Ox Ridge School
December 13, 2020
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Monday, December 14th
- School Photo Retakes with Lifetouch
Tuesday, December 15th
- Ox Appreciation (Coffee & Treat Delivery for Staff & Teachers)
Thursday, December 17th
- Last Day for Toys4Tots Donations
Friday, December 18th
- Deadline to Submit Gingerbread House Pictures
Monday, December 21st
- Last day to bring in donations to the 5th Grade & DHS Household Supply Drive (see details below)
Wednesday, December 23rd
December 24th - January 1st
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FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK |
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Hi All,
Please read our amazing 5th grader letters in this week’s Hoot encouraging participation in the “Darien Human Services Household Supply Drive”! Many thanks to Mrs. Watson and the rest of our awesome fifth grade team for guiding our student leaders in the act of service to the broader community.
We begin the holiday season with a very happy Chanukah this week! Best wishes to those celebrating as we embrace the spirit of togetherness and gratitude this holiday season!
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Dear Ox Ridge Parents,
What a busy time it has been for the PTO. We have a number of shout-outs this week. First, thank you so much to our social chairs, Sam Bohlen and Lauren Schernecke, for organizing a super fun virtual “social” event for our students. The trivia Kahoot! was a huge hit, with approximately 66 families (and even more students) participating.
We also want to thank Ox Ridge Literary Specialist, Katie Risk, for her invaluable help in setting up the Kahoot! and creating an instructional video. Thanks also go to our amusing co-hosts, Principal Luke Forshaw and Assistant Principal Christina Ulreich. And what a special treat it was to have a cameo from the adorable Grace Forshaw!
We next want to thank our Gingerbread chairs, Jenny Malone and Kim Burt, for organizing our first ever at-home gingerbread house event and for providing approximately 170 houses with candy, frosting, and all the fixings for participating Ox families! What an amazing feat in such a challenging year. We are anxious to see photos of all of the kids’ creations in the coming week. As a reminder, submissions for the Ox gingerbread competition are due by this Friday, the 18th. And don’t forget to post photos (whether competing or not) to social media (details below).
Finally, in a year where we have come to better appreciate the importance of good health (not just our own, but our entire community’s), we would like to acknowledge and thank Darien’s Director of Health Services, Alicia Casucci, for her tireless work in keeping Darien safe and alert. On behalf of Ox Ridge, we have extended an American Express gift card to Ms. Casucci, as a display of our tremendous gratitude.
We are looking forward to another great week at Ox Ridge. Please remember the deadline for Toys for Tots donations is this Thursday, the 17th. We hope everyone is feeling the joyful holiday spirit!
Kindly,
Ashley & Beth
PTO Co-Chairs
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Ashley Hinchman
(804) 405-4750
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Beth Morgan
(917) 679-9018
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Happy Birthday to the following Ox Ridge Staff!
December 15th - Andrea Aaron (IDEA)
December 16th - Paula Kovacs (Paraeducator)
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OX RIDGE 5TH GRADE AND DARIEN HUMAN SERVICES HOLD HOUSEHOLD SUPPLY DRIVE!
Please Help us to Help Others
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The Ox Ridge 5th Grade Class is partnering with Darien Human Services (DHS) to fill their Household Supply Closet for the holidays! Our 5th grade students have learned about DHS and are creating posters, making school announcements and organizing a collection of goods to help lead their school in giving back to our community.
- When: Next Week Mon-Mon, December 14-21
- Where: Send in with your student to school, there will be collection bins at dropoff and throughout the school building
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What: Toothpaste, Soap, Shampoo, Sponges, Cleaning products, Paper towels... (To see full list, please click here
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DARIEN AFTER SCHOOL: WINTER SCHEDULE
Join friends from across Darien and participate in Darien Virtual After School programming! The winter schedule offers two sessions of unique activities allowing students to change things up mid-winter or continue with favorite activities. Session 1 will run from 1/11-2/26 and Session 2 will run from 3/1-4/9. Both late afternoon and half-day Friday classes have been added to the schedule this winter. To view the Online Class Schedule and Register go to: www.DarienAfterSchool.com. Please reach out to Hayley Marcous (888.212.3837 or info@darienafterschool.com) or Lia Stewart (Lia.c.stewart@gmail.com) with questions.
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DECORATE AND SHARE YOUR GINGERBREAD HOUSE!
We’re excited to be offering Gingerbread Houses again this year as TAKE HOME KITS instead of an after school activity. Please post a photo to social media while decorating and tag @oxridgepto and #oxridgegingerbread so that our kids can “see” each other and experience this "together!"
OPTIONAL CONTEST: Decorate your house by Friday, December 18th and submit pictures to OxRidgeGingerbread@gmail.com - a winner will be chosen by Monday, December 21st. We will choose winners based on creativity and each winner will receive a festive prize. Extra points for anyone who wants to celebrate Darien by re-creating a landmark in town (Ox Ridge, Library, Town Hall, Darien Sport Shop, etc). Please include Name and Grade Level for submission, or family name and grade levels, we will be choosing one winner per grade level.
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PICTURE RETAKE DAY IS MONDAY, DECEMBER 14TH
Students who are having their photo retaken should bring their proof packet with them on retake day. If your child has not had a picture taken please head to www.mylifetouch.com and register for your photo session using the Picture day ID of EVTBGZ9K4. We will have after school time made available for our remote learning families.
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PLEASE SUPPORT TOYS FOR TOTS
The Ox Ridge School community, along with the local U.S. Marine Corps, is sponsoring a Toys for Tots drive November 20th through December 17th. If you wish to contribute, please bring in a new, unwrapped toy for ages preschool to teen. Students may place their donations in a box at the entry of school. Thank you for spreading joy to some children in need, and thank you for your generosity!
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YEARBOOKS ARE ON SALE
All yearbook sales will be online this year. Just click this link to place an order. The cost is $22 per yearbook. If you are ordering multiple yearbooks for each of your children, please fill out their names, grade and homeroom teacher individually, adding each yearbook to the cart one at a time. If you are ordering one yearbook for your children to share, please enter the name, grade and homeroom teacher of the child who should receive the yearbook at the end of the school year.
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HOLIDAY CARDS - HELP US EARN EXTRA DOLLARS FOR OX RIDGE!
Order your holiday cards through Minted and you save 20% and Minted will give 15% of sales to Ox Ridge PTO. Please use promo code FUNDRAISEOXRIDGE which is valid through December 31, 2020. For any questions, please email the fundraising chairs, Ellie Davidson and Megan Malone.
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INFORMATION FROM ALICIA CASUCCI, DIRECTOR OF NURSING SERVICES
IMPORTANT LINKS
If you receive positive COVID test results after school hours, please call 203.656.7440 to speak with a nurse.
Should I let my children go to a birthday party? What about holiday parties?
This is a difficult question, especially for the COVID weary! Any time we gather with those from outside our home, we are increasing our risk of being exposed to COVID-19 Unfortunately, many traditional birthday celebration and holiday parties can be high-risk for spreading viruses. As you make decisions about what activities you and your children can enjoy, remain vigilant about the mitigation strategies put in place to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, such as:
- Performing frequent hand hygiene
- Wear a mask whenever you are outside your home, especially when you are with people who you do not live with
- Maximize your distance from people who you do not live with, indoors or outdoors, 6 feet as feasible, especially when not wearing a mask
- Avoid high risk activities such as travel, large crowds, gatherings, parties, carpools
- Stay home if you are feeling ill, especially with a new onset cough, loss of taste or smell, fever, severe sore throat or headache
- Stay home if you have been exposed to anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Alicia V. Casucci, APRN, CPNP, NCSN
Director of Nursing Services
Darien Public Schools
203.655.3981 ext. 2304
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THRIVING YOUTH TIP OF THE WEEK |
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While 2020 was a year full of unexpected difficulties, take time over the next two weeks to reflect with your children about the good things, special family memories or even areas of growth that they experienced this year. Lisa Millbrand recommends asking each family member to write these things down on slips of paper and place them a pretty jar with a label like “Jar of Awesome.” The week of New Year’s you can dip into the jar over dinner and reflect, laugh and remember special moments of 2020.
Talk early, talk often. The Community Fund of Darien/Thriving Youth
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POSITIVE PARENTING THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS
'Tis the Season of Joy... for Parents?!? Everwell is hosting an engaging and inspiring parenting workshop on Thursday, December 17th from 10-11:15am on Zoom for those wanting joy + peace in the home this holiday season. Led by Darien mom + Certified Parent Coach, Jacqueline Telgheder and Social Emotional Learning Consultant + trained Positive Discipline Educator, Lorena Seidel, this workshop will help support parents in creating the strong parent-child connection they want through peaceful, positive, and respectful discipline. Learn how to create, sustain, and repair connection + harmony between you and your child(ren) for this season and beyond. Register here using the discount code PARENTS2020 for a complimentary ticket.
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DARIEN ART CENTER: SMARTPHONE PHOTO CONTEST
The Darien Art Center’s 2021 Smartphone Photo Contest, Pic Darien:Images of Hope, Heroes and Home will benefit Health and Human Services of Darien this year and eight local judges will select winners. Ben Larrabee, Terrie Wood, Art Sears, Jeffrey Wyant, Tom and Anne Geary, Megan Dey, David Wagner and Alexandra Ramsteck will judge photo entries from both adults and children in ten categories: Heroes, Hope & Happiness, Home & Holidays, Humor, Covid-19: The New Normal, Land & Sea, Nature & Floral, Food & Drink, Abstract & Architecture and Pets. The contest is accepting entries at darienarts.org through February 10th. The contest is open to all; there are no age restrictions and contestants are not required to live in Darien. To find out more about the Pic Darien Smartphone Photo Contest, visit darienarts.org or call (203) 655-8683.
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SPOT THE ELF!
Who DOESN’T love Elf-on-a-shelf?!?! Well, the Darien Youth Commission invites you to participate in a fun, family activity: SPOT THE ELF! Starting Monday, 12/14 through Sunday, 12/20, there will be a “scavenger hunt” with 12 clues posted on the DYC website (www.darienct.gov/yc). Each clue’s answer will lead you to a place in town where a picture of an elf is posted. (Leaving the elf there for others to find is a MUST!) Take photo of each elf and send to darienyouthcommission@darienct.gov. Each elf has a letter attached to it spelling a special message. The first group to send photos of all 12 elves and solve the mystery message is the winner! Details will be on the DYC website next week. Scavenger Hunt will be posted on Monday, 12/14 @ 9:00 a.m.
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EDITORS NOTE:
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 oxridgehoot@gmail.com 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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