April 2019 Newsletter
CO-PRESIDENTS' LETTER

Dear Saxe Families,

Spring is finally here and we look forward to warmer temps, the season’s first flowers and the extra minutes of natural light that each day brings. This is also the time of year the Saxe nominating committee announces the slate for next year’s Executive Board and we are pleased to present the following candidates:

Nominated Slate for 2019-2020 Executive Board:
Co-President – Geri Mohr
Co-President – Patty Zoccolillo
VP of Communications – Julie Deasy O’Brien
Asst VP of Communications/Secretary – Lesley Cousley
Co-VP of Programs – Meg Saunders
Co-VP of Programs – Stacy Murphy
Co-VP of Ways and Means – Anne Schimmeck
Co-VP of Ways and Means – Laura Prior
Treasurer – Stephanie Taylor
Assistant Treasurer – Laura Vellante
Co-VP of Hospitality – Leah Kittredge
Co-VP of Hospitality – Neely Leslie

The slate will be voted on at our next General PTC Meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, April 24 at 9:30 AM in the Saxe Auditorium. You will also hear from the Principal and Assistant Principals regarding next year’s grade-level transitions as well as from Student Support Coordinator Dr. Susan Bliss, School Resource Officer Jeffrey Deak and NC Cares’ Executive Director Ellen Brezovsky. All Saxe parents are encouraged to attend.

Many thanks to everyone involved in recruiting this fantastic slate. Each candidate comes highly recommended for their respective positions and we appreciate their willingness to work together on behalf of all Saxe students and faculty.

Best,
Susan Gelvin and Geri Mohr
Saxe PTC Co-Presidents
PRINCIPAL'S LETTER
Dear Saxe Parents,

Happy Spring! As we look ahead to, and beyond, the April break, we are excited to share that we will be offering a collaborative General PTC meeting on Wednesday, April 24th. To recognize and celebrate this phase of life that can affectionately be called “under construction”, we will focus on the developmental needs of our middle school children as they approach the upcoming transition(s). Please join members of our administrative team, student support team, and school resource officer (Officer Deak) as we discuss and respond to questions around school safety, wellness, dependence vs. interdependence, and social, emotional, physical, and academic needs. Updates on our work around emotional intelligence will also be shared. Thank you for considering joining us for this important discussion. We look forward to continuing our partnership with our Saxe families as we “grow” our students/children, together!

Have a great month,

Dave Gusitsch
Principal, Saxe Middle School
IMPORTANT DATES
7th/8th Grade Musical
April 5 at 7:00 PM
April 6 at 1:00 PM
Innovation Night
April 10
6:30-8:00 PM
No School
April 15-19
Spring Break & Good Friday
UPCOMING EVENTS
Last Chance to Get Tickets to the 7/8th Grade Musical!
Come and support the Saxe 7th and 8th graders as they perform Disney's  High School Musical  this Friday, April 5 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, April 6 at 1:00 PM.  Click HERE  to buy tickets online. For questions or seating accommodations, contact the Saxe Box Office .
Raising the Emotional Intelligence of Your Children
April 10, 9:30-10:30 AM at the Saxe Auditorium
Dr. Susan Bliss, Ph.D., NCPS Student Support Coordinator, will be discussing "Raising the Emotional Intelligence of Your Children” with parents. The talk will cover:
  • The importance of Emotional Intelligence in our children’s lives
  • The Emotional Intelligence initiative at Saxe—Charter and Mood Meter
  • Helping your children to build self awareness and empathy
  • Helping your children to increase their ability to manage emotions
  • Helping your children to build resilience and learn to solve their own problems
The 3rd Annual NC Color Run
Saturday, April 27 at NCHS
9:00 AM: Kids' Color Dash (.8 miles) 
9:30 AM: NC Color Run/Walk (5k)
Please join your administrators and teachers as they form teams to represent your child’s school. Don’t miss this fun town-wide event and support deserving NCHS graduates pursue their dream of continuing their education at a higher level! Click HERE to register (o nline registration closes April 26). Individual $35, Family $130, Ages 5 and under are free! Click HERE to make a donation to the NCHS Scholarship Fund.
Volunteers Needed for 4th/5th Grade Transition Night
May 31, 5:00-7:30 PM
Please consider signing up for a spot to welcome our newest Saxe students! Click HERE to volunteer.
Volunteers Needed for 8th Grade Celebrations
Activities Chairs are beginning to plan the celebrations to honor our 8th graders in June. If you would like to get involved, please email Michele Salmini , Anita Bausman , or Marnie Zaffino . Stay tuned for more details!
BOARD OF EDUCATION UPDATES
BOE Budget & Important Meeting Dates
The budget process is coming down to the wire with the BOE’s proposed 2019-2020 school budget now before the Town Council. Council members may accept, reject or reduce the Board of Finance’s recommendations regarding the BOE budget but may not increase spending.  Parents wishing to comment on next year’s BOE budget are encouraged to do so at the Town Council’s upcoming Public Hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, April 2 at 7:00 PM at Town Hall. If you are unable to attend, you may email your comments to council members here .

Town Council Meetings
Tuesday, April 2 at 7:00 PM—Town Hall, Meeting Room, Public Hearing on Budget
Thursday, April 4 at 7:00 PM—Town Hall, Meeting Room, Vote on Budget 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Saxe Shines at Odyssey of the Mind Tournament
Eight Saxe teams were among the 125 teams that participated in the Odyssey of the Mind CT State Tournament on March 16. Three Saxe teams placed in the top 2 in their groups and will advance to the World Finals! Congratulations to all teams for their hard work.

  • 1st Place - Div 2 - Technical Category was the 6th grade team of Chloe Chan, Arnav Chaudhary, Elizabeth Cheng, Atma Krishnan, Slade Logsdon, Charlie Place, and Ryan Ross.
  • 2nd Place - Div 2 - Classics was the 7th grade team of Sahil Teredesai, Alexandra Gelvin, Andrew Reed, Keira Duggar, Ike Morales, Kathryn Xia and Nathan Trepanier.
  • 2nd Place - Div 2 - Performance was the 7th grade team of Ruby Bierman, Cooper Colthup, Avery Cotton, Charlotte McGeary, Adrian McMahon, Bernadette McNamara and Áine Stevens.
  • 3rd Place - Div 1 - Vehicle Category was the 3rd-5th Grade team of Ananya Malhotra, Daniel Vindas, Siya Sukhani, Arihanth Pharshy and Sachi Malhotra.
  • Winners of the Best Spontaneous Performance in Classics Div 2 was the 7th Grade team of Charlotte Walter, Elizabeth Doak, Elizabeth McLaughlin, Lauren Eno and Rani Joshi.
Note From the School Nurse
Connecticut State Law requires all students to have a physical exam during 6th grade .  The CT Health Assessment form needs to be on file in the nurse’s office by the last day of 6th grade. The school accepts physicals dated from June 1, 2018.

Upon completion of the exam, please send your child's CT health assessment record to the Lower Division Health Office. Please contact the school nurse, Joelle Graham, with any questions. She can be reached at joelle.graham@ncps-k12.org or at (203) 594-4526.
COMMUNITY CLICKS
NC CARES: All Fortnited Out
April 2, 7:00 PM at NCHS Wagner Room
Parents and children will learn what a "normal" amount of video gaming is versus a problem amount. A practical guide will be provided regarding how to effectively place limits on video game consumption. You will also hear from a young adult who struggled with video game overuse. Recommended for parents with children of all ages and children grades 5-12. Click HERE for more information.
How Girls Can Use Social Media in Positive, Empowering Ways
April 4, 6:30-8:00 PM at NCHS Wagner Room
Social media can make girls feel lonelier, more anxious, and more insecure. This workshop, presented by NC Cares and LiveGirl, will help girls think critically about the media content they're consuming and teach both parents and girls strategies for navigating social media. This is not a drop off event. An adult should attend with a child. Open to all ages; no charge. Click HERE to register.
Your Voice Matters— LiveGirl Leadership Summit
April 5, 5:00-7:30 PM at Grace Farms
This leadership summit brings middle school girls from across Fairfield County together for empowering learning experiences that encourage girls to explore their potential and believe in themselves. “Your Voice Matters” features CWEALF & State Representative Caroline Simmons. Open to grades 5-8 free of charge. Space is limited. Click HERE to register.
Middle School Night at the Y
April 13, 7:00 to 9:30 PM at the New Canaan YMCA
Join the fun at New Canaan YMCA's April Middle School Night! This month's special activities in the gym will be soccer, basketball, and nine-square. Click HERE to register.
NC CARES: What is (Wrong) RIGHT With My Child
April 23, 9:30 AM at East School
Alexandra "Bunny" Potts discusses how to understand and celebrate your child as the unique individual he/she is at this joint elementary PTC meeting. Discover ways to appreciate and nurture your child even if they are different from you or their siblings. This meeting was rescheduled from February 12th. Click HERE for more information.
Boy Scout Troop 70 Annual Tag Sale Collection Weekend
April 27 & 28, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM at the New Canaan Railroad Parking Lot
Please donate your new or gently used items such as artwork, boats/cars, electronics, tools, housewares, toys, strollers, etc. Click HERE for more information and a list of items we are unable to accept. Email Troop 70  with any questions.
Boy Scout Troop 70 Annual Tag Sale Fundraiser
May 4, 9:00 AM-2:30 PM at St. Aloysius School Gym
Come shop for great bargains on artwork, boats & kayaks, cars, collectibles, electronics, tools, housewares, toys, jewelry, musical instruments, furniture, grills, sporting goods, strollers, and more. Please do not call St. Aloysius Church. Click HERE for more information or e-mail Troop 70 .
The Ben Young All-Sports Camp
June 24-28/July 8-12/July 15-19, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM
This camp is designed to get children (entering grades K-8) active in a positive environment where they can take part in fun sports and games. There are three separate one-week sessions with incredible high school and college counselors. Ben Young is a teacher at Saxe Middle School and coach of the Boys Varsity Tennis Team at NCHS. Please email Ben Young with any questions.
New Canaan Substance-Free Teens (8th Grade Program)
Monthly meetings through June 2019
This series of workshops will help 8th graders learn how to live a substance-free life. Click HERE for more information or contact Ram Council President Joyce Sixsmith, (917) 678-0543.
New Canaan Racquet Club Tennis Lessons
Give the gift of tennis to your child! Classes are held on weekdays after school and on the weekends. Click HERE for more information and ensure your child learns the "sport of a lifetime!"
Collecting Gently Used Computers
Computers for Kids is collecting gently used computers to fix up and give to families in need. If you have an unused computer to donate, please bring it to the Saxe Lower Division Security Desk labeled with your name and address. If you know a child or family in need of a computer, please email  Patty Potts .
All-Girls Flag Football League
Calling all 5th and 6th grade girls interested in playing flag football! If you would like to participate in an ALL-GIRLS flag football league this spring, please contact Craig Hunt or Mariella Montoni Scofield . There will be one practice per week and a game on Saturdays.