Friday, April 30, 2010

Book Fair Starts Monday!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
Student Preview Day is Monday -
Look for your kiddo's "Wish List" to come home on Monday afternoon - It will have his/her Shopping Day noted on the top of the sheet.

Student Shopping Days are Tuesday and Wednesday - If you send a check or cash, don't forget to add 6.25% sales tax!

Evening Book Fair and Crocker Cafe Wednesday May 5th 6:30 - 8:00 pm - Come for tons more books, posters, raffles, Teacher Wish List and More!

* Choose from a wonderful selection of books.
* Check out your teacher’s personal Wish List and purchase a classroom book in your family’s name. Books make a great end of the year gift!
* Door Prizes announced every half hour.
* If your child participated in the Summer Read–a-Thon he/she’ll receive $5 off any purchase.
* Say hi to our special guest, Geronimo Stilton! (Curious George is "sick" so Geronimo will be coming instead.)
* Relax and enjoy a tasty treat with classmates and friends
* See You There!

Remember that all proceeds are taken as books for classrooms and the library at Crocker!

This Weekend: Amherst Invitational Ultimate Tournament

This weekend 30 high school ultimate teams (540 players) from across the country are coming to Amherst to take on the Amherst Hurricanes ultimate teams. The ARHS Boys team was ranked #1 in the country last week, Girls team #3, and even the Girls JVA team was ranked #15 in the country (among varsity teams)! ARHS Boys are 20-2 this season (13-2 against college teams). The games are all day Saturday and Sunday, played at ARHS, ARMS, and Hampshire College. The finals are always the highlight and will be played at 1:45 (boys) and 3:30 (girls) on Sunday at ARHS.

Visit (and click "Like) the Facebook page for the scoop like Schedules and "What the Heck is Ultimate": http://facebook.com/amherstinvitational

The weather is going to be spectacular, so come on out and see fabulous layouts and aerial acrobatics!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Multi-Arts raffle extended!

The Multi-Arts camp raffle is being extended! The raffle now runs through Monday, May 10th. The winner will receive a free Multi-Arts camp session (up to a $585 value) good for summer 2010. Raffle tickets cost $15 for 1 or 2 for $20.

Get your tickets any time between now and the 10th at Crocker Farm Elementary School, Hastings, send an email to info@multi-arts.org, or simply from one of your friendly PGO co-chairs!

All proceeds benefit the Crocker Farm playground initiative.

Book Sale this Weekend!

The Amherst League of Women Voters giant book sale will take place on the Amherst Town Common, this Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1 from 9 am to 7 pm and Sunday, May 2 from 11 am to 4 pm. The book sale is one of the oldest and largest in New England. It serves as the major fund raiser for the League and helps finance voter service programs and publications.
For information call 253-0633.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Movie Night this Friday !



Friday, April 30th

Doors open 6 p.m., movie starts at 6:30 p.m.

Come see “The Tale of Despereaux” with your friends!

Drinks and snacks will be for sale. Bring a canned good to donate to the Amherst Survival Center.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Help for Haiti Fundraiser at Wildwood

Please join us for a school-wide exhibition of Haitian-inspired art by Wildwood students on Wed., April 28 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Wildwood. In addition to the student art, the event will feature performances by dance troupe Grupo Palo Santo and the WW artist in residence, the Haitian musician and poet Ayizan Sanon. There will be poetry readings by Wildwood students, samplings of Haitian food, a silent auction featuring donated services, original arts and crafts from the staff, and student-created art and CDs for sale. This Wildwood fundraising event will be open to the public and voluntary donations will be collected at the door. Proceeds will benefit the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
We look forward to seeing you there

Our Teachers are Stars & May 4th is Their Day to Shine!

Let your favorite teacher know how much you appreciate all their hard work, care, expertise and dedication. Have a Shining Star delivered to them on May 4th - National Teacher Appreciation Day!

Make a gift to the Amherst Education Foundation (AEF) in honor of a teacher and AEF will deliver a note of appreciation to your teacher. And your tax-deductible gift will go to support important work in our schools next year.

Click on the image to print out a form & mail it in today! Or visit www.amhersteducationfoundation.org. Thanks!

Coffee Anyone?

It's time again to place your order for Crocker Farm's own blend of Dean's Beans organic, Fair Trade, kosher and delicious coffee.

Orders are due on the first Wednesday of each month. May 5th is right around the corner so CLICK HERE to print out an order form & send it in to school with your payment. We'll deliver your coffee by May 12th.

Reminder - Scholastic Book Fair Wed. May 5!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR and Crocker Cafe Wednesday May 5th 6:30 - 8:00 pm

* Choose from a wonderful selection of books.
* Check out your teacher’s personal Wish List and purchase a classroom book in your family’s name. Books make a great end of the year gift!
* Door Prizes announced every half hour.
* If your child participated in the Summer Read–a-Thon he/she’ll receive $5 off any purchase.
* Say hi to our special guest, Curious George!
* Relax and enjoy a tasty treat with classmates and friends
* See You There!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Fort River Festival at Groff Park next Sunday

Announcing The 3rd Annual Fort River Festival! Sunday May 2nd, from 12pm-2pm - Come support critical river conservation efforts by attending the free festivities on May 2. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy Tom Neilson and Laura Meyer live in concert at Groff Park in Amherst. Children's activities will include live fish displays, environmental booths, face painting, and our Buck-a-Duck Race!
The Fort River Guided Canoe Trip begins at 10am from Kiwanas Park and arrives at Groff Park in time for the concert. You must preregister to paddle with us. All activities are free, though a donation for canoe use is greatly appreciated. For more information go to www.fortriverfestival.com or contact us directly at cc@rushingrivers.org. Brought to you by Rushing Rivers Institute, the Hitchcock Center, Morse Hill Outdoor Education Center, and BK Riverfish LLC.

Full Press Release: http://fortriverfestival.wordpress.com/press/press-release/
Flyer JPG: http://fortriverfestival.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/fortriverfestivalemail.jpg
More: http://fortriverfestival.wordpress.com/press/
Website: http://www.fortriverfestival.com


More Details:
Schedule:
10am - 12pm Paddle!
Guided River Canoe Tour*
From Kiwanas Park to Groff Park
Our seasoned ecologists Dr. Piotr Parasiewicz and Joe Rogers will lead the journey by canoe down the Fort River, pointing out flora and fauna along the way. Our friends at Morse Hill have kindly donated a limited number of canoes for rental, but feel free to bring your own. The tour is by reservation only to the first 30 inquirers. Please fill out the form at http://tiny.cc/z1qp3

12pm - 2pm Picnic!
In the afternoon, we'll continue our festivities on land at Groff Park. Activities will include free live music, wildlife demonstrations, face painting, contests, and more! Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the fun from your blanket or lawn chair. A limited number of picnic tables will be available, as well.

12pm - 12:45pm
Tom Neilson, Folk Singer
Local Greenfield Raconteur, Tom Neilson "The Bard Insurgent", has engaged listeners for decades with his environmentally and politically charged music. He's been called "The Jon Stewart of folk music," and we're delighted to have him play at the Fort River Festival!

12:45 - 1:15
Rubber Ducky Derby
We'll have on going contests all afternoon, including the famous Rubber Ducky Derby! Test your luck with a Buck-a-Duck and see if our rubber ducky can beat the competition. We'll have prizes available thanks to our lovely sponsors!

1:15pm - 2:00pm
Laura Meyer has been dazzling critics and garnering accolades at the world's best folk festivals. She's played for small audiences, and crowds numbering the thousands. Her soulful and elegant ballads will have you mesmerized.


Check out our event website with more details, or get updates at our blog and twitter!

http://www.fortriverfestival.com
http://www.fortriverfestival.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/rushingrivers

Please contact Christine at cc@rushingrivers.org if you have any questions.

LBaggie Orders Due this Friday!

Don't forget that orders for these fun, environmentally friendly bags are due Friday, April 30th. Snack sized bags are $5 or 3/ $13. Sandwich bags are $6 or 3/$16. Both come in a wide variety of patterns.

Questions? Contact Becky at 230-3306 or email the PGO at crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

CF Playground Update!

The Crocker Farm PGO is pleased to announce that our community has been awarded the Rotary Club of Amherst $25,000 Community Grant for the playground!
Thanks to this generous award, we only need to raise $5,300 more to reach the $43,400 needed to build a new playground!

Crocker Farm, we can do this! Please consider helping us reach this final goal by participating in one of the following fund raisers:


Multi-Arts Raffle
Multi Arts is sponsoring a raffle with all proceeds benefiting the Crocker Farm Playground Initiative. Raffle ticket costs $15 for 1 or 2 for $20. The winner will receive a free Multi-Arts camp session (up to a $585 value) good for summer 2010. The raffle runs until May 4th.

Town Fair Fundraiser on May 8th The CF PGO and Rotary Club of Amherst are partnering up to ask for donations from Town Fair attendees as well as run a 50/50 raffle. Simply sign up for a shift as long or as short as you need. We will be working from 11 AM – 4 PM on the Town Common.


Electronics Collection Fundraiser
on May 15th Sign up to work a short shift between 8 AM and 1 PM or for a small disposal fee per item, electronics may be brought to the Crocker Farm parking lot for recycling. Residents of surrounding communities are welcome.
Items may include, but are not limited to, computer monitors, laptops, CPUs, servers, CD rom/DVD drives, speakers, mice, keyboards, plugs, computer wires/parts/accessories, copy/fax/scanner/printers, phones and phone systems of any kind, UPS (computer battery backup systems), camera/video/audio equipment, DVD players, stereos, VCRs, walkmans, iPods and accessories, microwaves, air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, hot water tanks/heaters, washing machines, dryers, stoves, and dishwashers. All items must be empty and contain no gasoline, oil, or water.

Buy one of those fabulous “I helped build the Crocker Farm Playground” t-shirts for $10 or just simply donate to the playground effort through AEF or the PGO.

Anything you do helps bring the playground to fruition. Our sincere thanks goes out to everyone who donated their money or time to get us this far.

Questions? Please contact Becky at 230-3306 or email the PGO at crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com.

JCPenney Playground Clean Up On Sunday

JCPenney announces another Crocker Farm Playground Clean-up Day!

Sunday, April 25th from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

The PGO invites the Crocker Farm community to join workers from JCPenney in Hadley and pitch in and spruce up the back playgrounds!

We need your help to spread mulch, weed and pick up any trash, etc.

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

Please bring gardening tools.

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.

A sincere thank you goes out to Ms. Fay (K) for her efforts to organize this 2nd annual event!

Open House Announced

Friday, April 23, 2010

The Rotary Club of Amherst Announces CF as Community Grant Winner!

The Rotary Club of Amherst (“RCA”) announced today that it is awarding the first annual Amherst Rotary Community Grant in the amount of $25,000 for a new and expanded playground at Crocker Farm Elementary School. Crocker’s Parent Guardian Organization (“PGO”) has already raised over $13,000 toward this $43,500 project. Rotary’s $25,000 grant will be structured as a matching grant, whereby Rotary will match at a rate of 5:1 the additional $5,000 of community contributions that must be raised to complete the project. Tax deductible contributions to the Crocker Farm Playground project may be made by mailing a check made out to the Amherst Education Foundation (with CF PGO in the memo) at P. O. Box 2237, Amherst, MA 01004, or online at www.amhersteducationfoundation.org (specifying CF PGO).


The grant will be awarded at a Rotary Club meeting to be held at noon on April 22, 2010 at Hickory Ridge Country Club, with Rep. Ellen Story, School Committee Chair Irv Rhodes (both Rotarians), Principal Michael Morris, and PGO representatives attending. Amherst’s School Committee voted to name the new playground, “The Crocker Farm Rotary Playground”.


The Crocker playground was selected from among the twenty projects competing for this new Community Grant program, through which RCA plans to make a large grant each year to fund “a single project at a local non-profit organization or civic project that provides a positive impact that continues long after grant funds have been spent”. The Community Grant program has become possible through the success of the new Amherst Rotary Auction fundraiser held on ACTV each November, and is in addition to the club’s ongoing giving and scholarship programs. Rotary also donates about $24,000 in smaller amounts to local non-profit organizations, global humanitarian projects, and college scholarships to graduating local high school students.


With Crocker Farm’s enrollment slated to increase from 325 to 420 students next year (mainly due to redistricting following the closing of Mark’s Meadow), the project’s grant application describes the current playground as too small and “in desperate need of replacement, with current equipment out of code, in a state of disrepair, and between 15 and 20 years old”. The application continues, “Several structures are missing pieces; others have safety bars held on with duct tape. Further, the number of play spaces is inadequate to meet the physical needs of students. With over 30% of the school’s students characterized as overweight … and fewer children getting the exercise they need to be healthy outside of school hours, it is vital that we provide engaging and challenging play structures to help students become physically fit.”


Crocker has struggled for years to raise money for a new playground, but has been unable to match the successful fundraising efforts that led to new playgrounds at both Wildwood and Fort River Elementary Schools. A renewed push this year has brought the project’s fundraising total up to more than $13,000 through several events including a “Brown Envelope Appeal”, a solicitation of local businesses, and a “Dance-a-Thon” held in March. The PGO is currently working on “Final Appeal”, and will do some fundraising jointly with Rotary at the Amherst Community Fair (itself a Rotary fundraiser) on Amherst Common on Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8. An electronics collection fundraiser will be held at the school on May 15.


Greg Boisseau, President of RCA, commented, “Rotary is all about community service; so we were inspired by how hard the Crocker PGO has been working to raise money for this important project for the community. It’s great that, in the first year of our Community Grant program, we’ll be able to partner with the PGO to help to put their “grass roots” fundraising effort “over the top” and benefit community kids right away. With this $25,000 grant matching new donations 5:1, we know our community will respond to this last $5,000 fundraising challenge.”


Crocker Farm Principal Michael Morris said, “This donation will make it possible to both upgrade and expand our playground, increasing our students’ physical activity (with tremendous health benefits), and accommodating our growing student population.”


Lucy McMurrer, Co-Chair of the Crocker Farm PGO, said “Although Crocker’s facilities are generally spectacular, its playground has fallen sadly behind. In a community that prides itself on education like Amherst, it’s a shame to have a school playground that falls is so lacking in what the children need. Playgrounds are especially important in view of concerns about child obesity and kids spending too much time inside in front of computers. Our family lives only a short walk away from Crocker, but we often drive our children to the playgrounds at Wildwood and Fort River. These schools have been able to raise funds for wonderful playgrounds. I’m thrilled that we’ll now be able to meet the developmental needs of all of our community’s kids.”


Becky Demling, Co-Chair of the Crocker Farm PGO, said “It’s important for the community to know that what we’re building is not “just a playground”. To the kids, it’s so much more. It’s a powerful physical and emotional break from school, an opportunity to develop and nurture friendships, and a chance to exercise and gain the body strength needed to sit in school and focus on work. This is a playground that will benefit all of the kids in our community.”


Greg Boisseau added, “We also want to thank the community for its support of the new Amherst Rotary Auction (held each November on ACTV) which made this grant possible. Every community member who bought or donated an auction item, or donated cash as a sponsor, helped fund this playground for our community’s kids. We’d particularly like to thank again our 2009 auction underwriters Amherst Insurance and Taylor Davis Landscape and Construction Company, and our Gold Level Sponsors Blair, Cutting & Smith, Jones Town & Country Realty, Greenfield Savings Bank, Florence Savings Bank, and Northampton Cooperative Bank.”


The 90-member Rotary Club of Amherst is part of Rotary International, a 1.3 million member non-profit global service organization that, through the Rotary Foundation, is the world’s largest private provider of scholarships for international study, and a major player in global health and humanitarian initiatives. Such initiatives include projects for the worldwide eradication of polio (a cause to which Rotary has already contributed or pledged about $750 million), as well as projects to improve literacy and provide access to clean water in developing countries.

Monday, April 19, 2010

What are you doing on Saturday?


A fun new family-oriented festival comes to downtown Amherst!

The first Annual Amherst Sustainability Festival will be held on Saturday, April 24 from 10-4 in Downtown Amherst. The new festival, a combined effort of the town’s Shade Tree Committee, Energy Task Force, Department of Public Works, and Chamber of Commerce, is all about sustainability for future generations. Families will find interesting activities at Kendrick Park, on the town Common and in between (participation in a local merchant green scavenger hunt could net great prizes from Amherst businesses!). Face-painting, earth-themed story-telling, and human gyroscope rides are free and the solar-powered sound stage will feature children’s theater and music.

Find more information in the Amherst Bulletin and on the town of Amherst’s website.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

So here's the scoop...


You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Do you love ice cream and want to help out for a one time event?

The PGO needs an Ice Cream Social coordinator to organize the event this year.

Interested? Please contact the PGO at crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com.

HS Students Dance for The Playground!

The ARHS Dance Theater Ensemble has several performances scheduled to benefit the CF Playground Initiative! Show your support for both the students and the playground by attending one of the following shows:

DTE II April 15 - 16th 7:00 PM
ARHS Dance Studio
Admission is free but students will be accepting donations for the CF Playground.

DTE May 28-29th 7:30 PM
25% of admissions from their most profitable night will be given to the playground.

The CF PGO wishes to thank the students and their director, Tracy Vernon for their continues support of CF!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Preschool needs

The Crocker Farm preschool needs gently used figurines/puzzles/lotto games/sewing cards/manipulatives etc. that are related to Backyardigans or Wonder Pets or Finding Nemo or The Wiggles or the books "Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?" or "Goodnight Moon."

If you happen to have any of these around your home, please bring them in to Crocker Farm's front office for Ms. Chin-Gibbons.

Thank you for supporting Crocker Farm!

One World Festival Tomorrow!

You are invited to the One World Festival tomorrow, Thursday April 15, 6:00 - 8:00 pm. This wonderful, family friendly celebration of the cultures that make Crocker Farm a community is one you won't want to miss! Bring a dish to share & get ready for great food, performances and artwork!

An invitation to all new Crocker Farm families

Welcome in advance to the Crocker Farm community! You are invited to join us for one or for all of the following casual social events. We’d love to meet you, your children, and your friends for relaxed conversation and play. There’s no need to confirm (unless noted), just come by and get to know a few NEW friends.

* Friday April 16, 3:00 – 5:00 PM, Groff Park. Bring the kids for an afternoon “Play at the Park”. (No event if the weather is bad.)
* Thursday April 29, 9:00 – 10:30 AM, Black Sheep Cafe. Meet for casual coffee and conversation.
* Friday May 7, 3:00 – 5:00 PM, Groff Park. Bring the kids for an afternoon “Play at the Park”. (No event if the weather is bad.)
* Wednesday May 12, 2:30 – 3:30 PM, Crocker Farm. Meet in the lobby and have a tour of the Crocker Farm school building. Children welcome.
* Friday May 14, 6:00 - 7:30 PM, Crocker Farm Playground. Bring a picnic dinner & be prepared to play! (No event if the weather is bad.)
* Saturday May 15, 2:00 – 4:00 PM, Groff Park. “Play at the Park” especially for families with children entering 1st grade. Bring your children and if you can please bring snacks or drinks to share. If you have a soccer ball or outdoor games, bring those too! (No event if the weather is bad.)
* Friday May 21, 6:00 - 8:00 PM, Amherst Coffee. Have a coffee or a glass of wine and meet with new friends. * May 26, 6:30 – 8:30 PM, New Families Open House. An opportunity to meet the principal and see the school.
* Thursday June 3, 3:30 – 4:30 PM, Flayvors of Cook’s Farm. Buy an ice cream cone and meet some new friends! For children and adults.
* Friday June 4, 7:00 – 9:00 PM, at the Bernier’s home (817 Bay Road). Come for hors d'oeuvres and friendly adult conversation. (Please call or email Sue to confirm: 256-1164 or susanbernier68@comcast.net)
* Saturday June 5, 3:00 – 5:00 PM, Groff Park. "Potluck Picnic at the Park”. Bring your children and food or drink to share. Bring games and balls, too! We’ll have limbo dancing and music. (No event if the weather is bad.)

There are also a number of Crocker Farm school events coming up that we would like to invite you to attend:
* Thursday April 15, 6:00 - 8:00 PM, One World Festival, Join us for an evening of home-grown music and performances. Bring a dish to share
* Friday April 16, 8:40 – 9:40 AM, Coffee with the Principal, Crocker Farm Community Room
* Friday April 30, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Movie Night,
Crocker Farm Cafeteria. Free admission. We are showing “The Tale of Despereaux” and will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Survival Center.
* Wednesday May 5, 6:30 – 8:00 PM, Scholastic Book Fair, Crocker Farm Gym
* Friday May 7, 8:30 – 9:00 AM, Coffee with the Principal, Crocker Farm Community Room
* Saturday June 5, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Annual PGO Tag Sale, Crocker Farm Lobby
* Friday June 4, 8:40 – 9:40 AM, Coffee with the Principal, Crocker Farm Community Room

The Crocker Farm PGO is looking forward to meeting you at one of these events or at school next year. Welcome to our community! ~ Becky Demling and Lucy McMurrer (PGO co-chairs)

Remember Trash Free Lunch Day is Friday


Celebrate Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary with a Trash-Free Lunch!

Amherst’s Third Annual Trash Free Lunch Day will be held at all four elementary schools next Friday, April 16. Last year, two Amherst elementary schools produced less than one cubic inch of trash per student!

In honor of Earth Day, we are again challenged to pack--and eat-- lunches that are completely trash-free. The cafeteria will serve plastic and utensil-free meals, and students are asked to bring trash-free lunches from home (via use of reusable drink and food containers instead of disposable ones).

For more information contact Susan Waite at 413-259-3049 or waites@amherstma.org.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Help us give CF faculty and kids books!


If you have some time to spare on Wednesday, April 28th, between 1-4 p.m., let us know.

Crocker Farm's librarian will be donating old books to CF faculty and students but we need assistance getting books out onto tables at 1 p.m. and repacked into boxes at 4 p.m.

Can you help? Send us an email at CrockerFarmPGO@gmail.com. We'd love to see you there!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Coffee with the Superintendent at CF


Come join us for a coffee and muffins at our monthly "Coffee with the Principal" on Friday, April 16th, at 8:45. Interim Superintendent Maria Geryk will be joining us to answer questions you have about the Amherst schools. Preschool children are always welcome. See you there!

Friday, April 9, 2010

Coming Next Week....













One World Festival!
Thursday April 15, 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

Don't miss this wonderful night of culture and community - Bring a dish to share & get ready for great food, performances and artwork!

Friday, April 16, 8:45 – 9:45 am
Coffee with the Principal in the Community Room. Join CF principal Mike Morris and Superintendent Maria Geryk for coffee and questions about the school or the school district!

Friday April 16, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
“Play at the Park” at Groff Park with current and incoming CF families. Enjoy the spring weather and meet some new friends.

Friday, April 16 is also Trash Free Lunch Day.
If you pack a lunch for your children, try to decrease the amount of waste by using cloth napkins and reusable bags. If your child buys a school lunch, ask him or her about it at the end of the day. Crocker Farm won this contest last year - let's keep the crown by being Trash Free again!

& a correction to an earlier post - the Scholastic Book Fair will be from Monday May 3 - Wednesday May 5. The evening fair will be from 6:30 - 8:00 pm on May 5. More info coming soon...

Math Night at the ARMS

To all of our elementary families:
Please come and join us at Math Family Fun Night

Wednesday April 14th
7:00 to 8:30 PM in the Middle School Cafeteria

There will be many fun activities (for a variety of ages), presented by both students and teachers, that you can enjoy with your family!

Refreshments will be served and there will be a raffle for great prizes!
Admission is FREE! FREE! FREE!

Co-Sponsored by the MS Math Dept and the Family School Partnership

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

From the arps.org website... New MS Principal Announced

Maria Geryk, Interim Superintendent of Schools, is pleased to announce that Michael Hayes has been appointed to a permanent position as Amherst Middle School Principal . Having been a recent candidate in a different community which was very interested in his candidacy, we are particularly pleased that Mr. Hayes will remain in our community. Mr. Hayes will assume the role of Principal, effective April 26, 2010. Mark Jackson, who served as Principal of both the Middle and High Schools since the departure of Glenda Cresto in September, will resume his full time High School principalship on April 26. We know our community of staff, students, and families will congratulate Mike and support him as he assumes his role as permanent Building Principal.

Ultimate Team bottle drive fundraiser

The ARHS Ultimate disc teams are holding a can & bottle drive at Dave's Soda and Pet City in Hadley this Saturday, April 10, from 9 am to 1 pm to help raise money to travel to our Ultimate tournaments. Please stop by to drop off your redeemable cans and bottles at Dave's, or leave a message at(413) 320-6667 to schedule a pickup of your items on Saturday morning.
Thanks!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

School Committee Meeting Cancelled Tonight

From the ARPS.org website:

The Amherst School Committee of April 6, 2010 has been cancelled.
The April 7th meeting will take place as planned.

Earth Day Activities

Friday, April 16th, is Trash Free Lunch Day! If you pack a lunch for your children, try to decrease the amount of waste by using cloth napkins and reusable bags (these lovely ones are locally made LoveyBums.com. If your child buys a school lunch, ask him or her about it at the end of the day. The lunch folks are very creative in making Trash Free Lunch Day work!

The weekend of April 17-18th several exciting earth-friendly events are going on in the area. First is the “2010 Franklin County Home Show and Green Fair” at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. Check out the Franklin County Home Show here for more information.

Closer to home, at Amherst College, the “Green Amherst Project” is organizing a celebration for Earth Day. Their Earth Day Celebration will be held on Sunday, April 18th at 2-5pm, out on the lawn by the Campus Center. It will be a free concert, open to all.

Finally, Saturday April 24th, is the first Annual Amherst Sustainability Festival. Come downtown from 10-4 to enjoy the festival. Families will find interesting activities at Kendrick Park, the Town Common and in between (participation in a local merchant green scavenger hunt could result in great prizes from Amherst businesses!). Face-painting, story-telling, and human gyroscope rides are free and the solar-powered sound stage will feature children’s theatre and music. Find more information in the Amherst Bulletin and on the Town of Amherst’s website in the coming weeks.

Parent's Internet Safety Night

Internet 101: A Parent’s Guide to the Preteen’s Life Online Presented by Cindy Boyle

Where: Wildwood School Library

When: May 6, 2010, 6:30PM

The Internet's "super highway" runs right through the middle of our children's lives. It opens up a world of entertainment, communication and educational opportunities. However, it also allows direct access to people and Web sites that can expose kids to age-inappropriate content and risky social contacts. This workshop offers a glimpse into the online lives of young people. Participants in this workshop will become familiar with those web sites that are popular with the youth in our community.

Topics covered will include: social networking sites, online gaming, popular websites and “sexting”.

Cindy is a former Pittsfield police officer and a victim’s assistance advocate for Berkshire County. She is currently the Director of Community Education and Outreach at Northwestern District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts. Cindy visited Wildwood School last year and presented to our fifth and sixth grade students about Internet Safety and Cyber-bullying. Cindy is a valuable resource for our staff and students in our anti-bullying effort.

The presentation is geared toward parents of 5th and 6th grade students. However, if you have younger children who are currently using social networking sites or email at home, please feel free to join us.

Coffee, refreshments and childcare will be provided by the Wildwood PTO.

Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Meeting Notice

The Massachusetts special education law, Chapter 71B of the Massachusetts General Laws, requires a school district to establish a PAC, and assigns both an advisory and a participatory function to the PAC.

For additional information, please refer to the Guidance for Special Education Parent Advisory Councils guidelines on-line at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/pac/default.html.

The District would like to take this opportunity to thank the previous SEPAC officers, Gail Whitlock and Denise Andler for their service, contributions and efforts last year and in previous years. At this time SEPAC is without officers and parents within the community have expressed interest in holding an open meeting this month to identify new officers. Therefore, we are sharing the following message and details from one of the parent organizers of the meeting schedule on Monday, April 12th, 2010.
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Dear Fellow Parents/Guardian,
You are invited to a Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) meeting for the Amherst, Pelham, and Amherst Regional School Districts on Monday, April 12th, 2010 at the Amherst Regional Middle School library from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Childcare and light refreshments will be provided.

The agenda for our first meeting includes:

~Creation of the SEPAC Board
~Discussion of upcoming Special Education Evaluation
~Creation of Peer support for parents/guardian
~Open discussion on any issues of interest

SEPAC is a family oriented organization. It is free and open to ALL parents and guardian with an interest in Special Education. Please let us know if you will be coming. Kindly email Pat Ononibaku at Patbaku@aol.com or call her at (413) 627-0043. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Pat Ononibaku
for the Organizing Committee

Monday, April 5, 2010

Multi-Arts raffle for the playground

Don't forget!

Multi-Arts is pleased to announce a raffle with all proceeds benefiting the Crocker Farm Playground Initiative. Raffle ticket costs $15 for 1 or 2 for $20. The winner will receive a free Multi-Arts camp session (up to a $585 value) good for summer 2010. The raffle runs until May 4th.

For more information, please contact Multi-Arts at info@multi-arts.org or email us at crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com.

Trash Free Lunch Day is Friday, April 16th

The Trash Free Challenge: Is Crocker Farm up to the Task?

The Third Annual Trash Free Lunch Day is Friday, April 16. Last year, our school produced less than ONE POUND of lunch time trash! Can we match or break that record?

In honor of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, we are again challenged to pack--and eat-- lunches that are completely trash-free. Whitsons Culinary Group will serve plastic and utensil-free meals in the cafeteria, and students bringing lunches from home are asked to make them trash-free (via use of reusable drink and food containers instead of disposable packaging). Our school’s composting program helps reduce trash generated, waxed paper (a sandwich bag replacement), paper bags and napkins, and the cafeteria’s cardboard trays (used periodically) are all compostable along with food scraps.

For more information contact Susan Waite at 413-259-3049 or waites@amherstma.org.

Scholastic Book Fair Coming Soon!

Coming Soon!! Mark your calendars for Crocker Farm’s annual Scholastic Book Fair coming up during school hours on May 3, 4, and 5th. The evening fair will be on Wednesday May 5th from 6:30 to 8:00 coupled with the Crocker Café . Enjoy a treat and then choose some books for summer reading or buy a gift for a teacher or a friend (and look for our special guest, Curious George). Look for more details in the next Crocker Chronicles.

We will be looking for volunteers to help us make this fundraiser another huge success. If you would like to volunteer, call Erika Zekos at 256-1045. See you there!

¡Próximamente! Anote en su calendario la Feria del Libro anual de Scholastic en Crocker Farm, que tendrá lugar durante el día escolar en mayo, los días 3,4 y 5. La feria tendrá lugar el miércoles mayo 5 de 6:30 a 8:00. También tendremos el Crocker Café, donde se venderán galletitas y jugo. Elija algunos libros para el verano o cómprele un regalo a un maestro o a un amigo. Busque más detalles en el próximo “Chronicles” de Crocker Farm. Buscamos voluntarios para ayudarnos a que esta recaudación de fondos sea un gran éxito. Si Ud. Puede ayudarnos llame a Erika Zekos al 256-1045.

PGO meeting

There are only a couple more left in the school year -- come to the PGO meetings while you still can. Once summer comes, what will you do with yourself on the second Thursday evening of each month?

Please join us from 6:30-7:30 on Thursday, April 8th. As always, free childcare is provided.

Scintillating and humorous conversation with your fellow parents and guardians is just an added bonus.

Time to Order Your Coffee !

Wednesday April 7 is the next due date for Crocker Java order forms!

What a delicious deal - just $8.50 per pound of organic, Fair Trade, caffeinated goodness! The PGO offers this service to you Every Month so you can order from us just once or keep coming back each month. We sell regular, decaf, hot cocoa & dark chocolate covered espresso beans - YUM!

Click HERE to download an order form.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Upcoming Crocker Farm Events

Thursday, April 8th 6:30 – 7:30
PGO meeting in the Community Room! Come learn more about the CF community and events we’re working on. Free childcare provided.

Thursday, April 15th 6:00 – 8:00
“One World Festival” celebrating CF’s diverse community. Come sample international food, hear international music, and learn about other cultures!

Friday, April 16th 8:45 – 9:45
Coffee with the Principal in the Community Room! Join CF principal Mike Morris and Superintendent Maria Geryk for coffee and questions about the school or the school district! Preschool children welcome.

Later that same day, 3:00 – 5:00
“Play at the Park” at Groff Park with current and incoming CF families.

Friday, April 30th 6
Movie Night in the cafeteria! Watch “The Tale of Despereaux” with the CF community. Bring a canned good for the Survival Center. Snacks and drinks for sale.

Friday, May 7th 8:45 – 9:45
Coffee with the Principal in the Community Room! Join CF principal Mike Morris for coffee, baked treats, and conversation. Preschool children welcome.

Later that same day, 3:00 – 5:00
“Play at the Park” at Groff Park with current and incoming CF families.

Saturday and Sunday, May 8th – 9th
Stop by the CF booth on the Town Common for your chance to win a 50/50 raffle, purchase a nifty “I helped build the Crocker Farm playground!” t-shirt, or some tasty baked goods.

Thursday, May 13th 6:30-7:30
PGO meeting in the Community Room! Come learn more about the CF community and events we’re working on. Free childcare provided.