2022.5.6 – Saxe Weekly – The Saxe weekly

May 6, 2022

Dear Saxe Family,

This week, we continue to have much to be grateful for. The sun came out and gave us a glimpse of Spring. Our PTC put on one of the most epic Teacher Appreciation Week lineups, ever (thank you to ALL involved!). And, as we go into the weekend, we get to celebrate all of the great Moms in our Saxe community on Sunday, for Mother’s Day (students, please remember to treat your Mom extra-special this Sunday, or, all weekend!). 🙂

In the Saxe Weekly this week, we take a look at Science, lots of Math, School Counseling, Physical Education, outdoor activities, online book fair, saluting our Nurses and school lunch workers, a ton of teacher appreciation, preparing to welcome the Saxe Class of 2026, ongoing schedule work, scenery around Saxe, May the 4th, STEM, and much more.

Enjoy, Happy Mother’s Day, and have a wonderful weekend!

Be Well,

Dave Gusitsch

Principal, Saxe Middle School

Upcoming Noteworthy Dates:

5/8 – Happy Mother’s Day!

5/11 – School Nurses Day

5/12 – 6:00 – 7:30 pm – Incoming Grade 6 Orientation

*Quotes that resonated with us this week:

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” – Confucius

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aurelius

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” -Joshua J. Marine

“I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening.” – Larry King

Happy Mother’s Day!

“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power; or, the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.” – Maya Angelou

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln

“No language can express the power and beauty and heroism of a mother’s love.” – Edwin Chapin

Grade 8 Science

The Seek app allows users to identify organisms using image recognition technology. By taking photos, students were able to classify the trees found on campus down to the species level. Students on 8 Red surveyed the Saxe campus and were able to identify a number of different tree species. This was a great springboard into further research and discussion about the biodiversity that exists here at Saxe.

Mathematics

Students in Mrs. Lanna’s Grade 5 M5/6 class use manipulatives to understand one-step-equations. Students deepen their understanding as they collaborate to discuss and solve problems together. These mathematical conversations help students solidify their understanding. They also digitally practice matching math equations with real-life situations on DESMOS, an online exploration tool.

Students in Ms. Bohlmann’s Math 7 class are working on measures of central tendencies. Students worked in teams using whiteboards in a run relay race. As the teams were challenged with problems, they were able to self-identify which types of problems they wanted to continue to study.

Students in Mrs. Andrews’ 7th Grade Pre-Algebra class have been practicing their exponent rules. This week, they did a “color by number” which was a fun way to practice!

Students in Mrs. Andrews’ 7th Grade Algebra class created a geometric proof of the Pythagorean Theorem.

School Counseling

Grade 7 students were selected to be new student buddies for next year. On Wednesday, these students were trained on their new roles and taught how to engage their new students. They practiced by meeting other 7th-graders that they’d never met and initiating conversations with them. Our new students will be lucky to have this group supporting them when they transition to Saxe. We look forward to welcoming our newest community members in style!

Physical Education

Grade 5/6 students in Miss Goodman’s PE class are finishing up their unit activity of pickleball. Students have been learning and practicing forehand, backhand, volley, and the underhand serve while also applying the rules of pickleball to doubles games.

Grade 7/8 students in Miss Goodman’s PE class are completing their unit activity of badminton. Students have been learning and practicing clear, drop, smash, and a few types of serves to use during game play and apply some doubles strategy.

In all 4 grades, students have been demonstrating an understanding of the game while practicing and perfecting their skills. Students are communicating with their partner and being supportive to the other teams. Both activities are great to play this summer or at camp to have fun and work on Muscular Strength and Endurance.

Mrs. Hendry’s students have been working on their flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance with rock climbing and belaying for each other this week. Many students were able to step outside of their comfort zone to try this fun activity, while also working on how to support one another, communicate effectively and work together as a team.

6 Green Team Fun

The Green Team couldn’t resist the beautiful spring weather this week. There were lots of laughs along with a bit of friendly competition while they got outside to “recharge” for a few minutes. The time outside was enjoyed by all!

Saxe Online Book Fair!

From May 9th through May 20th, there will be an Online Bookfair for Saxe! Support reading and 15% your purchase goes directly to Saxe! Please use this link, beginning May 9th. It’s a great time to pick out some books for the summer!

May 12th is National Nurses Day!

We are so grateful for our wonderful nurses! Happy Nurses Day to Joelle Graham, our Lower Division Nurse, and Sara Paine, our Upper Division nurse! Thank you for your dedication to our students and school!

Tweet Street

Below are photos and phrases that were included on our Saxe middle school Twitter page (@SaxeMS) this week. Enjoy!

Happy School Lunch Hero Day! Nutritious meals at school are an essential part of the school day. Join us in celebrating and thanking the dedicated men and women who prepare and serve school meals that nurture our children!

And, they run a tremendous operation! School Cafeterias Ace Health Inspections

Thank you Pop Up Bagels for opening extra early just for our special education teachers! They go above and beyond for our students…

A special shout-out to our principal David Gusitsch on Principal’s Appreciation Day (5/1)!! Thank you for leading the way in everything that you do to make Saxe the special place that it is!

Happy Teachers Appreciation Week! Saxe is fortunate to have some of the best in the field & we are grateful to each and every one of them, everyday! Thanks to our Saxe PTC & NC National Charity League for helping make it extra special!

Thank you to Ms. Anca Jordan for keeping our baskets around Saxe looking beautiful and fresh!

What makes our Saxe staff feel appreciated during Teacher Appreciation Week? One of our all-time favs – the amazing Bubble and Brew Truck! Thanks to our Saxe PTC for making this happen!

Thank you Saxe PTC for such an amazing Teacher Appreciation Week! We feel the love!

Thank you (again!) to our Saxe PTC for continuing to make Teacher Appreciation Week the best one ever… Today was the terrific Taco Bar for our Saxe MS staff, and it was delicious!

A little rainy weather couldn’t dampen the spirits of our Saxe staff on the final day of Teacher Appreciation Week! Thank you (yet again) to our Saxe PTC for setting up The Tasty Yolk food truck! Easily one of the best breakfast sandwiches I have ever had…

Thanks to Mr. Ekstrom for sharing pics from the recent Arbor Day Scavenger Hunt at Saxe! Students used the app, Seek, in order to inventory the biodiversity of tree species on the Saxe campus… Great real-world application on a gorgeous day!

Excited to send out welcome letters to our incoming 5th graders today! Class of 2026, welcome to Saxe!

Our dedicated Saxe staff continue to work through various schedule options in preparation for the new start times for the 2022-23 school year. I am inspired/grateful and look forward to a finished product that will best serve our students, &, entire learning community!

Our Saxe campus is in full bloom and it makes for some great scenery!

For any Star Wars fans out there, I hope your “4th” was a great one! Our Saxe Health teacher, Ms. “Leia” Orlando was definitely in the spirit! Someone in our Tech Department was in the “May the 4th” spirit today – very cool!

6th-Grade STEM workshop students displaying their 3D printed name tag/pencil holders and building robots with VEX Robotics kits!

The first sunny day this week makes for some great scenery & a great opportunity to get outdoors to celebrate all that spring has to offer!

Grateful for our Saxe Faculty Senate and their collaborative approach to ensuring our school has the best learning environment possible for students and staff alike!

A little birthday celebration in the Saxe lobby this afternoon – very exciting & a great group!

Had an opportunity to chat with a wonderful group of 6th-graders who were proposing an A-Z countdown for their team to round out the school year with a theme each day. Very thoughtful, extremely well down, & great presentation skills!

5th Grade students modeling in virtual reality using SculptrVR software and Makerbot 3D printers. It’s so much fun to create!

Every so often, this handmade “sign bench” on East Ave in New Canaan gets updated with an inspiring quote, which, I enjoy reading on the drive in. Today, it reads, “Begin each day with a grateful heart”… Words to live by! Happy Friday, All – have a great day…

Have a great week, see you next Friday!

Thank you to all of our Saxe Weekly contributors! Each weekly edition is an example of collaboration in action. A special thanks to Lauren Sherwood for the continuous stream of positive, optimistic quotes!

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