A quick reminder from the Parent Council President

Hi Fort River Families, Just a quick reminder that we are hosting the New Family Welcome on Monday, August 27th, from 6 to 7:30 -- we'd love some current families to come and meet the new families, so please come if you can (and RSVP so we can plan popsicles appropriately). We have new kids (as of now) in ALL grades except 5th. Also, we are still in search of some important volunteers for the upcoming school year! Please remember Parent Council is run entirely by volunteers, and we can't do it all -- we need YOUR help! Please contact Catherine Sanderson (256-4977; casanderson@amherst.edu) ASAP if you can help in any of these ways. Family Fair Coordinator: The Family Fair is the school's way of welcoming everyone back to school, and helping fund the 6th grade camping trip at the end of the year. The 6th graders work to create fun games for the fair, run the game booths, and/or sell pizza. The 6th grade teachers work the fair into the beginning of the year assignments, and work shifts on the day of the fair (Mr. Wallace is a key contact!). A few people are needed to set things up and write announcements and letters before, and work the day of the fair to help get pizzas to the kids from the ovens, and do set up and clean-up. This event is coming up in September and we urgently need one or two people to coordinate it! 6th Grade Graduation: We need many parents to help in various ways: organizing the spring musical/play; the camping trip; the class gift; plus the decorations, program, and reception for graduation. We need volunteers to take on small tasks PLUS one or two brave and organized coordinators (and we have a huge binder with very detailed information about what to do/when/how, so there is much guidance). Resource Coordinators - Resource coordinators provide information/support to families with particular needs (this position takes little time and provides a valuable service). We need coordinators for: single-parent, same-sex parent, and ALANA [African-American, Latino(a)/Chicano(a), Asian/Pacific American, Native American] families. Grade Representatives: Grade representatives find a room parent for each of the teachers in your grade, contact new families to welcome them to the school, and work with the room parents to organize one grade-wide event (which brings together all kids in a grade during an out-of-school time, such as Story Night, Game Night, a Science Fair, or a picnic at Groff Park). We need grade representatives for Kindergarten, 3rd, 5th, and 6th grades. Room Parents: Room parents check in with their teacher monthly to see what he or she might need (e.g., help with an event, field trip volunteers, etc.), organize a class potluck at the start of the year, and work with their grade representative to plan one grade-wide event. They might also organize a class gift in December and/or at the end of school. We need room parents for all the kindergarten classes, Davis in 2nd grade, Davis and Fournier in 3rd grade, Jackendoff in 4th grade, Cantillo and Klass in 5th grade, and all the 6th grade classes. Savings Makes Sense Program: Volunteer Ron Miller has agreed to coordinate this program (which is designed to encourage savings habits and goal settings in children--anyone can open a bank account with Florence Savings Bank and bank weekly in the cafeteria, and only $1.00 is needed to open an account). However, we could use one volunteer to come to school some Tuesday mornings from 8:20 to 8:40 to assist kids in depositing their money. Thank you in advance for your assistance, and I look forward to another great year. Best, Catherine **************************** Catherine A. Sanderson, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Psychology Amherst College Amherst, MA 01002-5000 413 542-2438 (phone) 413 542-2145 (fax)

August Fort River Update!

Hello Fort River families, Now that we are only a month away from the start of school, I'm writing to let you know about an event for new Fort River families (that I hope some current families can attend), and to seek some volunteers! First, we are planning on "Welcome to Fort River Party" on the evening of Monday, August 27th, and we'd love to have a few CURRENT Fort River families (including kids) attend to meet the new families. We already have 3 new first graders, 2 new second graders, and 1 new child in 3rd, 4th, and 6th, and more will get added in the next month. We also have many new kindergarteners (of course), so if you are the parent of a kindergartener, please plan to come as well! Please let me know if you are able to attend -- the time will be 6:00 to 7:30 pm (and popsicles will be served) in the cafeteria. Second, we are still in search of many volunteers for next year -- please help if you can with any of the following: Fall Family Picnic (this is very important -- because it happens in September!) Grade Representatives (all grades EXCEPT 1st and 2nd) Room Parents (especially those of kindergarten, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th) Resource Coordinators (single-parent families, ALANA families, same-sex parent families) One volunteer to assist with Savings Makes Sense (some Tuesday mornings), Graduation Coordinator (we have lots of volunteers willing to help and much material, but we need one or two organized people to coordinate it all) Please contact Catherine Sanderson (casanderson@amherst.edu) if you can assist with any of these or have any questions about these positions. Last, but not least -- as we prepare this fall for the second (and we hope final) phase of the playground installation, please let me know if you, or anyone you know, would be willing to assist with landscape design (placement of our brick walkway, trees, benches, etc.) and/or laying down our brick walkway. We hope to get most of the work done in September -- including the addition of several cool new satellite playground pieces, two new benches, and our great new brick walkway. Best wishes for a relaxing August! Catherine

Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Calendar 2007-08

8/30 Thursday (8:30am) : Welcome Back - First Day of School! 9/03 Monday (All Day): Labor Day - No School 10/08 Monday (All Day): Columbus Day - No School 11/12 Monday (All Day): Veteran's Day - No School 11/22-23 Thursday-Friday (All Day): Thanksgiving Break - No School 11/30 Friday (All Day): Teach Work Day - No School 12/24-1/1 : Holiday Break - No School 1/21 Monday (All Day): Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School 1/28 Monday (All Day): Teacher Work Day - No School 2/18-22 : Winter Break - No School 3/17 Monday (All Day): Teacher Work Day - No School 4/21-25: Spring Break - No School 5/26 Monday (All Day): Memorial Day - No School 6/13 Friday: Earliest Last Day of School 6/20 Friday: Latest Last Day of School