Please save the date for our Curriculum Night/Open House on Wednesday, Sept 27th from 6-8:00 pm. An exact schedule will be sent out soon. During this evening you will have an opportunity to meet your child(ren)’s teachers and hear about the learning that takes place throughout the day.
Author Archives: wildwoodpgo
September 19 Deadline to submit topics for Dr. Morris’ presentation,
The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee and Union 26 School Committee voted at their September 6th meeting to consider the appointment of Interim Superintendent Michael Morris to the post of permanent Superintendent of Schools.
“At the end of the summer, the chairs learned that Interim Superintendent Morris had reconsidered his interest in being a candidate to be permanent superintendent,” said Eric Nakajima, Chair of the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee. “Given his strong track record as Interim superintendent, the committees felt it worth exploring his appointment through a process that offers extensive opportunities for public discussion and input.”
“Many community members, educators and staff have approached us in recent months to express their interest in our discussion of this topic, and to express their support for Dr. Morris’s work this past year,” said Anastasia Ordonez, Chair of the Union 26 School Committee. “He’s worked hard for our district and shown an ability to deftly manage district budgets, community needs, and student achievement. We’re looking forward to formally considering his candidacy.”
The committees have scheduled a discussion to officially consider the appointment at the September 26th joint Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee and Union 26 meeting with a vote anticipated at either that meeting or on October 10th . The Committees expressed a strong interest in robust public engagement and input into the decision prior to taking that vote. Interim Superintendent Michael Morris will make a presentation at the September 26th meeting that will respond, in part, to questions submitted by the public and the school committees.
The Committees plan extended public comment periods at the beginning of both the September 12th and September 26th school committee meetings to be held at the Amherst Regional High School Library beginning at 6:30 PM.
Please provide the School Committee feedback on the potential appointment of Dr. Morris as permanent Superintendent. We welcome your questions or topics that may be included in a future presentation by Dr. Morris on September 26. The deadline for submissions is September 19. Please email schoolcommittee@arps.org.
Cub Scout Pack 504 Open Meeting
If you are interested in learning more about scouting and possibly becoming a Cub Scout, please join us for our Pack meeting on Sunday afternoon.
Where: When: Ages: Contact:
Immanuel Lutheran Church, 867 N. Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01002 Sunday, September 17, 3:00pm-4:00pm
Grades K-5
Cubmaster, Al Crosby, alfredcrosby@gmail.com
Family Outreach of Amherst Hosts 6th Annual Warm-Up the Night!
You won’t want to miss the party of the year! Join us as we transform the tent at The Lord Jeffery Inn into a strolling culinary extravaganza! Enjoy delicious small bites, sips and tastes from an eclectic mix of local food vendors. Years past have included local restaurants such as 30 Boltwood, Food 101, Blue Heron, Bistro 63 at the Monkey Bar, The Pub, Osteria Vespa, Johnny’s Tavern, Penyew Catering, Sutter Meats, Black Sheep Deli, Banh Mi Spot, Ginger Garden, and many more! We will have live music, special tastings, and more!
If you have any questions or are interested in partaking as a food vendor/contributing as a sponsor, please contact Rachel Condry at (413) 548-1272 or rcondry@chd.org.
Date and time: Thursday, October 19, 5:30 – 8:30pm
Location: The Lord Jeffery Inn (30 Boltwood Ave, Amherst)
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Not Bread Alone
Amherst’s free community meal program, Not Bread Alone, seeks volunteers with vehicles and a willingness to pick up groceries outside Whole Foods on Saturday mornings.
It is about a two hour job. The volunteers go to the loading dock behind the store and load up the groceries that Whole Foods has put outside on their loading dock. Then the volunteers bring the groceries to the First Congregation Church in the center of Amherst where other volunteers will help them to bring the groceries into the dining room. Usually, the volunteers arrive at Whole Foods at 9:15 or 9:30 am and they have left Not Bread Alone by 10:30. A larger vehicle is very helpful but some volunteers have done it regularly with two sedans. The volunteers need to be able to lift and carry boxes of produce and large bags of loaves of bread, etc.
A willingness to do this one Saturday a month would be ideal but a willingness to do it once to see what it is like would also be helpful.
Thank you for considering doing this service for our community!
Not Bread Alone
Change in Curriculum Night, PGO dates
The Amherst Block Party date was changed to the evening of October 4th which is the same day and time as our Curriculum Night. Since the annual Block Party has become such a fun event for our families, we are changing our Curriculum Night to Wednesday, September 27th from 6-8 pm. A detailed schedule will be sent out soon. We will also move our first PGO informational meeting to early October so we do not have two school events during the same week.
ARPS Committee Seeking Comments on Superintendent
The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee and Union 26 School Committee voted at their September 6th meeting to consider the appointment of Interim Superintendent Michael Morris to the post of permanent Superintendent of Schools.
“At the end of the summer, the chairs learned that Interim Superintendent Morris had reconsidered his interest in being a candidate to be permanent superintendent,” said Eric Nakajima, Chair of the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee. “Given his strong track record as Interim superintendent, the committees felt it worth exploring his appointment through a process that offers extensive opportunities for public discussion and input.”
“Many community members, educators and staff have approached us in recent months to express their interest in our discussion of this topic, and to express their support for Dr. Morris’s work this past year,” said Anastasia Ordonez, Chair of the Union 26 School Committee. “He’s worked hard for our district and shown an ability to deftly manage district budgets, community needs, and student achievement. We’re looking forward to formally considering his candidacy.”
The committees have scheduled a discussion to officially consider the appointment at the September 26th joint Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee and Union 26 meeting with a vote anticipated at either that meeting or on October 10th. The Committees expressed a strong interest in robust public engagement and input into the decision prior to taking that vote. Interim Superintendent Michael Morris will make a presentation at the September 26th meeting that will respond, in part, to questions submitted by the public and the school committees.
The Committees plan extended public comment periods at the beginning of both the September 12th and September 26th school committee meetings to be held at the Amherst Regional High School Library beginning at 6:30 PM.
Please provide the School Committee feedback on the potential appointment of Dr. Morris as permanent Superintendent. We welcome your questions or topics that may be included in a future presentation by Dr. Morris on September 26. The deadline for submissions is September 19. Please email schoolcommittee@arps.org.
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Comité de la Escuela Regional de Amherst-Pelham y Unión 26 Declaración del Comité sobre la Consideración de la Nombramiento Permanente del Superintendente Interino Dr. Michael Morris El Comité Escolar Regional de Amherst-Pelham y el Comité Escolar de la Unión 26 votaron en su reunión del 6 de septiembre para considerar el nombramiento del Superintendente Interino Michael Morris al puesto de Superintendente de Escuelas Permanente.
“Al final del verano, los presidentes de comités escolares se enteraron que el superintendente interino Morris había cambiado de opinión y estaba interesado en ser candidato superintendente permanente”, dijo Eric Nakajima, Presidente del Comité Escolar Regional de Amherst-Pelham. “Dado su sólido historial como Superintendente Interino, los comités consideraron que valía la pena explorar su nombramiento a través de un proceso que ofrece amplias oportunidades para la discusión pública y el aporte”.
“Muchos miembros de la comunidad, educadores y el personal se han acercado a nosotros en los últimos meses para expresar su interés en nuestra discusión de este tema, y para expresar su apoyo a la obra del Dr. Morris el año pasado”, dijo Anastasia Ordonez, Presidenta del Comité Escolar de la Unión 26. “Ha trabajado duro para nuestro distrito y ha demostrado su habilidad para manejar hábilmente los presupuestos del distrito, las necesidades de la comunidad y el logro de los estudiantes, y estamos deseando considerar formalmente su candidatura”.
Los comités han programado una discusión para considerar oficialmente el nombramiento en conjunto el Comité Escolar Regional Amherst-Pelham y la Unión 26 en la reunión del 26 de septiembre con una votación anticipada ya sea en esa reunión o en la del 10 de octubre. Los Comités expresaron un gran interés en una participación pública sólida y contribución en la decisión antes de tomar esa votación. El superintendente interino Michael Morris hará una presentación en la reunión del 26 de septiembre que responderá, en parte, a las preguntas presentadas por el público y los comités escolares.
Los comités planifican extender los periodos de comentarios públicos al comienzo de las reuniones de comité escolar los días 12 de septiembre y 26 de septiembre, que se llevarán a cabo en la Biblioteca de la Escuela Regional de Amherst comenzando a las 6:30 PM. Proporcione al Comité Escolar comentarios sobre la posible designación del Dr. Morris como Superintendente Permanente. Damos la bienvenida a sus preguntas o temas que pueden ser incluidos en una presentación futura por el Dr. Morris el 26 de septiembre. La fecha límite para las presentaciones es el 19 de septiembre. Por favor envíe un correo electrónico a schoolcommittee@arps.org.
Wildwood PGO informational night, Sept 26th
All Wildwood families are invited to learn about how everyone can be involved in the PGO and to find out all of the ways that the PGO supports our school. Each PGO meeting will feature a presentation/discussion with Principal Nick and Wildwood students.
Details about the September 26th meeting will be forthcoming.
5:30 p.m. Pizza
6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. PGO Meeting
DACA Information; Superintendent Statement
If DACA ends, here is what the program recipients need to know:
http://remezcla.com/lists/culture/irli-daca-recipients-rights/
Following is a statement from Dr. Michael Morris, the Interim Superintendent of Schools:
September 5, 2017
Dear ARPS Community: With news of the President’s decision today to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Policy (DACA), which provides assistance and support for undocumented immigrants who came to our country as children, I am reaffirming our district’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all students, families, and staff members in the ARPS family.
Over the past year, measures taken by the districts to support our undocumented community included our School Committees’ development and passage of Policy JII: Protection of Undocumented Students. This policy provides clear guidance to ensure that our district provides full support for the safety of students and their records in our schools. All staff members received information and training on this policy before the school year started and are dedicated to supporting all families and students.
Resources on the implications of today’s decision for undocumented families, and on their rights that are currently in place, can be found here in English and here in Spanish. If your child expresses concerns about the decision to rescind DACA, for themselves or others, please be in touch with your child’s counselor at their school. Families may also contact Dr. Marta Guevara, Director of Student and Family Engagement, at 413-362-1871, if they need support or assistance.
The Amherst Regional Public School District will continue to be a welcoming environment for all students, regardless of their immigration status. Every student who walks through ours doors will receive our support, nurturance, and a high-quality education.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael Morris
Interim Superintendent
AEF Trivia Bee! October 26, 2017, 6:00-9:00pm
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
AEF Trivia Bee!
Thursday, October 26, 2017, 6:00-9:00pm
ARMS Auditorium
DOORS OPEN AT 5:30pm
for a fun evening that includes over 100 players in costumes, raffle prizes plus refreshments, an audience trivia game and prizes.
NEW FOR 2017!
We will have a youth-only Trivia Round before the main competition. Teams of players 14 years of age and younger will answer age-appropriate questions on the way to becoming our first-ever Youth Trivia Bee Champions!
Admission is free with donations benefiting Amherst Education Foundation and Amherst public schools.
More information to come…
Food and Wellness Policy
This year we will be implementing the district’s Food and Wellness Policy which was approved by the Amherst School Committee in 2016. There are many guidelines that will help to promote the health and wellness of our students at school. ***Please note: one specific aspect of the policy that affects Wildwood is that we will no longer be celebrating birthdays with treats at school (see reasons in the policy).***
Fort River Feasibility Study listening session
The Amherst School Committee and Interim Superintendent Michael Morris hosted the first of two public listening sessions about the School Building Committee for the Fort River Feasibility Study in August. The second listening session has been rescheduled for Monday, September 11 at 6:00 pm , and will be held in the Amherst Regional High School Library at 21 Matoon Street.
For background on these community listening sessions, please read this news article from the Daily Hampshire Gazette. If you’d like to provide input on the Fort River feasibility study or a related matter but cannot attend the listening session, or if you have questions or comments on another School Committee matter, please feel free to reach out to us via email at schoolcommittee@arps.org.
Visit http://www.arps.org for posted meetings, agendas, and meeting minutes.
Kindergarten Coffee!
The Wildwood PGO would like to welcome families with children entering kindergarten. This is a great opportunity to meet other kindergarten families.
Who: All Parents of Kindergarteners
What: Coffee, Bagels, and Good Conversation
When: 8:30 – 9:30 Tuesday, September 5th, 2017
Where: Wildwood Elementary Playground
Beauty and the Beast musical
Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater (ALSCT) is creating a fabulous, large-scale musical, with lavish sets and costumes, a full live orchestra, and enthusiastic audiences fill the 600-seat UMass Bowker Auditorium for nine performances in January. This year, we’ll be presenting Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the classic “tale as old as time”. Actors, singers, and dancers ages 7-107 are encouraged to audition!
AUDITIONS: Friday, Sept. 15th, Saturday, Sept. 16th, Sunday, Sept. 17th
Callbacks Monday, September 18th
Check out alsct.org for more information!
September Exhibitions, Programs, and Events at the Carle
EXHIBITIONS
David Weisner & The Art of Wordless Storytelling
Through November 5, 2017
David Weisner has enthralled readers for three decades, and his remarkable career is surveyed in this first-ever retrospective devoted to his art. The exhibition features 70 original watercolors from some of Weisner’s most famous books, including three for which he won the prestigious Caldecott Medal: Tuesday (1992), The Three Pigs (2002), and Flotsam (2007). Also on view is work from Wiesner’s earliest artistic successes while still a student at the Rhode Island School of Design to his most recent book project—his first graphic novel, Fish Girl, published just this year.
This exhibition has been organized by the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Its presentation at The Carle is supported by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Collecting Inspiration: Contemporary Illustrators and Their Heroes
Through November 27, 2017
Picture books instill in children a sense of awe, magic, and wonderment, but who inspires the illustrators themselves—the people who bring incredibly imaginative worlds to life? Organized by two prominent figures in the field, Tony DiTerlizzi and Mo Willems, this exhibition gives visitors a peek into the minds and motivations of an array of talented artists working today. Visit The Carle to find out who inspires Tony and Mo, as well as Sophie Blackall, Sandra Boynton, Ashley Bryan, Eric Carle, Bryan Collier, Marla Frazee, Laurie Keller, Lauren Long, Patrick McDonnell, Yuyi Morales, Kadir Nelson, LeUyuen Pham, Jerry Pinkney, Robin Preiss Glasser, Judy Schachner, Lane Smith, and—with a special contribution from his foundation—the late Maurice Sendak.
The Art of Eric Carle: Night
September 12, 2017 – March 18, 2018
Eric Carle is famous for his representations of cheerful suns and soulful moons. While he traditionally leaves his daytime skies the blank white of the paper, he evocatively paints his nighttime scenes in deep blues and indigos. Carle’s visible brushwork is often sprinkled with twinkling stars, fireflies, and other creatures of the night. The moon—in all its phases—always displays a gentle face. “The calm moon is a source of comfort in the night,” says Carle. This exhibition features original artwork from Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me, Dream Snow, and The Very Quiet Cricket, among others. Several pieces from Draw Me a Star are also included to mark the 25th anniversary of the book’s publication.
This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of the Hsin-Yi Foundation.
PROGRAMS & EVENTS
Celebrate Grandparents Day at The Carle!
September 10, 2017
1:30pm – 3:00pm
$12 per adult/child pair
(Children ages 4 and up with an accompanying adult)
We invite kids to bring along their grandparents, family members or adult friends to celebrate collaboration and sharing stories together. In this workshop we will read stories inspired by grandparents and work together to make creative books that invite play and further exploration.
Happier Family Comedy Show
September 16, 2017
3:00pm – 4:00pm
$10 Adult (Adult Member $9); $5 Youth (Youth Member $4.50)
Founded in 2015, Happier Valley Comedy is the heart of improv comedy in Western Mass! Their Happier Family Comedy Show is all about letting creativity flourish in an accepting atmosphere. Each improv show is an hour long, all new, and created on the spot based on audience members’ suggestions and participation.
Geared for kids ages 5-12, you won’t want to miss this program packed full of high energy, kid-centric creativity, and family-friendly funnies!
Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Museum Admissions Desk or by calling 413-559-6336.
Special Sundays in the Studio: Art that Moves
September 17, 2017
1:00pm – 4:00pm
Free with Museum Admission
Drop into the Art Studio to enjoy an additional project that gets you experimenting with materials and exploring art-making techniques.
Elephant & Piggie Art-ventures with Mo Willems and Tom Warburton!
September 23, 2017
10:00am – 3:00pm
Free with Museum Admission
NOTE: The 11:00 and 12:00 pm auditorium programs are full! Please contact us to be added to the wait list! 413-559-6336
Are you ready for a new Elephant & Piggie adventure? In We Are in an ART-ivity Book!, Mo Willems and Tom Warburton have created the first-ever Elephant & Piggie activity book, full of drawing, coloring, gaming, and other hands-on fun! Listen to Mo and Tom as they share projects from their new book, meet Elephant and Piggie, watch films, and create art in the Art Studio!
Book signing tickets will be available at the Admissions Desk on the day of the program and are first come, first served.
Limit one book from home/unlimited books from The Carle Bookshop. No personalization and no signing of board books or stuffed animals. Can’t make it to the event? Reserve signed books online or contact The Carle Bookshop at (413) 559-6333 or shop@carlemuseum.org.
11:00 – 11:30 am
Meet Elephant & Piggie! (Café)
11:00 – 11:30 am
Program and Q&A with Mo Willems and Tom Warburton (Auditorium) – PROGRAM IS FULL
11:30 am
Storytime (Reading Library) by Carle staff
12:00 – 12:30 pm
Program and Q&A with Mo Willems and Tom Warburton (Auditorium) – PROGRAM IS FULL
12:00 – 12:30 pm
Meet Elephant & Piggie! (Café)
12:30 – 2:30 pm
Book Signing with Mo Willems and Tom Warburton (Great Hall)
1:00 – 1:30 pm
Meet Elephant & Piggie! (Café)
1:00 – 4:00 pm
Drop-in art with animator Mr. Warburton
Join us in the Art Studio with Codename: Kids Next Door creator Mr. Warburton and have fun drawing yourself as a real KND operative! Mr. Warburton and his helpers will be on hand to share super fun ideas, drawings and inspiration.
1:30 pm
Film: Getting to Know Mo Willems, 23 min. (Auditorium)
2:00 pm
Storytime (Reading Library) by Carle staff
Films: Knuffle Bunny, Knuffle Bunny Too, and Knuffle Bunny Free, 30 min. (Auditorium)
2:30 pm
Films: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!, Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!, The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?, 27 min. (Auditorium)
3:00 pm
Films: Leonardo the Terrible Monster, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, and Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs, 30 min. (Auditorium)
The Carle Celebrates Museum Day Live!
September 23, 2017
All day
FREE Admission for two with downloaded ticket
Museum Day Live! is an annual nationwide event hosted by Smithsonian magazine in which participating museums across the country open their doors for free to anyone presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket. The Museum Day Live! downloaded ticket provides free admission for two. Visitsmithsonianmag.com/museumday.
The Carle Honors Annual Benefit Gala
September 28, 2017
5:00pm
Please join us for the twelfth annual Carle Honors Benefit Gala and Art Auction on Thursday, September 28 at Guastavino’s in New York. We will honor ARTIST, Ed Young, ANGEL, Dr. John Y. Cole, BRIDGE, Anthea Bell, and MENTOR, Bank Street Writers Lab, represented by Chairperson Dr. Cynthia Weill. Awards will be presented by author Jack Gantos. More than twenty of the industry’s leading illustrators have donated artworks for the Art Auction.
For more information or contact Rebecca Miller Goggins, Director of Development, at rebeccag@carlemuseum.org or 413-559-6308.
Picture Book Theatre Inventory Sale
September 29, 2017
2:00pm – 4:00pm
September 30, 2017
10:00am – 12:00pm
Picture Book Theatre is holding a sale of its inventory from seven productions of Eric Carle stories and two productions of Leo Lionni’s stories. All items are hand painted and crafted by its director, Therese Brady Donohue. Included in the sale are close to 100 items including puppets, props, and pieces of scenery made into wall hangings suitable for decorating rooms at home, schools, libraries or pediatric offices. Guests are encouraged to bring their own bags to take any purchases home. All proceeds from the sale will go to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Cash/Checks accepted.
Information Sessions: Simmons College Graduate Study in Children’s Literature at the Carle
September 30, 2017
11:00am – 12:00pm and 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Attend an information session at The Carle to learn more about degree programs offered through The Center for the Study of Children’s Literature (CSCL) with Simmons College. To learn more about the information sessions, email childrensliterature@simmons.edu.
WORKSHOPS
Whole Book Approach
September 29, 2017
9:30am – 12:30pm
$55 (Members $46.75)
(3 PDPs) Discover the difference between reading with children and reading to children. This session will include a chance for participants to observe a storytime at The Carle to see the Whole Book Approach in action. Afterwards, the group will discuss their observations and explore how to evaluate the picture book as an art form with the goal of using this critical engagement with the picture book as a platform for interactive reading experiences. Registration includes a copy of Reading Picture Books with Children by Megan Dowd Lambert. Instructor: Courtney Waring
Wordless Picture Books
September 29, 2017
1:30pm – 4:30pm
$40 (Members $34)
(3 PDPs) How does one “read” a wordless picture book? How can wordless picture books help emergent readers who must learn to negotiate the printed word? How can pictures tell a story? In this workshop, we’ll explore how wordless picture books invite careful observation, critical thinking, and opportunities to make meaning out of what one sees and hears from others. The session will include a guided tour of the exhibitDavid Wiesner: The Art of Wordless Storytelling
Woven Word Young Writers Workshops
Woven Word Young Writers Workshop is dedicated to fostering a love of creative writing in kids and teens. Run by Lynn Bowmaster, Woven Word Young Writers offers after school and home school workshops which meet weekly in Hadley throughout the academic year. Woven Word creates a writing environment infused with fun and challenge. Inventive prompts and positive feedback are offered to help writers understand the strengths of their work. Woven Word also offers schools in-class workshops as teacher training to enhance creative writing in the curriculum. During the summer Woven Word offers week-long programs featuring a river houseboat for a fun, intensive writing adventure.
Schedule for 2017-18 Academic Year
Semester I Begins Week of September 18, 2017
Workshop Options
Tuesdays, 3:45-5:45, Upper Elementary – Middle School,
Wednesdays, 4:30-6:30, Middle – High School Aged Writers
Thursdays, 3:45-5:45, Upper Elementary – Middle School,
*****
For more information & Registration
contact Lynn at Lrbowmaster@gmail.com,
or 413-584-3373
Looking into the future for a child with Autism
Local author Cammie McGovern recently wrote for the NY Times about her son’s transition from high school to the real world, and about the yearly struggle to articulate a vision for our children with disabilities.
Shred Service @ Wildwood, 6/10
Come and get your shred on tomorrow for FREE at Wildwood Elementary school on June 10 from 9-11am & help put a dent in identity theft #amherstma
(source: https://twitter.com/TownOfAmherst)
Martin Luther King Community Breakfast & Awards Ceremony (Jan. 14)
Don’t miss t
he 33rd Annual Martin Luther King Community Breakfast and Awards Ceremony.
Date: Saturday 14th January 2017
Time: 8.30am. Breakfast starts at 9:00am
A CELEBRATION IN MUSIC
Music: Wildwood Elementary School Chorus, Amherst High School Jazz Band, Amherst Area Gospel Choir, Wesley United Methodist Church Choir, Hadley.
Tickets: $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, $5 for for young persons aged 12 and under. Tickets available at the Jones Library, AJ Hastings and Global Cuts, Amherst. And at the door.
For more information: https://www.facebook.com/The-Dr-Martin-Luther-King-Jr-Committee-of-Amherst-Inc-Amherst-MA-166389743494/
reconfiguration meetings TODAY (Th. Jan. 14) and NEXT WEEK
The School Committee has a number of meetings coming up to discuss and decide about the proposed elementary reconfiguration, or mega-school options. The first is TODAY, at 3:30, at the high school; two others are next week.
- TODAY: Thursday, January 14th 3:30-5:00 pm, Library, Amherst Regional High School: Amherst School Committee discussion of Elementary School Reconfiguration Plans
- Tuesday, January 19th, 5:45-7:00, Library, Amherst Regional High School: Amherst School Committee VOTE on Elementary Schools
- Thursday, January 21st, 4:00-6:00, Library, Amherst Middle School, Wildwood School Building Committee meeting
Important Dates – Jan 18 and after
Welcome Wildwood STARS!
- Visiting Day for your Child’s Classroom! Schedule with the office. / Todos los ___ de ___ – Día de Visita de clase de su hijo! Programe con la oficina.
- Feb. 8 (Mon) – All PGO board meeting.
- Feb. 9 (Tue) – Welcome new families to Wildwood with Principal Nick and the PGO. 5:30 pizza in cafeteria, 6:15 presentations in library.
- Feb. 29 (Mon) – All Wildwood Community Meeting with the PGO.
Important Links / Hiperenlaces importantes
- How to Contact the School Committee (the elected body that governs the School District)
- 2015-16 School Calendar:
View on web: (click here) | View flyer: 2015-2016 Approved Calendar- How to add the PGO Calendar to your Google or Other Electronic Calendar
- Cómo agregar el Calendario PGO a tu Google Calendar o Otras electrónico
- Wildwood Bus Routes (WW_15-16_BusRoutes)
- Elementary School Building Project / El Proyecto de Construcción de la Escuela Primaria
- PGO Page on Three Reshaping Schools Projects
- Official ARPS / District page for Wildwood Building Project / El Proyecto Edificio Wildwood …. Facebook Project Page
PGO Meeting (Monday Jan 26) has been postponed to Monday Feb 2nd
The next Wildwood PGO meeting will be held on Monday Feb 2nd at 5:30, in the cafeteria. Everyone is welcome to attend! Childcare and Pizza will be provided. Please RSVP for both the childcare and pizza to Jasper Lieber at wildwood.wishlist@gmail.com.
Informational meeting re: proposed schedule change at middle school for next year – Thurs Jan 8th (7 pm, Library, ARMS) –
Reply
Parents of upper elementary school students: Please be aware that the middle school (ARMS) is proposing a (a pretty large) change in the school day schedule for next year’s 7th and 8th graders.
On Thursday January 8th at 7 PM (Library) the middle school administration will be hosting an information night for the school community at large where they will share their rationale for the proposed schedule change and answer questions.
Information about the proposed schedule change is on the school website: http://arms.arps.org/
Here is a link to the rationale for the proposed schedule change:
http://arms.arps.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_927081/File/Rationale%20for%20ARMS%20Schedule%20Change.pdf
Here is a visual on the proposed schedule change:
http://arms.arps.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_927081/File/Schedule%20Change%20Visual%2012.23.pdf
Here is the impact on foreign languages:
Latin and World Language Curriculum Information
A new Middle School schedule is under consideration for implementation in 2015-2016 which will affect the Latin curriculum in the following ways:
-Latin IA will be eliminated from the 7th grade.
-7th graders will take 2 nine week exploratory units, combining either Spanish & French, Latin & French or Latin & Spanish.
-The current two year Latin 1A and 1B sequence will be combined into a one year 8th grade elective.
-8th graders who elect a foreign language course will not be able to take drama, art or dance and vice versa.
NOTE: The current French and Spanish courses will be affected in the same way. Chinese will be eliminated from the middle school curriculum.
Comments about these proposed changes can be directed to the ARMS principal, the superintendent and the school committee.
Amherstopoly – a great holiday gift!
Image
Here’s a great idea for a holiday gift – AMHERSTOPOLY! Buy an Amherstopoly 250th Anniversary Game – at the Wildwood online store for $20. This game was developed in conjunction with the PGOs of all the Amherst Elementary Schools, so all the schools including Fort River, Crocker Farm, ARMS, and ARHS are ‘properties’ on the game board.
Buy the game at the front office or our on-line store. Either way, you can pick up the game at the front office or have your child bring it home. We are not shipping games by mail at this point. Any questions? Please email Sarah Marshall at SarahAMarshall99@comcast.net.
Math Meeting about the future of the High School Math Curriculum – Wed Dec 17, 2014
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The below-listed meeting took place earlier in the week:
Wednesday (12/17) 6:30 – 7:45 ARHS Library
The purpose of this meeting is for parents/guardians to see potential math course sequences (Integrated or Traditional) and course names for grades 9 – 12. Parents/guardians will be asked to provide comments for the ARHS math department.
Parents interested in the math curriculum at the high school level: There will be a math meeting Wed Dec 17th re: new high school curriculum/course sequence, 6:30 at the High School Library.
It’s our understanding that it may be the only opportunity for parents to weigh in on a whole new pathway for ARHS math. The current program is being replaced.
Brief summary of current math curriculum: The current high school math curriculum has 2 main paths (Traditional and Integrated Math; this looks like Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 vs IMP 1, IMP 2, IMP 3). The plan for the new high school curriculum is to narrow it down to one path (Traditional or Integrated but not both) and pick a curriculum that will teach the common core standards, starting in 2015-2016 for 9th graders (meaning the current 8th graders will be the first to experience the new curriculum).
Wildwood Open House and Curriculum Night October 1
We hope to see many of you at the Wildwood Open House and Curriculum Night on October 1, starting at 6 pm with a welcome in the Gym.
There will be a PGO desk at the entrance of the school, and you will have an opportunity to review the Directory before it goes to print.
Class parent list
Thank to all who volunteered to be class parents this year!
The complete list is now posted at the top of this page: https://wildwoodpgo.com/2014-2015-class-parents/
Opportunity to place an ad in the 2014-2015 Wildwood School Directory
The Wildwood PGO (Parent Guardian Organization) distributes 400 free paper copies of the School Directory to Wildwood Families and Teachers.
This 20-page Directory contains contact information for students & their families. All of the teachers, staff, and main office contact information is also included. As you can imagine, this reference book is used on a weekly basis throughout the year for party invitations, setting up playdates, carpools, asking about homework, and communication between the school and the families.
Your business will benefit from excellent advertising exposure among Wildwood families and staff who will appreciate your support for a worthy local cause.
We would like to invite you to purchase advertisement in this year’s Directory, which will be in a 8.5 x 11 format. Details and a sample page are included so that you can see what sizes and prices are available. Prices are as follows:
1/16 page ad = $39 (1.187” tall x 3.75” wide)
1/8 page ad = $74 (2.5” tall x 3.75” wide)
1/4 page ad = $139 (5.125” tall x 3.75” wide)
Deadline to purchase these Black & White ads will be Oct 3rd. Please email me at skbaxter413@gmail.com, or call me at 413-687-1150 if you have any questions.
Please send me the camera-ready digital file (jpg or pdf) for your advertisement, and make the check out to:
Wildwood PGO
and mail it to:
Wildwood PGO
c/o Suzanne Baxter
29 Hartman Road
Amherst, MA 01002
October 2014 at the Carle Museum
See what’s happening at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
Current Exhibitions
LSSE upcoming programs: Art, Tennis, Trips and Halloween
See attached flyers for upcoming LSSE programs:
We have two new children’s art programs with children’s book illustrator David Hyde Costello, ‘The Joy of Making Art’ (for ages 5-7) and ‘Visual Story-Telling’ (for ages 7-10). Costello is the author and illustrator of Here They Come!, I Can Help, and Little Pig Joins the Band.
Tennis lessons are a great opportunity for kids to get outdoors and for the whole family to enjoy entertainment and exercise together. Classes with our experienced and excellent instructor, Sunny Meidell, start Oct. 4.
A chance for another great family pursuit, exploring New York, is coming up on Oct. 19. LSSE’s one-day bus trip makes this easy and affordable, a way to take in the excitement of the city without hassle and difficulty.
Finally, LSSE’s all-popular annual Halloween Window Painting event approaches on Sat., Oct. 18. Come out to paint the town spooky!
