Dear Saxe Intermediate School Families,
Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! Whether you are returning to Saxe or joining us for the first time, we are thrilled to have you in our community. Our goal is to create a supportive environment where every student feels known, valued, and empowered to grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
This year, we are building on our success with a focus on these key priorities:
Shine Bright: Our theme represents our commitment that all students are valuable members of our school community; we are at our best as a school when we all shine together.
Rise & Shine: We are continuing our daily 8-minute arrival period to help students build vital connections and start every day feeling supported.
Collaboration: We value your active participation in your child’s education. Please stay connected through our Intermediate Insider and regular email updates.
We are looking forward to partnering with you for a successful year ahead. If you have any questions, please reach out to our administrative team. Let’s see how bright we can SHINE this year!
With excitement for the year ahead,
Sarah Granite
Principal, Saxe Intermediate School
Important Information
Preparing for the First Day of School
To help your student feel confident and ready, here are a few simple reminders:
Bring only the following on Day 1 (All other materials, please bring in on the second day):
A pencil case with writing and coloring supplies
One folder
Snack
Yondr Pouch (Grade 6 only)
Day 1 Arrival Locations:
Grade 5: Basketball Courts (find your team color..i.e. Purple 1)
Grade 6: Cafeteria
Note: Staff will be on hand to support students arriving on buses and car drop off lines.
Day 1 Tips:
Review your child’s schedule and dismissal plan prior to starting the day.
Get a good night’s sleep.
Eat a healthy breakfast.
To help answer any questions you may have about our Saxe Intermediate staff, we’ve put together a Saxe Intermediate Contact List and a Saxe Intermediate Organizational Chart.
Saxe Intermediate School Hours
The instructional day is 9:15am-3:45pm. Supervision begins at 8:55am; students may not be dropped off prior to 8:55am unless enrolled in our Early Birds program.
Arrival & Dismissal
We encourage families to use bus transportation to ease traffic flow at the start and end of the day. If you plan to drop off or pick up your child, please use the following locations.
Arrival by car: Drop off: Farm Road loop at the Saxe Intermediate Entrance.
Dismissal by car: Pick up: South Road entrance loop at the Main Entrance.
School Dismissal Manager
We continue to use School Dismissal Manager for default dismissal plans, changes to dismissal plans, attendance, late arrivals and early pickups. You should receive an email from School Dismissal Manager within the next week to review your default dismissal, set up dismissal exceptions, etc. As a friendly reminder, our cut off time for exceptions is 11:00am. If you have any questions, please reach out to our Intermediate Administrative Assistant, Kateri Devlin at 203-594-4513.
Placement
The PowerSchool Portal will be open at 5pm on Wednesday, August 19th for you to view your child’s placement and see their daily schedule. Our team of teachers and counselors have carefully considered each student’s needs and strengths to make thoughtful class assignments. Due to the many components that go into the placement process, we cannot grant any placement changes. Additional information on how to access the PowerSchool portal can be found here.
Please note that counselors and staff may still make adjustments to schedules to balance classes after 5pm on 8/19. We recommend reviewing your child’s schedule with them a few days before school starts again to avoid any confusion.
Supply Lists
5th and 6th grade supply lists can be found by clicking this link. The 6th grade supply list can be found by scrolling down to the second page. Please note that bluetooth headphones will not be allowed with our Phone Free School initiative. Every student should bring wired headphones for use this school year.
Saxe Intermediate Handbook 2026
Our updated Saxe Intermediate Handbook is a one-stop-shop for all of your questions related to our school. From early birds to attendance to schedules to behavior expectations, this live-linked document is your go-to source to answer your most pressing questions!
Who's New at Saxe Intermediate?
We have many new staff members to welcome to our Saxe I.S. community!
Liz Hannaway (5-8 Special Education Administrator)
Lou Dortenzio (Gr. 5 Math/SS- Purple 1)
Fiona Stevens (Gr. 5 Reading/Writing- Purple 1)
Alyson Fergus (Gr. 5 Science)
Ryan Frazier (Gr. 6- SS- Green)
Colleen Isola-Peterson (Gr. 6- ELA- Purple)
Ann Marie Meehan (Grs. 5 & 6- Special Education)
Victoria Correa (Grs. 5-8- Special Education)
We also have staff members with new roles/last names!
Kirsten Link (Gr. 6- Math- Blue)- Ms. Link is joining us from Grade 8
Emily Didden (Gr. 6- Math- Red)- Formally Ms. Utter
Phone Free Schools: Yondr
Our “Phone Free Schools” initiative will continue at Saxe for this school year. As part of this initiative, students will not have access to all personal devices (cell phones, smart watches, Bluetooth earbuds, etc.) during the school day. To create our “Phone Free School,” we will utilize a locking pouch system for all students. The goal of this program is to minimize distractions and enhance focus in the learning environment. As Dr. Luizzi has shared, “your support is essential as this initiative is rolled out, and together, we can help create a more engaging educational experience for our students.” Students in 5th grade will receive their Yondr Pouches on the first day of school. Sixth graders should come to school with the previously provided pouch. If your child requires a new pouch, please contact our Dean of Students, Kristin Kleis at kristen.kleis@ncps-k12.org.
"New to New Canaan" Orientations
On Friday, August 21st, we will host our New to New Canaan Orientation for all students new to the town of New Canaan in Grades 5 & 6. The event will be held at Saxe from 11am-12pm. Please meet us at the Intermediate Entrance (near the basketball courts).
Grade 5 "Meet and Greet"
On Wednesday, August 26th, we are excited to host a special Grade 5 Meet and Greet. Doors will open at the Intermediate Entrance at 11:30 a.m. for a brief welcome in the cafeteria (spirit wear will be available for purchase by our PTC), followed by a classroom visit from 12:00–12:30 p.m.
*To ensure a smooth visit, please check PowerSchool prior to the event and know your child’s team (e.g., Red 1) and/or homeroom teacher. The event will conclude promptly at 12:30 so teachers can continue their professional learning. We look forward to officially welcoming all students for the first day of school on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
Early Birds: Before School Program
In response to the needs of families who require before-school care, Saxe Intermediate School is pleased to offer the Early Bird Program. Our program provides a safe, supervised, and engaging start to the day for students, with activities led by our teaching assistants.
Rolling drop-off begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Saxe Intermediate Entrance.
The program runs each day school is in session (delays, program opens at 9:30am).
Participation is fee-based and organized into three sessions across the school year.
Families must enroll for the full session.
If you would like to register your child(ren), please complete this registration form to secure a spot. Completed registration forms and payment can be sent to Kateri Devlin.
School Lunches
Our incredible cafeteria staff continue to provide a variety of delicious lunch and snack options daily. Here is a link with information about our school lunches and adding money to your child’s lunch account through LinQ. Our cafeteria is now cashless. If you need to add money to your child’s account you can do so online through LinQ, or you can deposit a check in our secure lock box in the Intermediate Office.
Upcoming Important Dates
August 19 @ 5pm: Placement Available on Powerschool Portal
August 21, 11-12pm: New to New Canaan - Grades 5 & 6
August 26, 12-12:30pm: "Meet and Greet" for Grade 5 @ Saxe I.S. Entrance
August 27 @ 9:15am: First Day of School
September 2 @ 10:30-11:30am: Grade 5 Parent Coffee
September 7: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
September 15 @ 6pm: Open House - Grade 5
September 16 @ 9:30am: PTC Welcome Back Coffee - Waveny
September 16 @ 6pm: Open House - Grade 6
September 18 (TBD): Grade 5 Fun Run
September 21: NO SCHOOL - Rosh Hoshanah
September 23 (All day): Photo Day
Helpful Links