Back to School 2018

First Day of School: Annual Royle Procession, Principals’ Messages to Students, Parents

Superintendent: All Darien Schools Ready for First Day, Even Fitch Academy

Personal Budgeting Tips for Your Teens Before Sending Them Off to College

From Now Till Darien’s First Day of School, Events for Teachers and New Students

Darien Police Advice to Teens, Parents on Driving to and from School — Safely

How to Protect Your Children’s Privacy as They Head Back to School

The Amount of Clothing and Food We Buy and Don’t Use Is Enormous — and Likely More Than You Think

CT Sales Tax Free Week Coming Aug 19 to 25: What to Know

Human Services Director Thanks Darien Sport Shop for ‘Back-to-School’ Clothing Donation

You Can Support Kids in Military Families With School Supplies Drive Thru Aug 9

Appeals for Donated School Supplies: Rowayton Church’s Drive Runs Till Aug 15; Darien Human Services’ Runs Aug 13 to 30

Education

By David Gurliacci | August 30, 2018

Education

By David Gurliacci | August 29, 2018

Education

By STEPHEN MEYER | August 28, 2018

Education

By David Gurliacci | August 22, 2018

Parents & Kids

By DARIENITE.COM | August 21, 2018

Education

By COLLEEN TRESSLER | August 20, 2018

Recycling

By David Gurliacci | August 19, 2018

Business

By DARIENITE.COM | August 17, 2018

Business

By DARIENITE.COM | August 15, 2018

Charity Events and Opportunities

By David Gurliacci | August 5, 2018

Community Organizations

By David Gurliacci | July 27, 2018

Marching Royle Parade of Learners thumbnail horizontal pic

Darien’s first day of school started Thursday, including the traditional “Parade of Learners” at Royle School. Also, the principals of Darien High School and Middlesex Middle School gave parents and students a preview of the 2018-2019 school year at their schools. Here’s a look at what Royle’s “Parade of Learners” looked like this morning, from the Royle Publicity Committee:

Freshmen Orientation Darien High School 2018

Fitch Academy, the town’s alternative high school program, might not have its new location ready for the first day of school, district officials said just weeks ago, but it and every school in the district are now expected to start on time, ready for students, Interim Superintendent Elliott Landon said Tuesday night. “All our schools are ready to go,” Landon told the Board of Education.

It’s hard to prepare the schools in Darien “because we make such tremendous use of our buildings” over the summer, he said. He thanked the school district’s maintenance staff and district officials for their efforts. Over the course of the summer, just over 50 teachers have been hired by the school district, Landon said.

When budgeting and planning for college, parents and students often focus on the major expenses such as tuition, room and board, meal plans, and dorm essentials. But once school is in session, students can average an additional $5,000 in spending per year on items that are frequently overlooked and not necessarily planned for. For example, gas money, campus activities, University apparel, laundry, dorm room cleaning supplies, Taco Tuesday’s with friends… the list goes on. With the excitement and freedom that comes with the ‘college experience,’ it’s easy for students to get carried away with their spending. Before they know it, they’re running low on funds and having to ask parents for more money.

The 2018-2019 school year starts for most students on Thursday, Aug. 30, but some students, and all teachers can be expected to visit the schools days earlier. Senior portraits, obligatory presentations on substance abuse for students and their parents in order for the students to participate in sports or extracurricular activities, orientation meetings for students attending a new district school, registration for student parking are among the items on the calendar. Here’s a list:

[Editor’s note: We’ve added sports tryouts below. Some of Darien’s elementary schools post information on Kindergarten orientation sessions (for instance, Royle and Holmes schools) and some don’t.

Distracted Driver Texting by Ed Poor of English Wikipedia on Wikimedia Commons 2007 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hand_held_phone_in_car.JPG

The members of the Darien Police Department would like to take this opportunity to remind motorists that the first day of school is Thursday, Aug. 30. With that date in mind we would like to provide the following safety tips in an effort to keep our children safe as the school year approaches. — an announcement from Darien Police Department

Slow Down in School Zones: Speed limits are reduced in school zones for a reason. Eliminate Distractions: Do not text or use your hand held cell phone while driving.

Many school forms require personal and sensitive information. Here are some tips for keeping your child’s personal information safe — from pre-school through college. — This article is from the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Information blog. Colleen Tressler is a consumer education specialist with the FTC. The graphic illustration at the bottom is also from the FTC.

Closet Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Walk_In_Closet_-_Expandable_Closet_Rod_and_Shelf.jpg

Before you go out this week and decide to buy back-to-school clothes or other clothing, consider how much of that clothing will actually be worn. According to a survey in 20 countries, the vast majority of items will hang around in your closet or sit in your drawers for a year or more without being worn.

Back-to-school clothes worn by growing kids may be an important exception (since kids do grow out of their clothing), so adults should be thinking about their own clothing purchases. In the last 12 months, 82 percent of the clothing Americans had previously bought and still have has not been used, according to an international study. Also, 24 percent of the food Americans buy ends up not being eaten. And we don’t realize that the waste is this high, according to a study released by a German moving and relocation company, Movinga.

You know school is starting soon (Aug. 30 in Darien) when the state announces “Tax Free Week.” This year the week runs from Sunday, Aug. 19 through Saturday, Aug. 25. The one-week event eliminates Connecticut’s 6.35 percent sales tax on clothing and footwear costing less than $100 per item.

Gina Zangrillo clothing Darien Sport Shop donation 2018

Darien Human Services Director Ali Ramsteck thanked Gina Zangrillo, president of Darien Sports Shop, for the gift of new children’s clothing, shoes and accessories for the town Human Services Department’s annual back-to-school assistance program. Ramsteck provided this copy of the letter to Darienite.com. You can help, too. We’ve included more information about the back-to-school program, below:

Dear Gina:

On behalf of the Darien Department of Human Services, I would like to thank you for your donation of new clothing, shoes, and accessories for our annual Back-to-School Program. We were overwhelmed with your generosity!

Operation Homefront Back-to-School Brigade 2018

In addition to Darien Human Services Department’s back-to-school donation drive for Darien school kids from Aug 13 to 30, and the United Church of Rowayton’s drive (through Aug. 15), for area school kids, there’s a third donation drive, this one for children with parents in the military. Dollar Tree stores in the area, including the one at 330 Connecticut Ave. in Norwalk, near Exit 14 on I-95, will accept donations (not coincidentally, we’re sure, you can buy them right in the store) through Thursday Aug. 9 for distribution by Operation Homefront.

« August 2022 »

Children will start the school year with new backpacks filled with school must-haves, thanks to the backpack drive conducted annually by the United Church of Rowayton for the Department of Children and Families (DCF). — an announcement from the United Church of Rowayton’s Board of Christian Outreach, followed by information on a similar school supplies drive from the Darien Human Services Department. From now until Aug. 15, the meeting house behind the church at 210 Rowayton Avenue will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to receive backpacks. Suggested items are tissues, colored pencils, pens, crayons, geometric stencils, compasses, erasers, rulers, tape, file folders, glue sticks, scissors, notebooks, paper, pencils, pencil sharpeners, white out, staplers, staples and calculators.