Thursday, January 14, 2016

Cracking the Codes - Film & Discussion tonight, Jan 14th, 7-9 pm


Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity, A Film By Shakti Butler
Watch the film & stay for the conversation co-facilitated by Vira Douangmany Cage and Russ Vernon-Jones.
Thursday, January 14, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Woodbury Room, Jones Library
43 Amity Street, Amherst, MA 01002
From Shakti Butler comes a new film that asks America to talk about the causes and consequences of systemic inequity. The film features moving stories from racial justice leaders and others of many different racial backgrounds.
Free & open to the public.

Event Co-sponsored by the Jones Library & the Coming Together Project

Monday, January 11, 2016

Ski & Skate Sale - Please Read if you Attended on Friday

An unfortunate situation from the Amherst Lions Ski & Skate Sale -- if you attended & made credit card purchases there on Friday, please read:

Unfortunately, all credit card purchases made at Amherst Lions Ski/Skate Sale on Friday, January 8, 2016, between 6 PM  and 9 PM were not processed through Pay Pal. The credit card machine malfunctioned. No records of purchasers names/addresses/telephone numbers were made by the volunteers who worked the check-out station.

Please spread the word on your blogs and in your school community. The Lions Club is hoping people who paid with credit cards will come forward to pay for equipment with cash/check. Ski & Skate Sale checks should be made payable to Amherst Lions & can be sent to Denise O'Donovan's attention at the Amherst Regional Middle School, 170 Chestnut Street, Amherst, MA 01002

The money from this event is 100% distributed back to ARPS and the community. The Lions Club is asking for the community's help.  This event was not school-sponsored but we ask that you help as the Lions are such strong community partners who support ARPS in many ways.

If you have any questions please contact Amherst Lions Club Ski & Skate Sale coordinator, Todd Cromack, at tacromack@comcast.net.

Stuff to do with your kids! - Jones Library

Know someone age 0-5? 6-10? 8-12? Then you should know the Friends of the Jones Library, too. They've got four, count 'em, FOUR activities for the younger people in your world. All are free and open to everyone.








(Click on any and all images to enlarge.)

** not school-sponsored events **

Sunday, January 10, 2016

MLK Jr. Birthday Celebration - Fri, Jan 15th - drinks, breakfast items needed

Fri, January 15th, is Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday and Crocker Farm will once again be holding a celebration in his honor, including a breakfast & assembly.


Ms. Robinson who, once again, is overseeing this year's celebration has asked for parents to help contribute drinks, fruit, and other breakfast items for the breakfast.   Items should be dropped off on Friday morning.  


Thanks in advance for your help! 

Amherst Youth Soccer - Tryouts for Girl Travel Teams U8, U12-13

Subject: From: AYSA - Reminder: Girls Travel Try Outs This Week!
From: <notices@sportsmanager.us>
Date: Sat, January 09, 2016 10:36 pm
To: <tracy@zafian.com>

AYSA is excited to announce new opportunities for Spring Travel Soccer 2016 for Girls!

U8 Girls: A new team!
Tryouts Wed. Jan 13, 5-6pm at Allsport Arena, Northampton
Players must have been 6 or 7 years of age on August 1, 2015

U12 and U13 Girls:  We welcome NEW players!
Tryouts: Fri. Jan 15, 6-8pm, Allsport Arena, Northampton
Players must have been 10, 11, 0r 12 years of age on August 1, 2015.

Email notices@sportsmanager.us for more info. 


**not a school or PGO-sponsored activity**

Your input is needed! - Amherst's Next Town Manager

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Sing with your baby at the Jones Library

Back by popular demand, Wendy Plummer sings with babies and toddlers and their caregivers during this special winter session of Sing With Your Baby. The program features a sing-along as well as time for children to play with musical instruments.
(click on image to enlarge)

P.S. This program is free and open to all. However this is a special extra bonus not-originally-planned-for "Sing With Your Baby" winter session. Anyone who'd like to make a donation to the Friends of the Jones Library (the ones who make these programs possible) with this particular program in mind is very welcome to do so. Let the Friends know if this is the specific reason you're donating in the memo line of your check by writing "Sing With Your Baby."

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Family Survey on the Elementary School Building Project options; responses accepted through Sun, Jan 10th

All Crocker Farm families with emails on file should have already received this message which sent out yesterday.  We thought it worth sharing here again.

Here again is the link to the parent survey for the Amherst Elementary Building project: 
http://bit.ly/ARPSElementarySurvey


The deadline for responding to the survey is Sun, Jan 10th, just 5 days from now, so if you want to participate in the survey & have your views counted, do not delay. smile emoticon
The survey results will be shared at a public forum on the elementary school building study on Wed, Jan 13th, at 6:30 pm, in the ARHS Library.
The Amherst School Committee is expected to take a vote on their preferred building & grade configuration option at their meeting on Tues, Jan 19th.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amherst Public Schools
Date: Mon, Jan 4, 2016 at 10:00 AM
Subject: Parent/Guardian Survey on the Elementary Building Project

Dear Current and/or Future Amherst Public School Families,
The Amherst School Committee is having a survey conducted to gather feedback from different stakeholder groups about the options for the Amherst Elementary Building Project.  This link (http://bit.ly/ARPSElementarySurvey) will bring you to an anonymous survey designed for current and/or future parents/guardians in the district.  The survey is currently open and will close at 11:59 pm on Sunday, January 10th.  The survey results will be compiled by McBassi & Company and shared the following week on the website for the Amherst Elementary Building Project as well as in a Community Forum on January 13th at 6:30 pm at the Amherst High School Library.
We thank you for your participation.
Best,
Katherine Appy, Chair of the Amherst School Committee 


Queridas familias actuales y / o futuras  de las Escuelas Públicas de Amherst,
El Comité Escolar de Amherst está realizando una encuesta para obtener opiniones de los diferentes grupos interesados sobre las opciones para el Proyecto de Construcción de la Escuela Elemental de Amherst. Este enlace (http://bit.ly/ARPSElementarySurvey) le llevará a una encuesta anónima diseñada para los actuales y / o futuros padres / tutores en el distrito. La encuesta está abierta y se cerrará a las 11:59 pm el Domingo, 10 de enero. Los resultados de la encuesta serán compilados por McBassi y Compañía y compartidos la semana siguiente en la página web del Proyecto de Construcción de la Escuela Elemental de Amherst, así como en el Foro de la Comunidad del 13 de enero a las 6:30 p.m. en la Biblioteca de la Escuela Superior de Amherst.
Le damos las gracias por su participación.
Los mejores deseos,

Katherine Appy, Presidente del Comité Escolar de Amherst

Crocker Farm Lost & Found Updates & Last Chance to Claim Lost Items

Pictures taken yesterday of Crocker Farm's lost & found.
Thankfully (since it's so cold out!), there were only a few coats.
 
There are numerous sweatshirts, fleeces, & other clothes, plus a few lunch boxes, water bottles, & more. The lost & found items will be bagged up & donated later this week.

 This is the last chance to claim any missing items.













Writing workshop for kids during February break


(Not a school sponsored event.)