2025.1.3 – Saxe Weekly – The Saxe weekly

January 3, 2025

Dear Saxe MS Family,

Happy New Year and welcome to 2025! Wow, that still does not quite seem real to say… While it may just be “another year”, the relevance seems to be extra special for me due to the following examples of how “time has flown”: 2025 is my 25th year in education, my daughter Brooke’s year of high school graduation, my son Nicholas’s year of 8th-grade promotion, and, I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that it has been a quarter century since the “Y2K” hype! (that is more for the parents/adults, but students are welcome to do a quick search)…

As we proceed into the new year, it is typical to reflect on goals. Some have gone well while others need to be “revisited”. Regardless, the feeling of a new beginning is often helpful to reset and feel refreshed about ways to do, or be, our best. On a personal level, I have set a goal of getting “better sleep”. This does not simply mean “more”, but will be a commitment to a regular schedule and balance between exercise, diet, work efficiency, screentime, and being able to enjoy and be fulfilled by special moments in both my personal and professional lives. It is my hope that you are able to set your own goals, big or small, to work toward in this new year!

It may have been a short week, but we begin 2025 by taking a look at just a few things that make Saxe Middle School special. This week in the Saxe Weekly, we take a look at the new year, spreading some good spirit & joy, Saxe Spirit, Saxe in the News, Math, ELA, recess, Saxe Hawks, the “Believe Wall”, Dogs of Saxe, and much more. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

Be Well,

Dave Gusitsch

Principal, Saxe Middle School

Upcoming Noteworthy Dates:

1/7 – 9:30 am 8th to 9th Grade transition coffee @NCHS Wagner Room (Snow date 1/9)

1/8 – 9:30 am Saxe PTC/PFA Meeting @ NCHS Wagner Room-Supt. Budget

Save the dates: Winter Day Open Houses February 3 – 7, 2025

(specific team dates/times will be shared in the coming week)

*Quotes that resonated with us this week:

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.” — Chinese Proverb

Saxe Jokes:

How did Benjamin Franklin feel when he discovered electricity? SHOCKED!

Why was the telephone late to work on January 1st? It was busy ringing in the new year!

Spreading Good Spirit and Joy

Thank you to our Custodial Team and our Secretaries for helping keep our Lost and Found neat, organized, and prepared to be reclaimed by anyone looking to bring their belongings back “home”. Thank you to all parents and students who stopped by to gather their lost items! A special thank you to Ms. Allen for helping gather and deliver the remaining inventory to those in need where each item can be “re-homed” and provide comfort, warmth, function, or joy for many years to come. Water bottles, lunch boxes, and other assorted items went to the Goodwill in Norwalk. Person to Person was happy to receive all of the clothing (as they were in desperate need of kid’s jackets) and were positively thrilled to repurpose articles received from the Saxe Middle School community. Thank you to all involved – you definitely made a difference in many people’s lives this holiday season!

Saxe Spirit

We would love to share your photos from the break if you took one with one of our three Hawk signs! If you have any pics and would like to share, please email Ms. Jarosik (lisa.jarosik@ncps-k12.org) &/or Mr. Gusitsch (david.gusitsch@ncps-k12.org). For those who have already participated and shared – thank you! Below are a few examples!

Saxe in the News

Congratulations to the Delev siblings (Leo and Vanessa) on their recent national-level recognition for their performance in the pool! We look forward to seeing their continued success! Please feel free to see more details, below:

SwimSwam recognized Leo for winning all seven events in which he swam in the prestigious NCAP competition at the University of Maryland. He swam the third fastest 200 backstroke time in the country for the season. Here is the article that features him. Jane Chevalier, Leah Oconnell and Julia Bak Lead the Way at the NCAP Invitational

You can find the full article about Vanessa’s award here: 2024 Swammy Awards: Age Group Swimmer of the Year- 10&Under

SwimSwam magazine awarded Vanessa the Swammy award for best swimmer in America in the age category 10-and-under for the second year in a row. Vanessa finished her 2024 season with number one times in the country in the following events: 200 Free short course yards (SCY); 500 Free SCY; 50 Back SCY; 100 Back SCY: 1:03.28; 100 Fly SCY; 50 Free Long Course Meters (LCM); 100 Free LCM; 200 Free LCM (#3 All-Time); 400 Free LCM (#9 All-Time); 50 Back LCM; 100 Back LCM; 50 Fly LCM; 100 Fly LCM

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

Good morning & welcome back, Saxe MS – Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a wonderful start to 2025!

Happy New Year to everyone in our Saxe MS community! Wishing everyone the best as we “Dive into 2025”! Go Saxe Hawks!

The quote bench on East Ave has been updated to say, “Happy New Year” – great way to welcome 2025 as you head into the town of New Canaan.

Student choice matters… Whether it’s using a device, calculator, whiteboard (vertical or mini), or good old pencil & paper, I am always impressed with the wide options available for our Saxe MS students to demonstrate their learning or understanding in Saxe Math!

The newly “set” Saxe MS Hawk’s Court plaque was a nice feature in the foreground of hundreds of our students enjoying some fresh air & activity during Saxe Recess (on the courts & fields) this week!

Thank you to Ms. Martocci for sharing these recent pics she caught of our mascot flying/hanging around the Saxe MS campus! Saxe Hawks!

I enjoyed listening to the wide range of topics our students were able to choose from as they embark on their next “Curiosity Voyage” in ELA. Can’t wait to see some of the choices & hear about their research!

The “Believe Wall” continues to grow with some inspiration for the new year… Here’s to a great start & refreshed (or, continued) goals for 2025!

Details matter & little things make big differences… It’s amazing what a coat of paint will do to brighten up spaces around Saxe! We are grateful for the continued commitment to keeping our learning environment the best it can be – thanks to all involved!

Dogs of Saxe

Clara came to visit Saxe MS this week & Melvern is sporting his new Dogs Of Saxe bandana!

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)