Ox Ridge School
January 3, 2021
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Monday, January 4th
- Students return - remote learning day - A letter day
Tuesday, January 5th
- Remote learning day - B letter day
Wednesday, January 6th
- Remote learning day - C letter day
Thursday, January 7th
- Remote learning day - D letter day
Friday, January 8th
- Remote learning day
- Early dismissal
Monday, January 11th
- In-person learning model (elementary) resumes - E letter day
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FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK |
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Hi All,
Happy New Year!
I hope you all enjoyed a happy and healthy holiday week, and a peaceful New Years’ celebration. As you learned from Dr. Addley’s communication yesterday, we will continue in remote learning this coming week Monday 1/4 - Friday 1/8.
As a reminder, our remote learning school hours are 8:45am-3:15pm Monday - Thursday, and 8:45am-12:45pm on Friday. Your child’s Morning Meeting will begin at 8:45am each day. The Zoom link for their Morning Meeting can be found on their Seesaw (grades k-2) or Google Classroom (grades 3-5). Below are some important reminders from our district technology and health teams.
Tech Tips for Remote Learning
Travel and Quarantine Information
Please find important information from Mrs. Alicia Casucci regarding travel advisories and quarantining here. If you have any questions about travel or quarantining needs, please continue to email our school nurse, Mrs. Yvonne Dempsey.
As always, if there is anything I can do to help you navigate the remote week, don't hesitate to reach out!
Thanks,
Luke
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Dear Ox Ridge Parents,
Happy New Year! We hope everyone enjoyed their break and found time to rest and recover. Surviving 2020 was no small feat, and we are fervently hopeful for the chance to rebuild and resume life as we once knew it (and perhaps took for granted) in 2021!
That being said, our 2020 ended with lots of goodwill. Thank you to all who donated household supplies to the Darien Human Services drive. Even with the condensed schedule, Ox Ridge over-filled two large cars’ worth of much-needed household supplies. As our 5th grade students were told by Darien Human Services when they delivered the donated supplies, their effort will make a very big difference to so many Darien residents. A big shout-out goes to our 5th grade students, 5th grade teachers, and coordinators Kadi Lublin and Jenn Sherman for encouraging the spread of goodwill amongst our school community and for their labors in making signs, collecting goods, and delivering them to DHS. We are very proud of our 5th grade for their charity and leadership.
As we ease into 2021, please be advised that pursuant to Dr. Addley’s December 31st letter, we will be in remote learning this week, with in-person learning resuming on Monday, January 11th. For the full text of Dr. Addley’s letter, please click here. As a reminder, our remote learning hours are 8:45am-3:15pm Monday-Thursday and 8:45am-12:45pm on Friday.
One final note of reminder. Ox Ridge will be hosting its own community discussion (remotely) this month in response to Community Film Night: The Social Dilemma, presented on January 6th by YWCA Darien/Norwalk Parent Awareness in partnership with Middlesex Middle School, OK2Delay, and Darien Library. If interested, please see info on how to join the Ox Ridge discussion under Community News below.
Wishing you all a wonderful year!
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!
There are no staff birthdays this week. Stay tuned for next week's birthdays!
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REMOTE LEARNING MODEL EXTENDED
Pursuant to a meeting with the District’s Medical Advisor, the town’s Director of Health, the COVID Compliance Liaison, and the District COVID Response Team, all District general and special education programs will stay in remote learning for the first week back after the break (January 4-8) and return to in person learning for elementary students and hybrid learning for secondary students on Monday, January 11, 2021.
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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 i[email protected]) or Lia Stewart ([email protected]) 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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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 [email protected].
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DARIEN NATURE CENTER NEW PROGRAM: OUTDOOR EXPLORERS!
Are you ready to bundle up, grab your gear, and go on a nature adventure? The Darien Nature Center is launching a new monthly after-school program in 2021 called Outdoor Explorers! This 3-part program will have a different theme each month, but will always include hikes, games, science experiments, stories, and campfires. January's theme is "Animal Signs: tracks, scat, and other clues in nature." The cost is $153 for all three days. You can enroll online here! Or email [email protected]
- Children in grades 2 - 5 will meet Wednesdays (January 13, 20, and 27) from 3:30 to 5:00 PM
- Children in grades PreK and 1 (must be at least 5 years old) will meet Fridays (January 15, 22, and 29) from 2:00 to 3:30 PM.
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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 [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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