Ox Ridge Elementary School
October 3, 2021
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October 4th: Before/After School Programs Begin
October 7th: PTO Speaker Series @ Ox Ridge
October 18th - 20th: Fall Book Fair @ Ox Ridge
October 18th & 19th: Book Fair Family Nights
October 25th & 26th: Soro Bindi Performances @ Ox Ridge
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Missed last week's Hoot? Click here
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FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK |
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Hi All,
I’m looking forward to seeing many of you on our annual evening PTO speakers-series event on October 7th! Lindsay, Christina and I will open the doors to families who want to stop by and see the school in-person prior to the meeting from 6:30 – 7:30. Please know that the experience will be an opportunity to get a general feel for the school, we can’t permit families to enter specific classrooms unaccompanied by one of us. If you are planning to attend, please register for the event.
One of the topics we’ll discuss at the meeting is an update from our Ox Ridge Building Committee. We are fortunate to have Kadi Lublin, the Ox Ridge community member on this committee, join our talk on the 7th. The building committee, in partnership with the district, have officially announced the “move in” date to the school “assembly wing” will be in August of 2022. This will allow the construction team the time they need to build and will provide us with a more generous time frame for the move over the summer weeks.
Finally, I want to take a moment to promote our very own music teacher, James Allen, for his work with the Connecticut American chapter of the “Orff-Schulwerk” Association. For years, James has been a pioneering music educator in this community and he has recently been elected to serve as the treasurer of the organization.
Orff-Schulwerk, sometimes described as simply “Orff”, is an incredibly powerful and joyful means of teaching music! I’ve had the good fortune to learn from James over the years. If you’d like a quick overview of Orff-Shulwerk pedagogy in action, check out this brief clip.
The Orff approach beautifully connects to both our “Readers and Writers Workshop” and our approach to scaffolding math instruction through a thoughtful progression of direct instruction, time for guided practice with teacher feedback and questions as kids move into creativity and composition! This week, James was invited to lead a workshop for Waterbury Public Schools faculty on bringing this exciting approach to learning to their schools!
Thanks,
Luke
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Dear Ox Ridge Parents,
Fall is here and many PTO volunteers have been hard at work planning many great events in October – Speaker Series, Book Fair, before & after school enrichment programs & Soro Bindi performances for all grades, just to name a few!
Family Photo Days were a huge success this past weekend with over $3,500 dollars raised for the PTO. Many thanks to the talented Karen Morneau for volunteering her time and donating the full sitting fee to support the Ox Ridge PTO!
XO OX,
PTO Co-Chairs
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PTO SPEAKER SERIES: OCT 7 @ OX RIDGE
TOUR: Come anytime between 6:30-7:30 pm for a self-guided tour of the school! Administrators will be on-site to direct, guide and answer any questions. Note: classrooms will not be accessible during this time.
MEETING: 7:30 pm in the Ox Ridge Common Room.
Speakers: Dr. Forshaw, Mrs. Ulreich, Mrs. Sulzycki & Kadi Lublin (ORBC Rep)
Topics include: meeting our new Assistant Principal, Mrs. Lindsay Sulzycki; state of the school updates from Dr. Forshaw and Mrs. Ulreich; introduction of the teacher in residence program; and an overview of the new school construction project from Kadi Lublin (ORBC Parent Rep).
As a reminder, vaccination is strongly encouraged and masks are required for all while inside the school building. Questions? Contact Mary Elizabeth Garvey or Libby Cook. Prefer to watch via ZOOM? Here is the link.
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THE OX RIDGE CARNIVAL-THEMED BOOK FAIR: OCT 18-20
Save the date for our Family Nights on Monday & Tuesday 10/18 & 19 from 5-7pm (with a special opening at 4:30 for those needing a quieter shopping experience). Click here for full Fair details, eWallet information (& other payment options).
Book Fair Volunteers Needed: Click here to help out! Slots are open for classroom visits (during the school day) plus set up and breakdown. The teacher visit schedule is included in the sign-up sheet if you’d like to coordinate with your child’s class. We need your help to make this event a success!
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VETERANS DAY 2021!
Ox Ridge will be celebrating Veterans Day again this year in a virtual format. That said, we will be installing the community bulletin board with a display of veteran biographies and photos as we have in years past.
WE NEED YOUR HELP. First, if you have a veteran in your life (and have never provided us with a bio before), please fill out this form and upload any pictures you have/are willing to share with the community on the bulletin board. Second, please let the veteran(s) in your life know we will be producing a video (click here to view last year's video), and ask if they would be willing to tape a few short answers for us this year (we'll be in touch with questions).
Please contact us with any questions or if you are willing/able to help us with the bulletin board. Thank you so much! Taylor Carter & Nancy Liddell
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FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL PHOTOS NEEDED
The Ox Ridge yearbook committee is requesting 1st day of school photos. Please send your pix to OxRYearbook@gmail.com. We would love photos with more than one child. Thank you so much for helping us out!
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OPEN REFERRAL PERIOD FOR DARIEN'S GIFTED PROGRAM: OCT 11-29
The Idea Program offers distinct instruction for students in grades two through nine, based on their unique learning pathways. Parents/guardians or teachers may make a referral for evaluation for students who are new to the district in grades 2-8 from Oct. 11-29. Click HERE for more information!
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BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS BEGIN 10/4!
There is still time to enroll! Darien After School is accepting rolling admissions for their programs. Join us before and after school for FUN this Fall with Music, Art, Crafts, LEGOs, Sports, Chess, Math, Coding, Martial Arts and MORE. Darien After School is offering IN PERSON Before and After School enrichment at Ox Ridge. Click HERE for the class schedule and registration info. Questions? info@darienafterschool.com / 888.212.3837
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KIDS CARE CLUB
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 will be held in person one Friday each month, from 8:15-9:00 am. Schedule to be posted soon. Please note, this will be a drop-off meeting, and kids will be separated by grade level in the common room. This year we will be focused on many hands-on community service projects with local organizations such as the Norwalk Family and Children's Agency, Person to Person, STAR, At Home in Darien, Animal Embassy, and the Darien Land Trust. We look forward to creating new ways for the kids to safely get involved, and if you have ideas or connections to organizations, please feel free to reach out! Sign Up HERE.
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THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING PTO VOLUNTEERS
Erika Rodormer (Photography Coordinator) for overseeing the Family Photo Days fundraiser with Karen Morneau.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE FOLLOWING OX RIDGE STAFF
Jennifer Sutherland (Teacher) on October 3rd
Diane Carr (Teacher) on October 6th
Cindi Imp (Teacher) on October 7th
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Nicole Zasowski, LMFT describes anxiety as “The overestimation of danger and the underestimation of our ability to cope.” When children seem stressed or anxious, Zasowksi reminds parents “you don’t have to agree with the threat to validate the feeling.” This week, take time to listen and validate a concern your child shares with you. Instead of jumping to problem solving, try using phrases like: “I can understand why __ would make you anxious,” or “I can see this is really hard for you.” See how your child responds.
Talk early, talk often. Thriving Youth/The Community Fund of Darien
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YWCA DARIEN/NORWALK LIGHT THE NIGHT LUMINARY EVENT: OCT. 1-24
The YW will hold its annual luminary lighting on Sunday October 24th to raise awareness about Domestic Violence against women and girls. Luminary kits are $30 each and can be purchased beginning on October 1st at Barrett Bookstore, Palmers Market and www.ywcadn.org/luminarynight. The kits will include a registration link to receive 7 days of emails addressing the types of domestic violence, prevention information and resources. The YW is also looking for “Block Captains” to help sell kits in neighborhoods to help ensure our entire town is lit! For more information and to register go to www.ywcadn.org/luminarynight
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CALLING ALL 4TH GRADERS
The 4th Grade Party at the Depot will be held on Thursday, October 21st 4:00-5:30 pm (Rain Date October 22nd). There will be pizza, games and a DJ! Click here to register. For additional information, contact Janice@dariendepot.com.
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ADVENTURE GUIDES
Adventure Guides is a low commitment program that provides dads and their kids an easy way to learn skills together, grow their relationship, give back to the community, and have fun! We gather about once every 4-8 weeks and finish the year by marching in the Memorial Day parade. Adventure Guides is open to fathers and their children in Grades 1-5. Please spread the word to anyone who might want to join this year, and make sure to visit the YMCA site to register ASAP and not miss any of the fun (registration can be found under "programs" and you do not need to be a YMCA member to join)! Register HERE.
This is a Dad-led thing – which means we are sometimes low on structure but always high on fun. Hunter Keay is taking over as Cherokee Chief (dads and daughters), trying to fill the shoes of the venerable, now retired, Akshay Das… former Cherokee Chief and Adventure Guide diplomat. Please reach out to Hunter Keay
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DARIEN NATURE CENTER - FIRESIDE FUNDRAISING PARTY
Gather with friends and fellow nature lovers under the stars! The Darien Nature Center will hold its fundraising party, Fireside, on Saturday, October 16th at 7:00 pm. The 4th annual event will feature Fall festive foods, signature cocktails, music, games, and a silent auction full of experiences and offerings for all ages. General admission tickets are $125 each and can be purchased online HERE or by calling 203-655-7459. We hope to see you around the bonfire!
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DARIEN NATURE CENTER - OUTDOOR EXPLORERS AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM
Head to the Darien Nature Center for an afternoon exploring the great outdoors! This monthly multi-part series will be full of fun and learning in nature. Sessions may include hikes, games, exploration, science experiments, stories, and campfires! Membership is not required. Click HERE for more information and registration.
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REGISTRATION FOR FALL CLASSES IN DANCE, MUSIC AND VISUAL ARTS
NEW: CARETAKER & ME: Ages 1-3, Introduce your little one to the fun & creativity of art! Fridays, 10:30-11:15, 10/8-11/12
MUSIC CLASSES - NEW: Group Guitar, Singing/Songwriting & Ukulele!
The DAC is located at 2 Renshaw Rd, behind the Town Hall. Visit darienarts.org to register or for questions, call (203) 655-8683.
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DARIEN SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SEPAC)
The Darien Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) is an independent organization of parent volunteers committed to open communication and effective collaboration between the families of our community and Darien Public Schools. Members work with principals and district administrators to provide a forum for parent input. The committee meets monthly to discuss district special education practices and offers a series of public presentations each school year. For more information, to be added to our e-blast list, or to become involved, please email dariensepac@gmail.com or visit DarienSepac.wordpress.com.
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THE MESS REGISTRATION (ELEMENTARY MOMS GROUP)
Join other moms as we explore some aspects of mothering during the elementary years. It’s MESSY. . . from school projects to sports equipment to more and more laundry. Not to mention the mess of our hearts and minds as we love our kids and navigate all the things. Come and be a mess together with other moms! We’ll spend time twice a month exploring some aspects of the mom life during the elementary years. Click on this link for registration and more information.
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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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