September 4, 2020
Dear Saxe Family,
The beginning of the 2020-21 school year has been a whirlwind of sorts. To see the smiles of students walking back through our doors into school made every second of the planning, preparing, pivoting, and everything else in between that it took to get to this day, so worth it! We recognize we will need to be flexible and patient as we move into this new way of operating, teaching, and learning. We also acknowledge all of the hard work, collaboration, and commitment to doing everything possible to get us here today. Thank you to everyone who has and will play a part in our successful launch!
As our remote learning students join us this coming Tuesday, it will mark our first official day back with our entire learning community since March. While we will continue to capture, share, and celebrate much of the excitement that takes place at Saxe, we also invite you share your remote learning experiences as well by emailing any pictures, vidoes, or stories of success to: lisa.jarosik@ncps-k12.org or me at: david.gusitsch@ncps-k12.org. We may not all be together everyday, but we are still one learning community!
This week in the Saxe Weekly, we take a look at opening days, PTC, new staff at Saxe, Saxe in the news, safety, schedule updates, professional learning, a positivity trail, #DogsOfSaxe, our Saxe SRO, and much more. Enjoy and have a wonderful Labor Day weekend.
Be well,
Dave Gusitsch
Principal, Saxe Middle School
Upcoming Noteworthy Dates:
9/7 – Labor Day (No School)
9/8 – First Day of Remote Learning, Cohort X in school
9/9 – Cohort X in school, Cohort Y remote (½ Day)
9/10 – Chort Y in school, Cohort X remote
9/11 – Cohort Y in school, Cohort X remote
*Quotes that resonated with us this week:
“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so… get on your way!”
– Dr. Seuss
“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
“Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tiptoe if you must, but take a step.”
– Naeem Callaway
“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”
– J.P. Morgan
Opening Days
Please enjoy the first couple of days back with our students for the 2020-21 school year!
X-Cohort
Y-Cohort
The first buses, and bikers, arrive!
Dr. Luizzi got right into the mix with students at Saxe both in the classroom and out!
Dr. Clapp was ready to greet our newest students as 5th-graders arrived!
Ms. Rende catching a great family photo!
PTC Breakfast
Thank you to our wonderful PTC for the great breakfast as we began our fifth day of professional learning last Friday, it helped get us through the stretch!
New Staff at Saxe
We are so fortunate to have some amazing new members on staff with us this year! Here is a little information and fun facts about each of them:
Emily Anderson
Grade 5 Reading/Writing
College(s) attended: Framingham State in MA and Sacred Heart University
Hometown: Westport but, moving to Stamford the end of this month
Hobbies: Needlepoint, reading and cooking
Other States you’ve lived in: Ohio and Massachusetts
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Being able to spend extra time with my mom. We took lots of walks and had many laughs!
Favorite Sports Team: NY Giants
Favorite Genre of Music: Is John Mayer a genre?
Lisa Battista
Special Education
College(s) attended: Sacred Heart University & Quinnipiac University
Hometown: Yorktown Heights, NY
Hobbies: Hiking, Listening to music!
Other States you’ve lived in: New York
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Spending time with my newborn (at the time)!
Favorite Sports Team: Giants & Mets!
Favorite Genre of Music: ALL! (minus country)
Lauren Nicole Sherwood
Main Office Administrative Assistant
College(s) attended: Undergrad- University of Arizona, Grad- Florida State University
Hometown: Stamford, CT
Hobbies: Theatre, Crafting
Other States you’ve lived in: Arizona, Florida
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Watching my son Jackson learn how to ride his bike without training wheels!!
Favorite Sports Team: NY Mets, NY Giants!!
Favorite Genre of Music: Broadway!
Sara Willstatter
Building Substitute
College(s) attended: Manhattanville College and Cuny City College of New York
Hometown: White Plains, NY
Hobbies: hiking, running, reading
Other States you’ve lived in: New York
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Having breakfast with students
Favorite Sports Team: New York Yankees
Favorite Genre of Music: Classic Rock
Tara Schang
Building Substitute
College(s) attended: Coastal Carolina University
Hometown: Brookfield, CT
Hobbies: Shopping, going to the beach, spending time with my family & my cat
Other States you’ve lived in: South Carolina for college
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Extra quality time with my family
Favorite Sports Team: GO COWBOYS!
Favorite Genre of Music: Hip hop & pop
Christina Hafkemeyer (Ms. Hafkemeyer)
Grade 5 Social Studies/Math
College: Sacred Heart University (Undergrad and Graduate)
Hometown: Vista, NY
Hobbies: Playing volleyball (and coaching volleyball)
Lived: I have only lived in NY
Favorite Memory in Quarantine: Going on walks everyday to get outside!
Favorite Sports Team: New York Giants
Favorite Music: I like everything!
George Sanders
Band Long Term Substitute
College(s) attended: SUNY Potsdam, University of Illinois
Hometown: Liverpool, NY
Hobbies: Walking my dog for hours and hours a day
Other States you’ve lived in: New York, Alabama, Texas and Illinois
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Getting our new dog
Favorite Sports Team: UConn Women
Favorite Genre of Music: Classical
Austin Ekstrom
Grade 6 Science
College(s) attended: UConn / Sacred Heart University
Hometown: Newtown
Hobbies: Hiking, fishing, gardening, sports
Other States you’ve lived in: None
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Hiking with my sisters
Favorite Sports Team: Yankees
Favorite Genre of Music: Pop
Charles (Larry) Cox
Challenge Grade 7/8
College(s) attended: UMass-Amherst, UNLV, Sierra Nevada College
Hometown: NYC & Fairfield (Andrew Warde HS)
Hobbies: Swimming, Social Dance & Zumba, ethnic foods, cooking
Other States you’ve lived in: NY, CT, MA, CA, NV
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Gardening/planting project (looks much better!)
Favorite Sports Team : NY Mets (heartache!)
Favorite Genre of Music: R & B
Kim Hillyer
School Counselor Grade 5/6
College(s) attended: Lafayette College and Western Connecticut State University
Hometown: Bethel, CT
Hobbies: Running, crafting
Other States you’ve lived in: None
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: the day the teachers drove around town to see all of the students outside their houses
Dan Devine
Grade 7 Social Studies
College(s) attended: Wesleyan University (BA); Fairfield University (MA); Quinnipiac University (MS)
Hometown: Norwalk, CT
Hobbies: Coaching swimming, playing volleyball, reading, family time
Other States you’ve lived in: Just CT
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Birth of my son!
Favorite Sports Team: Notre Dame, Yankees, Giants
Favorite Genre of Music: Classic Rock
Kirsten Link
College(s) attended: Sacred Heart University ( Bachelors and Masters)
Hometown: Mahopac, NY
Hobbies: Cooking
Other States you’ve lived in: CT and NY
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Getting to spend more time with my family
Favorite Sports Team: New York Giants
Favorite Genre of Music: Country
Samantha Palazzo
Grade 6 Math
College(s) attended: Fairfield University (undergrad and grad)
Hometown: Mohegan Lake, NY
Hobbies: Dance, Reading, Spending time with friends and family
Other States you’ve lived in: New York
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Having a backyard college graduation for my sister!
Favorite Sports Team: Yankees
Favorite Genre of Music: Pop
Kelly Barrett
Social Worker
College(s) attended: James Madison University & Fordham University
Hometown: Fairfield, CT
Hobbies: Reading, spending time with friends & family, going to the beach
Other States you’ve lived in: VA, MD, NY, NJ, PA
Favorite Memory of Quarantine:Working in my pajamas!
Favorite Sports Team: Yankees
Favorite Genre of Music: Country
Elliot Recchia
College(s) attended: Wellesley College, Pace University, University of Santa Cruz, Florida Institute of Technology
Hometown: New Haven, CT
Hobbies: travelling, swimming, being with my kids
Other States you’ve lived in: MA, NY, CA (and England!)
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: being there for our baby’s first word (“Dada!”)
Favorite Sports Team: my favorite sport is Triathlon – no teams!
Favorite Genre of Music: Too many to name – as long as it’s not country 🙂
Jon Zajdel
7th Grade Social Studies Substitute
College(s) attended: Ithaca College (undergraduate) Sacred Heart University (graduate)
Hometown: Stamford, CT
Hobbies: Swimming, yoga, reading
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Starting a book club
Favorite Genre of Music: Folk
Pics “on the way”…
Julia Blair
Spanish Teacher (Long Term Sub)
College: WCSU
Hometown: Brewster, NY
Have also lived in Danbury, CT
Hobbies: dancing, hiking, exploring different languages and cultures
Favorite port: Gymnastics
Favorite Music: Latin, Rhythm & Blues. Calypso
Geoff Cleveland
Building Substitute
Undergrad: University of Minnesota
Graduate: The College of St. Scholastica (Duluth, MN) and Colorado State University Pueblo
Hometown: Eagan, MN
Hobbies: Hiking, Golf, Softball, Barbequing (smoking meats), Classic Cars
Other states you have lived in: Minnesota
Favorite Memory of Quarantine: Less traffic on the roads!
Favorite Sports Team: The Minnesota Vikings
Favorite Genre of Music: Is lounge a genre? I’m a big Frank Sinatra guy
Saxe Spirit
Interested in ordering some Saxe Spiritwear? Check out the new offerings from our PTC!
New Saxe Spiritwear!
Available August 24th – September 8th
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE password: hawks (all lower case)
Girls Cuddle Crew Top
Price: $35
(add $6.00 for XXL)
Reusable Masks (2 Pack)
P
Saxe in the News
Some of our walkers hit the “big-time” as we began the school year, including 5th-grader, Sean Deasy, who was interviewed by channel 12. Enjoy!
Around Saxe
One of our parents shared an article about preparing for back to school success. If you are interested and would like to read more, you can find the article here: https://childmind.org/article/preparing-for-back-to-school-success/
Safety at Saxe
We are grateful for the thoughtful planning and support from our district leadership who ensured the safest environment possible for students and staff upon our return. Below are a few pictures:
Ms. Nelson practicing safe social distancing with her 6-Green students
Remote Learners
We look forward to welcoming our remote learners back on Tuesday (9/8)! Thank you to our office staff who helped prepare technology and supply pickup so all of our students are ready to begin their learning experience for the school year!
A note from a student…
If this doesn’t tell you how much some of our students are excited to be back, I am not sure what does… Thank you to this student for taking the time to share this experience with us and allowing us to share it out!
Today is a day that is important. This is a day that will live in paramount importance to me. A day that will I will be remembered. Because this is the FIRST time that I haved moved from another place and attended school there. I was excited to attend the BEST school in Connecticut! I just wanted to thank you principals for turning the dream to reality. Your hard work and determination really paid off. Your expectations are really high, and that is really wonderful. Please let me tell a little bit about myself
My name is (student) and I think school is a great place to learn and interact. I want to start a business when I’m older (I was thinking about doing that over the summer!). I think you principals are very nice in person and in public. You are great people. So thank you for the assistance that you’ve provided for the school!
Thanks,
(student)
Daily Schedule
After working through our schedule this week, we made some minor changes to the daily schedule that you may want to note for at-home learning. School will still begin/end at the same times, the periods were just slightly modified to help accommodate some of our transitions throughout the building.
Our Wednesday “3-hour school day” schedule will be updated on our website at the beginning of the week. For your reference, school will still begin at the same time (7:30/8:20) and will end at 10:30 for Upper Division and 11:20 for Lower Division.
For your reference:
If you would like to view the A – F rotation days for the month of September, you can find it below, on the Saxe Website, or use this link – Saxe September Rotation/Cohort Days
Note: please check our website for the most up to date information.
Professional Learning
Staff continued to learn and grow as we prepare to kickoff our livestream teaching and learning on Tuesday.
Reminding our students what will keep us safe and healthy…
The best t-shirt that I saw a teacher wearing this week!
The Saxe Positivity Trail
I was greeted by this nice surprise Thursday afternoon and found out later that 6-Green was busy spreading joy on our campus. Nice work!
This may be the “mask of the week”…
Not only does our SRO, Officer Deak, keep us safe, he keeps us laughing (yes, that is a rainbow unicorn that he “wrassled”…)
Lulu was our first #DogsOfSaxe visitor that we saw this week!
We were greeted with unbelievable sunrises on the first couple of days – amazing!
Have a great week!
* A special thanks to Lauren Sherwood for the continuous stream of positive, optimistic quotes!
Saxe Resources (live links)
Website: https://www.ncps-k12.org/saxe
Saxe Middle School
Celebrating Our Learning Community Through Caring, Communication, & Commitment
The Saxe weekly 