January 26, 2024
Dear Saxe Family,
It is really hard to believe this is the last full week of January, 2024, but another week is in the books! This week in the Saxe Weekly, we take a look at the latest 1-Second Everyday, Lost & Found, Empower Your Lunch Hour, ELA, parent resources, Science, PE, Winter Daytime Open House info, G5 Student Leadership, SRO Safety Tip of the Week, Students “In the News”, photography, a note from our Nurses, Happiness Hallway, Goals, “reduce, reuse, recycle”, Saxe Trout, motor breaks, Orchestra, a couple of birthdays, Social Studies, Design Lab, Saxe Spirit, Dogs of Saxe, and much more. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!
Be Well,
Dave Gusitsch
Principal, Saxe Middle School
Upcoming Noteworthy Dates:
1/31 Saxe 5/6 Band Concert – No Homework (7:00 p.m.)
2/1 Saxe 7/8 Band Concert – No Homework (7:00 p.m.)
*Quotes that resonated with us this week:
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”— Etty Hillesum
“There will be obstacles. There will be mistakes. But with hard work there are no limits.”-Michael Phelps
“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” ― Michael Altshuler
“No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.” – Regina Brett
The Weekly Humor Highlights!
“When does a joke become a dad joke? When it becomes apparent!”
“What did one plate say to the other plate? Dinner is on me.”
“My wife told me to pick up 8 cans of soda on my way home from work…She was pretty mad when I only picked seven up!”
“If Apple made a car, what would it be missing? Windows!”
One Second Everyday
Back again this week – the latest Saxe Middle School 1-Second Everyday! “Life is made of seconds.” Showcasing so much of what makes Saxe Middle School great! This is a recurring, bi-weekly feature. At the end of the year, we will have a full version that includes every single day of the 2023-24 school year. Enjoy! (pro tip: to enjoy the video at a slower pace, change your viewing option to .75 speed).
Lost & Found
Did you leave behind a water bottle, jacket, sweatshirt (or, anything else) at Saxe? Please check out the Lost & Found asap… All items will be packaged and donated in the coming week. Thanks!
Empower Your Lunch Hour
This week we kicked off an improved version of our 6th Grade Empower Your Lunch Hour STEM lunch club. Students can come to the Design Lab to enjoy a variety of innovative STEM experiences such as 3D design and printing, programming animations and games, building and coding with Lego robotics and other robot kits, virtual reality creation and engineering and more!
Sign up for a pass, bring your lunch and spend recess with Mrs. Pacelli exploring and creating. All of the other grade levels have similar opportunities, as well. Ask your tech integrators for more information.
Language Arts
The 7th grade Co-taught ELA Book Clubs read Dystopian novels during the 2nd Marking Period. The end project was to have each book club write the script, direct the actors, and finalize the skit for a class production. Many laughs and “take-two’s” echoed throughout the hallway! Great fun was had by all!
Resources for Parents
Join us for valuable insights and practical strategies for navigating the challenges of parenting today’s teens.
Join us for this engaging and interactive session featuring renowned psychologists, Dr. Jim Mazza and Dr. Lizz Dexter-Mazza. Both experts bring a wealth of experience and expertise in the realms of parenting and social-emotional learning. This dynamic duo has dedicated their careers to empowering young people, schools, and families. As a UW Professor and School Psychologist, Dr. Jim Mazza, alongside Clinical Psychologist Dr. Lizz Dexter-Mazza, focuses on building essential skills proactively, emphasizing the importance of preparation before crises arise.
What to Expect:
- Gain practical insights into navigating life’s challenges and intense emotions.
- Learn effective social-emotional strategies that empower both you and your children.
- Participate in an up-close virtual presentation and a live Q&A session.
In today’s fast-paced world, equipping our children with the tools they need for social and emotional well-being is more critical than ever. Dr. Mazza and Dr. Dexter-Mazza will share their top strategies to empower your parenting journey, offering guidance on fostering resilience and building essential life skills in your teens.
Save the date, share with friends, and mark your calendars for this not-to-be-missed event. The webinar link will be shared closer to the date, ensuring you have easy access to this insightful session.
Click the link to register:
ChildMind Institute in NYC is a valuable, free resource for families navigating mental health, behavioral and/or learning challenges.
Science
6-Purple has begun their exploration into various forms of weathering and how it may look in our own CT backyard!
Physical Education
Students in Mrs. Hendry’s PE classes have been demonstrating their Badminton and Pickleball skills in a round-robin tournament. 5th and 6th graders are playing Pickleball and 7th and 8th graders are playing Badminton. All students are practicing life skills on their teams as our focus is on good sportsmanship, cooperation with others, and communicating kindly and effectively, while having some fun!
Saxe Winter Daytime Open House: Grades 6 – 8
You are invited to attend our 2024 Winter Daytime Open House during the week of February 5th – 12th, 2024. The schedule below depicts the specific day, date, and time for each respective grade/team. Grade 6-8 teams will host their program within their respective team classroom area. For parents who are unable to attend during the scheduled time, slides will be made available to show the content that was covered.
Teachers will review team progress made thus far regarding meeting local and state curriculum standards, address initiatives that have promoted an academically, emotionally, and physically safe learning environment, and offer an academic introduction to the second semester.
Due to limited parking on campus, the Lower Division Circle will be available to park. There may also be a few spots open in the Lower Parking Lot by the playground or a few spots at the front of the school.
If you have any further questions regarding our Winter Daytime Open House program, please feel free to contact your child’s counselor, grade-level administrator, or Mr. Gusitsch.
| Monday, 2/5 | Tuesday, 2/6 | Friday, 2/9 | Monday, 2/12 |
| 8:55 a.m. G7: Red Team Room #: 102 | 8:55 a.m. G7: Green Team Room #: 144 | 8:55 a.m. G7: Purple Team Room #: 105 | 8:55 a.m. G7: Blue Team Room #: 113 |
| 10:10 a.m. G6: Blue Team Room #: 34 | 10:10 a.m. G6: Red Team Room #: 28 | 10:10 a.m. G6: Purple Team Room #: 24 | 10:10 a.m. G6: Green Team Room #: 19 |
| 11:20 a.m. G8: Red Team Room #: 200 | 11:20 a.m. G8: Blue Team Room #: 205 | 11:20 a.m. G8: Green Team Room #: 163 | 11:20 a.m. G8: Purple Team Room #: 219 |
Grade 5 Student Leadership Team
Former BOE Chair, Ms. Katrina Parkhill visited the 5th-grade Student Leadership team to share her perspective on leadership and answer questions that the students posed. Ms. Parkhill shared several experiences, including the leadership skills that were necessary to lead on the NCPS BOE. A highlight was students sharing their reasons for liking New Canaan and several (unsolicited) responded they appreciate New Canaan for the “excellent school system”!
SRO Safety Tip of the Week
Please adhere to the designated drop-off location at the school, the rear entrance. The safety of all the students is our top priority and dropping off on the roadway or in crosswalks could get someone hurt. I know it may seem faster or more convenient to drop off somewhere other than the back of the school but the few minutes you might save, put your child, other children, and our staff at risk of the other vehicles on the road at that time. Please work with us to ensure the safety of every student in our community.
Saxe in the News
One of our 6th Grade students, Margaux Dalipi was featured in the New Canaanite this week for her kindness and caring. It is heartwarming to read!
NCHS Color Drop
The NCHS Color Drop is right around the corner and you will once again have a chance to win some amazing prizes (including a truck!) while supporting NCHS students through the NC Scholarship Foundation. Thanks for considering and good luck to all who participate!
Click here to purchase your golf ball.
Student Photography
In the coming weeks, we will highlight student artwork from last year’s photography club. Students will show their work which has been printed on Canvas and hung around Saxe. Charlotte Edwards (Grade 7), is pictured below with one of her four photos “Palindrome”, and is excited to share her work!
From the Nurse’s Office
Does this scenario sound familiar to you? You receive a text from your child while they are in class. They say they are not feeling well and need to be picked up. Should you?
- Ignore the text because cell phones are prohibited from being used during school hours per Saxe school policy
- Respond and remind your child that they should not be on their phone, and also, if they feel sick they should go to the school nurse
- Immediately come to the school and pick up your child
Keep in mind that when you choose option C, the nurse needs to stop what she is doing to locate the student. Then the teacher and class are interrupted mid-instruction, while the nurse calls for the student. Also, it is possible that the student has an issue that the nurse can help them with and they may not even need to go home.
Please always encourage your student to come see the nurse if they are feeling sick during the school day. We will always call a parent if a student asks to call home, and certainly if they are sick/injured and need to be picked up, you will be notified immediately. If you have any questions please reach out to your school nurse!
Twitter/X
Below are photos and phrases that were included on our Saxe Middle School page (@SaxeMS) this week. Enjoy!
The “Happiness Hallway” continues to expand at Saxe. Such a great way to reflect & maintain perspective on important (oftentimes, simple) things in life to be grateful for… 🙏
Some quality goals for our Saxe students – hope they are experiencing success with them!
Some great signage in the Saxe Cafeteria to encourage the reduction of waste. Our students do a terrific job thinking globally & acting locally. Thanks to all involved & to all who participate! ♻️
The vertical plant tower has produced yet another crop at Saxe! Thanks to our Sustainability Club… 🌱#SaxeClubs
The #SaxeTrout have hatched & Saxe students are getting their first look! Amazing process to view from eggs to release in local waterways!
The G6 Greek Mythology unit is underway and it’s interesting to hear different viewpoints as seen through the perspective of Zeus & Pandora. Students are engaged & having great discussions!
Not just another stairwell, it also doubles as one of several motor break locations at Saxe! Thanks to all involved in creating opportunities for students to get some much-needed, purposeful movement…
The Saxe Orchestra program has been “tuning up” & getting ready for their concert this evening. They sound great & are ready to perform – good luck to all!
No better way to spend a rainy evening than listening to our talented orchestra at the Saxe Winter concert!
Another birthday to start the day at Saxe- hope it was the best day yet! 🎉 #SaxeBirthdays
#SaxeBirthday shoutout! 🎉 Hope it was the best birthday, yet!
Ms. Nelson’s 6th-grade Social Studies class utilizes the Saxe Library to kick off their Cultural Hearth Project. Terrific lesson & student discussions!
Ms. Nelson’s 6th-grade Social Studies class utilizes the Saxe Library to kick off their Cultural Hearth Project. Students got to choose the note-taking format that works best for them (or, try something new)… Great discussions & collaboration!
The 3D printers were at full-throttle in the #SaxeDesignLab this week – love seeing the @SaxeMS student creations “come to life”! Also, materials are ready for the soon to launch LEGO club – look forward to seeing that as well!
The recently displayed Saxe student photo canvases have new placards to recognize the photographer & the name they gave to the photo… Thank you to Ms. Jarosik for helping put the displays together. Here is “Palindrome”, “Fred”, & “Window of Welcome”…
Here are “Shades of Gray”, & “Evergreen Fields”…
Ms. Martocci was “all in” for Clash Day at Saxe this week!#SaxeSpirit
Saxe students and staff on 7Blue revisit what makes a great team and recognize those who are leading by example – congrats and nice work!
Nothing better than seeing a brand new puppy at Saxe morning drop off. “Summer” is new to the family & can’t be much older than 8 weeks! Such a cutie… #DogsOfSaxe
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 Melissa DiMeglio 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
