Meeting about CF principal search December 20

TONIGHT! Superintendent Jere Hochman will join us to discuss the principal search at Crocker Farm. The meeting will be held in the Community Room on Thursday December 20th from 6:00pm - 7:00pm as part of the SGC Meeting. All elementary school parents are welcome to attend. If you have questions that you would like Dr. Hochman to address please plan to join us. Childcare will be available.

2nd Grade Mathtopia BIG SUCCESS

Thank you to all the parents and families who made our fundraiser a success! Second Grade was able to purchase backjack chairs for all the second graders in Room 6. These chairs will remain as a gift to second graders in the future. We could not have done it without your support. Thank you for purchasing our book!

Whole School Musical Showcase

Be sure to make some time next Tuesday December 18th for the annual Whole School Musical Showcase! Come at 9:30am or 6:30pm to see and hear the wonderful talents of Crocker Farm kids and our music teacher Agnes Zsigmondi McCraven. (Snow date is Dec. 19th)

Please plan to have your children remain seated until it's their turn to perform and help your littlest ones to stay with you at all times. Thank you!

Mathtopia Books

Mathtopia - an original collection of math stories by second graders is now on sale! Ms. Mattone's second grade class is selling the books for $2.00 to raise money to buy back jack chairs for the classroom. The chairs will be their class gift to "second grade". If they exceed their goal, any money will be given to the Crocker Farm PGO. Call the school if you are interested in a copy for your family! Bonus - check out the story in this week's Amherst Bulletin.

Pretty Bags for a Great Cause

These bags are gorgeous and would make a great gift with a little giving back...We are a locally owned, Amherst business (in fact, owned by a Crocker Farm family!). Visit our site today! A percentage of monthly sales go to Pueblo a Pueblo, (www.puebloapueblo.org) a 501(c)(3) non-profit U.S. corporation whose mission is to empower Guatemalan individuals, organizations and communities to improve their own lives by facilitating access to services, commodities and financial resources. Our family is a sponsor of a student in the child education program and a percentage from the sale of the bags will go directly to this program and the Hospitalito Atitlan.

You can contact K. Chulo Bags: by Email: curlykaye@comcast.net or by phone at (413) 687-3167 from 3-6 p.m. Visit our website at www.kchulobags.com

Thursday, December 13

Elementary schools will dismiss early today at 12:45.
Middle School and High School will be closed today.

Also note that this evening's PGO meeting is canceled. Sue and Erika will still be filling goodie bags tonight. If you have baked something for the bus drivers and want to make arrangements to get it to us, please call Erika at 256.1045 or email at studiozed@comcast.net. Thank you for your efforts!

Monday : 2 Hour Delay

Good morning, there's a 2 hour delay today. If you child usually takes the bus have them at the stop 2 hours after the usual time. Drive safely if you are out on the roads.

PGO meets Thursday December 13

The next PGO meeting is Thursday 12/13 from 6:30 - 7:30pm in the Community Room. We'll be filling gift bags for the bus and van drivers who transport our wee ones safely every day. Can you help? We are looking for donations of baked goodies! Join us at the meeting or send them to school with your child on Thursday. Thank you!

Monthly Stop&Shop A+ BonusBucks update:

36 Crocker Farm households have signed up with the program and have now earned $167.69 for Crocker Farm programs JUST BY DOING THEIR REGULAR GROCERY SHOPPING! How great is that? If you haven't signed up yet, please do! The Crocker Farm code is 05194. Thank you!

Anyone for a cup of Crocker Java?

LOOK FOR YOUR ORDER FORM IN LAST THURSDAY'S CROCKER CRUMBS !

ORDERS DUE WEDNESDAY DEC. 5TH!

The PGO has teamed up with Deans Beans to sell their incredible, organic, kosher, Fair Trade COFFEE! You’ll enjoy what is quite possibly the best coffee in the world all while supporting the producers in far away places, a great local business AND Crocker Farm kids all at the same time… Doesn’t get much better than that! We're also selling Hot Cocoa and Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans - what great holiday gifts!! Click here for all the details.

Winter LSSE Workshops

The Winter 2008 Leisure Services schedule of workshops and classes for kids and adults is now available. Go to www.lsse.org to find information and to sign up for classes, vacation programs, Winter Fest, and this year's Community Theater performance of the Music Man!

ps - Registration for skiing and snowboarding lessons is due by Dec. 18th!

A Request from the Assembly Committee

Dear Crocker Farm School Families,
You are invited to contribute a family recipe to our Crocker Farm Community Cookbook. It will be printed an distributed to all Crocker Farm families during our annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in January. This year’s theme for our celebration is “We are all a Link in the Chain”.
Please write your recipe on the back of the letter sent home in last week’s Crocker Crumbs and return it to your child’s teacher by Friday, December 14, 2007. You may include a few sentences about why this recipe is special to your family. Your child or children can also add a black and white illustration to your recipe that represents food or a family celebration.

School Closings and Delays

School closing and information line: 362-1898
1 hr delay: Buses pick children up 1 hr after regularly scheduled time.
2 hr delay: Buses pick children up 2 hrs after regularly scheduled time.

Media outlets that will announce school cancellation, delays or early dismissals:
Web:
ARPS
Channel 22
Channel 40

Television:
WWLP Channel 22 / WGGB Channel 40

Radio:
93.1FM / 94.7FM / 98.3FM / 100.9FM
1400AM

Part Time Job Opening - Bookkeeper / Office Assistant

Amherst Survival Center seeks PT bookkeeper/office assistant (20 hr, flex) for accounting and general office support for small non-profit. Requirements: 2 yr bookkeeping experience, accounting degree a plus, multi-tasker with excellent interpersonal skills, proficiency w/Quickbooks and Excel a must, Access a plus. $13-15/hr, plus health. Resume and cover letter to Cheryl Zoll, Director, Amherst Survival Center, PO Box 9629, North Amherst MA 01059 or e-mail survivalcenter@verizon.net.

Snow Day!

There's no school today due to the snow and ice. Back to bed you sleepyheads. See you Tuesday.

Locally Raised, 100% Grass Fed Lamb For Sale

Crescent Moon Farm offers 100% grass fed, locally raised lamb. Our lambs and ewes graze on our rolling pasture in Belchertown, and we never feed them grain, animal byproducts, or artificial growth hormones. Feeding lambs only grass results in high quality, delicious meat that is leaner and more nutritious than anything you will find on the grocery store shelf. We have loin and rib chops, shanks, leg of lamb, stew and ground meat available, as well as whole and half lambs for the value-concious lamb lover with freezer space! Contact Kathleen Traphagen at kathleentrap@yahoo.com (413) 253-0528 or (413) 687-1710.

Kitties for sale

Beautiful purebred siamese kittens for sale ($600). The kittens will be ready to take home in mid-December when they are 10 weeks old. We have a long-haired bluepoint male, a long-haired bluepoint female, a short-haired bluepoint male and a short-haired sealpoint male. For more information contact Vivian Liu at 413-549-4227 or vivianfliu@comcast.net

NO SCHOOL FRIDAY - Something COOL to do

Public Skate Session at the Mullins Center Community Rink on Friday, November 30th from 1-4 pm. Admission: $6 Adults, $4 for children 12 and under. Skate Rentals: $3. For more information call: (413) 545-3990.

Friday - Merry Maple Celebration & Toy Drive

The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce announces the Annual Merry Maple celebration will be held Friday, Nov. 30 (rain date Friday, Dec. 7).

The Merry Maple celebration has been a tradition for over 30 years and signals the start of the holiday season for many in the community. This year the Chamber has partnered with Family Outreach of Amherst to promote the agency’s Annual Toy Drive which provides new toys, clothing, books and games to local children in need. Bring your Toy Drive donations to the Merry Maple celebration!

The celebration begins at 4:00 pm at the Carriage Shops with a special guest appearance by The Very Hungry Caterpillar from The Eric Carle Museum. At 4:30pm on the Town Hall steps the Amherst Regional Middle School 7th Grade Chorus, led by David Ranen, will perform for the lighting at 4:45 pm followed by the Heart of the Valley Chorus. The UMass Minuteman Marching Band, led by George N. Parks, will lead revelers to the Town Common for the sing along at 5:30 pm. The event culminates that evening with the opportunity to see Santa and enjoy hot cocoa at the Amherst History Museum on Amity Street. For more information contact the AACC at (413) 253-0700.

You need to do this!

Do you plan to do some of your holiday shopping online? If so, please consider signing up with Schoolpop. This super fundraising site has agreements with thousands of online stores to have a percentage (usually 2 - 8%) of your purchase donated directly to the organization of your choice: Crocker Farm! Signing up is quick. After that, each time you plan to shop online, just go to Schoolpop first to find your retailer on their list (including Amazon, Gap, ITunes, Lands End, Discovery Toys, Hearthsong, Nike, even eBay and many, many more).

Crocker Cares Winter Gear Drive

Thank you so very much to all who dropped off coats, boots, snowpants, hats, etc. to the Winter Gear Drive. We received dozens and dozens of donations and many of them went directly to Crocker Farm children in need through their teachers and families.

What remains will be delivered to the Survival Center and to a local social services network tomorrow.

Crocker Java Orders

Click Here for an Order Form in English

Click Here for an Order Form in Spanish

How it Works:
1. Order forms are always available for download here on the blog, or from the PGO mailbox in the Main Office. Fill in an order form and send it, along with check made out to “Crocker Farm PGO,” to school with your child.

2. Orders will be placed the FIRST WEDNESDAY of each month. Coffee will be roasted and shipped fresh in one-pound Kraft bags of whole or ground beans; we’ll send it home to you via your child’s backpack the SECOND WEDNESDAY of the month. (You may opt to pick your coffee up if you prefer; see order form.)

3. Order by the month, or for a few months at a time (see order form). Buy for yourself, for friends and relations, for holiday gifts and for every day. These products make fantastic gifts!

4. Questions? Email Erika Zekos at studiozed@comcast.net.

Products Available:
All coffee can be purchased whole-beans or all-purpose ground.

Crocker Java Coffee: $8.50/lb A strong and exceptionally smooth cup of coffee from Nicaragua. Medium body and slightly dry.

Crocker Java Swiss-water Processed Decaf Coffee: $9.50/lb A full-bodied, but flavorful and aromatic Peruvian coffee. The best tasting decaf in the world!

Dark Chocolate Java Drops: $8.50/lb Vienna-roasted, shade grown Guatemalan and Mexican coffee beans, sensuously surrounded by pure dark chocolate. A mouthful of 100% organic pleasure. Half of the profits are returned to the indigenous cooperative in Costa Rica that provides the cocoa butter.

Hot Cocoa: $4.50/ 3/4 lb Organic, creamy, chocolatety goodness in a mug. Half of the profits are returned to the indigenous cooperative in Costa Rica that provides the cocoa.

Car Seat Needed

This Just In - Wish Fulfilled! Thank you very much to Marcia who offered up a car seat in record time! :)
A community member is looking for a gently used car seat for a toddler (convertible, or forward facing type). If you have one that you can spare, please bring it to the Main Office at the school or get in touch with Erika (256.1045 or studiozed@comcast.net). Thank you.

Openings for Infant/Toddler Care

Licensed Family Childcare with Infant and Toddler Openings. Located in the Orchard Valley neighborhood. Open M-F 8:00-5:30. Please call or email Marcia for more information.
Marcia264@yahoo.com or 253-5560

Amherst Community Arts Center

December Workshops: Drop & Shops: Bring your kids to ACAC for a 3 hour workshop while you shop in town. Saturdays: Dec 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd. 9:30-12:30 and 12:30-3:30pm.$30/workshop.Pre-registration required.

Workshops in: Paper-making, Whistle Making, Marble Chutes, Clay Masks, Paper Masks,Cards & Wrapping Paper, Origami4-week mini sessions Silver Jewelry Fabrication Enameling for Everyone Jewelry Fabrication for Teens. Ages 12-18 *above classes with Margaret Langdell Creating on the Potter's Wheel w/Lucy FagellaAges 18 & up
CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION!(413) 253-9265Or EMail: hm.acac@gmail.com

Crocker Cares Warm Winter Gear Drive

Last opportunity to donate! Send your extra winter clothes in right away!

To ensure all Crocker Farm children are toasty and warm this winter, we are having a Winter Gear Drive. Please take a look in your closets for any gently used items. Donations of coats, snow pants, snow boots, hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves will be accepted. ALL sizes, children and adults are in need.

Gear Drop off:
Continues November 13th – 15th
All week in the school lobby.

Gear Pick up:
We will be in the lobby offering donated winter gear to families who are in need of some of these items. Please plan to come by Thursday November 15th 8am – 10am or Friday November 16th 6pm – 8pm.

Any left over items will be donated to the Amherst Survival Center. If you have any questions, please contact Erika Zekos studiozed@comcast.net or 256-1045. The Winter Gear Drive is sponsored by the PGO. Thank you for your donation.

Muddy Brook Farm: Horses

Muddy Brook Farm offers horseback riding lessons Ages 6-15 years Maximum 15 students. Enjoy lessons, grooming, tacking up and fun barn chores. Contact Kathy at 413-537-7262 muddybrookfarm@yahoo.com

Giving our school a Hand

A big thank you to our generous community! We have raised $2,106 for Crocker Farm through the Lend a Hand Fund. The PGO will use this money to fund the many creative requests from teachers for special projects in their classrooms and around the school.

It's not too late to donate if you haven't had a chance yet. Every dollar goes to our school!
* Write a check to Crocker Farm PGO & send it in with your child or mail it to us.
* Send cash in with your child in an envelope that says "Crocker Farm PGO".
* Make a tax deductible contribution online at the Amherst Education Foundation: Scroll down to "Crocker Farm Lend a Hand Fund". www.amhersteducationfoundation.org/donation_listings.

Say Cheese (again)

Picture retake day is scheduled for Tuesday Nov. 13th. If your child is retaking his/her picture, send back the original. Keep your class picture. If your child is having their picture taken for the first time, send in the order form with your payment.

A+ Update

Way to go! In just one month the 27 families signed up with Stop&Shop's A+ Bonus Bucks program have earned $68.32 for the school! If yours is one of the 160 Crocker Farm families who has not signed up yet then just: 1. Take out your Stop&Shop card. 2. Remember that our designation code is 05194, and 3. click here to enroll now.

Next PGO Meeting

The next meeting of the CF PGO will be Thursday December 13th at 6:30pm. Drop your kids off in the cafeteria (childcare is free, as always) and join us in the Community Room.

Original Works Art Fundraiser

Original Works has our orders (80 pieces of artwork!) and all the products will be returned by Dec. 11 and we'll get them home to you in time to wrap for gifts. Thanks to all who participated.

Congratulations Crocker Farm Readers!

Read-a-Thon Wrap Up!
Summer readers raised a record total of $1,863 for teachers’ classroom use! New this year, a trophy for the Grade with the Highest Participation will be awarded to the Second Grade.

The Crocker Farm School Summer Read-a-Thon Committee congratulates the following students: Kindergarten - Derek Sherwood, Emme Geryk; Grade 1 - Nathalie Dougan, Ariel Drew, Luca Harwood, Ethan Yu; Grade 2 - Haadiyah Cruz, Kai Harwood, Mia Rogers, Mitchell Turner, Sadie Blumenfeld, Jack Dinsmore, Keeley Firinne, Tatiana Hernandez, Julia Jemsek, Ethan Lefebvre, Alberto Morales-Fernandez, Bradley Sherwood, Rebecca Tuthill; Grade 3 - Abigail Kleinman-Eddy, Jawuan Loiodice-St. John, Daniel Lyra, Delia McHale, Andre Shepard, Maria Wehrli, Steven Eric Vachula, Steven VanJura; Noah Zobel; Grade 4 - Yasin Cruz, Christine Sherwood, Emma Jo Anderson, Adit Bhandari, Zofia Noble, Thomas Perkins; Grade 5 - Charlotte Price, Dakota Nambu, Kailey Tobin; Grade 6 - Sam Johnston, Matthew Severin, Meara Lowell Geraty.

A special thank you to Claudia Canale-Parola, Monica Moran and Yaniris Fernandez for coordinating the Read-a-Thon!

CF student featured in Multi-Arts Play

Multi-Arts presents theatrical productions and staged presentations of three plays written by Pioneer Valley children during their 2007 Summer School of the Arts. The plays address issues that children face in their daily lives, such as peer pressure, family conflicts, and cultural differences. Performances on Saturday, November 3, 2007 at the Holyoke Public Library, 11:00 am and the Jones Public Library, Amherst, at 2:00 p.m. Free admission. The presentation includes a play called "ButterFairy Teased" written by Crocker Farm student Emma Mack and Fort River student Isabel Oram-Brown. Contact: Catalina Arrubla, carrubla@gmail.com.

Feeding Two Needs

Stop & Shop's A+ Bonus Bucks Program is in full swing and so far Crocker Farm has only 22 families signed up! C'mon folks - this is a great deal for the school and it's very quick to sign up! Here's how it works: you do your regular grocery shopping and Stop & Shop donates 3% of your purchase total directly to the school. It really adds up - last year we earned almost $500!

To sign up right now, just go to the website (www.stopandshop.com/aplus). You'll need your Stop & Shop card & CF's code: 05194. Remember, even if you signed up last year you must "re-designate" every year! Thank you!!

School Governance Council of CF

The School Governance Council consisting of staff and parents have met in September and October and are collaborating on planning for the improvement of the school’s academic goals, programs, budget and building concerns. Targeted goals are to plan for a Community Forum and also a school survey. The SGC meet monthly, usually the 3rd Thursday at 6pm in the Community Room at CF. All are welcome.

Book Fair Benefiting Amherst Community Arts Center

Come to Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Hadley
Saturday, October 27, 9am-10pm (thats all day!)

When you make your purchase with an ACAC voucher, (ask for a voucher at the register when you check out) a percentage of your sale will go directly to ACAC in support of wonderful arts programming. Get a head start on your holiday shopping! You can use the voucher with almost anything in store: bestsellers, games, gift items, home and office products, Godiva chocolates, packaged Starbucks coffee, CDs, DVDs, and children's books and toys. (Sorry, not usable in the cafe.)

We are also holding 2 events in the children's area (but fun for adults too!):
11:30am: Bookreading and Puppet Show with David Costello, ACAC Teacher and local author of Here They Come.
2pm: Free Art Project with Annie Zirin, ACAC Teacher and local artist

Hope to see you there! And many many thanks in advance!

Crocker Farm Classifieds

For Sale: Mini Digital Video Camera
CANON ELURA 100 - purchased in 2006, used a handful of times
Pristine condition - Asking $400
email: mdomb106@comcast.net

includes accessories:
* super wide angle conversion lens, 0.5X
* wireless controller
* compact power adapter
* ac cable, battery pack
* stereo video cable
* interface cable (USB)
* software (CD-ROM)
* Tiffen 27mm uv protector
* 20X, 800X digital
* travelling case
* scan disk (memory card) 128mb (also uses tapes)

Benefit Concert

Oct. 27th 7:30pm a benefit concert in Amherst for the Jones Library ESL Center. Canadian Singer-Songwriter Layah Jane with Oliver Jones, Guitar. Amherst College, Keefe Campus Center. $15/adult $10/students. The music will be great and you can help us stay in business for another year.Please come and bring your family and friends!

Savings Makes Cents

Florence Savings Bank and Crocker Farm have teamed up once again to offer the Savings Makes Cents program for the students. Wednesday Oct. 17th will be the first day. Volunteers are needed to work one Wednesday morning per month assisting children with their bank deposits. Please contact Suzanne Warren if you are interested or have questions about how to sign up (253-0606 or dsjgwarren@comcast.net).

PGO Meeting Thursday

Is it one of those weeks where you're behind a day all week long? Well, here's your reminder that Thursday at 6:30pm there's a PGO meeting in the Community Room. Drop your children off in the cafeteria and join us for a review of the year's budget and goals.

Parenting advice on the web

Local Wildwood mom Trisha Thompson has launched a new
magazine/website: Wondertime (under the Disney umbrella) that is being run out of Northampton. It's all about parenting and Catherine Newman, another Amherst mom is the lead blogger/columnist. Very exciting stuff for our local parent community. Check it out.
http://wondertime.go.com/

Attention Read-a-Thoners!

Did your child sign up for the Summer Read-a-Thon? Well if so then it's time to send in your pledges! All readers are welcome, even if they only read a few books. Please collect your pledges and send them in by this Friday (Oct. 12th). Every penny of the money the children raise will be given to the teachers for much needed classroom supplies. THANK YOU!

Paperwork Checklist

Have you sent these things back to school yet?
__ School Picture Order Form (due asap)
__ Health Form
__ Emergency School Closing Form
__ Free/Reduced Lunch Form
__ School Directory Form (Last chance - if you don't send it in, you won't be listed!)
__ Volunteer Form
__ Lend a Hand Envelope (return by Monday Oct. 1)
__ Summer Read-a-Thon donations (due Friday Oct. 5)
__ Stop&Shop A+ Bonus Bucks sign up (program starts next week)

Also, we hope you find something you like in the Gift Wrap Sale this year! Order Forms are due Oct. 15.

Picture Day

School Picture Day was Tuesday Oct. 2! Thanks to those parent volunteers who helped make it go so smoothly.

Volunteers need for Girl Scouting

Assistant Daisy Leader and Brownie Leaders needed to meet twice monthly.
Eight Kindergarten girls in Amherst are waiting for a leader who will guide them through the Daisy Girl Scout program. Assistant Brownie Leader needed in Amherst. Training and support provided. The energy you share with Girl Scouts will instill in girls confidence that will last a lifetime. Consider joining the Girl Scout organization in building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Contact Dana Carnegie, 584-2602, ext. 13, dcarnegie@gswma.org <mailto:dcarnegie@gswma.org> or visit http://www.blogger.com/www.girlscouts.org <http://www.girlscouts.org/> for more information.

Phantom Tollbooth performance

The beloved children’s classic The Phantom Tollbooth will be performed as a musical at the Shea Theater in Turners Falls by Arena Civic Theater. Matinees are at 2:00pm on October 13, 14, 20, and 21st. Evening shows are at 7:30pm on Saturdays October 13th and 20th. Tickets are available at the Jones Library in Amherst, or at 413-863-2281, ext.3. The show is going to be really fun--- for all ages! (including adults)

Change for Change Penny Challenge

Help your kids participate in a "Change for Change" penny challenge! Students in the 4th, 5th & 6th grades are invited to put pennies in a jar to raise money for the ABC House. The challenge is that they'll be competing against the teachers to see who can raise more money! And here's a twist: anything other than pennies counts as negative money so you can actually sabotage the teachers by putting nickels, dimes (or even dollars) in their jar! Teachers can do the same to the kids so send in those pennies!

Remember to come to Curriculum Night

We hope you're planning to attend Crocker Farm's Curriculum Night Wednesday. Mr. Wiley will start the evening with a brief introduction in the cafeteria at 6:00pm. The classrooms will be open from 6:15 until 7:15pm. In order to share as much information about the classroom curriculum as possible the evening is planned for adults, not for students (unless you've heard otherwise from your child's teacher, that is). If you have signed up for childcare please drop your child off shortly before 6:00.

Welcome Back Picnic - Huge Success

The weather was beautiful and lots of families gathered to eat and visit at Crocker Farm. Thanks to all who made this possible, especially Jenn Chylack and her volunteers. The pizza and desserts were wonderful but watching the kids play was the best.

Super-Easy-No-Extra-Money Ways to Support Crocker Farm

Do you feel like the school is always asking you for money? Well, there are many ways to support CF without spending an extra dime! Just take a minute to register, recycle or vote and Crocker Farm could earn hundreds of dollars for student activities! Thanks!

* Volunteer!

* NEW THIS YEAR!! Simplified Scrip is a fantastic new fundraiser for Crocker Farm. It's easy, earns money for student enrichment & it costs you nothing more than the face value of the card! Choose from 100s of stores including WalMart, Target, Whole Foods, etc. You buy gift cards & the stores give Crocker Farm up to 10% of the value. You're shopping anyways, so why not support your school at the same time?? Here are the ways to start:
* Order online at www.simplifiedscrip.com
* Call in your order 1-800-514-1891
* Click HERE for a downloadable order form, fill it out & send it into school by the 1st Wednesday of every month & we'll place the order for you.
Contact Becky Demling (230-3306 / beckydemling@yahoo.com) w/ any questions.

* Collect Box Tops for Education from your General Mills food products. There's a drop box in the school lobby.

* Recycle your ink jet cartridges at the school. The drop box is in the school lobby.

* Register on Schoolpop. If you shop online, go to Schoolpop first. Find your regular retailer (Gap, Land's End, Amazon, I-Tunes, and HUNDREDS more) through the site and do your normal shopping. Stores on this site offer to contribute 1 - 10% of your purchase price directly to the school of your choice. Seriously folks, this could add up!

* Sign up for Stop & Shop's A+ BonusBucks program. The store donates 3% of your grocery purchase to Crocker Farm! How great is that? Crocker Farm's "Designation Number" is 05194.

* If you have a Target card, make sure that you've signed up to have Crocker Farm receive 3% of your purchase price.

* Vote for Crocker Farm through the Florence Savings Bank Community Grant. In February the bank will donate $50,000 to local schools and non profit organizations. Any group with at least 1% of the vote will receive a proportional share of the total funds!

Summer Read-a-Thon Update

ATTENTION SUMMER READ-A-THON PARTICIPANTS! We hope you had fun reading this summer. Now it’s time to collect your pledges from your sponsors, and bring the money you collect in to your teacher. You will receive an envelope with your name on it containing instructions. Remember, the money you raise will go to teachers to use in their classrooms. And this year, the grade that gets the most sponsors will win a special trophy to display at school! Thanks for all your hard work!

Directory & Volunteer Forms

Did you see the yellow Crocker Crumbs this past Friday in your child's backpack? There was lots of great information in there! Please be sure to tear out, fill in and return your VOLUNTEER AT CROCKER FARM page and more importantly the CROCKER FARM STUDENT DIRECTORY INFORMATION FORM by September 14th. If you need additional forms, please email studiozed@comcast.net & we'll get you what you need.

In case you aren't aware, the Student Directory is published for free each year by the PGO. It's an indispensable resource for finding contact information for teachers and students! Get your form in on time to help us complete the directories as quickly as possible.

PGO Meeting Thursday night

The first PGO meeting of the school year will be held on this Thursday (9/13) evening from 6:30pm - 7:30pm in the Community Room at the school. We'll have free childcare there for your kiddos so don't let that keep you home! We have lots to discuss, including our fundraising plans for the year and the many events and support activities we've got coming up this fall. We are always looking for new ideas, new voices, and yes, new volunteers - so please plan to come by and see how you can be a part of the PGO.

FAQ's

1. What is the best way to contact my child’s teacher?
Write a note and put it in your child's backpack.Email, just ask for the address.Call the School Office: 362-1600.
2. Who do I contact if my child is sick and won’t be in school?
Call the Absent Line: 362-1659 if your child will not be in school.
3. How do I reach the Principal (Michael Morris) or the Asst. Principal (Joseph Smith)?
Call 362-1600
4. What should I do when I arrive at the school?
Sign in. Go in the front office and you’ll find a clipboard and visitor's passes on the counter.
5. How can I contact other parents in my child’s class for parties and play-dates?
Classroom lists are often provided by the teachers. Ask for one. The School Directory comes out in October and that helps too.
6. How can I get involved in my child’s classroom?
Volunteer through the Room Parent or be a Room Parent.Volunteer for the PGO.
7. What is “Visiting Day”?
Each month the school has designated a visiting day which means teachers are expecting parents/guardians to visit their children’s classroom. Organizing one day a week helps maintain order.
8. Where is the Cafeteria and can I eat lunch with my child in the Cafeteria?
To the right of the Front Office. Find out what time your child eats and show up any day of the week (sign in at the Front Office first).
9. How can I buy lunches besides sending in $2.50 every day?
You can hunt for singles and quarters every time your child asks to buy a lunch or you can write a check for any amount of days and buy “tickets” ahead of time. The lovely cafeteria ladies will mark off the tickets each time they are used and let your child know when they need more. They are really helpful and love our kids.
10. How do I know what’s for lunch?
The school sends home a monthly schedule.If its lost, http://www.arps.org/FoodServices/LunchMenus.html
11. Is Crocker Farm online?
YES! http://www.crockerfarm.blogspot.com/ is a site maintained by the PGO. http://www.arps.org/cfis the school's page on the District's site. You can also sign up for the PGO’s Online Newsletter, published most Friday’s during the school year.
12. Where is Parent Pick-up?
To the right of the Front Office, in the hall outside the Cafeteria. To avoid the buses, park on the circle at the back entrance. You can enter through the door near the Library.
13. Where is the Community Room?
To the right of the Front Office, across the hall from the Cafeteria.
14. Where is the bathroom if I am visiting?
To the right of the Front Office across from the Cafeteria or to the left of the Front Office down the hall on the right.
15. What is the Crocker Chronicles and how often does it come out?
This newsletter is published every 2 weeks on Friday by the school and will arrive home in your child’s backpack.
16. If my child needs to go home with someone else on a bus or from Parent Pick-up, who should I write the note to?
Your child’s teacher who will then write a note for the bus driver.

Healthy Food, Healthy Communities

Dear Parents, Are you concerned about the food we eat, the water we drink and their effect on you and your children’s health? The League of Women Voters of Amherst is presenting a program addressing these concerns on Thursday evening, September 27, 7:00 PM at the Crocker Farm Elementary School cafetoria. The speaker is health and environmental advocate Dr. Jill Stein. Her topic is “HEALTHY FOOD, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES”. She will discuss why real democracy is critical to the availability of healthy food, quality health care and truly healthy communities. The meeting is free and open to the public. Contact the LWV at 413-253-0633.

Welcome Back Picnic

Welcome Back Picnic
Wednesday September 19th from 5:30pm until dark.
(Rain Date Thursday September 20th)

It's always a fantastic community event!
We'll have : Pizza Slices For Sale, a Bake Sale Table, and Much More!! Bring your family, a picnic dinner, and a blanket, and come and meet the Crocker Farm Community! (Rain Date is Thursday Sept. 13th.)

Can you help? We need volunteers for donating baked goodies, setting up, selling pizza and treats, cleaning up, etc. Contact Jenn Chylack at 253-5489 or jchylack@sbschool.org .

New Families Welcome Coffee Hour Tuesday September 4th at 8:45am (after you drop off the kiddos) in the Community Room. PGO folks will be there to provide coffee, pastries and tissues to those of you dropping off a kindergartener (or any grade child) at Crocker Farm for the first time. Come meet new friends, ask questions about the school and share your stories.

Welcome to the new Crocker Farm PGO Blog!

This is where to come for the latest information about Who, What, When, Where, Why and How around school. This is a new service of the PGO and we'll do our best to keep this site up to date - check back often!

Playground Clean-up Day!

looks like it’s time for another

Crocker Farm Playground Clean-up Day!

Saturday August 25^th from 8:00am – 1:00pm

(raindate Sunday August 26^th)

The PGO invites the Crocker Farm community to pitch in and spruce up the playgrounds before the children arrive for the first day of school!

We need your help to spread mulch, rake and weed around plantings, sand and paint the play equipment, pick up any trash, etc.

Come when you can and stay as long as you are able – all help is appreciated!

Please bring garbage bags, gardening equipment, sand paper, gloves, etc.

The PGO will provide light refreshments.

Your children are welcome to come and help, but please be prepared to keep an eye on them as we are not providing childcare.

Contact Erika with any questions (studiozed@comcast.net or 256-1045)

PGO Programs & Contacts

The Crocker Farm PGO offers many programs that support our robust community. All of these programs are led and staffed by volunteer parents. YOU can help keep our community strong by volunteering to help with one of these programs. If you need information about any program just contact the PGO co-chairs.

Co- Chairs:
Becky Demling; mom of Jacob (5th), Tim (3rd) and Amanda (1st)
Lucy McMurrer; mom of Seamus (1st) and Bridget (preschool)
Treasurer:
Susan Bernier; mom of Gregory (3rd); Ben (1st) and Vive (preschool)
Secretary:
Lisa Cain; mom of Ruby (K) and Alex (preschool)

To contact the Crocker Farm PGO, feel free to email the board at CrockerFarmPGO@gmail.com

Volunteer Coordination: Becky Demling & Lucy McMurrer
Classroom Parents: Karen Mack
Teacher Wish List: Erika Zekos
School Directory: Suzanne Warren
Online Newsletter & Blog: Clare Bertrand & Erika Zekos
Savings Makes Cents: Suzanne Warren
Box Tops for Education: Marcia Turner
Stop&Shop A+ BonusBucks & Big Y Education Express: Erika Zekos
Crocker Java Coffee: Erika Zekos
Playground Cleanup: Becky Demling & Lucy McMurrer
New Family Welcome: Becky Demling & Lucy McMurrer
Welcome Back Picnic: Becky Demling, Lucy McMurrer & Jenn Chylack
Lend a Hand Fund: Karen Mack
Summer Read-A-Thon: Claudia Canale-Parola, Yaniris Fernandez, Monica Moran, Bobbie Jemsek
Original Works: Clare Bertrand & Jeanne Tuthill
Crocker Press: Becky Demling
Bus Driver Appreciation:
One World Festival: Jose Gerena
Ice Cream Social: Kaye Dougan
Scholastic Book Fair: DErika Zekos, Jeff Lefebvre & Alicia Lopez
Staff Appreciation Lunch: Becky Demling
Tag Sale: Suzanne Warren