Summer Camp Fair, Sat, Feb 27th

Summer Camp Fair

Saturday, February 27 from 11am-2pm
Amherst Regional Middle School, Amherst, MA.

Want to know what you’re doing this Summer?

Thinking about joining a camp but not sure which ones right for your family?

Camps & Programs Attending:

  The Friends Camp
Montessori School of Northampton
Wilbraham & Monson Academy
Deerfield Academy Summer Arts Camp
   Lahri Bond & Deborah Bazer's Art Programs
  Early Adventures/ Adventure Playground
 Kasey Schmitt Sports Camps
   LSSE Sports Camps

and more

Amherst winter hats still available

Has your family reached that point of the winter where lost mittens & hats have you scrambling to find something to keep your kids warm before sending them off to school?

The Crocker Farm 6th grade can help. The 6th grade is still selling Amherst winter hats to raise money for their end of school year field trip & celebration. The hats are warm, comfy, & at just $10 a great value too. Please contact Angela Mills in the Crocker Farm office (pavs4all@yahoo.com) if you'd like to order 1, or 2, or 3 -- a backup hat is always helpful.  :)

The hats will also be for sale at LSSE's Summer Camp fair, next Saturday, February 27th, 11 am- 2 pm, at the Amherst Regional Middle School.



 

Fame - ARHS Musical, March 3rd-5th

ARHS presents
Fame: The Musical

Tickets available for ordering here:
http://bit.ly/arhsfametix

or emailing arhsmusicals@gmail.com

Performances: 
Thursday, March 3rd, 7:30 pm
Friday, March 4th, 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 5th, 2:00 pm
Saturday, March 5th, 7:30 pm

Adult: $20 reserved seating; $15 unreserved
ARPS Staff/Senior Citizen: $15 reserved seating; $10 unreserved
Student: $10

Child under age 13: $5

Girls on the Run afterschool program

Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a unique 10 week (twice weekly) after­school program led by trained coaches that guides girls through a fun, uplifting, and proven curriculum.

Through dynamic conversation-­based lessons and active games, coaches teach and model essential healthy living skills. Some of the themes include making good friends, working in a group, resisting peer pressure, making healthy decisions, and contributing to the community. Along the way, the girls train together to walk or run in a 5K (3.1 mile) celebratory event with girls from other Western Mass GOTR programs.

Girls on the Run is supported and reliant on volunteer coaches. We are looking for volunteer coaches to make this program successful.​Coaches do not need to be runners!  Crocker Farm has one coach volunteer already committed; we are looking for 1­-2 more to make this program a success.

The season begins the week of March 14th and runs for 10 weeks, twice a week, Wed & Fri, 3-4:45 =

Cost for the 20 sessions is $150 & covers snack, t-shirt & registration for a 5K race on June 5th at HCC. Partial & full financial aid is available when you register.

Find out more at www.girlsonthereunwesternma.org, or contact:
Derek Shea, shead@arps.org, or
Alison Berman, GOTR Council Director, alison.berman@girlsontherun.org,(413) 687­-2726.

Family Events at the Amherst Libraries

Ukulele Strum-Along

Sunday, February 21 from 3 pm - 4:30 pm, Jones Library
Come play music with a growing community of ukulele players in the Valley.  Bring your own or borrow one of ours.  Easy songs, laid back instruction, and a lot of fun.  Led by Julie Calamine. Sign up required to borrow a ukulele.  Call the library at 413-259-3091.

Story & Craft Time @ North Amherst Library

Wednesday, February 24 from 4 pm - 5 pm
Join us for fun stories and crafts each Wednesday at the North Amherst Library.

Children's Music Series: The Nields

Saturday, February 27 from 10:30 am - 11:30 am, Jones Library
We kick off our annual free concert series with a visit from local favorites, The Nields!
Nerissa and Katryna Nields continue to tour the country playing for fans of all ages. The Nields' family shows are a blend of Pete Seeger-esque group song leading and Dan Zanes-like reconstruction of old classics, plus their own inimitable style of high energy, whimsy, and fliligreed harmony singing. 

Children's Theater - Auditions Peter & Wendy, Feb 29th

LSSE Community Theater presents

Missoula Children's Theatre

PETER & WENDY

Auditions, K-12th grade students
Feb 29th, 4:15 pm, Amherst HS Cafeteria

Performances, March 5th, 1:30 & 4 pm
Crocker Farm Elementary
Tickets $5/$8


For more info:
413-259-9482
www.alsct.org/childrens_theater

(not a school or PGO-sponsored event)

Remnders for this week including tonight's PGO gathering

Reminder: Wed, Feb 10th - early release day (1:20 pm)

Reminder: Tonight, Tues, Feb 9th, 7:30 pm: PGO gathering, 591 Bay Road, Amherst (Hallie Hughes' house)

Come meet PGO board members & other volunteers, & find out how to get more involved. The PGO is actively seeking more volunteers, including people to join the PGO Board. All Crocker Farm parents/guardians are automatically part of the PGO, and all volunteers are welcome, whether you can only give an hour or if you have time for more. Hope to see you there!

Refreshments will be served & additional desserts would be welcome & appreciated. Please RSVP if you can attend.
RSVP on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1968888920002305/
or email us at crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com

Also, feel free to pass this invitation along to any other Crocker farm parents or Crocker preschool parents who might be interested.   Parents/guardians for the Crocker Farm preschool are part of the Crocker Farm PGO. 

School Committee Meeting tonight (Feb 9th), 6 pm, FY2017 budget on the agenda

At the School Committee meeting tonight (6 pm, ARHS library), there will be a discussion of the FY2017 budget and the latest proposed additions & cuts.   A list of the proposed additions & cuts is available here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7UVv-MmKrUOR2M1N1NYNjhidTQ

Proposed additions include: salary increases so that all ARPS staff are paid at least minimum wage, additional paraeducators for Special Ed, wireless network upgrades, & nurses for field trips.

Proposed cuts include  elimination of the Director of Curriculum & Learning position, administrative cuts in the central office, & cuts to technology staff & districtwide supply & stipend budgets, At the elementary schools, the proposed budget eliminates the library assistant position at each library & reduces custodial staff.

The school librarians at Wildwood & Fort River have written public letters about what eliminating the library assistant positions will mean in terms of students' access to the school libraries.   These letters were posted on the Wildwood & Fort River PGO blogs:
Fort River PGO:  http://ftriver.blogspot.com/2016/02/library-paraprofessional-position-to-be.html 
Wildwood PGO:  http://wildwoodpgo.com/2016/02/04/letter-from-wildwood-librarian-school-committee-29/ 

The full FY2017 proposed Amherst elementary school budget is available here:
http://www.arps.org/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=8134613

The agenda & packet of the materials for tonight's School Committee meeting is available here:
 http://www.arps.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_926729/File/Kim%20SC%20materials/ASCagenda2.9.16.pdf

PGO Social Gathering Feb 9th - Hope to see you there!

Want to meet other Crocker Farm parents? Interested in getting more involved with the school's Parent & Guardian Organization (PGO) but not sure how to? 

At this informal social gathering, PGO leaders will talk about the PGO, the PGO's activities & opportunities for volunteering. The PGO welcomes each & every volunteer, people with a little time to give or a lot, & there are so many ways to get involved. Also, the PGO is currently seeking new PGO board members.

Refreshments will be served & additional desserts would be welcome & appreciated. Please RSVP if you can attend.
RSVP on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1968888920002305/
or email us at crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com

Date:  Tues, Feb 9th
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: Parent Hallie Hughes' house, 591 Bay Road
Thanks for hosting, Hallie!  


 

If you are interested in volunteering but not available on Feb 9th, please email us or otherwise reach out.

Also, feel free to pass this invitation along to any other Crocker farm parents or Crocker preschool parents who might be interested (the preschool is part of the PGO). 

Best regards,
Tracy Zafian, PGO Chair

Supporting Struggling Readers - Upcoming Workshops

Workshop series offered for staff and families by the ARPS District and SEPAC.

for parents/guardians of students of preK through Grade 12

Workshop #1 Nuts and Bolts of Dyslexia

When:  February 1, 2016            Time:  5:30-7:00pm       Where:  Amherst Regional High School, Library

Speakers:  Betsy Dinger, Renee Greenfield, Emily Pritchard, Tammy Sullivan-Daley

The workshop is an opportunity to learn some basic facts about why so many students struggle with reading.  Come learn about steps you can take to support your child/student.

Workshop#2 Movie & Panel Discussion                                               

When:  February 8, 2016            Time:  5:30-7:30pm       Where:  Amherst Regional High School, Library               

Movie:  Dislecksia:  The Movie 

Is your child/student a struggling or reluctant reader? If so, please consider joining us for a unique opportunity to watch an award-winning film about dyslexia and participate in a panel discussion. Our panelists offer a wide range of perspective!  

Workshop#3 Book Club:  Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz

When:  February 29, 2016          Time:  5:30-7:00pm       Where:  Amherst Regional High School, Library

Book: This book is a must read for anyone with a child/student who struggles to read. It’s not a sign of intelligence or limitation of one’s potential.  Let’s discuss what we learned and steps we can take to help students with their learning differences. It’s never too late to make sure the proper supports are in place.  Please read the book ahead of time!

Please let us know if you can attend!  Email: sepac@arps.org or call 413-687-4255

Childcare provided with advanced notice. Please RSVP for childcare as soon as possible.
All workshops are free and open to the public!