Annie - Benefit Concert for LSSE Scholarships, June 13th

Benefit concert for LSSE Youth Performing Arts Scholarships

Annie
June 13, 2015
3:00 and 7:00 PM

Amherst Middle School Auditorium
170 Chestnut Street, Amherst, MA

Tickets in advance: Adult $12, Child/Student/Senior $6
Call LSSE 413-259-3065 or
Jones Library Children's Room

Tickets at the door: Adult $14, Child/Student/Senior $8

Director: Becca Greene-Van Horn
Music Director: Benjamin Durfee

Kids, Art & Nature Summer Art Classes

Kids, Art & Nature Summer Art Classes with Deborah Bazer and Lahiri Bond in the town, parks and woods of Amherst
Jun 29 - Aug 21
Fun and exciting week-long classes in:
Clay and other malleable materials
Comics and cartooning
Art in nature, myths, and legends
Real toy making
Dinosaurs
Cats and critters
Game creation
To register: www.lsse.org or 413-259-3065

Camp iPLAE Jul 13-17

Camp iPLAE (Progressive, Long-term, Athlete, Education)
Camp iPLAE provides an age-appropriate, developmental approach for kids to learn healthy habits for a lifetime, improve athletic capabilities, and reduce risks of injuries. Participants will be involved in daily activities, which include sports, movement technique, and resistance training
Mon - Fri, Jul 13 - 17
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Middle School Fields
Ages 10-16
Cost: $199
To register: www.lsee.org, or 413-259-3156

Summer Ultimate League for Kids

SULA, Jr.: Summer Ultimate Leage of Amherst
Co-Ed Frisbee

Beginners Welcome
Tuesdays, Jun 23 - Aug 4, 6:00 pm

Plum Brook Rec Area
Session A: Frisbee Activities for Kids, ages 7-8
Session B: Elementary Division, ages 9-11
Session C: Middle School Division , ages 12-13
Cost: $39 per person

To register: www.lsse.org or call 413-259-3065

** All-school survey standings **

The Crocker Farm all-school survey is well underway. Don't miss your chance to have your voice heard. 

Have you taken 5 minutes to fill it out? If not, there are still a couple of days left to help your child’s grade win EXTRA RECESS WITH MR. SHEA AND MS. CONKLIN! Simply click here: http://bit.ly/cf15survey.

And then, hey, you can skip flossing tonight because you already did your good deed for the day.

Check out the standings as of today:

5th grade: 50%

3rd grade: 48%

4th grade: 42%

1st grade: 39%

2nd grade: 36%

6th grade:  35%

Kindergarten: 28%

Way to go 5^th grade! But 3^rd grade is hot on 5^th grade’s heels. And who knows? Maybe kindergarten (or some other grade??) will have a surprise surge to come from behind and win it all.

(This is more exciting than the Kentucky Derby.)

Ice Cream Social - Wed, June 3rd

Crocker Farm School

Ice Cream Social

Wednesday, June 3rd

6:20 – 7:30 pm

at the main playground

(In the event rain, the Ice Cream Social will be  held in the cafeteria. )

Suggested donation: Cones $1
 

Families are welcome to come & have their own picnic dinner beforehand, starting at 6 pm.

Funds raised by the social will go to support activities for
the school community.

Organized by the Crocker Farm PGO.  Any questions, please email CrockerFarmPGO@gmail.com. 

The PGO is seeking volunteers to help with the event.  You can signup to help here: signup link

Fiesta social con helado - 3 de junio

La escuela Crocker Farm
Fiesta social con helado

 

Se realiza el miércoles, 3 de junio
en el patio de la escuela, 6:20-7:30 pm

Donación sugerida
para un cucurucho de helado: $1.00

Pueden traer cena para comer estilo “picnic” en el patio, a las 6 pm.

En casi de lluvia, el evento tendrá lugar en la cafeteria.

Todo el dinero recaudado apoya a actividades para nuestros hijos y sus maestros en la escuela Crocker Farm.

Organizado por el PGO de Crocker farm. Preguntas?
Correo electrónico Crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com.

Congratulations to ARMS Teacher Alicia Lopez!

Congratulations to ARMS teacher (& CF PGO Board Member) Alicia Lopez on receiving the Louise Gaskins Lifetime Civil Rights Award from the Massachusetts Teachers Association’s Human Relations Committee!

You can read more about Ms. Lopez & the award in this recent Daily Hampshire Gazette article:  link here.  

This Week & Upcoming at Crocker Farm

Fri, May 29th:  Family Survey deadline.   Survey link: http://bit.ly/cf15survey.  This survey takes just 5-7 minutes to complete & is available in English & Spanish.  

Wed, June 3rd:  Ice Cream Social for all families.  Hosted by the Crocker Farm PGO.  Serving ice cream 6:20 pm - 7:30 pm. Will be held rain or shine (in case of rain, we'll be in the cafeteria).  Families are invited to come & have their own picnic dinners beforehand.  Want to help with the Ice Cream Social?  Signup to help with serving, or setup/cleanup here (Ice_Cream_Social_Help_link) 

Sat, June 6th:  Tree planting at Crocker Farm.  Trees being donated & planted by the Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee.  Volunteers welcome to help.

Mon, June 8th:  Crocker Farm Staff Appreciation Luncheon hosted by the PGO.  

Wed, June 10th:  PGO coffee & dessert, & tour of Crocker Farm led by Principal Derek Shea.   Coffee will be in the cafeteria, starting at 6:15 pm.  School tour at 6:30 pm.  Tour will be followed by a quick PGO meeting @ 7 pm.   We are looking for volunteers to serve on the PGO Board & help run the PGO next year.   Please attend or email crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com if you would like to be part of next year's PGO Board. 

Thurs, June 11th:  School Field Day

Fri, June 12th:  Field Day (rain date)

Mon, June 22nd:  Last Day of School, early dismissal

 

Dig It! -- What a Great Show! We are Looking for Play Photos for the Yearbook

Dig It! The original show on ancient civilizations starring Crocker Farm's 5th & 6th graders was such a wonderful show, full of interesting facts & information & great performances. 

A special thanks to Ms. Zsigmondi, Ms. Harvey, Ms. Travis, Ms. Breen, Ms. Fay, & Ms. Aldrich & all the other staff, parents, & volunteers who helped the show come together, & thank you Mr. James for coordinating the Ancient Civilization Games. Well done everyone!!  Thanks too to our custodians for setting up the cafeteria for each performance.

We are seeking photos from the play for the yearbook.  If you have any to share, please send them to cfyearbook2015@gmail.com no later than June 1st.  Thanks for your help!  

Workshop on IEPs for Parents & Educators - This Wed, May 28th

IEP Clinic - A Workshop for Parents and Educators
When: May 28th, 2015
Time: 6:00pm-9:00pm
Where: Amherst Regional High School, Room 13
 
Free workshop and open to all in the public.

An IEP for My Child: Every child with a disability who receives special education services must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). 

This workshop takes parents and educators step-by-step through IEP development, including how to articulate a vision, using evaluations to write measurable goals, and measuring their child’s progress.
 
The last hour and a half will consist of a round table discussion with volunteer Educational Advocates. Feel free to bring your child’s IEP if you would like!
 
Contact: Nancy Stewart 413-687-4255 or basilstew@comcast.net with any questions.
 
Sponsored by: Pelham, Amherst and Amherst-Pelham Regional Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC), Pelham, Amherst and Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools and the Federation for Children with Special Needs http://fcsn.org/pti/workshops/home.php
 
PAARS SEPAC website: http://arps-sepac.info/
Families helping Families!

Summer Ultimate League of Amhest (SULA) Junior - Ages 7+

To register, log onto lsse.org or call  413-259-3065.

Registration fees of
$39 per person

($34 before May 29th, Early Bird Special!)

Boy Scout Open House - Tues, 5/26, for 5th graders & up

Open House for Prospective Scouts & Families
Tuesday, May 26th, 7-8:30 pm

South Congregational Church
Amherst, MA

For more information, please contact
Michelle Chandler, 413-256-5412.



(not a school or PGO-sponsored event).

Girls Basketball Aug 3 - 6

Amherst Girls Basketball School
$285 per week
Aug 3 - 6 (Mon - Thu)
9:00 - 4:30
Girls ages 7 - 18
Introduction to the basic fundamentals of basketball
Daily 1-hour fundamental stations
Improve shooting, ball handling, defense, and rebounding
Campers will be placed on age-appropriate teams
Two full court games everyday
For info: 413-542-855 or ggromacki@amherst.edu

Sports Day Camp Jul 27 - 30

Sports Day Camp at Amherst College
A variety of sports in a fun, non-competitive setting
$285 per week
Jul 27 - 30 (Mon - Thu)
9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Boys and girls ages 5 - 12
For info: 413-542-8557 or ggromacki@amherst.edu

LSSE Bike Maintenance and Repair 6/7 - 6/21

Bicycle Maintenance and Repair
With Parker Ramspott
Learn to repair your own bicycle!
Hands-on work and demonstration
Instruciotn tailored to individual needs
For beginner/intermediate level
Children under 14 welcome with an adult
Sundays, Jun 7 - 21
12:30 - 2:30 pm
$54 (per bike), $50 lab fee
Laughing Dog Bicycles, Amherst
For more information visit www.lsse.org or call 413-259-3065

Astronomy: Observing the Night Sky 6/19 - 8/28

Astronomy: Observing the Night Sky
With Thomas Whitney
Learn how to obserive, identify, appreciate, and understand the sunset, earth shadow, the moon, planets, asteroids, the Milky Way, constellations, nebulae, galaxies, and other phenomena. Children 6+ welcome if accompanied by an adult.
Fridays, Jun 19 - Aug 28
7 - 9 pm
Bassett Planetarium, Amherst College
$59
For more information, visit www.lsse.org or call 413-259-3065

Youth Track League May 26 - Jun 26

Sugarloaf Youth Track League
On-site registration May 26
Boys and girls (ages 6-14) of all abilities will be placed on a team and can compete in both relay and individual races. Parents, siblings, and friends are invited to bring a picnic dinner and cheer on their favorite team. Non-team member children 2 - 14 years will be able to enter an open 100 meter dash each night and compete for fun.
Team Night: Tuesday, May 26
Meets: Thursday 5/28 and 6/4, Fridays 6/12, 6/19, 6/26
5:00 - 7:00
Makeup dates: 6/23 and 6/30
Amherst Regional High School Track
Cost: $49

All-school survey!

Please respond to the all-school survey at http://bit.ly/cf15survey!

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Target "Thanks a Billion" Program -- Help Earn $ for Crocker Farm -- It's Easy!

UPDATE, MAY 20th:  This Target promotion has ended.  Target gave away $6 million in less than a week to education.  Thanks to everyone who participated & helped raise a little $ for Crocker Farm.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------
Target is giving away $5 million this spring to say THANK YOU to teachers for all they do! 

Through the "Thanks A Billion"  web site, when you write a message of thanks to a favorite Crocker Farm teacher, Target will donate $25 to our school (one donation total per Facebook ID; & only one donation per device/computer). Log-in & thank a teacher today!

1) Go to https://thanksabillion.target.com
2) When prompted, log into your Facebook account
3) Type in 01002 (zip code) and 5 miles (Distance) and pick Crocker Farm from the drop down menu
4) Write a quick message -- you can even just say "Thanks!" -- & click send. 
5) Target will donate $25 to our school. 

This promotion is part of Target's goal to give away a total of 1 billion dollars to schools by the end of 2015.   Thank you, Target!

Please share the details of this promotion with family & friends to help our school earn this easy money.  If 100 people participate, Crocker Farm will earn $2,500.  If 200 people, Crocker Farm will earn $5,000.

This promotion will end June 15th or as soon as $5 million has been given away (at the current participation, this is likely to happen next week).   So don't wait to log-in.    Thank you!

If you are interested, you can learn more about the Thanks a Billion Campaign here (link). 

Crocker Farm Family Survey: please take by May 29th

Dear Crocker Farm Families:
We need your feedback! Please respond to our annual Family Survey!
Our Family Survey was designed in conjunction with the School Governance Council. The purpose of the survey is to provide us with more information about the work we do at Crocker Farm School. Your feedback will contribute to the development of next year’s School Improvement Plan, which will identify Crocker Farm’s primary goals and how we will work to achieve those goals. Summary results of the survey will be released in the fall as part of the School Improvement Plan.
To help us gain the information we need, you can do the following:

• Take the quick survey online starting today. http://bit.ly/cf15survey It is available online in both English and Spanish. The survey asks questions about the school climate, teaching and learning, family engagement, communication, and diversity. It includes about 25 multiple-choice questions and, on average, should take 5 to 7 minutes to complete.
• Please complete the survey by Friday, May 29th.
• If you have more than one child at Crocker Farm, you may wish to submit separate surveys to reflect the different experiences of each of your Crocker Farm children. Alternatively, you may submit one single survey that combines the experiences of all your children at Crocker Farm. Either choice will provide us with extremely valuable feedback.
• If you would rather have a paper version of the survey, please call our school (413) 362-1600 and we will make sure one is sent home with your child.
• If you would like to use a school computer to complete the survey, kindly call school (413) 362-1600 and we will arrange for you to use one.

Thank you so much,
Derek Shea and Sharri Conklin

nuestra encuesta anual de las familias de la escuela de Crocker Farm

 Por favor llenar la encuesta para el Viernes, 29 de mayo.

Queridas Familias de la escuela Crocker Farm:
¡Necesitamos su opinión! Por favor responda a nuestra encuesta anual de las familias de la escuela de Crocker Farm.
Nuestra encuesta familiar fue diseñado conjuntamente con el consejo del grupo del gobierno escolar. El propósito de la encuesta es que nos proporcione más información sobre el trabajo que hacemos en la escuela de Crocker Farm. Su regeneración contribuirá al desarrollo del plan para mejorar nuestra escuela durante el próximo año escolar. Sus repuestas nos ayudaran identificar los objetivos primarios de Crocker Farm y cómo vamos a trabajar juntos para lograr esas metas. Resumen de los resultados de la encuesta se publicara en el otoño, como parte del plan de mejoramiento escolar.
Usted puede hacer lo siguiente para ayudarnos:

• Tomar la encuesta rápida en forma electrónica vayan directamente hacia el sitio: http://bit.ly/cf15survey Esta disponible en línea en inglés y español. La encuesta hace preguntas sobre el clima escolar, enseñanza y aprendizaje, participación familiar, comunicación y la diversidad de nuestra escuela. Incluye 25 preguntas de opción múltiple y, en promedio, debe tomar 5 a 7 minutos en completarse.
• Por favor llenar la encuesta para el Viernes, 29 de mayo.
• Si Usted tiene más de un niño en nuestra escuela, desee enviar encuestas separadas para reflejar las diferentes experiencias de cada uno de sus hijos en nuestra escuela. Alternativamente, Usted puede presentar una sola encuesta que combina las experiencias de todos sus hijos en la escuela de Crocker Farm. Cualquier opción nos ofrece información importante.
• Si Usted desea una versión imprimida en papel, por favor llame a la escuela (413)362-1600 y asegúrese que le enviaremos una copia a su casa.
• Si Usted desea usar una computadora dentro de nuestra escuela para completar la encuesta. Llame a la escuela 413-362-1600 y haremos una cita para facilitar su meta.

Gracias por su apoyo,
Derek Shea and Sharri Conklin

Brookfield Farm CSA - A Few Shares Available

Brookfield Farm
Share the Harvest
CSA shares from June through November
Local, fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs
www.brookfieldfarm.org
413-253-7991

Cambodian Heritage Celebration May 29

The annual Cambodian Heritage Celebration will take place on Friday, May 29, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. in the Fort River Elementary School Auditorium (70 South East St). The community is invited to attend this free event.

Amherst, Pelham and Regional Public School students will showcase traditional Cambodian clothing while performing songs, stories and music. In addition, Cambodian food will be prepared and served at 1pm. For more information please call the Fort River Elementary School Main Office 413-362-1217.

Crocker Farm Yearbook - Seeking Business & Family/Friends Advertising - Due by 5/30

The Crocker Farm PGO is Seeking Advertisers for this year's School Yearbook to Help Reduce the Yearbook Price for Students & Families
       
Purchase a business ad in this year's yearbook for as little as $25!

 Business ads in the yearbook cost:
$25 for a 1/8 page ad; $50 for 1/4 page ad
$100 for a 1/2 page ad, & $200 for a full page.

Non-business ads of appreciation and/or congratulatory wishes to students or teachers may also be purchased in the yearbook: $10 for a 1/16 page ad.

  Advertising submissions are due by Fri, May 30th.   Please send your advertisement either electronically through email to Becky Demling (beckydemling@yahoo.com) or attach a hard copy with your payment (checks payable to Crocker Farm PGO.  Please write "Yearbook" in the memo) and send to:  Crocker Farm PGO, Attn:  Becky Demling, 280 West St, Amherst, MA 01002.