Fort River School Bookfair at Barnes & Noble Today

The Bookfair continues online 12/5/15 to 12/10/15.  Enter Bookfair ID# 11609500 at checkout at earn $ for the Fort River PGO, at no cost to you.  It's an easy way to support a fellow Amherst school & their students & teachers.  

Update on the Elementary School Building Study - Meeting this Thurs, Public Forum next Tues

The Wildwood/Elementary School Building Committee (SBC) meets this Thursday, Dec 3rd, 4 pm, at the ARMS Library.

At the meeting the SBC will be voting on approving the Prelimnary Design Program (PDP) for submission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) on Monday, for the MSBA's review. 

A copy of the draft PDP can be downloaded here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By0mz4P0v3bWa0ZZN3QyWnBkTkpYZC1nclFIVkVfUWdSZmFn/view

The PDP focuses on 3 elementary school alternatives:
1) a new K-6 school to replace the existing Wildwood School (the new school would be for up to 360 students)
2) a new K-6 school which would have two K-6 "schools with a school" to replace the Fort River & Wildwood Schools (670 students)
3) a new grades 2-6 school to serve the whole town (750 students) & replace Wildwood & Fort River.  Crocker Farm would become a K-1 school & continue to house the district's preschool. 

The PDP includes the Educational Program, Initial Space Summary, Evaluation of Existing Conditions, Site Development Requirements, Preliminary Evaluation of Alternatives, Local Actions.  It essentially lays out the goals of the project & the options for meeting those goals, & includes a detailed investigation of the current issues & possible solutions.  The MSBA will review & approve it, & might make additional suggestions. 

You can learn more about the school building study at the project web site: http://wildwood.projects.joslinlesser.com/
 

Upcoming School Concerts, 3rd-6th grades

Save the dates:
Tues, Dec 8th, 6:30 pm: Concert for 3rd & 4th grade classes & families
Wed, Dec 16th, 6:30 pm: Concert of 5th & 6th grade classes & families

There will be a concert for K-2nd grade classes in the spring.

Conciertos de invierno para grados 3-6

El Martes 8 de diciembre:  concierto por los estudiantes de tercer y cuarto grados
El miércoles 16 de diciembre: concierto por los estudiantes de tercer y cuarto grados

Un concierto para el kindergarten, 1er grado y 2o grado se celebrará en la primavera

Merry Maple & Other Downtown Holiday Festivities

Merry Maple this Friday, activities start at 3 pm. This year is Merry Maple's 40th anniversary.  
https://www.facebook.com/MerryMaple

Find out more about all the holiday festivities downtown this Dec here: http://www.amherstdowntown.com/events/holidays/

Giving Tuesday, Crocker Farm, & the ARPS PGO

There are many great organizations worthy of support on #GivingTuesday. Please consider adding Crocker Farm & the ARPS PGO to your list. The Crocker Farm PGO is raising money for our field trip fund to help keep field trips affordable for all.  We are hoping to hoping to raise $1,000 by the end of Dec.   Every donation big or small is greatly appreciated.  
You can donate here:
https://givingtuesday.razoo.com/story/Crocker-Farm-Parent-Guardian-Organization 

The ARPS PGO is a partnership between the PGOs at Crocker Farm, Wildwood, ARMS and ARHS, & donations to the ARPS PGO are distributed among the 4 partner schools. The ARPS PGO is also raising $ for the new preschool playground at Crocker Farm. The Crocker Farm preschool serves 65 children from throughout Amherst, including many with special needs. 
https://givingtuesday.razoo.com/story/Amherst-Regional-Public-Schools-Parent-Guardian-Organization

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!  

Winter craft at the Jones

For the small but oh-so-crafty people in your life...

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Calling all 1st and 2nd graders!

Book groups aren't just for the grownups in your life!

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Giving Tues - Dec 1st - Please consider a donation to Crocker Farm's Field Trip Fund

December 1st next week is Giving Tuesday, a national day of giving to support charitable causes.

For Giving Tuesday & through the end of December, the Crocker Farm PGO is collecting donations for our FIELD TRIP FUND to help
KEEP SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS AFFORDABLE & ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF ABILITY TO PAY.  

Donations made now count for Giving Tuesday. We are hoping to raise up to $1000 by year's end, which equals just under $3 per Crocker Farm student. The cost of field trips keeps going up & donations to the Field Trip Fund will be a BIG HELP. 

THANKS IN ADVANCE.
EVERY DONATION BIG OR SMALL IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

(Minimum donations of $10 are required for the link below).

Donation site:  https://givingtuesday.razoo.com/story/Crocker-Farm-Parent-Guardian-Organization 
Donations can also be made via cash or check to the Crocker Farm PGO, 280 West St, Amherst, MA 01002

LSSE - Special 20% off discount

New! ONE TIME SPECIAL DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE NOW ON ALL YOUTH PROGRAMS

Amherst Leisure Services & Supplemental Education (LSSE) is now offering a 20% discount for youth (0-18 years old) meeting one of the following criteria:

•       Siblings registering for the same program at the same time;

•       Youth who participated in an LSSE Program within the last year;

•       Any youth new to an LSSE program.

The discount can apply to registrations made online, over the phone, or in person. For online registrations use WEBB20 in the coupon code. 

Fee subsidies are also available based on income qualifications. Please see the web site for details: http://www.amherstma.gov/2158/Fee-Subsidy-Scholarship