teen behavior with a broader focus on positive parenting families.

Upcoming events in February:

February 2nd, 7:30pm Darien Library Community Room - Register here.

Understanding Executive Functioning Skills - The Grit and "Get Moving" Skills All Kids Need

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.

February 15th, 10am YWCA - Registration & More Details to Come

"They Said What?!" - Talking With Your Kids About Race & Other Hard Topics

DARIEN LIBRARY MINI GOLF

Saturday, February 11th from 9am - 5pm and Sunday, February 12th from 10am – 3:30pm

Darien Library is thrilled to announce its 8th annual Mini Golf fundraising event, where players of all ages will putt their way through the Library on an 18-hole miniature golf course. Face painting will be available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and attendees are welcome to enjoy one free tasty treat at the Café at Darien Library all weekend! The cost is $5 per player and all proceeds will go directly to the purchase of books, movies, and technology as well as the support of countless programming opportunities at the Library. All who register in advance will be entered into a raffle for a Big Game Tailgate package, complete with cozy swag, essential refreshments for the big game, and an unforgettable experience at Two Roads Brewing. For more information and to register in advance, visit darienlibrary.org/minigolf or contact the Darien Library Administrative Office at 203-669-5220.

DARIEN YOUNG COMPOSERS & SONGWRITERS CONCERT

Attention Young Composers and Songwriters: Submit an original song for the 2023 Young Composers and Songwriters Concert! Click here for the application. The deadline to submit your composition is Friday, March 3rd. 

The Music Department of the Darien Public Schools will be sponsoring the 22nd annual concert on Wednesday, March 29th at 6:30pm in the Darien High School Auditorium. This program is open to all students currently enrolled in the Darien Public Schools. It is a great opportunity for students to compose their own original music and share it with an audience.

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.