Fort River Climate Survey results

Here's a link to the Fort River Climate Survey, which was conducted in June 2008: http://is.gd/3bKr. I have also added the link under the "Fort River Links" section on the right-hand side of the page --Ann McLaughlin

Upcoming School Events

Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans. Orders Due Friday Oct. 3. Click here for form. Coffee With a Principal. Friday, Oct. 3rd, 8:30-9:15am. Fort River Cafeteria. Picture Day. Tues., October 7th. Columbus Day. Monday, Oct. 13th. No school. Parent Council Meeting. Thursday, October 16, 6:30 to 7:30 pm, school library. **Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Annual Family Donation Fund

Thanks to all the families who have already contributed to our Annual Family Donation Fund, which supports all Parent Council activities (field trips, cultural events, library books, scholarships for children in need, etc.) and gets each student a free Fort River directory and yearbook! We have now raised $2,163 from 64 of our 347 families (18% of families), and are still hoping for contributions from ALL families (and even a $1.00 donation helps increase our goal of 100% family participation)! Although we suggest $20 a child, contributions of any size are welcome, and all contributions are tax deductible (and anonymous). Checks (to Fort River Parent Council) or cash can be sent to the Parent Council mailbox in the main office.

Parent Council Wishes to Thank.....

Big Thank Yous to Our Many Volunteers: Family Fair assistance: Wow, I have so many people to thank I know I am going to forget someone- Mary Donahue, Brenda Dapprich, Jenn Wellman, Kathy Niedzielski, Nancy Reffsin, Liza Cunningham, and Anna Gijzen for sale set-up, take down and help running the show; Edy Howe, Jenny Reynolds, David Scherer and Debbie Weyl for going and getting more essentials,the cooler crew: Cynthia Cahoon, Dapprich family, Reynolds family, Donta -Venneman family, Scherers, & Jenn Wellman;Sibbies Pizza, the Fort River Community for being so generous with all the delicious foods, desserts and support, and the 6th grade teachers and students for their hard work and creative game selections! Bravo!!! So many of you pitched in and a good time was had by all! Many thanks!!! Welcome Back Event for Staff and Faculty: Thanks to all the folks that helped make our such a success: Michele Spirko, Jenny Reynolds, Suzanne Schilling, Ann Becker, Debbie Gabor, Caroline Goutte, Lynn Hayes, Laurel Dickey, Nancy Reffsin, Janet Kannel, Joan Lloyd, Jen Wellman, Janet McGowan, Lisa Oram, Lisa Masteralexis, Maya Rege-Colt, Karen Cardozo, Catherine Sanderson, Carrie Turkot, Ellie Skinner, Sue Borden, Traci Wolfe, Rebecca Fricke, Alison Donta-Venman, Chris Felton. Assistance in August with assembling the picnic tables: Alison Donta, Mike Jacques, Jon Kane, Mark Marasco, Steve Poulin, Nancy Reffsin, Steve Reynolds, Amy Rose, Catherine Sanderson, Patrick Schilling, Blake Spirko, Michele Spirko, Peter Venman, and Principal Ray Sharick. Assistance last weekend with installing the picnic tables and springboards: Mike Jacques, Matt Lewis, Kristen Lynch, Ray Mann, Cam Mann, Jim Rodrigue, Catherine Sanderson, Peter Wood, and Principal Ray Sharick.

Fort River Directory

The Directory is coming! The directory committee is hard at work getting the Fort River Directory ready for publication. Each family will be asked if they want their information (phone number, address, email) added to the directory, and to make sure it is correct. Keep a lookout in backpacks next week for this important piece of information.

Sign Up for Parent Council Emails

If you sign up for Parent Council emails you will receive automatic calendar reminders before Parent Council and other school events, as well as weekly email reminders to check the updates on the Parent Council website. You must contact Parent Council to be added to this list. We do not receive any information about you from the school office, so if you don’t tell us to add you to the list, you won’t be added! We won’t share our list with anyone else, and we won’t barrage you with unnecessary messages. Just the stuff you need to know what's going on at school! If you want to add your name to the Parent Council email list, please contact Ann McLaughlin, Parent Council Secretary (damclaughlin@comcast.net, 256-3768).

Volunteers Still Urgently Needed!

We are still looking for volunteers for the following Parent Council activities: Room Parent – Fourth Grade – Ms. Yeh – A room parent is still needed for Ms Yeh’s class in Fourth Grade. If you are interested please contact Sue Borden (FRPC.sborden@gmail.com, 253-0140) Picture Day - Picture Day will be a one day event this year (Tuesday, October 7th). This is a really fun day and volunteers are needed for both morning and afternoon shifts. If you would like to volunteer for Picture Day please contact Pam Rietkerk (pjrietkerk@aol.com, 256-2605). Gardening Committee: We are nearing the final phase of the playground renovation, which will include work on planting and landscaping (thanks to a lovely design by Carol Pope) and painting games (hop scotch, four square) on the blacktop! If you’d like to be involved in this final phase of the playground, please contact Catherine Sanderson (casanderson@amherst.edu, 256-4977). Savings Makes Cents: This is a really fun, easy way to help our kids learn to save. Saving Makes "Cents" is a program to encourage savings habits and goal setting. Children can open a bank account with Florence Savings Bank and can bank weekly in the cafeteria with help from parent volunteers (or directly at the bank). Only $1.00 is needed to open an account, and any amount can be deposited—and after 10 deposits, the Bank will deposit $1.00 into the account. We need 1 or 2 volunteers to work with Barbara Morse to help students make Deposits into their Savings accounts on Tuesday mornings from 8:15 am to 8:45 am. Contact Barbara Morse (253-9160; bmlmorse@comcast.net) for more information. Resource Coordinators for Same-Sex Parent Families and for Single-Parent Families. Resource coordinators act as a contact for families with questions about Fort River and the community. Contact Sue Borden (FRPC.sborden@gmail.com) if you have questions or to volunteer! The Beach Party - The Beach Party is a fun evening social event for families with live music, dancing and ethnic foods from around the world (and sometimes colorful tropical clothes and accessories). Committee members advertise the event, decorate the cafeteria, order food, and help with set up and clean up. Contact Sue Borden (FRPC.sborden@gmail.com) if you have questions or to volunteer!

Read-A-Thon: It's Still Not Too Late!

It's still not too late to turn in your child's Summer Read-A-Thon materials! Please send in your booklists and donations to the Parent Council mailbox ASAP. Contacts: Lynn Logan (lynnlogan@comcast.net) and Gloria McCann (gloriamccann@comcast.net).

Important Playground Update

As you have probably noticed, the next phase of the playground renovation has been completed – we have three new picnic table and two new springboards! We are very thankful to a number of people/businesses who have made this new playground possible: • New England Greenscape (665-3493) installed the lovely brick walkway at cost (no profit for them); • Jim Rodrigue assisted with providing and pouring cement for the playground on three separate occasions; • Chris Rice Associates (427-7505), who handles precision excavation and materials handling, assisted tremendously with digging holes, leveling ground, and providing concrete; • Libby Stanforth and Hana Rivkin coordinated the Fort River Roasters program last year (which netted $1000) and Pam Rietkerk coordinated the Hillside Pizza fundraiser (which netted $800); • Alison Donta, Mike Jacques, Jon Kane, Mark Marasco, Steve Poulin, Nancy Reffsin, Steve Reynolds, Amy Rose, Catherine Sanderson, Patrick Schilling, Blake Spirko, Michele Spirko, Peter Venman, and Principal Ray Sharick assembled the picnic tables; • Mike Jacques, Matt Lewis, Kristen Lynch, Ray Mann, Cam Mann, Jim Rodrigue, Catherine Sanderson, Ray Sharick, and Peter Wood installed the picnic tables and springboards; We are nearing the final phase of the playground renovation, which will include work on planting and landscaping (thanks to a lovely design by Carol Pope) and painting games (hop scotch, four square) on the blacktop! If you’d like to be involved in this final phase of the playground, please contact Catherine Sanderson (casanderson@amherst.edu, 256-4977).

On-Going Fundraisers

Stop & Shop's A+ BonusBucks Program: This is an easy way to raise money for Fort River! You can register by doing any of the following: log on to www.stopandshop.com/aplus OR dial 1-877-366-2668 OR send Ann McLaughlin an email with your 13-digit card number and the first 3 letters of your last name (damclaughlin@comcast.net) and she'll do it for you! After you register, each time you use your Stop & Shop card, Fort River earns CASH! Last year we earned $1,331.98, which we used to buy and install new picnic tables at the new playground! Let's try to top last year's total! Also, don't forget to encourage your friends and relatives to register their own Stop & Shop cards. The more people who are registered, the more money Fort River gets! Even if you designated last year, you must re-designate this year for our school to receive credit. Please be sure to designate Fort River using ID # 05218. Click here for more info. Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans. Remember, Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans orders are due every first Friday of the month throughout the school year. The first deadline is coming up (October 3rd), and order forms are available here and in the envelope on the parent council bulletin board in the school's front hall (on the right after you walk in the main door). We made over $1000 for the playground last year! Box Tops for Education: For each Box Top clipped we receive 10 cents! Please send in box tops to the collection box on the table in the Front Office. You can earn more boxtops by visiting their website at http://www.boxtops4education.com/. Cellphones and Ink Jet Cartridges: Please help protect the environment AND raise money for Parent Council by donating your used digital cell phone(s) and ink jet cartridge(s). Your used cell phone(s) will be recycled in accordance with EPA regulations or refurbished and sold, with 100% of the proceeds going to Parent Council. Just bring your used cell phone and/or ink jet cartridges to the box in the main office.

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council.

Announcing The Woven Word Creative Writing Workshops for Young Girls (5th-8th grade). There are stories and poems that belong to each of us alone. The Woven Word Workshop, now in its 3rd year, is designed to create safe space to develop each girl’s unique voice. The workshop, based on the Amherst Writers & Artists method, takes writers to both unexpected and familiar places, while supporting them in affirming space among their peers. We focus on generating creative writing, rather than grammar or spelling. The workshop is well suited for those who write often, and those who are just beginning to explore writing. Workshop leader Lynn Bowmaster is a published poet with 9 years experience leading writing workshops in her home, as well as teacher trainings and workshops in area schools and social service agencies. 2008 -09 Sessions To Meet Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30, beginning Sept. 23. Meets in Hadley, Amherst carpool usually available. For additional information, call Lynn at 584-3373 or email: lrbowmaster@gmail.com to register or inquire. Cost $14-16/week, sliding scale.

Spice up your fall with an art class at Amherst Community Arts Center! Registration Going On NOW! Classes for children, teens & adults begin September 22nd. Classes include: drawing, painting, pottery & handbuilding, jewelry fabrication, mixed media, mask & puppet making, and much more. Great for any age or ability! Look for our class listings in the Amherst Leisure Times or visit http://www.lsse.org/. For further questions please call LSSE at (413) 259-3065 or ACAC at (413) 253-9265.

North Amherst 3rd Annual Harvest Festival, Sunday September 28th. 1 to 6 PM being held at Simple Gifts Farm, Located on North Pleasant Street, North Amherst. Get It On the Map. GIS Viewer Training Sessions. The Amherst GIS Viewer is a powerful system at gis.amherstma.gov that can be used make custom maps, perform geographic analysis and to gather all kinds of information about any place in Amherst. Please join us for this hour-long public training seminar designed to teach you how to get the most out of the Amherst GIS Viewer. Sessions are currently scheduled for the following dates and times: Thursday, October 2nd, 7:00-8:00pm, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Amherst Town Hall. Reservations are not required. Feel free to RSVP or just come by. For more information, please contact: Mike Olkin, GIS Administrator, Town of Amherst PH 413-259-3247 FX 413-256-4006 http://gis.amherstma.gov/ See Amherst in 3D: http://gis.amherstma.gov/3D. Make Sure Your Child Doesn't Get Left Inside. The Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club is starting up hikes and other events to get kids outdoors. Our first outing will be a short hike at Buffam Falls in Pelham on Saturday, Sept. 27. The goal is to have at least one kid-friendly event every month of the year. Possibilities include scavenger hunts, building fairy houses, and letter boxing. Anyone interested in attending family events or helping with the program can contact Nancy Weld, Family Programs chair at (413) 256-8728 or at familyprograms@amcberkshire.org. The Sept. 27 event will be a short hike at a slow pace, with plenty of opportunity to throw rocks and sticks into the water and explore nature. We may get a snack, lunch or ice cream afterward. We'll start at 10 a.m. Our second event, on Oct. 12, will be a hike up Rattlesnake Knob which is a smaller peak just east of Mount Norwottuck, part of the Holyoke Range in Amherst. We will meet at 10 a.m. and may gather for lunch afterward. Contact Leader Nancy Weld for more information (413) 256-8728 or at familyprograms@amcberkshire.org. A note from Parent Council. We will publish information about non-Parent Council sponsored events with the following conditions: 1. The event should be of interest to Fort River families. 2. The information should be sent to Ann McLaughlin at damclaughlin@comcast.net in the form of a short description. 3. Contact information (website or name, telephone and/or email address) must be included. We add new information to the blog every Friday during the school year. Please note that we do not accept announcements of items or services for sale (with the exceptions of children's classes/lessons). Inclusion in this section does not imply any guarantees or endorsements by Fort River Parent Council or Fort River School.

Parent Council Activities and Events: Contact Names

Student Directory: Jenny Reynolds (reynoldsjh@aol.com) and Hana Rivkin (hrivkin@yahoo.com) Staff Welcome Back Day: Michelle Spirko (spirko@pol.net) Family Fair: Anne Duffy (cattlexstudios@verizon.net) Cultural Enrichment Committee: Dorie Goldman (dorieg@verizon.net) School Pictures: Pam Rietkerk (PJRietkerk@aol.com) Holiday Gift Wrap Sales: Jen Wellman (ajwellman@comcast.net) Fall Festival (the “Halloween Party”): Ann Becker (annmbecker@comcast.net) Book Fair: Diane Caraker (dianec711@comcast.net) and Lynn Hayes (hay3bay@comcast.net) Beach Party: TBA Bus/Van Driver Appreciation Breakfast: Jen Wellman (ajwellman@comcast.net) 6th Grade Graduation: Jan Kelly (jankelly@jkellycollegeconsultants.com) Field Day: Cathy Doctor (kacki29@yahoo.com) and Sarah Murphy (saraha.murphy@comcast.net) Staff/Teacher Appreciation Luncheon: Jacquie Juras (jac.juras@comcast.net) and Coleman Cornelius (colemanecornelius@yahoo.com) Yearbook: Lynn Hayes (hay3bay@comcast.net), Jacquie Juras (jac.juras@comcast.net), Mary Zyskowski (m.zyskowski@comcast.net), Cathy Cullen (cullorder@comcast.net) Fort River Lost and Found/Hand-Me-Downs: Cindy Cahoon (cmchahoon44@yahoo.com). Celebrate With A Book: Diem Nguyen-Pham (hiepdiem@comcast.net) and Ellie Hosea (elly_hosea@yahoo.com) Coffee With A Principal: Parent Council Officers Savings Makes “Cents”: Barbara Morse (bmlmorse@comcast.net) and TBA Playground Committee: Catherine Sanderson (casanderson@amherst.edu) Diversity and Social Justice Committee: Andra Rose. Box Tops for Education: Jan Kelly (jankelly@jkellycollegeconsultants.com) Printer Cartridge/Cell Phone Recycling: Mikey Cutting (neebish@comcast.net) Summer Read-A-Thon: Lynn Logan (lynnlogan@comcast.net) and Gloria McCann (gloriamccann@comcast.net) Fort River Parent Council Newsletter: Jen Ditkoff (jditkoff@yahoo.com) Parent Council Website: Ann McLaughlin (damclaughlin@comcast.net)

Room Parents 2008-09

Kindergarten Sally Imbimbo: Kinga Pluta (xs10tial@comcast.net) Deb Felix: Chaia Wolf (cpwolfwood@hotmail.com) Ann Shea: Stephen Poulin (poulins@gcc.mass.edu) First Grade Eva Jaffe: Hana Rivkin (hrivkin@yahoo.com) & Iris Berkman (ianddberkman@comcast.net) Laurie Hickson: Jennifer Green (peachy-green@comcast.net ) Kimberly Prince: Suzanne Schilling (patsueschilling@comcast.net) Second Grade Linda Castronovo: Traci Wolfe (twolfe@amherst.edu) Irene Eigner: Ruthie Ireland (4ireland@comcast.net) & Libby Stanforth (bstanforth@comcast.net) Tim Sheehan: Becky Michaels (beckymichaels@hotmail.com) Amy Bush: (Jadeandsamsmama@yahoo.com) Third Grade Rachel Sautter: Rebecca Fricke (Fricke@crocker.com) Katie Wright (253-0474) Mary Fournier: Michelle Spirko (spirko@pol.net) Kris Griswold: Jen Ditkoff (jditkoff@syr.edu) Fourth Grade Monica Bhowmik: Karen Cardozo (kcardozo@comcast.net) & Mary Donoghue (aj.donoghue@verizon.net) Maurisa Davis: Ji-Yeon Kim (prettyyeajin@hotmail.com) & Catalina Arrubla (carrubla@gmail.com) Judah Hughes: Cindy McCarthy (mccarthy_cin@hotmail.com) & Audrey O’Connell (audreyoconnell@comcast.net) Linda Yeh: Mike Lynch. (lynch@energyseer.com) Fifth Grade Tim Austin: Pam Rietkerk (PJRietkerk@aol.com) & Shuba Tewari (stewari@mtholyoke.edu) José Cantillo: Sue Cairn (scairn@verizon.net) Liliana Klass: Caroline Goutte (cegoutte@amherst.edu) Sixth Grade Kai Simon / Catherine Davies: Liz Larson (nateliz.larson@gmail.com ) Roger Wallace: Kendra Kroosma (kendakroodsma@yahoo.com) Peter Lamdin: Nancy Reffsin (nreffsin@gmail.com) Erik Stone: Abida Adnan (aadnan@smith.edu)

Upcoming Events

Diversity and Social Justice Committee Meeting. Sept. 24th, 8:45-9:45am. Fort River Library. Fort River Open House. Wednesday, September 24th, 7-9pm. See below for more information. Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans. Orders Due. Click here for form. Coffee With a Principal. Friday, Oct. 3rd, 8:30-9:15am. Fort River Cafeteria. Picture Day. Tues., October 7th. Columbus Day. Monday, Oct. 13th. No school. **Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Volunteers Still Needed!

We are still looking for volunteers for the following Parent Council activities: 1. Savings Makes Cents: This is a really fun, easy way to help our kids learn to save. Saving Makes "Cents" is a program to encourage savings habits and goal setting. Children can open a bank account with Florence Savings Bank and can bank weekly in the cafeteria with help from parent volunteers (or directly at the bank). Only $1.00 is needed to open an account, and any amount can be deposited—and after 10 deposits, the Bank will deposit $1.00 into the account. We need 1 or 2 volunteers to work with Barbara Morse to help students make Deposits into their Savings accounts on Tuesday mornings from 8:15 am to 8:45 am. Contact Barbara Morse (253-9160; bmlmorse@comcast.net) for more information. 2. Resource Coordinators for Same-Sex Parent Families and for Single-Parent Families. Resource coordinators act as a contact for families with questions about Fort River and the community. 3. The Beach Party. The Beach Party is a fun evening social event for families featuring live music, dancing and ethnic foods from around the world (and sometimes colorful tropical clothes and accessories). Committee members advertise the event, decorate the cafeteria in a beach theme, order food, and of course help with set up and clean up. Contact Sue Borden at FRPC.sborden@gmail.com if you have questions or to volunteer!

Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans

Here's an extra reminder for people that Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans orders will be due every first Friday of the month throughout the school year. The first deadline coming up October 3, order forms are available HERE and in the envelope on the parent council bulletin board in the school's front hall (on the right after you walk in the main door). We made over $1000 for the playground last year!

Fort River Open House. Wednesday, Sept. 24th

OPEN HOUSE! YOU ARE INVITED! Wednesday, September 24th

All parent/guardians are encouraged to attend our Parent Night/Open House. This is an evening to meet school staff and learn about the educational program planned for your child’s class. 7:00 – 7:30 PM -Art, Music, Physical Education, Computer Lab -Special Education Staff -Guidance Counselors (Rooms 13 and 14) -Instrumental Music representatives (Library) -ELL parent orientation -Grades Kindergarten-3 (ELL Room) -Language Arts and Math Resource Teachers – Library 7:30 – 8:00 PM -Classroom Teacher Presentations – Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Grades -Instructional materials will be on display in classrooms Grades 4-6 -Library Open 8:00 – 8:15 - Transition Time - ELL parent orientation-Grades 4-6 (-ELL room) 8:15 – 8:45 PM -Classroom Teacher Presentations – 4th, 5th, and 6th Grades -Instructional materials will be on display in classrooms – Grades K-3 -Library Open NOTE: • This is an evening for parents. Except for a few classes of students whose teachers have invited them to be a part of the program, students are not invited. • Conference Sign-ups: A sheet will be posted in each classroom (grades 1-6) so parents may sign up for an individual conference. Teachers will not be discussing progress of individual students on this evening. PARKING: It is important that Fire Lanes are kept open during Open House and all other times. The Amherst Fire Department needs to know that they could get fire engines to the school in an emergency. • Parking is permitted in all marked spaces. • Parking is permitted on the right side of the entrance and exit roads, but NOT on the left side. • Parking is not permitted along the curb in front of the school. Please keep fire lanes open!

School Picture Day is Coming!

Ready, Set, Smile! Picture Day is Tuesday, October 7. Picture Day will be a one day event this year. Order forms will go home a week in advance. This is a really fun day and volunteers are needed for both morning and afternoon shifts. If you would like to volunteer for Picture Day please contact Pam Rietkerk at pjrietkerk@aol.com or call 256-2605. Thanks!

Stop & Shop A+ Bonus Bucks: An Easy Fundraiser!

Attention Stop & Shop Customers! If you already shop at Stop & Shop and have a Stop & Shop card, here's an easy and painless way to raise money for Fort River: register for the A+ Bonus Bucks program. Starting Oct. 3, 2008 through Apr. 2, 2009, Fort River will have the opportunity to earn cash through this program. All you have to do is fill out a Registration Card. Fort River's school ID number is 05218. Then:

Drop it off at any Stop & Shop store OR Log on to www.stopandshop.com/aplus to register online. (Please note: When you enter your Stop & Shop card number, you have to include 13 digits. Start with the small numbers to the left of the bar code, then the 10 digits under the bar code, then the digit to the right of the bar code.) OR Dial 1-877-366-2668 to register over the phone OR send Ann McLaughlin an email with your card number and the first 3 digits of the last name associated with the card and I'll do it for you! After you register your card, each shopping trip at a participating Stop & Shop Store using your Stop & Shop card earns CASH for our school! Each month, the amount of cash awarded will be updated on the Stop & Shop website. Our school will receive a check at the end of the program. The money can be used for any of our school's' educational needs. Remember, even if you registered your card last year, you need to re-register this year for our school to receive credit. Last year we earned $1,331.98, which we used to buy and install new picnic tables at the new playground! Let's try to top last year's total! Also, don't forget to encourage your friends and relatives to register their own Stop & Shop cards! The more people who are registered, the more money Fort River gets! Again Fort River's school id number is 05218. If you have any questions or problems, please contact Ann McLaughlin at damclaughlin@comcast.net or 256-3768.

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. The Commons Group invites you to the Amherst Bike Fair, Saturday, Sept. 20th, on the Amherst Town Common, 9am to 1pm. Join us to learn about Riding Bikes, Safely (An actual half-hour class begins at 11:00), Rules of the Road, Our Speed Limit Petition, Area Bike Maps, Take a Look at A Unicycle Demonstration and A Hybrid Bike. Contact Mary-256-6005, Eduardo-687-8049. A group of Fort River families will be riding from Fort River to the Fair at 9am. Contact Eduardo Suarez (echonyc@gmail.com) if you have questions.

Announcing The Woven Word Creative Writing Workshops for Young Girls (5th-8th grade). There are stories and poems that belong to each of us alone. The Woven Word Workshop, now in its 3rd year, is designed to create safe space to develop each girl’s unique voice. The workshop, based on the Amherst Writers & Artists method, takes writers to both unexpected and familiar places, while supporting them in affirming space among their peers. We focus on generating creative writing, rather than grammar or spelling. The workshop is well suited for those who write often, and those who are just beginning to explore writing. Workshop leader Lynn Bowmaster is a published poet with 9 years experience leading writing workshops in her home, as well as teacher trainings and workshops in area schools and social service agencies. 2008 -09 Sessions To Meet Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30. Meets in Hadley, Amherst carpool usually available. For additional information, call Lynn at 584-3373 or email: lrbowmaster@gmail.com to register or inquire. Cost $14-16/week, sliding scale.

Spice up your fall with an art class at Amherst Community Arts Center! Registration Going On NOW! Classes for children, teens & adults begin September 22nd. Classes include: drawing, painting, pottery & handbuilding, jewelry fabrication, mixed media, mask & puppet making, and much more. Great for any age or ability! Look for our class listings in the Amherst Leisure Times or visit http://www.lsse.org/. For further questions please call LSSE at (413) 259-3065 or ACAC at (413) 253-9265.

Girl Scout Registration. A registration night for the Girls Scouts will take place on Tuesday, September 23rd, at the Bangs Center in Amherst, room 101 at 5:45 PM. We would like to invite all girls who attend Fort River School. Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, http://www.gscwm.org/. Contact: Anne Duffy, cattlexstudios@verizon.net. North Amherst 3rd Annual Harvest Festival, Sunday September 28th. 1 to 6 PM being held at Simple Gifts Farm, Located on North Pleasant Street, North Amherst. Get It On the Map. GIS Viewer Training Sessions. The Amherst GIS Viewer is a powerful system at gis.amherstma.gov that can be used make custom maps, perform geographic analysis and to gather all kinds of information about any place in Amherst. Please join us for this hour-long public training seminar designed to teach you how to get the most out of the Amherst GIS Viewer. Sessions are currently scheduled for the following dates and times: Thursday, September 25th, 7:00-8:00pm, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Amherst Town Hall Thursday, October 2nd, 7:00-8:00pm, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Amherst Town Hall. Reservations are not required. Feel free to RSVP or just come by. For more information, please contact: Mike Olkin, GIS Administrator, Town of Amherst PH 413-259-3247 FX 413-256-4006 http://gis.amherstma.gov/ See Amherst in 3D: http://gis.amherstma.gov/3D. Make Sure Your Child Doesn't Get Left Inside. The Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club is starting up hikes and other events to get kids outdoors. Our first outing will be a short hike at Buffam Falls in Pelham on Saturday, Sept. 27. The goal is to have at least one kid-friendly event every month of the year. Possibilities include scavenger hunts, building fairy houses, and letter boxing. Anyone interested in attending family events or helping with the program can contact Nancy Weld, Family Programs chair at (413) 256-8728 or at familyprograms@amcberkshire.org. The Sept. 27 event will be a short hike at a slow pace, with plenty of opportunity to throw rocks and sticks into the water and explore nature. We may get a snack, lunch or ice cream afterward. We'll start at 10 a.m. Our second event, on Oct. 12, will be a hike up Rattlesnake Knob which is a smaller peak just east of Mount Norwottuck, part of the Holyoke Range in Amherst. We will meet at 10 a.m. and may gather for lunch afterward. Contact Leader Nancy Weld for more information (413) 256-8728 or at familyprograms@amcberkshire.org. A note from Parent Council. We will publish information about non-Parent Council sponsored events with the following conditions: 1. The event should be of interest to Fort River families. 2. The information should be sent to Ann McLaughlin at damclaughlin@comcast.net in the form of a short description. 3. Contact information (website or name, telephone and/or email address) must be included. We add new information to the blog every Friday during the school year. Please note that we do not accept announcements of items or services for sale (with the exceptions of children's classes/lessons). Inclusion in this section does not imply any guarantees or endorsements by Fort River Parent Council or Fort River School.

School Council Elections--Deadline Thurs. Sept. 18

Two seats will be open this year on the Fort River School Council. The School Council is a state-mandated elected body of parents and staff that help define the policies and procedures of the school. It meets monthly to work on the development of the budget and school improvement plan and makes recommendations to the principal. If you are interested in running for one of the two vacant two-year seats, please contact Parent Council President Sue Borden (tel. 253-0140, or FRPC.sborden@gmail.com). You will need to prepare a statement for the election ballot of 50 words or less. The deadline for these statements is THURSDAY, Sept. 18th. Election ballots will be sent out to all Fort River parents on Monday, Sept. 22nd.

Upcoming School Events

Playground Installation. Sunday, Sept. 14th, starting at 10am. Fort River Playground. See below for more info. Summer Read-a-Thon Booklists and Money Due. Monday Sept. 15th. Please return your envelopes to school to receive your gift. Superintendent of Schools Search Process: Community Meetings. Monday, September 15th and Tuesday September 16th. See below for specific meetings and times. Family Fair. Tues., Sept. 16th, 5-7pm. Fort River Playground. (Rain date is Wed., Sept. 17th) Click here for more info. Diversity and Social Justice Committee Meeting. Sept. 24th, 8:45-9:45am. Fort River Library. Fort River Open House. Wednesday, September 24th, 7-9pm. More information to follow. Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans. Orders Due. See below for more info. Coffee With a Principal. Friday, Oct. 3rd, 8:30-9:15am. Fort River Cafeteria. Picture Day. Tues., October 7th. Columbus Day. Monday, Oct. 13th. No school. **Items in blue are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Playground Installation Help Wanted

Playground installation help is needed to assemble equipment, dig holes for the new equipment and picnic table, and plant trees! Volunteers are needed this Sunday, September 14th starting at 10am. Please contact Catherine Sanderson (256-4977, casanderson@amherst.edu) if you can help for any length of time. Donations of food/drink, and/or assistance with provideing childcare for our volunteers, would also be much appreciated! Volunteers--please bring shovels, rakes and drills if you can! We know all parents are busy...but we REALLY can't finish this LAST phase of the new playground without you! Thanks much!

Be Cool: Get the Fort River Parent Council Logo!

In our continuing quest to "brand" ourselves, Fort River Parent Council would like our logo to be included on any Parent Council-related handouts, newsletters and forms that go out to the Fort River community. Our hope is that this will make Parent Council's role in the school community clearer. If you are in charge of a Parent Council event or fundraiser and will be sending out any kind of papers home in the backpacks, please take a minute to click on this link: Fort River Parent Council Logo Jpeg File. Or, simply click on the logo over there at the top left! Are you asking yourself: "Now what do I do?" It's easy! Just copy the picture that pops up and paste it into your document. Or, save the file on your computer for future use. (In Windows, right-click your mouse and pick "Save picture as.") Most text editing software will allow you to change the size of the picture. It doesn't really matter where on the page you put it, just try to get it on there somewhere! Also, if you are re-using old forms from previous years, please remember to update them by including the snazzy logo! Thanks to Fort River parent Mary Zyskowski, for designing this cool logo!

Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans

Help support the new playground by buying something that we all love...COFFEE!

Dean’s Beans coffee is not only delicious, but it’s also organic and kosher. Not to mention, Dean’s Beans is committed to Fair Trade, which make every sip worth while. No need to come to school to pick up your order. Coffee will be sent home with your child (unless you otherwise specify). The price of the coffee is cheaper than if you purchased it at the grocery store. WOW! Not only are we saving you a trip to the store, but we’re also saving you money. Your friends, co-workers, and family members can save money too. Ask them if they’d like to buy some delicious coffee at a cheaper price.

If this sounds good to you, fill out this order form and send it in with a check made out to Fort River Parent Council to the Parent Council mailbox in the main office. Questions or comments? Contact Libby Stanforth (253-8039, bstanforth@comcast.net) or Hana Rivkin (256-2330, hrivkin@yahoo.com). Orders are due the first Friday of every month (Oct. 3th, Nov. 7nd, Dec. 5th, Jan. 9th, Feb. 6st, March 6th, April 3th, May 1nd, June 5th), and the coffee will arrive within approximately two weeks. REMINDER: Make checks payable to Fort River Parent Council.

Superintendent of Schools Search Process--Don't Forget!

The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee cordially invites all parents/guardians to participate as focus group members to support the: SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS SEARCH PROCESS Please come and share your views and ideas about what is most important to look for in our next Superintendent of Schools. Monday, September 15, 2008 6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. at Amherst Regional High School Library All district parents/guardians are encouraged to participate. 7:15 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. School Councils and PTO members at ARHS Library Tuesday, September 16, 2008 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. at Bang’s Center Anti-Racism Community Groups/Individuals 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Jones Library All Community Members and Citizens 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at School District Central Office Parents/Guardians of Special Education Students 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at High School Library Parents/Guardians of English Language Learners 7 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at HS Library Public Forum for Parents, Guardians, and Community Members Jacqueline Roy of J.A. Roy Associates, who is assisting the Committee in conducting the search for a new Superintendent, will facilitate the forums. Please call Kathryn Mazur, HR Director, Amherst-Pelham Regional School District at 362-1803 if you would like further information about the Superintendent Search process. You may also check the school district website, www.arps.org, for updates as the search progresses.

Coffee With a Principals Schedule

Coffee with a Principal will be held on the first Friday of every month at 8:30am in the cafeteria. This is a great opportunity to meet and talk informally with Principal Ray Sharick and/or Assistant Principal Lianne Suarez-Werlein. Hope to see you there! Dates: October 3 November 7 December 5 January 9* February 6 March 6 April 3 May 1 June 5 *January's coffee will be held Jan. 9th, due to the school vacation.

Fort River Parent Council Officers 2008-2009

President: Sue Borden (FRPC.sborden@gmail.com) Vice President for Teacher Outreach: Eileen Marasco (e.marasco@comcast.net) VP for Gradewide Events & Room Parents: Navneet Marwaha (marwaha.navneet@gmail.com) VP Fundraising: Libby Stanforth (bstanforth@comcast.net) VP for Family Events: Liza Cunningham (liza@cognomen.biz) Secretary: Ann McLaughlin (damclaughlin@comcast.net)

Treasurer: Lynn Hayes (hay2bay@comcast.net)

Grade Representatives 2008-2009

Grade Representatives Grade representatives have three responsibilities: finding a room parent for each of the teachers in your grade, contacting new families and welcoming them to the school, and working with the room parents (and other parents) to organize one grade-wide event (an event that brings together all kids in a given grade, across classrooms, during an out-of-school time). K – Tammy Rahhal Schulkind (trahhal@psych.umass.edu) 1 – Sue Schilling (patsueschilling@comcast.net) 2 – Ruthie Ireland (4ireland@comcast.net) 3 – Diane Caraker (dianec711@comcast.net) 4 – Catalina Arrubla (carrubla@gmail.com) 5 – Gloria McCann (gloriamccann@comcast.net) 6 – Cathy Cullen (cullorder@comcast.net)

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. Book Launch Party for Walking Boston: 36 Tours Through Beantown's Cobblestone Streets, Historic Districts, Ivory Towers & New Waterfront by Fort River parent Robert Todd Felton. September 16, 7pm at Amherst Books. Todd is also the author of A Journey into the Transcendentalists' New England & A Journey into Ireland's Literary Revival. More info at: http://www.amherstbooks.com/Events/%20eventsSeptember2008.shtml and http://www.rtoddfelton.com/. Mass. Harvest for Students: 5% Day at Whole Foods. If you are a Whole Foods customer, please consider shopping on TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 and help to support Mass. Harvest for Students Week with your purchasing power. It could be a great day to stock up on those items you use all the time anyway! There will be an informational table at Whole Foods in advance of the event, or visit the web page to learn more about Mass. Harvest for Students Week (Sept. 22 -26 this year). www.mass.gov/agr/markets/Farm_to_school/ Music Together® for Valley Families is now registering for Fall classes, offering weekly sessions of this internationally recognized parent/child music enrichment program for children 0-5 years old. Locations are in Amherst at Immanuel Lutheran Church, The Congregational Church Parish House in Belchertown, The Children’s Museum at Holyoke, and All Saint’s Episcopal Church in So. Hadley. Classes are held on various days and times starting September 17. Call (413) 259-9400 or view their web site: http://www.valleymusicgroup.com/ to register and receive more information. Spice up your fall with an art class at Amherst Community Arts Center! Registration Going On NOW! Classes for children, teens & adults begin September 22nd. Classes include: drawing, painting, pottery & handbuilding, jewelry fabrication, mixed media, mask & puppet making, and much more. Great for any age or ability! Look for our class listings in the Amherst Leisure Times or visit http://www.lsse.org/. For further questions please call LSSE at (413) 259-3065 or ACAC at (413) 253-9265. Multi-Arts Drama Program. This after school program is a fun and exciting opportunity for students to hone their dramatic skills through movement, scene work, improvisation, play writing, and theater games. For children grades K-3 and 3-6. Wednesdays 3:00-4:30pm. September 17 - December 10 (12 weeks). 867 N. Pleasant St. (next to Marks Meadow School), Amherst. Cost: $240 (Financial aid available). Limited Space. For more information, contact us at (413) 584-7951 or visit http://www.multi-arts.org/. FLAMENCO Dance Classes. The fall flamenco dance courses start on Wednesday, September 10. Beginner Children (ages 9-11): Wed., 4-5pm, Hadley. Beginner Teens &Young Adults (12+): Wed., 5-6pm, Hadley. Beginner Adults & Teens: Tuesday 7:30-8:30PM. Studio:HADLEY: North Star - Intersection of Rt. 47 and Rt. 9. Fees: Session of ten classes: $150. To register, contact Ines Arrubla at ines@arrublaflamenco.com / http://www.arrublaflamenco.com/. Girl Scout Registration. A registration night for the Girls Scouts will take place on Tuesday, September 23rd, at the Bangs Center in Amherst, room 101 at 5:45 PM. We would like to invite all girls who attend Fort River School. Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, http://www.gscwm.org/. Contact: Anne Duffy, cattlexstudios@verizon.net. Join in the Adventure and join Cub Scouts. For boys in Grades 1 through 5. Boy Scouting includes boys in grades 6 through 12. Sign up with either: Pack 515, which meets at the Masonic Hall in Amherst (contact: Russell Kosuda; work: 587-6587 or home: 253-1663; email; Russell.Kosuda@McKesson.com) OR Pack 502, which meets at the South Congregational Church in South Amherst. (Contact: Julia Mawson 253-2817 email: JSMQUILTSCOUT@yahoo.com.) Sign up is Tuesday, September 9, 2008 from 5 PM till 8 PM at the Masonic Hall (next to the police station in Amherst on Main Street) for both Pack 502 and 515. Representatives from Troop 500 and Troop 504 will be present if any older brothers are interested. Come and see what Scouting is all about. North Amherst 3rd Annual Harvest Festival, Sunday September 28th. 1 to 6 PM being held at Simple Gifts Farm, Located on North Pleasant Street, North Amherst. Get It On the Map. GIS Viewer Training Sessions. The Amherst GIS Viewer is a powerful system at gis.amherstma.gov that can be used make custom maps, perform geographic analysis and to gather all kinds of information about any place in Amherst. Please join us for this hour-long public training seminar designed to teach you how to get the most out of the Amherst GIS Viewer. Sessions are currently scheduled for the following dates and times: Monday, September 15th, 10:00-11:00am, Town Room, Amherst Town Hall Thursday, September 25th, 7:00-8:00pm, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Amherst Town Hall Thursday, October 2nd, 7:00-8:00pm, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Amherst Town Hall. Reservations are not required. Feel free to RSVP or just come by. For more information, please contact: Mike Olkin, GIS Administrator, Town of Amherst PH 413-259-3247 FX 413-256-4006 http://gis.amherstma.gov/ See Amherst in 3D: http://gis.amherstma.gov/3D. Make Sure Your Child Doesn't Get Left Inside. The Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club is starting up hikes and other events to get kids outdoors. Our first outing will be a short hike at Buffam Falls in Pelham on Saturday, Sept. 27. The goal is to have at least one kid-friendly event every month of the year. Possibilities include scavenger hunts, building fairy houses, and letter boxing. Anyone interested in attending family events or helping with the program can contact Nancy Weld, Family Programs chair at (413) 256-8728 or at familyprograms@amcberkshire.org. The Sept. 27 event will be a short hike at a slow pace, with plenty of opportunity to throw rocks and sticks into the water and explore nature. We may get a snack, lunch or ice cream afterward. We'll start at 10 a.m. Our second event, on Oct. 12, will be a hike up Rattlesnake Knob which is a smaller peak just east of Mount Norwottuck, part of the Holyoke Range in Amherst. We will meet at 10 a.m. and may gather for lunch afterward. Contact Leader Nancy Weld for more information (413) 256-8728 or at familyprograms@amcberkshire.org. A note from Parent Council. We will publish information about non-Parent Council sponsored events with the following conditions: 1. The event should be of interest to Fort River families. 2. The information should be sent to Ann McLaughlin at damclaughlin@comcast.net in the form of a short description. 3. Contact information (website or name, telephone and/or email address) must be included. We add new information to the blog every Friday during the school year. Please note that we do not accept announcements of items or services for sale (with the exceptions of children's classes/lessons). Inclusion in this section does not imply any guarantees or endorsements by Fort River Parent Council or Fort River School.

Upcoming Events

School Committee Meeting. Tues., Sept 9th, 7pm. High School Library. Parent Council Meeting. Wed., Sept. 10th, 8:30-9:30am. Fort River Cafeteria. All parents are welcome since all Fort River parents are automatically members of Parent Council! Family Fair. Tues., Sept. 16th, 5-7pm. Fort River Playground. (Rain date is Wed., Sept. 17th) See below for more info. Fort River Open House. Wednesday, September 24th, 7-9pm. More information to follow. Picture Day. Tues., October 7th. **Items in blue are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Welcome (Back) to the Parent Council Website!

Dear Fort River Families, Welcome (back) to Fort River and the Parent Council Website! I hope you all had a wonderful summer and a great start to the new school year. It was wonderful to see so many of you at this morning's Coffee With a Principal, where we all got to greet Ray Sharick. I'm sure you all join me in wishing him well as he gets to know us and our children. Welcome to the Fort River Community! I am looking forward to working with our new Parent Council President, Sue Borden, and the rest of the Parent Council officers and members this year. Please bear with Sue and me as we work out a schedule for updating this website. I have already made quite a few updates, but you may find that some of the links and features may not be functioning yet. Please be patient: I intend to get them working as soon as possible! If you haven't already subscribed to our Parent Council email list, you can easily be added to the list by sending me an email at: damclaughlin@comcast.net. You'll get weekly email reminders to check the updates on this blog, and you'll also get automatic calendar reminders before the various Fort River events such as the Family Fair and Parent Council meetings. All Fort River families, staff and faculty are welcome to sign up! Have you been getting Parent Council emails this year? Make sure I have your latest email address or else you won't! Once again, just send me an email with your updated address. Also, please let me know what your old email address was so I can remove it from the list. If you no longer wish to be on the list, please send me an email as well, and I'll unsubscribe you. Or, send any email to: fort_river_parent_council_newsletter-unsubscribe@npogroups.org and you will be automatically unsubscribed. And finally, as always, I make every attempt to keep the website and calendar up-to-date and accurate. If you notice a mistake or omission, please feel free to send me an email with the correction and I'll fix it as soon as possible. Thanks, Ann McLaughlin Fort River Parent Council Secretary and Website Editor

Amherst School Superintendent Search

Principal Sharick asked me to share the following with you. Please see the entry below this one for the full schedule of meetings with community groups.

AMHERST-PELHAM REGIONAL SCHOOLS 170 CHESTNUT STREET AMHERST, MA 01002 413/362-1810 413/549-6108 (FAX) Office of Human Resources September 5, 2008 RE: Amherst School District Superintendent Search Dear School Council and PTO Members, As you may be aware, a consultant, Jacqueline Roy of J.A. Roy Associates, has been hired to assist the Regional School Committee in the search process for a new Superintendent of Schools to begin his/her work in July 2009 or sooner. Ms. Roy will begin her work by helping define the qualities, skills and experience that the public is looking for in a superintendent. To accomplish this critical task, Ms. Roy will be meeting with approximately 20 groups representing a broad range of constituencies within the district. I have scheduled a focus group with Ms. Roy and School Councils and PTOs on Monday, September 15 at 7:15 p.m. at the High School Library. The meeting is intended to provide the consultant with information about the district’s current strengths and challenges, as well as to gather suggestions about the qualities and characteristics that the district should seek in its superintendent, as indicated above. I hope that the assigned date and time are convenient for you. Please contact me at 362-1803 or by e-mail at mazurk@arps.org if you have any questions about the scheduled meeting. In addition to the group meetings, Ms. Roy will hold other public meetings as per the attached schedule to which you are also invited. We appreciate your participation in this important endeavor. Sincerely, Kathryn Mazur Human Resources Director

Attention Google Calendar Users

Did you know that you can add the Fort River Parent Council calendar to your Google calendar? Just go to Google Calendars and sign into your Google account. In the search box, type in "Fort River Parent Council" and hit "Search Public Calendars." When "Fort River Parent Council Calendar" pops up, just click on "Add to Calendar." When you view your Google calendar, all the Fort River events will already be there!

Fort River Family Fair--Tues, Sept 16 5-7pm.

Fort River Family Fair 2008 Fort River Playground Tuesday, September 16, 2008 (Raindate: Wed., Sept. 17th) 5-7pm Please join the Fort River Community in celebrating the start of the school year, featuring foods from around the world, drinks, music and games. Once again, pizza, salad, drinks, casserole dishes and baked goods will be on sale. You can bring your own picnic if you like. The sixth graders will be working very hard planning fun games for everyone. The salads, casserole dishes and baked goods come from contributions from Fort River families. Each year the selection of yummy foods gets better. If you wish to donate food for the fair, please bring food from your cultural heritage. Please contact Anne Duffy if you plan to donate food to the fair, or just bring it along! The Family Fair is one of the most popular fundraising and social events of the year, sponsored by Parent Council. Please come and support the sixth graders and at the same time socialize with your friends and network with new families. If you have any questions, please call Anne Duffy at 256-1646 or email her at cattlexstudios@verizon.net.

Staff and Faculty Welcome Back Event

Michele Spirko reports that the "Welcome Back" event for staff and faculty was very successful. Your help is/was very much appreciated! Ray Sharick and many teachers commented on how delicious the food was and how much they enjoyed the opportunity to relax with colleagues during such a busy time. Michele had some difficulty keeping track of everyone who donated, but would like to acknowledge all who helped. Below is a list of those volunteers that she is aware of. Our apologies to anyone who has been left off the list--it was strictly unintentional! Parent Council thanks: Jenny Reynolds, Suzanne Schilling, Ann Becker, Debbie Gabor, Caroline Goutte, Lynn Hayes, Laurel Dickey, Nancy Reffsin, Janet Kannel, Joan Lloyd, Jen Wellman, Janet McGowan, Lisa Oram, Lisa Masteralexis, Maya Rege-Colt, Karen Cardozo, Catherine Sanderson, Carrie Turkot, Ellie Skinner, Sue Borden, Traci Wolfe, Rebecca Fricke, Alison Donta-Venman, and Chris Felton.

Parent Council Thanks Playground Volunteers

Parent Council thanks the talented parent volunteers who helped the Playground Committee assemble the new picnic tables at the playground on Saturday, August 23rd. Many thanks to: Nancy Reffsin, Amy Rose, Peter Venman and Alison Donta, Blake and Michele Spirko, Mike Jacques, Patrick Schilling, Jon Kane, Steve Reynolds, Steve Poulin, Mark Marasco, Catherine Sanderson, and Principal Ray Sharick. Also, thanks to Mark Marasco for the great photos!

Of Interest to Fort River Families

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. Girl Scout Registration. A registration night for the Girls Scouts will take place on Tuesday, September 23rd, at the Bangs Center in Amherst, room 101 at 5:45 PM. We would like to invite all girls who attend Fort River School. Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, http://www.gscwm.org/. Contact: Anne Duffy, cattlexstudios@verizon.net. Calling all 3rd Grade Girls. Fort River's Brownie Troop 324 will be having a Get Together and Get Organized Round Up at Groff Park on Saturday, September 6th, 1 - 3pm. All 3rd grade girls at Fort River are welcome to come and find out what our Brownies have in store for the coming year. An RSVP is appreciated but not required. If you have questions, please contact Liz Larson at 230-3453 or nateliz.larson@gmail.com. Join in the Adventure and join Cub Scouts. For boys in Grades 1 through 5. Boy Scouting includes boys in grades 6 through 12. Sign up with either: Pack 515, which meets at the Masonic Hall in Amherst (contact: Russell Kosuda; work: 587-6587 or home: 253-1663; email; Russell.Kosuda@McKesson.com) OR Pack 502, which meets at the South Congregational Church in South Amherst. (Contact: Julia Mawson 253-2817 email: JSMQUILTSCOUT@yahoo.com.) Sign up is Tuesday, September 9, 2008 from 5 PM till 8 PM at the Masonic Hall (next to the police station in Amherst on Main Street) for both Pack 502 and 515. Representatives from Troop 500 and Troop 504 will be present if any older brothers are interested. Come and see what Scouting is all about. North Amherst 3rd Annual Harvest Festival, Sunday September 28th. 1 to 6 PM being held at Simple Gifts Farm, Located on North Pleasant Street, North Amherst. Get It On the Map. GIS Viewer Traing Sessions. The Amherst GIS Viewer is a powerful system at gis.amherstma.gov that can be used make custom maps, perform geographic analysis and to gather all kinds of information about any place in Amherst. Please join us for this hour-long public training seminar designed to teach you how to get the most out of the Amherst GIS Viewer. Sessions are currently scheduled for the following dates and times: Monday, September 15th, 10:00-11:00am, Town Room, Amherst Town Hall Thursday, September 25th, 7:00-8:00pm, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Amherst Town Hall Thursday, October 2nd, 7:00-8:00pm, 1st Floor Meeting Room, Amherst Town Hall. Reservations are not required. Feel free to RSVP or just come by. For more information, please contact: Mike Olkin, GIS Administrator, Town of Amherst PH 413-259-3247 FX 413-256-4006 http://gis.amherstma.gov/ See Amherst in 3D: http://gis.amherstma.gov/3D. Make Sure Your Child Doesn't Get Left Inside. The Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club is starting up hikes and other events to get kids outdoors. Our first outing will be a short hike at Buffam Falls in Pelham on Saturday, Sept. 27. The goal is to have at least one kid-friendly event every month of the year. Possibilities include scavenger hunts, building fairy houses, and letter boxing. Anyone interested in attending family events or helping with the program can contact Nancy Weld, Family Programs chair at (413) 256-8728 or at familyprograms@amcberkshire.org. The Sept. 27 event will be a short hike at a slow pace, with plenty of opportunity to throw rocks and sticks into the water and explore nature. We may get a snack, lunch or ice cream afterward. We'll start at 10 a.m. Our second event, on Oct. 12, will be a hike up Rattlesnake Knob which is a smaller peak just east of Mount Norwottuck, part of the Holyoke Range in Amherst. We will meet at 10 a.m. and may gather for lunch afterward. Contact Leader Nancy Weld for more information (413) 256-8728 or at familyprograms@amcberkshire.org. A note from Parent Council. We will publish information about non-Parent Council sponsored events with the following conditions: 1. The event should be of interest to Fort River families. 2. The information should be sent to Ann McLaughlin at damclaughlin@comcast.net in the form of a short description. 3. Contact information (website or name, telephone and/or email address) must be included. We add new information to the blog every Friday during the school year. Please note that we do not accept announcements of items or services for sale (with the exceptions of children's classes/lessons). Inclusion in this section does not imply any guarantees or endorsements by Fort River Parent Council or Fort River School.