May 30th : NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)
 
June 1st & 2nd : 4th Grade Field Trip to Sound Waters
 
June 2nd : 5th Grade Field Trip to Fairfield Museum

June 3rd : Kids Care Club

June 3rd - 13th : Field Days (see schedule below)

June 8th : Darien Special Education & Student Services Zoom @ 10am

June 9th & 10th : Discovery Museum coming to Kindergarten

June 17th : Last Day of School (early dismissal @ 1:20pm)

Missed last week's Hoot? Click here
FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK
Hi All,
 
Thank you again for your support to our school community this week. The kind wishes and partnership at home is truly appreciated!

I’m thrilled to see so many class celebrations, music shares and end of year “in person” events come back this spring! It’s imperative that all guests check in through our front doors for these events. Please come through the front entrance when you visit Ox Ridge so we can greet you and get you access to the spring events on campus.
 
Thank you to all of our Veterans in the Ox Ridge community! With Memorial Day ahead of us this weekend, be sure to thank a Veteran for their service.

Thanks,
Luke
FROM THE PTO
Dear Ox Ridge Parents,
 
It's hard to believe there are only 14 days of school left! Although summer is quickly approaching, there’s still plenty keeping us busy - a few field trips, the final Kids Care Club meeting, and the highly anticipated Field Days! Just a reminder that parents are not allowed to attend Field Days this year due to the construction. We look forward to resuming this tradition in the future...once we have a field again!
 
We hope you are having a relaxing Memorial Day weekend. A heartfelt thank you to all of the Veterans within our community.   

XO OX,
  
PTO Co-Chairs
OX RIDGE NEWS
OX RIDGE FIELD DAYS
Field days are almost here! These will be held by grade level with rotating stations and activities, including indoor cosmic bowling. Unfortunately, due to the construction, parents are not allowed on campus to spectate this year. Don't forget to send your student to school in their assigned team color!
Field Day Dates
3rd grade: Friday, June 3 10:00–11:20am
1st grade: Monday, June 6 9:30–10:50am
Kindergarten: Monday, June 6 1:00–2:00pm
2nd grade: Tuesday, June 7 10:00–11:20am
4th grade: Friday, June 10 1:00–2:20pm
5th grade: Monday, June 13 11:00–12:20 with picnic to follow
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RESERVE YOUR SPOT: FAMILY PHOTO DAY FUNDRAISER THIS FALL 
Reserve your spot now for our fall Family Photo Day Fundraiser! Get your holiday photos done early! The talented Karen Morneau is back to create beautiful photos once again! This wonderful event is both a fundraiser for the PTO (the sitting fee will go directly towards Ox Ridge PTO Fundraising) and an ideal way to create a cherished family memory.  Sessions will be held on September 28th (Weed Beach), October 7th (Weed Beach), October 15 (Cherry Lawn Park), and October 16 (Mead Park). Each session lasts 15-20 minutes, during which Ms. Morneau will take multiple pictures of your family. Shortly thereafter, your gallery will be emailed to you for viewing, with options to purchase digital proofs and/or prints. 
Spots fill quickly! Please use the following link to sign up: Family Photo Day Sign Up. You will receive a reminder closer to the date to submit payment for the $75 sitting fee. Email Erika Rodormer with any questions.
5TH GRADE PARENTS - ORDER MMS SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Order online now for next year until June 17th. *A portion of the proceeds benefit MMS.* More information in the attached FLYER.
To order: 
USERNAME: Middle
PASSWORD: mms2022 (case sensitive)
CHECK THE LOST & FOUND
Please encourage your children to check the lost and found items located between the gym and the common room. All unclaimed items will be donated on June 3.
CAN I GET A HOOT, HOOT?
THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING PTO VOLUNTEERS

Jenn Sherman (Grade Level Enrichment Rep) for coordinating the 5th Grade Field Trip to Darien Historical Society!
 
Sam Bohlen (Social Chair) and Sonia Johnson, Heather Lucas, Barbara May, Alison Muench & Nicole Sweeney (Social Committee) for planning the Yoga and Wellness Event.  Special thanks to Jackie Blair and the Schuster Family for donating time and resources to the event! 
 
Julie Brown (Grade Level Enrichment Rep) for coordinating the Mad Science STEM activity for the 3rd Grade!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE FOLLOWING OX RIDGE STAFF

Mrs. Kristen Walsh (Teacher) on June 1
Mrs. Jo-Ann Sawitsky (Secretary) on June 2
Mrs. Shannon Hernandez (Paraprofessional) on June 3
COMMUNITY NEWS
DARIEN FOOD SCRAP RECYCLING PROGRAM
In Connecticut alone, roughly 520,000 tons of food are thrown away every year. We can reduce food waste by separating recyclable food scraps for compost, which transforms the food into nutrient-rich fertilizer. The Town of Darien's food scrap recycling program is one of the first of its kind in lower Fairfield County, and all food can be recycled! Residents can collect food scraps in a kitchen container and bring the scraps in a large transportation bin to the Food Scrap Recycling drop-off at the Recycling Center. Any resident with a Recycling Center permit (sticker) can access the drop-off, located next to the Darien Recycling & Refuse Center (126 Ledge Road) and accessible during Recycling Hours of Operation (Monday-Saturday 7am-2:45pm). For more information on Darien’s program, visit darienct.gov.
DARIEN SUMMER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
Registration for Darien Summer School and Enrichment programming is currently open. Elementary school courses include Leap Ahead Writing, Readers’ and Writers’ Masterpiece Theater, Marvelous Math, Foundations of Middle School Math, Summer Strings Orchestra, Let’s Play Sports camp, and more. For more information and registration details, see our website.
DARIEN ALUMNI ART SHOW AT MATHER HOMESTEAD
Following our huge success last year, the Darien Alumni Art Show and Sale is back again! Our juried show is organized by and features artists who came up through the Darien school system (including Ox Ridge graduates) and who continue to practice art -- come and show your kids what a future with art looks like!  Gallery show opens with a launch party Friday June 10 5-7 pm, show hours Saturday June 11 and Sunday June 12 11:00-5:00. On Saturday and Sunday, we also have an artisan craft, selling notecards, T-shirts, prints and other smaller items.  We will also have music by Darien students present and past. Admission is free and all proceeds go straight to the artists. Questions? Email Brenda Whittaker
DARIEN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND STUDENT SERVICES PRESENTATION
Please join us on Zoom for a District-Wide Parent Coffee Series on CT-SEDs and the New CT IEP on Wednesday June 8 at 10-11am. This session will be recorded and the presentation will also be shared on the Special Education section of the District’s website. Presenters will include Ms. Shirley Klein, Dr. Scott McCarthy, Ms. Kristin O'Reilly, and Ms. Laura Straiton.

EDITORS NOTE:
Sara Osberg - Sept, Dec, Mar, June
Tory Bolton - Oct, Jan, Apr
Baye Larsen - Nov, Feb, May

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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