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)