This gallery contains 4 photos.
A message from our librarian Ms Susan Wells: “Natasha Lowe returned to play 31 games made by our talented 4th graders bringing her book The Marvelous Magic of Miss Mabel to life! We read the book during 4th grade lunch, Natasha Lowe … Continue reading
The Wildwood Arts Team needs approximately 5 umbrellas to repair the dragon for the lunar new year parade. They don’t need to be in good shape as long as they open. Drop them off in the office marked for Susan Wells or bring them to the wildwood library. Questions can be addressed to Susan Wells wellss@arps.org.
Thank you in advance!
Each year, Florence Bank gives away $100,000 to community non-profits through its Community Choice grants program. Florence Bank customers vote for the non-profit of their choice & all non-profits getting at least 50 votes receive a grant. The non-profits receiving the most votes get up to $5,000(!) through this program.
In 2017, the ARPS PGO received almost 100 votes & $1,413. Yay! The grant money went towards classroom support, special projects, field trips & more.
This year, the PGOs of the ARPS PGO (Crocker Farm, Wildwood, Amherst Middle School, & Amherst High School) are campaigning jointly again to maximize our votes.
** Each Florence Bank account holder is eligible to vote once for the community organization of their choice. **
** The ARPS PGO is urging people to vote (at least please consider voting for) for the “Amherst Regional Public Schools PGO”, the name of our joint non-profit. **
There are 2 easy ways that people can vote:
(1) Online – Visit https://www.florencebank.com/vote to view the online voting site & can cast a vote online for the “Amherst Regional Public Schools PGO”.
(2) Paper Ballot. Ballot for printing attached. Ballots are also available at any Florence Bank location. Ballots should be submitted at the bank or turned into your PGO.
Voting is open until December 31st.
Thank you for your support!
The annual UMass-Amherst Community Campaign (UMACC) is now underway. The UMACC program lets UMass employees donate to charitable organizations via paycheck, as little as $1 per pay period.
The Amherst Regional Public Schools PGO (ARPS PGO), is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization consisting of the PGOs for Crocker Farm, Wildwood, the Amherst Middle School, & the Amherst High School. The APRS PGO’s UMACC number is 15250.
UMass employees can signup with their UMass NetID at http://www.umass.edu/umacc/login
Please consider signing up today & giving to the ARPS PGO. Every donation to the PGOs makes a big difference in helping our schools.
The UMACC program makes it very easy to give. Here are the top 10 reasons for giving through UMACC: https://www.umass.edu/umacc/why-give
Thank you for your support.
Doing any online shopping through Amazon during the holidays? Did you know you can earn money for the ARPS PGO with each Amazon purchase. Enroll in this passive fundraising to earn money for the Amherst/Amherst Regional School PGOs while you shop!
AMAZON SMILE
Shop for everyone on your gift list this holiday at smile.amazon.com/ch/46-4510327 and Amazon donates to Amherst Regional Public Schools Parent Guardian Organization.
To select our as your permanent charity, go to https://smile.amazon.com/ Click Your Account -> Your Amazon Smile -> Change Charity button. Search for “Amherst Amherst Regional Public Schools Parent Guardian Organization” -> Click Select.
Are you looking for ways to celebrate your child’s favorite teachers during this season?
At the Amherst Education Foundation, we are excited to announce the return of Stars in Our Schools!
Make a donation in an educator’s name, and they will receive a card indicating that you supported AEF in their honor. Stars in Our Schools is a great way to give a gift that contributes to the schools and that is in compliance with the law that forbids public employees from receiving gifts valued at more than $50.00. Visit the “Stars” tab on our website for details and to order! If you prefer to order by mail, please enclose a check made out to “Amherst Education Foundation, Inc.” and complete the order form below. Please allow adequate time for mailing. Orders must be received by December 18 to allow adequate time for processing before the break. Thanks!
This equipment was purchased with the proceeds from a Hillside Pizza fundraiser ($352) in 2016 and a contribution from the PGO ($105).
THE 2nd ANNUAL MCBA MAKERSPACE PLAY DAY!
5th & 6th grade students READ an MCBA Mashup book, they created a game or activity that features that book, then they built it
AND NOW WE ARE READY TO PLAY!
You are invited to come and play (and help a little bit, if possible). Your job will be to run a game and facilitate play. No experience necessary.
When: Wednesday, December 19th from 8:40 – 11:20 (or some portion of that time)
Where: The Wildwood Library and MakerSpace
Questions? Contact Susan Wells, wellss@arps.org 413-362-1424
The Department of Education is seeking public input on the proposed expansion of the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley. The proposal would increase the maximum allowed enrollment to 952 students. Input can be sent to the Commissioner and Board of Education at charterschools@doe.mass.edu on or before Monday December 3rd, 2018.
Saturday, December 1, 2018
10AM-4PM
Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst
121 North Pleasant St., Amherst
See flyer here. Stone Soup Flyer.doc – Google Docs
December 15
4pm
Mercy House in Amherst
AmherstDowntown.com
December 1st — Pick up your sack on Nov. 30th at the Merry Maple Lighting!
20% Gift Certificates, Individual Sales, Total Sale! Check amherstdowntown.com for Who is Offering What!
Check out the flyer here: PTS poster II
Where: Strong House, 67 Amity Street, Amherst
Outgrown your skis or skates? Need to upgrade? Garage packed with winter gear no longer being used? Problem solved! Sell your gently used skis and winter gear on consignment at the Amherst Historical Society’s Third Annual 2-Day Ski & Winter Gear Sale.
Bring your items to this special Pre-Season Consignment Event. The seller sets the price with an expert on hand to provide guidance on sales price history. We retain final say on what is accepted into the sale and reserve the right to refuse equipment. You will receive 40% of the final sale price on all items sold. Pieces accepted on December 13th will be tagged, priced, and stored at the museum until the sale on January 4 and 5, 2019.
We will accept skis, ski boots, poles, helmets, ice skates, cross country gear, and snowshoes in good condition. You will receive a ticket stub for each item put into the sale – you MUST present this stub during pick-up on January 5th, 2pm-3pm to receive your money or unsold equipment. All items and payments not picked up will be considered a donation. Questions? Email Bonnie at info@amhersthistory.org.
On or before Tuesday, November 27, please give to the Wildwood children and to the people that welcome them in school. Make out a check to the PGO and send it back to school in the BROWN ENVELOPE.
Or, click here to donate online!
The Giving Tuesday/Brown envelope fundraiser is the biggest single funder of the PGO budget. Just last year, it made $8,000, which was 40 percent of all revenue raised! By consolidating a series of smaller fundraisers into this one event, the PGO is making it more convenient for families to support us at a key, high profile time of the year.
As you know, the PGO achieve its aims of equity, enrichment, and curriculum-related support to Wildwood through a series of events and projects that bring education, joy, and a supportive community to the children. We hold Welcome Back breakfasts for staff, Coffees for parents, and maintain a strong Class Parent network to link parents with classroom teachers. We publish a School Directory and a Yearbook, and hold clothing swaps. And finally, we send our children on field trips, fund events at the Library, hold Movie Nights, and provide mini-grants for teachers.
None of these goals can be achieved without monetary support from parents. Click here to donate online.
Please give generously. Your donation can be used for:
$5 a child’s field trip
$25 extra supplies for a classroom
$50 books for the library
$100 toward a visiting artist
$200 for a teacher mini-grant
THANK YOU!
Just a reminder that there is no school Wednesday, Nov. 21- Friday, Nov. 23 in recognition of Thanksgiving. The newsletter is going to take a break next week.
On behalf of the Wildwood PGO, the team would like to wish all readers a happy Thanksgiving, and safe travels if you are hitting the road, rails, or skies!
Donations are needed for the annual WW Library Bookswap. Every student gets free books! Please bring your gently read books to the Wildwood Library during the month of November to donate it to the book swap.
You can view the Wildwood Library Newsletter for more details.
Help everyone stay warm this winter! The Amherst schoolparent & guardian organizations (PGOs) are collecting winter coats & other warm outerwear for students (preK through 12th grade) & families.
We are seeking donations of clean, gently-used winter outerwear:
in ALL sizes (especially student sizes)
* coats * snow pants * snow boots * hats
* jackets * gloves/mittens *scarves * snowsuits
CROCKER FARM ELEMENTARY 280 West Street, 413-362-1600
Collection: Now until November 26th in the lobby & at the preschool entrance
Distribution: November 27th & 28th (school hours), November 29th (morning)
FORT RIVER ELEMENTARY 70 South East Street, 413-362-1200
Collection: Now until November 30th in the lobby
Distribution: December 3rd, 4th, & 5th (school hours)
WILDWOOD ELEMENTARY 71 Strong Street, 413-362-1400
Collection: Now until December 17th in the lobby
Distribution: Now through December 20th (school hours)
AMHERST REGIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL (ARMS)170 Chestnut Street, 413-362-1800
AMHERST REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL (ARHS) 21 Mattoon Street, 413-362-1700
Collection: Now through November 30th in the school lobbies
Distribution: Through the ARPS Family Center (170 Chestnut Street),
November 28th into December (on school days, as supplies last)
JONES LIBRARY 43 Amity Street
Collection: Now through November 28th in the Kids’ Room
MANY THANKS for your donations. THANK YOU too to the community partners who are helping with this effort, including the Jones Library, Evaluation Systems Group of Pearson, & the Amherst Education Foundation.
Any winter clothing that is not given out at the schools will be donated to the Amherst Survival Center.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Crocker Farm PGO: Tracy Zafian, tmz23@zafian.com
Fort River PGO: Rebecca Kennedy, rebecca.fortriver@gmail.com
Wildwood PGO: Julie HawkOwl, jhawkowl@comcast.net
ARMS PGO: Rie Traub, armspgo@gmail.commartinezm2@arps.org
ARHS PGO: Becky Demling, beckydemling@yahoo.com
ARPS Family Center: Mildred Martínez 413-362-1871
Miss Leticia Music SchoolPrivate individual and group instruction in Ukulele, Guitar, Voice, a Capella, Bass, Drums and Rock Band
Sunday, December 2, 2018
9:00 walk 9:30 5K Fun Run 10:15 5K Road Race
Every day, Safe Passage helps families take steps to achieve safety, justice and a brighter future. Some steps are easy and some are really hard. Every step is important.
We’re asking YOU to honor these families’ path by stepping up and fundraising to support Safe Passage’s critical programs.
Register to run or walk in the Hot Chocolate Run, and then ask your friends and family members to sponsor your participation. The more money you help us raise, the more people we can help–it’s that simple. YOU can make brighter futures possible for more families. Join us!
Just a reminder that there is no school on Monday, November 12th in observation of Veteran’s Day. Please see below information about Veteran’s Day programs at The Jones Library on November 10th and on the North Common in Amherst on November 11th.
Veterans Day Program: Remains of a War: Exploring WWI Battlefields
Amherst, MA – The Jones Library marks the 100th anniversary of Veterans Day with a special program presented by Libby and Ed Klekowski on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 2:30 pm as they share their experiences in exploring some of the battlefields from World War I.
This Veterans Day marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Originally called Armistice Day, this November holiday was created to mark the signing of the agreement that ended World War I at 11:00 A.M., November 11, 1918. It became a federal holiday in 1938 and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
Libby and Ed Klekowski have been researching World War I for over ten years and have spent many hours walking through the battlefields of Verdun, the Meuse Argonne, and St Mihiel. Their work has resulted in three books and they have produced two WWI documentaries for public television. This special lecture will take the audience for a walk “on the wild side”, where the dross of war still litters the woods.
Books will be available for purchase and signing.
Free and open to the public. For more information about this event, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223.
The 100th Anniversary Of The WWI Armistice. Commemorate Veterans Day with a flag presentation with veterans from Amherst Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion posts. Steven J. Connor, the Director of Central Hampshire Veterans’ Services, will provide an update on veteran programs and events in Amherst and the Pioneer Valley. This event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.
Date: Sunday November 11, 2018
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: North Common in front of Town Hall at the flag poles
Details: The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on the North Common in front of Town Hall. Speeches will be held inside a location TBA (likely Bangs or VFW), in the case of inclement weather.
Contact: 413-259-3001
Dear Community Members,
Please save the date to join us as we come together to celebrate the inaugural swearing-in of our First Amherst Town Council.
Sunday December 2nd at 1:00 PM
Amherst-Pelham Regional High School Auditorium
Reception To Follow
Save the date card attached and below.
More details and RSVP form coming soon via: www.amherstma.gov/inaug
Just a reminder that there is no school on Tuesday, November 6th for Teacher Curriculum Day. It is also Election Day- don’t forget to vote in your State and Town (where applicable) elections!
Do you work at UMass? Do you want an easy way to make a contribution to the ARHS PGO and help our schools?
The annual UMass-Amherst Community Campaign (UMACC) is now underway. The UMACC program lets UMass employees donate to charitable organizations via paycheck, as little as $1 per pay period.
The Amherst Regional Public Schools PGO (ARPS PGO), is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization consisting of the PGOs for Crocker Farm, Wildwood, the Amherst Middle School, & the Amherst High School. The APRS PGO’s UMACC number is 15250.
UMass employees can signup with their UMass NetID at http://www.umass.edu/umacc/login
Please consider signing up today & giving to the ARPS PGO. Every donation to the PGOs makes a big difference in helping our schools.
The UMACC program makes it very easy to give. Here are the top 10 reasons for giving through UMACC: https://www.umass.edu/umacc/why-give
Thank you for your support.
Try Hockey for Free Day is Saturday, Nov. 10, from 2-4 p.m. at the UMass Mullins Center Community Rink. For all children ages 4+. No skating experience required; free skate rentals available. All skaters must have winter gloves and bicycle or hockey helmets. Save time at the door by registering in advance:https://tryhockeyforfree.com/9340. New hockey helmets will be available for purchase. A used gear sale will also be held. More information atwww.amhersthockey.org.
Film & Discussion Series:
Eyes on the Prize: Power!
AMHERST, MA – Join us on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at 7:00 pm in the Woodbury Room for the next event in this ongoing film and discussion series that may educate, touch your heart, and inspire you to action to help dismantle racism.
This month’s screening delves back into history with an episode of “Eyes on the Prize”, the award-winning documentary, with the episode entitled “Power! (1966-1968)”. A discussion follows.
Free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223.
This film series is co-sponsored by the Jones Library and Coming Together. More information about Coming Together can be found athttp://www.coming-together.org/.
Hi, all!
The school garden harvests are complete! This week, students harvested 206 pounds of produce that we donated to ARPS Food Services this afternoon. Crops included potatoes, winter squash, turnips, beets, carrots, radish, Swiss chard, scallions, chives, and sage. The produce will be featured in a soup next Thursday, Nov. 1st on the school lunch menu. (No small feat! Thank you, Sasha, for helping this happen!)
None of this would be possible without garden educator Leila’s awesome and tireless garden work. We also benefitted greatly from the help of our fantastic UMass Stockbridge interns, Merav and Jordan, who co-led some of our harvest experiences.
And, all ten new garden beds are in place now, too. Sarah Berquist and her Ag Leadership students (UMass Stockbridge) were essential collaborators in getting those built in a timely manner (Sarah’s cool time lapse from the WW build is attached at the end of this message). Many hands make light work!
Thank you all for your support and enthusiasm as we continue to build this program, connect kids with the Earth, and establish new partnerships in our community.
Jennifer Reese, Elementary Science and School Garden Coordinator
