March 13, 2026
Dear Saxe MS Family,
Well, Spring may be around the corner, but we pretty much experienced all four seasons in this week, alone. Welcome to March in New England when you start the week with the ground still covered in snow from recent storms, followed by 70+ degree temperatures a couple days (melting said snow), thunderstorms one evening, and finally waking up to ice & snow again on Friday morning (actually, this is a good representation of all that can go on in a week in the life of a middle school, too…)! Each week, we capture and share snapshots of much of what makes Saxe MS a special school community, and we appreciate you checking out the latest!
This week in the Saxe Weekly, we take a look at Spring, the latest Saxe MS podcast, Middle Level Education Month, Science, Mandarin, Saxe Clubs, Leadership initiative, lots of Music, Women’s History Month, some Saxe celebrations, PL, Art, recess, scenes around Saxe, and much more. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!
Be Well,
Dave Gusitsch
Principal, Saxe Middle School
Upcoming Noteworthy Dates:
3/20 – First Day of Spring!
*Quotes that resonated with us this week:
“There is no greater education than one that is self-driven.”– Neil deGrasse Tyson
“It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort.” — Jillian Michaels
“Dream big, stay positive, work hard, and enjoy the journey.”-Unknown
“Permit yourself to change your mind when something is no longer working for you.” – Nedra Glover Tawwab
“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pelé
Saxe Jokes of the week:
Why did the boy only wear one snow boot? He heard there was a 50 percent chance of snow.
When is the best time to buy a trampoline? Springtime.
Can bees fly in the rain? Not without their little yellow jackets!
Where can you always find gold on St. Patrick’s Day? In the dictionary.
Two goldfish are in a tank. One looks at the other and says, “You know how to drive this thing?”
Saxe Weekly: The Podcast
Interested in getting an overview of the latest Saxe Weekly in podcast form? Using Google’s Notebook LM, we are able to offer an option to listen to all of the great “goings on” in our school community while you are “on the go”, with the Saxe MS Podcast! We invite you to give it a listen… Enjoy!
Note: This is AI, and the reflection on the “weather of the week” is not exactly accurate (but, pretty close!)…
We have been using Notebook LM to create our podcast for the past couple of months, and recently, noticed the “create an image – infographic” option. It’s a pretty neat representation of the latest Saxe Weekly and may become part of our weekly update – enjoy!
Middle Level Education Month
This month in Advisory, we will be focusing on the impact middle level education has on the overall educational journey of our students. This will include positive experiences, shout-outs, suggestions for future success, and so much more. Stay tuned as we “travel” along the middle level education roadway!
And, as a reminder, our students are welcome to participate in MLEM too! Below is information that was included in the most recent Saxe Weekly:
Each March, we celebrate Middle Level Education Month. It is an opportunity for us to recognize the role that this phase on the educational journey of our students is one of the most important portions of their trip! Below are some more resources, information, and opportunities for students to get involved. Stay tuned for more information and moments to celebrate throughout the month of March. If you have any questions about getting involved, please feel free to reach out!
MLEM: as shared by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)
MLEM: as shared by the Association of Middle Level Education (AMLE)
March is Middle Level Education Month (MLEM), devoted to celebrating the opportunity of the middle grades and the profound and consequential years of early adolescence.
This year, we are lifting up the voices and the champions of the middle grades. From students sharing their perspectives through our expanded Student Sound Off Contest, to adult advocates who guide, mentor, and inspire young adolescents every day, MLEM is all about recognizing the impact happening in middle schools across the country.
Join us as a champion for middle level education! There are a variety of ways both students and adults can get involved and celebrate the power and promise of the middle grades.
MS Student Sound Off Contest
Students can SOUND OFF on any aspect of their middle school experience in response to any of the prompts below. Because we all have different talents, interests, and ways of expressing ourselves, students can submit in the format that most appeals to them.
- Being a middle schooler is like…
- I feel happiest when…
- I feel safest at school when…
- I wish the adults in my life better understood…
- Something that really matters to me is…
- One of the biggest challenges or opportunities of being a middle schooler today is…
- An adult in my life that is really important to me is…
- An adult in my life that makes me feel safest being myself is…
- An adult in my life that cheers the loudest for me is…
- An adult in my life that I really admire, or see as a role model is…
After you’ve reviewed the contest details below, be sure to submit your sound off by April 3, 2026! Need some inspiration? Check out the finalists from 2023, 2024 and 2025.
And, yes – there are prizes!
Adult Advocate Awards
In a successful middle school, every student’s academic and personal development is guided by an adult advocate. In fact, research shows that students who can name an advocate at school experience many benefits, including greater engagement at school… Each day, thousands of adult advocates show up for kids in ways that matter to them, from teachers and administrators to counselors and coaches.
Science
8Green students completed a research project exploring current issues related to the use of artificial intelligence, including topics such as “AI Slop” and the environmental impacts of AI technologies. Students created multimedia artifacts to communicate their new learning and perspectives. The project culminated in a gallery walk, where students shared their work and provided feedback to their peers.
Mandarin Cultural Field Trip
On March 5th, Saxe Grade 8 and NCHS Mandarin II/Honors students traveled to New Haven for an immersive cultural field trip. At the Yale University Art Gallery, students utilized the “See-Think-Wonder” routine to analyze the evolution of Chinese painting, sculpture, and philosophy.
The day continued with a hands-on cultural experience: enjoying a traditional lunch and navigating a local Asian market. It was inspiring to watch our students step outside the classroom and naturally apply their language skills and cultural competence to real-world situations. This trip was truly a meaningful bridge between their studies and the world around them!
Saxe Activities Reminder
Below is a copy of the current clubs that are running! Students may join a club at any time by using the link below to sign up. If you have any questions, you may contact Lisa.Jarosik@ncps-k12.org.
Speaking of clubs, check out some of the latest action!
Jewelry Club
The Jewelry Club is busy making beautiful flower bracelets!
Leadership Club
The 7th & 8th Grade Leadership club is working on flyers for our upcoming donation drive for New Canaan’s Strays & Others’ animal rescue. The drive will run from March 16th to April 2nd! Stay tuned for donations needed!
1st Annual Band Solo Contest
Congratulations to our Saxe Music teachers on the successful launch of the inaugural Band Solo Contest! The event, held this past Wednesday, was a wonderful celebration of the hard work and dedication of our student musicians. Students performed individual solos for adjudicators and received valuable feedback to support their musical growth. We are especially proud that 23 students earned a Class 1 Superior rating—the highest rating possible—and that five students were recognized as Outstanding Soloists of the Day for their exceptional performances. A huge congratulations to all of our participants and award winners—you have so much to be proud of! We look forward to continuing this event as a Saxe band tradition in the years ahead.
(And, it was an honor to help hand out awards the next day!).
Again, a HUGE CONGRATS to our participants & award winners! You all have so much to be proud of!
Here are a few more pics from the evening event. Thanks again to all involved!
CMEA Music Festival
A huge round of applause for our talented student musicians! This past weekend, 13 Saxe Middle School students represented New Canaan at the 2026 CMEA Western Region Middle School Music Festival, held at Sacred Heart University.
These dedicated members of our band, chorus, and orchestra programs earned their spots through a highly competitive audition process back in December. Joining approximately 350 of the top middle school musicians from across Fairfield County, our students spent two intensive days making music and rehearsing challenging repertoire.
The experience culminated in two spectacular performances on Saturday afternoon. We are incredibly proud of their hard work, artistry, and the way they represented the Saxe community.
These students were selected based on audition from a pool of over 750 students from across Fairfield County. Again, We are so proud of their hard work, dedication, and musicianship!
Women’s History Month
As we continue to recognize important women during Women’s History Month, we pause to remember the many contributions women have made to our country. This week, we honor Frances Perkins, Sylvia Mendez, Frances Feldman, Jane Addams, and Annie Dodge Wauneka.
Saxe in the News
Congratulations to our Dean of Students, Dr. Kristin Kleis, for successfully defending her doctoral dissertation! We are incredibly proud of all that she has accomplished, and grateful for all that she does for our students and school community!
Congratulations to the 8th-grade girls who beat a two-year undefeated team in the semi-finals to get to the championship. They then got the first-ever A bracket championship in NCBA history!
Pictured: Coach Kellner, Liliana Favale, Avery Van Dam, Etta Catalano-Israel, Callie Carriero, Mia Ciavarelli, Victoria Hricik, Mia Bourlatskii, Emma Kutney, Lola McManus, Amelia Emson, Coach Onyx. Not pictured: Hadley Miller. Congrats to All!
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Below are photos and phrases that were included on our Saxe Middle School page (@SaxeMS) this week. Enjoy!
Thanks to our SaxeMS staff for engaging in such meaningful dialogue during our PL session this week. Our New Canaan Portrait of a Graduate continues to guide our work & “tie the pieces together” across all grade levels and content areas. Yesterday, we focused on a big one – “Adaptability”. This is one of the most important life skills our students will use, now and beyond!
It was fun to listen to our Saxe MS students practice for the upcoming NCPS Stringfest – they sound great!
Students were locked in & focused on their projects during Music Tech this week at Saxe MS!
I was drawn in by the sounds & caught a little warm action by the Saxe MS “Brass Co.” – sounding good!
You can always count on a little “color pop” to brighten your day at Saxe MS! Students have been hard at work in Saxe Art & it shows!
8Purple updated their bulletin board & there are many great examples of what bring our Saxe MS students some “luck” – here are just a few!
8Blue is in the “March Spirit” with their updated board! In addition to our Saxe MS students sharing what brings them “luck”, they also include items that we can be grateful for!
Since we got a stretch of some warm weather this week at Saxe MS, it allowed us to bring back the playground & fields as options for our students during #SaxeRecess… Great to see them back available & being used!
Rain or shine, our Saxe MS students choose to get out & get active during Saxe Recess!
The Saxe MS morning crew was taking advantage of the nice weather this week – way to start the day the right way!
It’s always special & fun to hear our Saxe MS students get excited & point out when they see our mascot make an appearance on campus… During this particular Saxe Recess, there were three hawks that flew over at once!
I’m pretty sure we experienced all 4 seasons this week alone at Saxe MS! Temps in the high 70’s, snow, rain, & fog, all rolled into one!
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
