2019.10.11 – Saxe Weekly – The Saxe weekly

October 11, 2019

Dear Saxe Family,

As we approach the final couple of days of the Celebrate Saxe campaign, school spirit is still riding high at Saxe! Thank you to everyone who has made the past two weeks nothing short of spectacular. This week in the Saxe Weekly, you will catch a CS overview, a Safety at Saxe PSA, an update on the #WeAreSaxe Mascot selection process, an NCEA Feature Teacher, Creating Community, and highlights from the Saxe Cafeteria, Social Studies, Science, World Language, Dogs of Saxe, and more…

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Dave Gusitsch

Principal, Saxe Middle School

Upcoming Noteworthy Dates:

10/14 Columbus Day – school is in session

Want to check out the “Saxe Weekly” from last week? You’re one click away, here.

*Quotes that resonated with us this week:

“You can’t change what you did before but you can change what you do next.”

“When things change inside you, things change around you”

“Do more things that make you forget to check your phone.”

“No matter how far you go in the wrong direction, there’s always a chance to turn your life around.”

Celebrate Saxe – A Message From our Wonderful PTC:

We now have only 2 DAYS left in our CELEBRATE SAXE campaign! We’re aiming for 100% family participation… and, any amount is much appreciated.

We have great prizes this year based on how many families donate. We thought you’d be interested to hear who is currently in the lead:

The GRADE with the most family participation so far is 5TH GRADE! The winning grade will win an extra recess with relays and races!
The COLOR TEAMS for each grade who currently have the most families participating are below. The winning teams will win Baskin Robbins gift cards, plus 3 students from each winning team will win lunch with Principal Gusitsch, Officer Deak, or a teacher of their choice:

5TH – Green Team

6TH – Green Team

7TH – Green Team

8TH – Red Team

All Students could also win some cool prizes if we get enough total participation schoolwide. As of last night, we’re at 46% Overall Participation. We expect a lot of donations this weekend and here are the amazing prizes if we can reach these levels:

50% Total Participation – No Homework Night for all students

75% Total Participation – Dunk Tank with Saxe Staff for all grades

100% Total Participation – Extra Field Day With Inflatables for all grades

There is still time! If you haven’t already, please help our school by donating this weekend (link, here). THANK YOU for your generosity and continued support of Saxe!

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the Celebrate Saxe campaign and to all of our tremendous PTC parent volunteers. You all help make Saxe amazing and allow our dreams to become a reality to best serve our students!

Saxe News

In line with the timing of our Celebrate Saxe campaign, the Saxe News team did a great job covering the latest on why CS is important to Saxe. Enjoy!

Safety at Saxe

We are a community of learners at Saxe that include students (and adults) with various health and care considerations. In an effort to spread awareness and stress the importance of a safe, caring mindset within our building, the following video was put together. Thank you to everyone who participated in making this PSA possible.

The Saxe Mascot: Update

After receiving 100+ nominations, the Saxe Mascot Committee met and whittled down the list to include submissions that were: most frequent, unique to Saxe, and would represent our school community with everyone proudly rallying around! In an effort to get the most responses possible, we have asked students, staff, and parents to participate. Early next week, all results will be reviewed and considered in making the final decision. Thanks in advance! #WeAreSaxe

Here are the options (and, rationale) that best represent Saxe Middle School:

HAWKS

– Unique mascot for Saxe

– Excellent logos & representations/depictions

– Found all around New Canaan, can often be seen around Saxe

– Positive attributes / connotations

SHOEMAKERS (&/or COBBLERS)

– Unique mascot for Saxe

– Historical connection to NC

– Alliteration

GREEN DRAGONS

– Unique mascot for Saxe

– Fun logos & representations/depictions

– “Previous” mascot (short-term)

– Can have a variety of positive characteristics

RAMS

– Popular NCHS mascot

– Current logos & representations/depictions

– Familiar

Please feel free to participate yourself by clicking on this link, or one of the images (above/below).

So far, with over 630 votes, it’s neck and neck between two options!

Saxe Cafeteria

We received positive feedback from the recent Saxe Cafeteria feature, so we will be running frequent updates on the terrific offerings that are made available to our students. I certainly do not remember such appealing lunch options in my middle school (or, high school, or, college) cafeteria… Chicken Souvlaki, and delicious cucumber & tomato salad last week at Saxe. Thank you to Monika, Gisella, and the rest of the Saxe team!

Grade 5-8 Social Studies

As a part of their Discovering Cultural Landscapes unit, the social scientists in grade 6 are investigating their own compelling questions about Ancient Egypt. Ask your sixth-grader about the question they are pursuing! Along the way, students continue to learn about research and how to select reliable and credible sources that will best help them answer their questions.

Grade 6 Science

6th-grade science students are collaboratively carrying out investigations to determine how energy flows and changes due to a variety of variables in a system. They are testing their cotton catapults and the ability for balls to bounce.

Grade 7 Science

Students working with ball and stick model kits to create models of various molecules and compounds.

World Language: Spanish

Last week, students in Grade 6 Spanish were reviewing specific grammar rules. To support students in remembering the pronouns Emily Barnes and Soraya Breed offered to videotape themselves singing a catchy song! We think once you hear the song, you’ll remember the pronouns as well!

NCEA Feature Teacher

The New Canaan Education Association has begun highlighting teachers across our district. This month, and for good reason, one of Saxe’s very own is featured! Please check out the accolades of one of our Music Educators, Ms. Janet Rosen. We have such great talent working with all of our students each day. This is one example of many. Congratulations to Ms. Rosen and thank you to the NCEA for recognizing our amazing staff members.

School Spirit

Our school spirit runs deep! These fifth graders decided to walk to school together even though the official “Walk/Ride to School Day” was officially postponed (we hope to try again on another date, soon…).

Creating “Community”

Thank you to Ms. Orlando (Health Ed.) for coordinating the “Secret Buddy” program for our staff at Saxe. Willing participants jotted down some personal notes about themselves and were then randomly, anonymously paired with another staff member. Throughout the year, little gifts or notes of encouragement will be left with their secret buddy staff member. If you are really lucky (like I was), you may even have a student volunteer hand deliver your package! Thanks to the 80 staff members who volunteered to participate, spread some kindness, and pay it forward. This positive vibe will certainly permeate throughout our entire school community!