NEW LACROSSE LEAGUE IN AMHERST!!!!

Town Meeting Needs YOU

Help support our schools by joining Amherst Town Meeting!  Town Meeting is where the school (and town) budget is approved and all local laws and zoning are passed.  This spring all 240 seats in Town Meeting are up for election, so this is your chance to join the cause and help make Amherst a better place to live!  The deadline for filing is Tuesday 2/14 at 5pm.  Just stop by Town Hall and sign the form, it's easy!  Do it today!

Don’t know about Town Meeting?  Town Meeting…

• is a commitment of only about 10 nights/year from 7:30-10pm in the ARMS auditorium.
• approves the school, library, and town budgets.  Town Meeting creates all local laws and zoning.
• is joined by going to Town Hall and signing the TM candidate form.  This year’s election is 4/2/12.
• has 24 seats in each precinct (map).  All are up for reelection this year, which means this is a great year to join TM.
• is over 300 years old in Amherst (originally Hadley pre-1759)
• is a great way to learn what is going on in town, in addition to doing your civic duty.
• is followed by members to quaff a cold beverage and discuss our town.
• has great impact on the quality of life in our town.  It’s important to have a rational and representative Town Meeting.
• is both fun and a great way to provide civic service to our town.

Questions?  More info here: amherstma.gov/townmeeting

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY AT CROCKER

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THIS CROCKER TRADITION

Dear friends,

This is an update about Amherst school start times. The process has been slow, but now the school committee is expected to make a decision in the coming months, with any change taking effect this fall.

The school district has scheduled three public forums to discuss start times (all 7-9 pm):

Wed. Jan. 25, Bangs Community Center, large activity room

Tues. Jan 31, Crocker Farm school

Tues. Feb. 7, Middle School

I think the first of these is most important because it may set the tone for the overall debate. Please come to Bangs on Wed. Jan. 25, 7-9 pm if you can -- mark your calendar now. And/or come to another of the forums. The district's point person on the issue is the Middle School principal, Mike Hayes. The school committee includes both supporters and skeptics, so the public forums will be important in making a decision.

There are two proposals currently on the table, in addition to the option of keeping the current schedule.

One proposal shifts the entire school day, both elementary and secondary, a half hour later in the day. Elementary would run from about 9:10 am to 3:35 pm, and secondary from 8:15 to 2:50 pm.

The second proposal, "flip and move," flips the elementary and secondary schools so that elementary starts first, but then moves the whole day a bit later so that elementary students are not out before dark in the winter. Elementary would run from about 8:15 am to 2:40 pm, and secondary from 9:00 am to 3:35 pm. Clearly the flip and move proposal gains the most sleep benefit for teens but has more impact on sports and other after-school activities, as well as on some 6th graders who might have trouble waking up 25 minutes earlier.

There is now considerable support for later start times on the school committee and in the community. The Gazette editorialized in favor of later starts (Dec. 19), the Amherst Bulletin ran a front-page story (Jan. 6; following an earlier front-page Gazette story Dec. 9), and an official at Williston school wrote a letter to the editor about the positive changes they experienced with a later start (Gazette, Jan. 7). It appears likely, to me, that the school committee will adopt one of the two new proposed schedules. Which do you like? Please come and hash it out at the forums.

Joshua Goldstein
16 Poets Corner Rd., Amherst, MA 01002-1760 (413) 256-6363
jg@joshuagoldstein.com http://www.joshuagoldstein.com

 

This is not a Crocker Farm PGO sponsored event.

Jones Library Director Welcome Reception

Come join us in welcoming new Jones Library director Sharon Sharry to Amherst!

(click on image to enlarge)

Not a school-sponsored event.

Changes to the Martin Luther King day breakfast..

On the 13th of January, as we come together as a community to celebrate the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - we will break the breakfast up into smaller community gatherings.  Each teacher has signed their class up for a 35 minute time slot (beginning at 8:30am and ending at 10:25am).  So, we still need generous sweet and savory bakers to help us with this celebration.  Please bring your dish with you to the breakfast or drop it off the day before the celebration.  Also, if you'd like to help serve the children breakfast - we are looking for a few parents to work the following shifts: 8:30am - 9:00am, 9:00am - 9:40am, 9:40am - 10:15am - just let Angela Mills know by emailing her at: pavs4all@yahoo.com or crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com or by calling her cell: 413-219-6344.  The performance celebration will take place on the 13th at 1:30pm in the auditorium/cafeteria.  Questions?  Feel free to contact Angela at the aforementioned emails/phone.  If you are wondering which time slot your child has breakfast that morning - reach out to their teacher(s).

Talent show 2011 - 12/19 - music, sport, drama....

Bring your friends and family - join in the FUN!

Thanks for the MEMORIES...

We send special thanks to Ms.Z and Ms. Travis as well as all of our kindergarten, first grade, second grade and third grade performers for an evening full of music and art!  What a splendid way to welcome winter - thanks for all of the musical memories and the colorful art displays.

Special thanks to the bakers who helped make the evening a wonderful celebration.
We are lucky to live in such a helpful, caring, and talented learning community.

Support the HOMETOWN TEAMS!

The Amherst Hurricane Boosters have put together a nice promotion for a huge girls’ basketball game this Friday night. I think it will be a great chance to not only recognize the 3 State finalist teams, but also see some high level basketball.

“Champions Night at Amherst Regional High School”

Friday, Dec 23rd at 6:30 PM

2010 D-1 State Finalists Amherst Girls’ Varsity Basketball

Vs.

2010 D-1 Vermont State Champions Rice Memorial from Burlington, VT.

Free Admission to all elementary school students when accompanied by an adult.

Special half time presentation for the three State finalist Amherst Girls teams from 2010(softball, tennis, basketball)

Come on down for this night of excitement and celebration.

Mark Miville

Sports and Recreation Director

Town of Amherst Leisure Services

70 Boltwood Walk

Amherst, MA 01002

413.259.3144 direct

413.259.2407 fax

www.lsse.org