Volunteers still needed for Ski and Skate Sale

Please email us: crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com ASAP - and THANK YOU for helping our kids and our school!!!

Volunteers still needed for the - SKI AND SKATE SALE- email us: crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com

SKI AND SKATE SALE 2013

Supportive voices in our area... resources from the District

Some staff and parents may also have additional questions or concerns about how to manage the news of this traumatic experience.  We are fortunate that the UMass Psychological Services Center personnel have offered to provide a short discussion with opportunities for Q & A in the next couple of days.  Below is the information:

Parent presentation and Q&A with UMass personnel- optional:

Wed., 12/19, and Thursday, 12/20, from 8:45 am- 9:15 am in the PD Center at the Middle School.

Staff presentation and Q&A with UMass personnel- optional:

Wed., 12/19, 4:15-4:45 pm

Thursday, 12/20, 3:15-3:45 pm

In addition, several district leadership personnel we will be taping an Amherst Media segment later this week along with our Town Manager, Police, and Fire Department personnel regarding safety and security practices. 

Once again, we value our continued work together and are available to hear and respond to your questions or concerns.

Thank you,

Maria Geryk

Meet the Reading & Math Specialists!

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade Winter Concert

Reminder -

Kindergarten, First Grade and Second grade concert is the 19th - Wednesday evening at 6:30pm in the cafeteria. We welcome all donations for the savory/sweet table. Hope to see you there -- it is a terrific community celebration of music and art.

Many thanks to Ms. Travis and Ms. Z for pulling together their talents for this special evening.

Message from Superintendent of Schools

Dear Families and Staff,

On Monday morning all staff will be having faculty meetings before school to prepare for the coming days in the aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut this past Friday. Counselors, school psychologists, and other key staff members have been provided with developmentally appropriate information on how to handle questions or concerns that may be raised in any of the schools. There will not be any teacher initiated conversation in the elementary and middle school classrooms; guidance appointments will be available throughout the day for students who may be having trouble processing information they may have learned over the weekend. The high school will have a moment of silence at the beginning of the school day and will directly inform students of school resources available to them.

Schools will have flags at half mast as directed by President Obama. We have also been in regular contact with our local police department and they will be on hand to ensure all feel safe and secure tomorrow morning. The district safety team will be meeting again on Monday and will be reviewing our established safety procedures.

Together, as a community, we plan to support each other during this time and we will continue to work to ensure our schools are safe environments for all.  

Do not hesitate to contact your school personnel or other administrators if you have questions or concerns.

 

Sincerely,

 

Maria Geryk

Superintendent of Schools  

Amherst Youth Lacrosse - Sign up now for Spring 2013

Hello!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!!

 We are excited to begin another season of lacrosse this spring. We would like to get as many of our players to sign-up before January 19^th as possible. This will allow us to prepare for teams sizes that maximize player fun and skill development. Please visit the website, www.amherstyouthlacrosse.org to download the AYL and US Lacrosse registration forms, fill them out and send them in to:

Amherst Youth Lacrosse

P.O. Box 3632

Amherst, MA 01004

For all registrations received by January 19th, those names will be entered in a raffle for two tickets to a UMass Men's Lacrosse game held at Garber Field. Winners will be notified after the drawing.

2013 Amherst Youth Lacrosse Fee Schedule for Boys and Girls teams

Single player family:     $145.00

Multi-player family:       $260.00 for two children

                                  $100.00 for each additional family member

                             $25.00 US Lacrosse fee per player included

Reduced Fee Structure: based on free or reduced lunch

Single player family:       $85.00 (US Lacrosse fee included)

Multi-player family:       $150.00

                                    $40.00 for each additional family member

                             $25.00 US Lacrosse fee per player included

There will be fundraising events scheduled during the season. ALL members of Amherst Youth Lacrosse will be expected to participate. Proceeds from our fundraising efforts will be used to offset operating costs, purchasing new uniforms and replacing old and worn equipment.

There is a $15.00 late fee per player for registrations received after January 19^th, 2013

Clean musical shirts ... la la la la la la la ... la la

Hello wonderful Crocker Farm families -- Ms. Z is looking for a few volunteers to stop by her music room and take home a bag of gently worn usher t-shirts.  These shirts need to be washed, dried, folded and returned to Ms. Z.  If you are a person with a generous heart, we would appreciate your help.  Stop by the music room and Ms. Z will direct you to the shirts.  Thanks, in advance, on behalf of our entire community, for your generous act of kindness.

School resources for talking with your children about the tragic CT incidents

Taken directly from the www.arps.org website:

We have received a number of calls and inquiries from families and community members following today's tragic event at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.  For information on how to talk with children about this and similar incidents, please link to Parent Information  (vist www.arps.org for the workable link to resources).  Our thoughts and condolences are extended to the students, families, faculty and staff of Sandy Hook Elementary and to the community.

Your expertise would be appreciated!

Superintendent of Schools, Maria Geryk, and the Office of Student Services has formed a Wellness Committee composed of staff, parents/guardians, and community members.  This working group meets monthly and discusses issues of fitness, nutrition, and food-related allergies in our schools. If you have interest in participating on the Wellness Committee or sharing insights, please contact Kimberly Stender at stenderk@arps.org or 413-362-1825.

Wednesday December 12 is Valley Gives Day!

Valley Gives is a 24 hour day of online generosity for the Pioneer Valley.  Please consider supporting Amherst Education Foundation with a gift at http://valleygives.razoo.com/story/Amherstedfound and help us win some amazing cash prizes (up to $15,000!) from the Valley Gives organizers!

Last year AEF gave $44,000 in grants to support students across the ARPS district - these included a professional development grant for Crocker Farm teachers and money for science/technology books for the Crocker Library. Help us do it again this spring.  Thank you for your support of GREAT public education in Amherst, Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury!

Ski and Snowboarding for our kids! Starts in January...

Canned food drive - still going on ALL WEEK!!!

Attention Kindergarten, First and Second Grade Families