Ox Ridge School
November 8, 2020
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November 11th (Wed):
- Virtual Veterans Day Celebration
November 13th (Fri):
- Deadline to Order SipStirs Wine Tasting Packages
November 15th:
- District-Wide School Staff Appreciation Event (Sign Up Below)
Week of November 16th:
- SipStirs Wine Tasting Deliveries
November 18th (Wed):
- Ox Appreciation (Coffee & Treat Delivery for Staff & Teachers)
- Ox Ridge Construction Update 8 PM (Zoom details to follow)
November 19th (Thurs):
- Author Visit: Anika Aldamuy Denise (Grades ELP, K-2)
November 26 & 27 (Thursday & Friday):
- No School (Thanksgiving Recess)
December 1-4 (Tuesday - Friday):
- Conference Week Early Dismissal
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FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK |
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Hi All,
Thank you to Mrs. Annie Farson and Ms. Madeleine Vivian for a very worthwhile discussion about how our school psychologists serve Ox Ridge!
For those who weren’t able to join the event, here is a link to the presentation materials from that evening:
Please save the date for another exciting evening event (via Zoom) about our new school!
On November 18th at 8:00 pm; Dave Cravanzola, our lead construction executive and Amy Samuelson, the lead project manager and architect for our new school will join us for a parent presentation about the next steps in school construction. The team will discuss construction timelines and “what to expect” when we begin the project later this season. They are already planning to cover safety & security protocols along with a general update about the design of the new facility and the phasing process. If you have other specific questions you’d like to discuss, please email me and I’ll be sure to organize and get them to Amy and Dave prior to the 18th.
Thanks,
Luke
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Dear Ox Ridge Parents,
We will honor our veterans this Wednesday during our virtual Veteran’s Day Celebration. A video link will be shared with everyone as part of the morning program on the 11th. We look forward to paying tribute to all the veterans in our families and community - past, present, near and far.
Last Monday, our 3rd through 5th graders were treated to a civics lesson through a virtual musical revue, We the People. Many thanks to Page Berger and Vanessa Donatello for bringing this exciting program to Ox!
We also want to thank Lara Doggett, for a great job coordinating Boo Grams for all of our students this year! We raised over $2,000 for UNICEF.
Have a great week!
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!
November 11th:
- Ariel Delgado (Custodian)
- Laurie Wigglesworth (ELP Teacher)
November 14th:
- Wendy Flamand (Paraeducator)
November 15th:
- Jennifer Trifiatis (K Teacher)
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BOO GRAMS FOR UNICEF RECAP
A huge thank you to all students and parents who participated in our Halloween Boo Gram fundraiser for UNICEF. Ox Ridge went Boo Gram bonkers! We delivered over 1800 Boo Grams and raised $2029 for a very worthy cause.
We must also thank Mary Lay and all the home room teachers for partnering with us. This fundraiser could not happen without their help.
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POPPY DRIVE FOR VETERANS
Ox Ridge will be honoring our veterans during our annual ceremony on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11th. We will also help to rehabilitate disabled veterans by distributing “Buddy Poppies” to all students.
Please consider sending in $1 with your child by Nov. 11th to support veterans in need right here in Connecticut.
The Ox Ridge community will wear these poppies on Veterans Day with pride to show veterans that we care, and to teach our children to respect and honor the defenders of our nation. Thank you for participating!
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2021 / 2022 ELP APPLICATIONS
ELP Applications for 2021-2022 will be accepted from October 15, 2020 through January 4, 2021 for children who will be turning 3 and 4 years old during the 2021-2022 school year. At this time, ELP does not have a preschool option for children turning 5 in September - December 2021.
Parents will be notified/emailed by January 11, 2021 regarding acceptance.
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LOST & FOUND
Please encourage your children to check the lost and found bin located outside of the gym for missing items. All unclaimed items will be donated in December.
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OX RIDGE ENRICHMENT UPDATE
Grades K-2 + ELP will welcome author and Pura Belpré Honor winner Anika Aldamuy Denise on Thursday, November 19 for a virtual conversation about her new book A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor! Singer! Dancer! Trailblazer!. The book tells the story of Rita Moreno, the Puerto Rican superstar best known for her Oscar-winning performance in the original West Side Story film, in a gorgeous picture book biography. Moreno is also an activist who lends her support to many important causes. Every child will receive a copy of the book as a part of the program.
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WINE TASTING WITH SIPSTIRS
The Ox Ridge PTO is partnering with SipStirs to offer a "blind" wine tasting experience delivered directly to your door. Get together with your Ox Ridge neighbors and friends or parents from your child’s class, for a socially distant (or virtual) gathering to put your palate to the test. Participants can order pre-selected red or white wine groupings. Work with your teammates to match the wines to their regions. After your tasting, cast your vote for your favorite wine here. Each vote will be entered into a raffle where the winner will receive a bottle of their favorite wine. Wines included in the tasting will also be available for purchase at a 10% discount until November 27th using promo code OXRIDGE with curbside pick-up (subject to availability).
If you're new to the Ox Ridge community or simply want to meet some new faces and would like to be matched up with a group, please contact lauren.t.parr@gmail.com and/or samanthawbohlen@gmail.com. They will work to create social pairings based on your child's age/neighborhood for your socially distant or virtual gathering.
Order must be placed by November 13th and tasting packages will be delivered by the PTO the week of November 16th. Order online here, select “delivery” at checkout and enter code DELIVER.
We are aware there is a glitch on the event page of the SipStirs website. If you aren’t able to process your order online please email info@sipstirs.com or call the shop at 203-656-9463 and they will take your order over the phone.
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DISTRICT-WIDE SCHOOL STAFF APPRECIATION
Please help us show our Ox Ridge Teachers & Staff how much we appreciate them in the upcoming town-wide staff appreciation event! On Monday, November 16th, all of the Darien district schools will "Show Staff the Love" by putting up posters, lawn signs, and decorated hearts on the exterior of all school grounds. We are asking all students and parents to join in this effort by creating a poster, lawn sign, or message to add to this display and drop them off at Ox Ridge on Sunday, November 15th (sign up for a time slot HERE to allow for social distancing). Messages can be specific to a particular teacher/staff member or more general to all the staff at Ox Ridge - e.g. "Thank you Teachers & Staff", "We love you Ox Teachers", "Ox Ridge Staff is the BEST!" Please be creative and show our staff how much we appreciate them! Some ideas for signage:
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Save your political signs and cover with poster board or spray paint and then write a new message to our Ox Ridge Team, or order lawn signs HERE. Or simply use a sheet of paper and these easy self-laminating folders and then stake your sign into the ground or use string to hang it from a tree. We also have a limited number of political signs available for reuse - please email Libby Cook or Mary Elizabeth Garvey if you would like one.
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For those that are interested, inflatable heart floats are available on Amazon – click HERE prices ranging from $10 to $14, or similarly priced OWLS click HERE. These can be decorated with sharpies, paint pens, duct tape, etc. to create a special message for the staff and then they need to be secured into the ground or tree.
- Bring sidewalk chalk on November 15th and help decorate the walkways with messages of appreciation and thanks (please sign up for a time slot above).
Contact Libby Cook or Mary Elizabeth Garvey with any questions. Please make sure to take a photo of your child with their signs and include the hashtag #ShowingDPSStaffTheLove on your social media posts!
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2020 HOPE CHEST
Please help us make the holidays special for foster children in Fairfield County by being a part of Hope Chest and purchasing a gift card for a foster child. While this year is a bit unprecedented and we aren’t able to collect individual gifts or throw a holiday party like in years past, we are still able to make the holidays magical by purchasing individual gift cards for each foster child. Please follow this link to purchase a gift for a foster child.
Once you have signed up for a specific child you can go to our Amazon Hope Chest Wishlist to purchase the gift card. We ask that the gift cards be $25 per child. Should you wish to give more than that amount please consider purchasing gift cards for more than one child. When purchasing gift cards off of the Amazon Hope Chest Wishlist, the gift cards will be sent directly to The Blair’s home for collection when you choose “Blair Family – Hope Chest” as the delivery address. You may also drop the cards in the Blair’s mailbox at: 12 Shady Acres Road, Darien.
With your support, we would like to complete the Hope Chest Wishlist before Thanksgiving. We appreciate your generosity in helping to make the holidays special for these sweet children. Should you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Kira Saunders or Brooke Blair. Thank you for your support and generosity!
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KIDS CARE CLUB - SIGN UP
The Kids Care Club is the community service arm of the PTO. We work with kids in all grades to teach them about community outreach and volunteering. The meetings are normally held once a month in person; however, due to Covid-19, we will be getting creative and doing things virtually this year. Our first project will be to make holiday cards for each foster child from the Norwalk Family and Children’s Agency. Since they are unable to hold their annual holiday party in December, we’re hoping this will bring some joy and make them feel special during this difficult time. The holiday cards will be included with the gift cards for basic necessities collected through Hope Chest.
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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
As you are aware, we are seeing an increase in COVID-19 in and around Darien, I wanted to share with you the links to important information on our website.
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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Families are under a tremendous amount of pressure right now and experts are offering recommendations on how to best support the emotional needs of children in this time. Dr. Mary Alvord explained, “When parents are aware of their children’s needs, their kids “function better, feel better, think more positively and are better able to adapt to difficult circumstances.” Experts recommend that parents regularly ask kids what’s on their mind. Consider having a weekly check-in to see how everyone in the family is doing. Dr. Emma Adam suggested a sample script: “These are unusual times for our family and for our society, so I think we need time to talk about it. We each experience things differently. So let’s make time every Thursday at dinner to check in with one another.” Talk early, talk often. Thriving Youth/The Community Fund of Darien
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UPCOMING DARIEN ARTS CENTER PROGRAMS
Sign up for new adult workshops at darienarts.org or call (203) 655-8683.
The DAC Visual Arts Studio is located at 2 Renshaw Road, behind the Town Hall.
Back by popular demand, join us for another Sip and Paint on Friday, November 20th! Bring your friends and some wine, and work with our DAC instructor Stephanie Lush Mastriano as she guides you through creating your own painting inspired by Picasso. This workshop is open to beginners and experienced artists. All materials will be provided. BYO wine and refreshments.
This new DAC holiday tradition returns with more dates scheduled. Come join us for a festive wreath making workshop and a ladies night out! Bring your friends! Wreaths and all materials will be provided. Participants are welcome to bring extra decorations to give their wreaths a more personalized look. Usher in the holiday season with this classic craft! BYO wine and refreshments.
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YWCA PARENT AWARENESS METING: HELPING YOUR CHILD MAINTAIN FOCUS WHILE LEARNING REMOTELY
November 12, 2020 6:30 - 7:30 PM (via Zoom)
Is your child struggling with staying focused, being productive and remaining calm while learning remotely? Rachel Kalinsky, Executive Function expert from Beyond Booksmart will teach parents methods to improve their child's executive functioning, ease stress and help them successfully learn at home and beyond. Registration is required: www.ywcadn.org/executivefunctioning
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YWCA PARENT AWARENESS MEETING: THE BENEFITS OF GOOD-ENOUGH PARENTING
November 18, 2020 5:30 - 6:30 PM (via Zoom)
YWCA Parent Awareness and The Child Guidance Center of Southern CT have partnered for: The Benefits of Good-Enough Parenting with Georgette Harrison, EdM, LPC. Please join us for an enlightening presentation about the concept of “Good-Enough” parenting. Learn about where the pressure to be the “perfect” parent may come from, how “perfect parenting” impacts parental stress and a child’s sense of self and the world, and be reminded that letting a child feel disappointment is not a bad thing. Registration is required: www.ywcadn.org/parentawareness.
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DARIEN HUMAN SERVICES THANKSGIVING GROCERY STORE GIFT CARD DRIVE
COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on all of us, but for many residents who already lived paycheck-to-paycheck, it has been devastating. To help at-risk Darien residents, Darien Human Services is holding a Thanksgiving Grocery Store Gift Card Drive from 11/2--11/24. They will be collecting gift cards to local grocery stores (Stop & Shop, Shop Rite, Palmers, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods) and distributing them to Darien families and seniors in need. Residents are asked to drop off the gift cards at Town Hall or mail them to: Darien Human Services 2 Renshaw Road. (Human Services is open 8:00am to 5:15pm Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and 8:00am to 7:00pm on Tuesday). Please contact Diane Barston, dbarston@darienct.gov, or 203-656-7328 with any questions. With your support, we can help make Thanksgiving a little happier for those who need it most.
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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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