Ox Ridge School
December 20, 2020
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Monday, December 21st
- Remote learning day - D letter day
- Last day to donate to the 5th Grade & DHS Household Supply Drive (see details below)
Tuesday, December 22nd
- Remote learning day - E letter day
Wednesday, December 23rd
- Remote learning day - F letter day
- Early Dismissal
December 24th - January 1st
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Monday, January 4th
- Students return to school - in-person learning model (elementary) - A letter day
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FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK |
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Hi All,
The building was “humming” this week with excitement for the upcoming holiday break! Thanks again to our 5th grade student leaders and all of the families who engaged in such a successful drive to support the broader community through partnership with Darien Human Services! Thanks also to all with your patience and support as we transitioned to this brief “remote learning” period. Looking forward to a healthy and happy return on the 4th. As you continue to navigate this remote learning period, please see a repeat of these always helpful technology tips below.
Thanks,
Luke
Helpful tips for troubleshooting Chromebook tech issues
**Chromebooks should be shut down every night and restarted in the morning to avoid technical issues. Should you experience a technical issue, the general fix is to restart the Chromebook per the below directions from our IT department:
- Closing the Chromebook lid will NOT restart the Chromebook.
- To shut down the Chromebook, click on the area with the time, you will see the power icon in that menu. Click the power icon to shut down the Chromebook.
- After the Chromebook turns off, close the lid and wait 10 seconds.
- Then open the lid – the Chromebook will power on.
- Your technical issue should be fixed.
- If your technical issue is not fixed, please contact tech support via the link below.
Clever and Zoom
When your student logs back into the Chromebook there will be two tabs (CLEVER & ZOOM) that will automatically open for them. Please remind your students NOT TO CLOSE these two tabs. If they close the ZOOM tab, then they won’t be able to access ZOOM meetings. If they do close the ZOOM tab, then follow the instructions below.
- Open a new tab in the chrome browser
- Click on DPS BOOKMARKS
- Scroll down to the bottom and click on ZOOM FOR DPS
- Do not close this tab
***Remember when your child goes from their “class” to a “special”, they need to “leave the meeting” for the classroom zoom and then go to the Seesaw or Google Classroom for their special and access the special’s zoom link from there!
Tech Support
Tech support can be reached at http://support.darienps.net/. Please contact tech support if you are having difficulty with your school-issued device or school-related software application. The technology department is unable to troubleshoot issues on personal devices. Please click here to fill out a tech support request.
Seesaw and Google Classroom
Zoom links and instructional materials for students in K-2 will be posted on their classroom Seesaw. For a brief video tutorial on Seesaw, click here.
Zoom links and instructional materials for students in 3-5 will be posted to their Google Classroom. For Google Classroom 101 tips, click here.
Need to print?
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Dear Ox Ridge Parents,
We hope everyone had a smooth transition to the remote learning model last week. We have a short week this week with just three more days until holiday recess begins so this will be our last Hoot of 2020. What a year it has been!
A big thank you to all of our room parents who organized teacher gifts for each of their classes. On behalf of the PTO we also delivered Amazon gift cards to all of the staff outside of the classroom. We are so incredibly thankful for the entire Ox Ridge staff and wanted to make sure we shared some joy with them this holiday season.
Wishing everyone a happy & healthy holiday!
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 25th - Katie Rafferty-Risk (Literacy Specialist)
December 26th - Lori Hoge (Cafeteria Monitor)
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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: The last day to donate is Monday, December 21st
- Where: Drop off at 24 Maplewood Drive
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What: Toothpaste, Soap, Shampoo, Sponges, Cleaning products, Paper towels... (To see full list, please click here
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REMOTE LEARNING MODEL
The entire District will participate in a remote learning model for the time period through Wednesday, December 23rd. We fully anticipate and are planning to resume school in our current learning models (in person for elementary & hybrid for secondary) on Monday, January 4, 2021. The decision to change learning models for this short time period was made in the collective best interest of our students, families and staff.
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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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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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Rumi wrote, “What is planted in each person’s soul will sprout.” As we enter into this holiday season, take some time to “plant” words of encouragement in the hearts of each of your family members. Label mason jars with each family member’s name, leave them on the kitchen table for a few days and invite each family member to drop a note of affirmation in each one. You can share something you appreciate about your son, daughter or spouse, a unique gift or character quality you observed this year or even how you saw them display perseverance and resilience in difficult moments. Pick a night and take some time to read these notes to each other or individually.
Talk early, talk often. The Community Fund of Darien/Thriving Youth
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COMMUNITY FILM NIGHT: THE SOCIAL DILEMMA
YWCA Darien/Norwalk Parent Awareness in partnership with Middlesex Middle School, OK2Delay and Darien Library present, Community Film Night: The Social Dilemma, on Wednesday, January 6th, at 7:30 pm. Watch a community viewing of the documentary or watch on your own, then register through the YWCA and join a guided conversation that picks up where the film left off. Discuss together how to advance the human tech movement. Post screening community conversations on Wednesday, January 13th, at 8pm or Thursday, January 14th, at 10am. Register with the YWCA at: https://ywcadn.org/social
Ox Ridge will also be hosting its own community discussion as a follow-up to this in January. If you are interested in joining, please email okay2delay@gmail.com.
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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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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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