Dear Crocker Farm Families,
As we, the Crocker Farm Parent and Guardian
Organization (PGO), look back on the months since school started, we think
about the wonderful events we have had so far this year. We feel thankful for
the volunteers and families who have participated in them, and so thankful too
to be part of such a great school community.
** Our fall started with a back-to-school coffee for all Crocker Farm families, and a lovely PGO gathering hosted by parent Sue Bernier at her downtown store, B. Home. Thank you, Sue!
** In October, we held a Harvest Fest to celebrate Crocker Farm’s garden and the fall harvest. It was a beautiful, chilly day (though less chilly than last year!) and we had a good turnout. There were craft activities, musical performances and an open mic, and much delicious hearty fall food prepared by parents. The event couldn’t have happened without our parent bakers or Harvest fest coordinator, parent Heather Lord, and her student volunteers. We thank them all!
** Our fall started with a back-to-school coffee for all Crocker Farm families, and a lovely PGO gathering hosted by parent Sue Bernier at her downtown store, B. Home. Thank you, Sue!
** In October, we held a Harvest Fest to celebrate Crocker Farm’s garden and the fall harvest. It was a beautiful, chilly day (though less chilly than last year!) and we had a good turnout. There were craft activities, musical performances and an open mic, and much delicious hearty fall food prepared by parents. The event couldn’t have happened without our parent bakers or Harvest fest coordinator, parent Heather Lord, and her student volunteers. We thank them all!
** In November, we hosted a school bookfair at the Hadley Barnes & Noble. It was a fundraiser, yes (& thanks to those who supported it!), but it was also an opportunity to see some great singing and improv performances. Many thanks to Mr. Zsigmondi, Miss Leticia, Becca Greene-Van Horn and the student performers for participating in this event. Their wonderful music and voices could be heard throughout the store.
**Also in November, we conducted a winter coat/clothing share, which was coordinated with the other Amherst public schools and the ARPS Family Center, to serve as many families as possible. At Crocker Farm, we received more than 90 coats, 20 pairs of snowpants, 30 pairs of boots, 40 hats, plus gloves/mittens, scarves, and warm sweaters and fleeces. A big thanks to everyone in the Crocker Farm community who donated used (or new – wow!!) items for the share, and thanks as well to the Amherst Lions Club and the Evaluation Systems group at Pearson who collected coats and clothing on the schools’ behalf. Most of the donated items went to Crocker Farm families; the rest were shared with the other schools and the ARPS Family Center for their families.
**At the beginning of December, the ARPS PGO, a non-profit organization including the PGOs for Crocker Farm (including the district-wide preschool), Wildwood, the Middle School, and High School participated in ValleyGives, a one-day online fundraising event organized by the Community Foundation of Western Mass to support area non-profits. We earned more than $600 for our elementary school, and $300 for the preschool. Thank you to everyone who donated! If you still would like to give and didn’t yet, you can visit the ARPS PGO Valley Gives site to make a donation (valleygives.razoo.com/story/Amherst-Regional-Public-Schools-Parent-Guardian-Organization) (go under “See all projects” for school-specific pages). All money raised by the PGOs from ValleyGives goes to help fund field trips and mini-grants for teachers and staff for classroom materials and special projects.
For ValleyGives, the
PGOs created nice slideshows of our schools. You can view them on the
ValleyGives link above or at the following links: Crocker Farm: http://tinyurl.com/ootrlqf; and preschool: http://tinyurl.com/obn46oa. Many thanks to
parent/pre-K staff member Becky Demling and her family for their hard work on
the slideshows, and to Becky for her great leadership of the ARPS PGO.
Upcoming events/activities for the PGO include:
--- Chess
club. (For 1st-6th graders). Sessions will be starting up in mid-January;
registration forms should be returned by Tuesday, Dec 23rd. Parent volunteers
welcome; chess expertise not required.
--- Amherst
Lions Club Ski & Skate Sale, at Crocker Farm, scheduled for Jan 9th and
10th.This is a fundraiser for the Lions Club and their grants to our schools,
and a fundraiser for the Crocker Farm PGO as well. Volunteers are needed to
help setup, cleanup, and during the sale. People will also be able to donate or
consign their ski and skate items for the sale.
More details to come.
--- Martin
Luther King Jr. Celebration on January 15th. The PGO usually helps with this
event. Details coming soon.
--- PGO
Coffee with the Principal and special guest Superintendent Maria Geryk, Jan
29th, 8:45 am; all parents and small children welcome.
Wishing everyone happy holidays and a
restful vacation break.
Best regards,
Your Crocker Farm PGO Board (2014-2015)
Tracy Zafian & Alicia Lopez
