May 24, 2024
Dear Saxe Family,
As we head into this long holiday weekend, I would like to thank all of our military family members, and show appreciation for the sacrifices of all who bravely served. Thank you! As challenging as life can often be, we have much to be grateful for, and to be proud of. It is my hope that you are able to enjoy the upcoming weekend by spending time doing something you enjoy, with those you care most about.
This week in the Saxe Weekly, we take a look at Memorial Day, NCHS Interns, Science, The NCHS Dome, an egg drop challenge, a note from our Nurses, Band, tech tips, end of year trips, lots of “outdoor time”, Art, Orchestra, a Saxe “who done it” mystery, a Saxe birthday, a full moon, Dogs of Saxe, and much more. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!
Be Well,
Dave Gusitsch
Principal, Saxe Middle School
Upcoming Noteworthy Dates:
5/27 Memorial Day, No School
5/29 Grade 5/6 Band Concert – No Homework (7:00 pm)
5/30 Saxe 7/8 Band Concert – No Homework (7:00 pm)
5/31 Saxe 5th Grade Mentor Night for Incoming 4th Graders (Pizza Night, 5-7 pm)
Celebrating Memorial Day
*Quotes that resonated with us this week:
“Happiness is a journey, not a destination.”-Buddah
“Happiness is making the most of what you have, and riches is making the most of what you’ve got.”-Rosamunde Pilcher
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” —Albert Einstein
“If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams, and you will always look lovely.” – Roald Dahl
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to swim.”-Jon Kabat Zinn
Saxe Jokes:
What kind of bow can’t be tied? A rainbow!
What kind of water cannot freeze? Hot water!
Why do calculators make great friends? Because you can always count on them!
How does a scientist freshen their breath? With experi-mints (experiments)
Why did the bat miss the school bus? Because he hung around for too long
Welcome Saxe Interns
This week, we welcomed about a dozen senior interns from NCHS. We are happy to have these former Saxe students in our building for the next few weeks and appreciate them choosing to “give back” to our school community for their internship experience!
Science
Today half of our 5th graders took a mini “field trip” to the NCHS DOME! The educational opportunity was designed to enhance our fifth graders’ understanding of Earth’s place in the solar system, as well as the intriguing natural phenomena that are beyond the visible spectrum. During this field trip, our students dove into the astronomical concepts they’ve explored in their science unit by allowing them to visually grasp the patterns created by Earth’s rotation and orbit around the Sun, providing a dynamic understanding of moon phases, the night sky, and the reasons for the seasons.
In addition to this immersive astronomical exploration, students were treated to a viewing of the film, “Mysteries of the Unseen World.” This film complemented their Matter science unit by revealing aspects of the natural world that are invisible to the naked eye, sparking curiosity and deepening their appreciation for the complexities of science.
Thank you to Ms. Meyer, our Director of Innovation, Mrs. Rende, our fifth grade MC for the event, and our science teachers Mrs. Rovinelli and Ms. Barnum for allowing us the opportunity to experience the DOME! We’re excited to have the rest of our 5th graders experience the DOME next Tuesday!
Challenge
Grade 8 Challenge students had an opportunity to test their ‘lunar landers’ outside the cafeteria. Each lander was designed to carry an egg safely to the floor of the lower division lobby. This friendly contest was a culmination of a project that required students to propose, plan, budget, and promote policies for a large-scale government agency.
A Note from the Nurse
Band
Thanks to Ms. Rosen for coordinating a special composer visit, & band rehearsal, with renowned musician Dr. Gwyneth Walker. Look at that enthusiasm!
Planning for a “Tech Healthy” Summer
Stay tuned for more tips, resources, and encouragement to maintain the healthiest balanced “tech diet” possible this summer!
8th Grade Class Trip – June 6
This year, our 8th grade trip this year will be to Brownstone Adventure Sports Park in Portland, CT. The 8th grade class will be able to enjoy a fun-filled day of swimming, ziplining, rock climbing, and a variety of other activities at one of Connecticut’s best water parks! Students should prepare for a day outside and bring or wear the following: bathing suits, towels, sunscreen, water shoes, etc. Given the nature of the activities, students should feel comfortable wearing a t-shirt/swim shirt and/or shorts over their swimsuits. If they are planning to do rock climbing, sneakers or rock climbing shoes are required. Life preservers are required to be worn at all times and are provided by the venue. Students may bring a bag lunch or purchase one at the snack bar. Bag lunches should not have bottles or any peanut products. To avoid loss, theft, or damage, we strongly encourage students to leave their cell phones at home. If students choose to bring them, they should be powered down and stored in their bags, and/or secured in the onsite lockers that are available for purchase. Chaperones will have a phone in the event of an emergency, and communication will be sent to parents when we leave the park and as we get closer to Saxe. In the unlikely event that you would need to contact your child, you may call school and they will contact the administrator onsite. Students should arrive at school at the regular time and report to their designated room. Buses will return to Saxe at approximately 3:15 pm. The cost of the trip is $85 and payment must be received by Friday, May 31st. Tickets may be purchased and permission slips completed using the following links:
Brownstone Payment
Permission Form *Brownstone permission form must be filled out in order to enter the park.
Grade 7 Camp Kiwi Trip
On Thursday, June 6th, 2024 the entire seventh grade will be going to Kiwi Country Day Camp in Carmel, NY for a day of celebration and fun. We will leave school at approximately 7:45 a.m. and return to school by 3:00 p.m. Please note that students will need to arrange for transportation home. Kiwi Country Day Camp is an exploration and discovery park that encourages students of all abilities to participate in various activities. Throughout the day students may choose from different activities such as zip lines, paddle boating, ropes course, mini golf, jumping pillow, team sports, or just spending time with their friends.
The cost of the Trip is $78 and the payment/permission form can be found on My SchoolBucks here: Camp Kiwi Permission/Payment Link. Payment for the trip must be received by Friday, May 31st. If for any reason the cost of this trip is prohibitive, please contact your child’s counselor. If you know your child will not be able to attend the trip, please email Lin.Benware@ncps-k12.org for attendance purposes. For more information, you can also visit the Camp Kiwi website at https://www.kiwicountrydaycamp.com/parties-classes/
Twitter/X
Below are photos and phrases that were included on our Saxe Middle School page (@SaxeMS) this week. Enjoy!
Not surprisingly, the outdoor spaces at Saxe were “well used” today!
And, our Saxe students were not the only ones who enjoyed some outside time!
Mr. Gillan’s students take advantage of some of our outdoor learning spaces at Saxe… What a day to get some fresh air during class!
The outdoor learning spaces at Saxe were perfect for lunch & social activities today!
5th-graders got to experience the fully immersive, collective experience of the NCHS Dome today. There were lots of “oohs & aahs” & rightfully so – what an amazing space!
Thanks to Mr. Bedard for all the prep to warmly welcome our most recent batch of NCHS Senior Interns! It’s exciting to see these familiar faces back at Saxe – welcome back!
Ready for the Saxe Spring Orchestra Concert – good luck to All!
Saxe 8th-graders closed out the individual grade-level performances with an outstanding rendition of “Spring” from the Four Seasons – give it a listen(Click to listen!)!
Congrats to the Saxe 5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th graders (&, teachers) on a spectacular spring orchestra concert!
Wow! Saxe 7th & 8th-graders close out the concert (Click the link to watch!) with Viva La Vida – congrats (Click the link) to all!
A few “behind the scenes” shots as the Saxe 5th-graders get tuned up to kickoff the spring concert! 🎻
#SaxeMusic
Mr. Fusci & his students put their project (Click the link to watch!) based learning work to the test with the culminating activity – the egg drop! Some (Click to watch!) impressive engineering… There were way more “safe” than broken eggs – nice work!
Ms. Adrian’s 5th-graders were using their best detective skills to look at clues on the Pets of Saxe board to solve one of Saxe’s greatest mysteries – locating missing materials from their classroom… They are well on their way to finding out “who done it”!
Lots of amazing art is on display for the Saxe Challenges in Art spring showcase, but this image really hits home… It is a good reminder to maintain a healthy “digital & natural” balance!
Great turnout for the Saxe Challenges in Art Spring Showcase & more to see than just the art! (I guess the watermelon qualifies as fine art, too!).
Some amazing Saxe Art to check out in the main lobby as we prepare for the Challenges in Art Spring showcase! Incredible talent on display, congrats to all involved!
Way too nice to not have Saxe Art class outside! Impressive work/progress by our Saxe students… 🎨
Heard a “Happy Birthday!” being yelled from a car this morning at Saxe dropoff – hope it was the best bday, yet! 🎉
Grateful for our dedicated Saxe Custodians for the care & attention they give to our outdoor spaces at
Saxe!
Thanks to Ms. Rende for sharing this amazing pic that one of her Saxe students sent – great shot!
Some serious talent on display as Saxe students continued their collaborative art projects!
Dogs of Saxe…
… they make our day!
Who has it better than this one?! We always appreciate our Dogs of Saxe saying “hello” as they wish their humans a great day at SaxeMS!
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
