Upcoming School Events

Election Day Bake Sale. Tues. Nov. 4th. During voting hours. Donations of baked goods and volunteers to sell them are needed. Don't forget to stop by and buy something! Click here for more information. Coffee With a Principal. Friday, Nov. 7th, 8:30-9:15am. Please join Principal Ray Sharick and/or Asst. Principal Lianne Suarez-Werlein for coffee, light breakfast foods and casual conversation in the cafeteria. Younger siblings are welcome to attend. Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans Orders Due. Friday, Nov. 7th. Please send in your forms to the Parent Council mailbox. Click here for form. Veteran's Day. Tuesday, Nov. 11th. No School. Parent Council Meeting. Tues. Nov. 18th. 8:30-9:30am. In the cafeteria. School Committee Meeting. Tuesday, Nov. 18th, 7pm. High School Library. **Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Don't Forget to Vote: Tues. Nov. 4th.

This coming Tuesday, Nov. 4th is election day. Polls are open from 7am to 8pm. Please be prepared to wait to vote: turnout is expected to be large! I would personally like to ask you to be aware of the issues raised by Ballot Question #1 about eliminating the state income tax. The outcome of this question could have a huge impact on our schools and our town. As parents of children in our public schools, it is important for you all to be informed when you step into the voting booth. Here's some voting information to get you started!

CLICK TO VIEW THE STATE/FEDERAL 2008 BALLOT CLICK TO VIEW THE AMHERST BALLOT

CANDIDATES AND BALLOT QUESTIONS

The 2008 Massachusetts ballot features state, national, and presidential elections, as well as three ballot questions.

• Candidates on the ballot
• Question 1: Eliminating state income tax
• Question 2: Change in marijuana laws
• Question 3: Prohibit dog racing for wagering purposes
• Download a voter information guide (PDF)

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

You can vote by absentee ballot if you:

• Will be absent from your city or town on election day
• Have a physical disability that prevents you from voting at the polling place
• Cannot vote at the polls due to religious beliefs

The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot is noon the day before the election -- Monday, Nov. 3, 2008. You can fill out your absentee ballot at the clerk's office, request that an absentee ballot be mailed to you, or download an application below.

Absentee ballot applications:

• Absentee Ballot Application (PDF)
• Peticion de Voto en Ausencia (PDF)

Information for this guide was compiled from the Massachusetts secretary of state's office: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/. Sincerely, Ann McLaughlin, Parent Council Secretary. Thanks to the Wildwood PTO putting this information together.

Fall Festival Pictures

Pictures of some of the great costumes (& kids!) that were seen at this year's Fall Festival.

Parent Council Thanks Fall Festival Volunteers

The fall festival and sports swap was a great success thanks to the efforts of a lot of parents and Fort River alums! Hats off to Jen Ditkoff, Peter Wood, Pam Reitkirk, Diane Caraker. Alisa Braverman, Joy Sullivan, Mikey Cutting, Leah Hebert, Gloria McCann, Ann McLaughlin, Carole Slaughter, Mary Donoghue, Andy Donoghue, Klaus Becker,Anna Sullivan, Courtney Milne, Shelby Cutting, Rachel Madowitz, Sam Becker, Johann Becker,Amelia Ahlborg, Louise Levy, Jay Levy for running a craft/game or set-up or clean up. Also the fair would not be a success without the many donations of supplies and cupcakes/cookies (please forgive me if I missed anyone): Michelle Spirko,Catherine Sanderson,Edy Howe,Mike Lynch,Carrie Turkott, Iris Berkman, Debra Russell,Margit Carkoff,Natalie Stafford,Elisabeth Becker. Finally, kudos to West farm in Hadley for supplying 100 mini pumpkins at a much reduced rate for the pumpkin decorating craft! Hope to see you all next year!

Box Tops for Education: Update

Thanks to all who have been busily cutting Box Tops Coupons. The first submission was this week and we sent in over 3,300 box tops totaling $338.00! This is the best we have ever done and we hope that everyone will keep checking products to make certain they are not throwing away coupons. They may only be worth 10 cents each, but over time that adds up. For comparison, last year we earned $128.75 for the fall submissions with a total for the year of $295. The year before our total for the year was $97.00! We are off to an amazing start! The final submissions for checks to be received this school year will be February 28. Please keep clipping and sending the Box Tops to school (There is a box on the front table in the main office.) Each year our goal has been $500 and this year we may even exceed it! In addition to cutting coupons, you may also register on the Box Tops for Education website for periodic raffles of Box Tops. Once you have registered, you can purchase things through the Box Tops Market Place from many on-line companies. If you ever order things on-line from places like Target, Barnes and Noble, The Gap, or Lands End to name a few, consider registering at Box Tops and accessing these sites through the Market Place. Target for example will donate 1.5% of the total purchase to our school. I am not asking anyone to buy anything they do not already need, just take a few minutes to see if there is a way for your purchase to help out Fort River School. This is the best fund raiser as it does not require any monetary donation, just a few minutes to get out the scissors and clip. So when you are preparing Thanksgiving dinner look for the Box Tops symbol. Let’s exceed our goal for the year! Thanks, Jan Kelly

Hillside Pizza Fundraiser

Back by Popular Demand: Hillside Pizza Fundraiser The Parent Council is very excited to announce another Hillside Pizza Fundraiser for the Fort River Playground! Thanks to everyone who participated last year we made over $850 for picnic tables and benches. Let’s try to beat our record this fall and make a larger contribution to the planned landscaping around the playground. Up to $4 of every pizza and cookie tub sold goes to the Fort River Playground Fund. The more product we sell the more Hillside gives back to Fort River. Order forms will be available soon and due on November 25. Pizza pick-up will be Friday, December 5. Keep an eye out for the order form and start planning your pizza party! Questions? Contact Pam Rietkerk at pjrietkerk@aol.com or 256-2605.

Lunch Cards

About our New Lunch Cards As you may know by now, the company that provides our food service has instituted a new procedure for payment which involves the use of individual cards with bar codes on them. Each student has been assigned a card that s/he can swipe at the check-out counter. The primary reason the school district implemented this procedure is to ensure the anonymity of students who receive free or reduced lunch. (Prior to this, students on free/reduced lunch would give their names to the person at the check-out counter, who checked them off of a list.) Now, all students will have a card, and it will not be clear to everyone whether a student gets free or reduced lunch. These cards will also have the benefit of making the lunch lines move more quickly, which will give students a longer time to eat their lunches. In order for this system to work efficiently, it would be very helpful if students put money on their cards once a week or month and spend it gradually. (It makes no sense for them to have the cards if they continue to pay with cash.) If your child purchases school lunches, please assist us in implementing our new payment system by pre-paying for one week, two weeks or even a month. Thank you!

Cafeteria Price Increases

The Superintendent's office has announced price increases in the school cafeterias starting Monday, Nov. 3rd. Lunch will increase by $0.25 to $2.50 and Breakfast will now be $0.50. Click here for further details from the Director of Finance and Operations of the Superintendent's office.

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. Multi-Arts Electronic Magazine. Allow yourself to be surprised, delighted, and inspired. Children's creativity and depth of thinking can be mesmerizing. Take a look at Multi-Arts Electronic Magazine: http://www.multi-arts.org/newsletter/10-08/index.html. 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 School Events

Fall Festival and Fort River Swap. Fri., Oct. 24th, 6:30-8:00pm. Fort River Cafeteria. See below for more information. Election Day Bake Sale. Tues. Nov. 4th. During voting hours. Donations of baked goods and volunteers to sell them are needed. See below for more information. Coffee With a Principal. Friday, Nov. 7th, 8:30-9:15am. Please join Principal Ray Sharick and/or Asst. Principal Lianne Suarez-Werlein for coffee, light breakfast foods and casual conversation in the cafeteria. Younger siblings are welcome to attend. Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans Orders Due. Friday, Nov. 7th. Please send in your forms to the Parent Council mailbox. Click here for form. Parent Council Meeting. Tues. Nov. 18th. 8:30-9:30am. In the cafeteria. **Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Fall Festival and Sport Swap TONIGHT!

Fall Festival and Sports Swap

Friday, October 24th 2008 6:30-8:00 pm

Fall Festival There will be a costume parade, lots of games and prizes, crafts, and face painting! Please remember; admission is a donation to the festival's snack table if your child is in grades K-2, or for grades 3-6 a food donation to the Amherst Survival Center. Volunteers are STILL needed for the Fall Festival. Please contact Ann Becker (253-6449; annmbecker@comcast.net) if you are willing to volunteer. Reminder: The Fall Festival is NOT a drop-off event! All children must be supervised by a parent/guardian. Sports Swap The Fort River Sports Swap will be happening at the same time as the Fall Festival. Please bring your unwanted clean and usable winter clothes and sporting equipment to the school lobby on your way into the Fall Festival. This is a take-it-or-leave-it event without money or obligation. Possible items include but are not limited to dance clothes/shoes, skates and skating clothes, soccer equipment, hats, gloves, coats, snowsuits, and skiing equipment. All winter coats remaining at the end of the evening will be donated to our upcoming Winter Coat Drive. Please note: you can simply bring your items and drop them with us at the door. There is no obligation to bring anything in order to take something. Contact: Peter Wood cpwolfwood@hotmail.com.

Election Day Bake Sale--Tuesday, Nov. 4th During the Election

Click on picture to enlarge! 

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. HITCHCOCK CENTER ENCHANTED FOREST: CREATURES OF OUR FOREST -- A NON-SCARY, FAMILY HALLOWEEN EVENT. Friday, October 24, 5 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 25, 5 to 8:30 p.m. Rain date: Sunday, October 26, 5 to 8:30 p.m. Every October the trails at the Hitchcock Center come alive with a fun and intriguing assortment of nature creatures. This year you will meet creatures that live right here in our eastern hardwood forests. Adults and children of all ages will enjoy meeting our magical characters as you are guided along the pumpkin-lit trails. Walks leave the center every 15 minutes and last approximately 45 minutes. Simple crafts and games and a visit to a fortune teller in the Center are included in the fee. Seasonal baked goods will be on sale. This is one of the most popular and fun events we hold all year and is always sold out. Reservations for a specific date and time are required. Call early to register by phone. Indoor activities close promptly at 8:30 p.m., so if you are registered for a later walk please arrive with enough time to participate in the indoor activities before your walk. Pre-registration is required; please call (413) 256-6006. Member: $8, Non-member: $12 . No charge for children age 2 and under. Group rates are not available. AMHERST TRIVIA BEE, Thursday, October 30, 2008, 7:00-9:00pm, Middle School Auditorium. FOR TEAMS: To sponsor a team or play on a team contact Linda Rotti at Jones, Town and Country, 549-3700. Proceeds to benefit the Amherst Education Foundation, Inc. Currently there are 20 plus teams registered, we need 10 more teams to fill the stage. Teams, which are comprised of area business or 4 individuals form a group. For instance 4 elementary school principals who are out to prove they are "Smarter Than a 5th Grader". The entry fee is 125.00 per team. The committee will also pair up a 4-player teams with a sponsor if the team does not have one. We get our sponsors from area businesses, who support the Amherst Education Foundation's mission and see it as an opportunity to participate in a community wide event! THE QUESTIONS: We have a team of trivia bee question makers who are hidden away in a sealed room grinding out secret questions in all different categories (Ha, ha). This year we are adding a special flash round of Amherst area trivia in preparation to Amherst's 250-year celebration next year! THE AUDIENCE: What a great family evening out. Only $3 admission per audience member. Baked goods and lots of fun for all ages. Come join us, the bigger the crowd the more fun! All proceeds benefit Amherst Education Foundation. Multi-Arts Electronic Magazine. Allow yourself to be surprised, delighted, and inspired. Children's creativity and depth of thinking can be mesmerizing. Take a look at Multi-Arts Electronic Magazine: http://www.multi-arts.org/newsletter/10-08/index.html. 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 School Events

School Governance Council Ballots Due. Friday, Oct. 17th. Early Release Days. 1:20 dismissal. Tuesday, Oct. 21st & Thursday, Oct. 23rd. Parent-teacher conferences will take place on these afternoons. Presentation by Principal Ray Sharick on Fort River's MCAS Results. Friday, Oct. 24th, 8:30-9:30am. This is a second informational session with a brief Powerpoint presentation & question and answer period. Parent Council will also be serving coffee and light refreshments during the presentation. In the Fort River Cafeteria. Fall Festival and Fort River Swap. Fri., Oct. 24th, 6:30-8:00pm. Fort River Cafeteria. See below for more information. Coffee With a Principal. Friday, Nov. 7th, 8:30-9:15am. Please join Principal Ray Sharick and/or Asst. Principal Lianne Suarez-Werlein for coffee, light breakfast foods and casual conversation in the cafeteria. Younger siblings are welcome to attend. Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans Orders Due. Friday, Nov. 7th. Please send in your forms to the Parent Council mailbox. Click here for form. **Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Don't Forget the Fall Festival & Fort River Swap! Friday, Oct. 24th, 6:30-8:00pm.

Parent Council will be holding this year's Fall Festival on Friday, Oct. 24th (next week). This is one of Parent Council's most popular and fun events, complete with a costume parade, games and crafts, and of course, food. The kids (and some parents!) wear their Halloween costumes. We hope to see you all in your costumes!

Volunteers are STILL needed for the Fall Festival. Please contact Ann Becker (253-6449; annmbecker@comcast.net) if you are willing to volunteer. A reminder: the Fall Festival is NOT a drop-off event! All children must be supervised by a parent/guardian. Also, at the same time as the Fall Festival, we will also be holding a Fort River Swap. Please bring your unwanted clean and usable winter clothes and sporting equipment to the school lobby on your way into the Fall Festival. This is a take-it-or-leave-it event without money or obligation. Possible items include but are not limited to dance clothes/shoes, skates and skating clothes, soccer equipment, hats, gloves, coats, snowsuits, and skiing equipment. Bring your items to the Family Fair and drop them off in the school lobby. Contact: Peter Wood cpwolfwood@hotmail.com

Amherst's Community Choices: Let Your Voice Be Heard!

The Facilitation of Community Choices Committee was appointed by the Amherst Select Board last May with the task of reviewing the components of Amherst's budget, formulating alternative scenarios for the next 5 years, and presenting their results to us, the citizens of Amherst. In turn we are being asked to study and debate their findings, and to provide our own feedback. The Committee with then use these results to make recommendations to the Finance Committee and Town Meeting. At last night's Parent Council meeting, Fort River parent and committee member, Alison Donta, gave an informative presentation about the outlook for our Town's budget for the next 5 years (hint: it's not pretty!). It is important that we, as parents of children in the public schools, be aware of the budget outlook, not only for the town as a whole, but also of the schools, which make up a large portion of the town's overall budget. If you weren't able to attend last night's meeting, you can view a lot of information about the budget and the various funding scenarios on the committee's website: www.amherstchoices.org. Please take some time to look at their site and to give feedback on their online questionnaire. You can also download paper copies of the questionnaire from the website. The deadline for submitting feedback is November 4th. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same! There are also several more upcoming budget presentations by the committee that are open to the public: Monday October 20, Bangs Center Room 101, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesday October 21, ACTV Studio with the TMCC, 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Tuesday October 28, Amherst Club, 12:30 p.m.

Parent Council Meeting Calendar 2008-09

Here's the schedule for this year's Parent Council Meetings. September 10: Wed 8:30 AM October 16: Thurs 6:30 PM November 19: Weds 8:30 AM January 8: Thurs 8:30 AM March 18: Wed 6:30 PM May 7: Thurs 8:30 AM June 3: Wed 8:30 AM Morning meetings are held in the cafeteria. Evening meetings are held in the school library.

Coffee With A Principal Schedule, 2008-09

First Fridays of the Month, 8:30 am. October 3 *October 24 November 7 December 5 January 9 February 6 March 6 April 3 May 1 June 5 All Fort River parents are invited on these dates to meet with Principal Ray Sharick and/or Asst. Principal Liane Suarez-Werlein for coffee, light refreshments and casual conversation. Takes place in the cafeteria. Younger siblings are welcome to attend. *This extra coffee hour coincides with a presentation by Ray Sharick on the MCAS results.

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. ABC Fall Foliage Walk, October 18th. This year the 40th Annual ABC Walk will feature a free concert with Charles Neville, a barbecue, a community art project, and other activities on the Town Common. It is ABC's 40th Anniversary, and for nearly all of those years we have been presenting the Walk. At the ABC House on North Prospect Street we board eight young men of color who come from inner city neighborhoods in the northeast, while they attend ARHS. Over a hundred young men have graduated through the program. ABC has come to stand for educational equity, academic excellence, and community service. In recent years the walk has attracted 300-400 participants who walked along 12 miles of wonderful trails in Amherst, Leverett and Shutesbury. Peter Lambdin and former Ft. River teacher Sandy McNiven (now retired) have been champions of the ABC Walk for decades, leading their classes on the walk year after year. This year, to celebrate our 40th, the walk will be much shorter (5k) along a paved route that families can enjoy. It will begin at 10:00 am on the Common. The concert with the Charles Neville Quartet will begin around 12:30. Charles, one of the Neville Brothers, is a renowned jazz saxophonist, and his local band plays jazz standards, and New Orleans-flavored blues and funk. The event will be catered by The Pub. This is a chance to celebrate the diversity of our community while enjoying a walk under the canopy of diverse colors, and to enjoy good music and food with our neighbors. Register for the walk online at www.amherstabetterchance.org. HITCHCOCK CENTER ENCHANTED FOREST: CREATURES OF OUR FOREST -- A NON-SCARY, FAMILY HALLOWEEN EVENT. Friday, October 24, 5 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 25, 5 to 8:30 p.m. Rain date: Sunday, October 26, 5 to 8:30 p.m. Every October the trails at the Hitchcock Center come alive with a fun and intriguing assortment of nature creatures. This year you will meet creatures that live right here in our eastern hardwood forests. Adults and children of all ages will enjoy meeting our magical characters as you are guided along the pumpkin-lit trails. Walks leave the center every 15 minutes and last approximately 45 minutes. Simple crafts and games and a visit to a fortune teller in the Center are included in the fee. Seasonal baked goods will be on sale. This is one of the most popular and fun events we hold all year and is always sold out. Reservations for a specific date and time are required. Call early to register by phone. Indoor activities close promptly at 8:30 p.m., so if you are registered for a later walk please arrive with enough time to participate in the indoor activities before your walk. Pre-registration is required; please call (413) 256-6006. Member: $8, Non-member: $12 . No charge for children age 2 and under. Group rates are not available. AMHERST TRIVIA BEE, Thursday, October 30, 2008, 7:00-9:00pm, Middle School Auditorium. FOR TEAMS: To sponsor a team or play on a team contact Linda Rotti at Jones, Town and Country, 549-3700. Proceeds to benefit the Amherst Education Foundation, Inc. Currently there are 20 plus teams registered, we need 10 more teams to fill the stage. Teams, which are comprised of area business or 4 individuals form a group. For instance 4 elementary school principals who are out to prove they are "Smarter Than a 5th Grader". The entry fee is 125.00 per team. The committee will also pair up a 4-player teams with a sponsor if the team does not have one. We get our sponsors from area businesses, who support the Amherst Education Foundation's mission and see it as an opportunity to participate in a community wide event! THE QUESTIONS: We have a team of trivia bee question makers who are hidden away in a sealed room grinding out secret questions in all different categories (Ha, ha). This year we are adding a special flash round of Amherst area trivia in preparation to Amherst's 250-year celebration next year! THE AUDIENCE: What a great family evening out. Only $3 admission per audience member. Baked goods and lots of fun for all ages. Come join us, the bigger the crowd the more fun! All proceeds benefit Amherst Education Foundation. 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 School Events

Columbus Day. Monday, Oct. 13th. No school. School Committee Meeting. Tues. Oct. 14th, 7pm. High School Library. Diversity and Social Justice Committtee Meeting. Wed., Oct. 15. 8:45am. Fort River Library. Parent Council Meeting. Thursday, October 16, 6:30 to 7:30 pm, school library. See below for more info. School Governance Council Ballots Due. Friday, Oct. 17th. Early Release Days. 1:20 dismissal. Tuesday, Oct. 21st & Thursday, Oct. 23rd. Parent-teacher conferences will take place on these afternoons. Fall Festival and Fort River Swap. Fri., Oct. 24th, 6:30-8:00pm. Fort River Cafeteria. Click here for more info on the Fort River Swap. Scroll down for info on the Fall Festival. Coffee With a Principal. Friday, Nov. 7th, 8:30-9:15am. Please join Principal Ray Sharick and/or Asst. Principal Lianne Suarez-Werlein for coffee, light breakfast foods and casual conversation in the cafeteria. Younger siblings are welcome to attend. Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans Orders Due. Friday, Nov. 7th. Please send in your forms to the Parent Council mailbox. **Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

At the Next Parent Council Meeting

Please join us for an evening Parent Council Meeting on October 16th, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Fort River Library. We will be hosting a presentation from the Facilitation of Community Choices Committee. This committee is seeking input from Amherst citizens regarding budget choices that will effect Amherst’s budget for the next 5 years. The committee is charged with educating the public about the current budget situation in Amherst, presenting alternative budget scenarios for each area of our budget, and soliciting public feedback with the ultimate goal of making recommendations to the Finance Committee and Town Meeting. They are eager to get public feedback about our priorities for this town. The deadline for submitting feedback is November 4th. The questionnaire and information will also be available online (www.amherstchoices.org) and at the Jones Library. Please see the accompanying flyer for more details. Limited babysitting will be available for this Parent Council Meeting. Please RSVP to Sue Borden if you plan on bringing children. (FRPC.sborden@gmail.com, 253-0140).

School Council Ballot

Ballots for the School Governance Council are out. Please fill out the ballot in your child's backpack and return it to the Parent Council Mailbox by Friday, October 17th.

Annual Family Donation Fund Update

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 $3,183 from 92 of our 347 families (27% 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.

Fall Festival, Friday, Oct. 24th, 6:30-8:00pm.

Volunteers are needed for the Fall Festival (i.e., the Halloween Party)! This is a fun-filled evening complete with a costume parade, games and crafts, and of course, food. Volunteers are needed to volunteer at a booth, help with decorating or clean-up, or help buy supplies for an event (e.g.,cookie decorating) or make cupcakes for the cupcake walk. Please contact Ann Becker (253-6449; annmbecker@comcast.net) if you are willing to volunteer.

Holiday Gift Wrap Fundraiser

Last week the catalogs for our Holiday Gift Wrap Sale were distributed. If you are interested in participating please return the gift wrap orders to your child's teacher or the Parent Council mailbox in the school office by Friday, Oct 24th. Items will be delivered to Fort River soon after Thanksgiving. Contact: Jenn Wellman (ajwellman@comcast.net, 253-7324).

Yearbook: Photos and Help Wanted

Are you interested in learning about publication layout and graphic design? Do you enjoy digital photography? Then come help with the Fort River Yearbook! Parent Council provides a parent/guardian designed yearbook for every student at the end of each school year. For more information contact Mary Zyskowski (m.zyskowski@comcast.net or 256-1971).

Thanks to Picture Day Volunteers

Big Thanks to Pam Rietkerk and all the volunteers that helped make our Picture Day such a success: Carol Slaughter, Libby Stanforth, Eileen Marasco, Michelle Spirko, Ellie Skinner, Sue Borden, Audrey O’Connell, Stacy Simonson, Kristen Lynch, and especially Paula Mangiaratti in the Fort River Office.

Fort River Directory

The Directory is coming ! The directory committee is still 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.

Volunteers Still Needed

We are still looking for volunteers for: 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). 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! 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!

Stop & Shop A+ Bonus Bucks: Another Reminder

Here's another reminder that the Stop and Shop A+ Bonus Bucks program has already begun. As of today, we have 22 people signed up! Please register your Stop and Shop card now if you haven't already done so. This is an easy fundraiser which only requires that you register your Stop and Shop card. Money for Fort River has already started accruing as of October 3rd. Last year, we made $1300 for the playground from this program. The program runs until April 2nd of next year, so it's important to get going as soon as possible! Click here for information on signing up. Please contact me with any questions. Thanks, Ann McLaughlin. (damclaughlin@comcast.net)

On-Going Fundraisers

Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans. Remember, Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans orders are due the first Friday of the month throughout the school year. The next deadline is November 7th. Order forms are available on the Fort River blog and 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. 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. ABC Fall Foliage Walk, October 18th. This year the 40th Annual ABC Walk will feature a free concert with Charles Neville, a barbecue, a community art project, and other activities on the Town Common. It is ABC's 40th Anniversary, and for nearly all of those years we have been presenting the Walk. At the ABC House on North Prospect Street we board eight young men of color who come from inner city neighborhoods in the northeast, while they attend ARHS. Over a hundred young men have graduated through the program. ABC has come to stand for educational equity, academic excellence, and community service. In recent years the walk has attracted 300-400 participants who walked along 12 miles of wonderful trails in Amherst, Leverett and Shutesbury. Peter Lambdin and former Ft. River teacher Sandy McNiven (now retired) have been champions of the ABC Walk for decades, leading their classes on the walk year after year. This year, to celebrate our 40th, the walk will be much shorter (5k) along a paved route that families can enjoy. It will begin at 10:00 am on the Common. The concert with the Charles Neville Quartet will begin around 12:30. Charles, one of the Neville Brothers, is a renowned jazz saxophonist, and his local band plays jazz standards, and New Orleans-flavored blues and funk. The event will be catered by The Pub. This is a chance to celebrate the diversity of our community while enjoying a walk under the canopy of diverse colors, and to enjoy good music and food with our neighbors. Register for the walk online at www.amherstabetterchance.org. This Halloween, Join the Reverse Trick-or-Treat! Trick-or-treaters can give chocolate BACK to adults this Halloween...Fair Trade chocolate, attached to a card with thanks and information on how Fair Trade certified chocolate presents a solution to problems faced by cocoa-growing communities, such as poverty, child labor and environmental degradation. The kits are free to participating individuals, schools, congregations, and youth groups, who pay only postage. This new tradition is a wonderful way for trick-or-treaters to give back to their communities...and the world...bringing important meaning to the holiday. Deadline to order kits: Monday, October 13. Reverse Trick-or-Treating is organized by the human rights and environmental organization Global Exchange. To order kits or for more information, please visit http://www.reversetrickortreating.org. Also visit this website to find excellent educational resources for families and teachers on the subject of fair trade cocoa. Please contact the Amherst Fair Trade Partnership at amherstfairtrade@earthlink.net if you participate so you can be added to their count! HUNGER BANQUET. Thursday October 16, 2008, 6 - 7:30 PM. Suggested Minimum Donation: $5.00. Proceeds will go to Oxfam and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Organized by the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst. Please join us at the UUSA Meetinghouse for an Oxfam America Hunger Banquet, a learning experience for all ages. The dinner is designed to raise awareness of global hunger issues and to raise funds to support Oxfam's poverty-fighting work. The Meetinghouse is located at 121 North Pleasant Street, Amherst. For more information on Oxfam and Hunger Banquets please see: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whatyoucando/act_now/fast. How it works: Guests draw tickets at random that assign them each to a high-, middle-, or low-income tier and receive a corresponding meal. The 15 percent in the high-income tier are served a sumptuous meal. The 35 percent in the middle-income section eat a simple meal of rice and beans. The 50 percent in the low-income tier help themselves to small portions of rice and water. (High-, middle-, and low-income statistics used in the Oxfam America Hunger Banquet event are based on the World Bank Development Indicators 2007.) Guests can also assume characterizations that describe the situation of a specific person at the income level to which they've been assigned. Finally, all guests are invited to share their thoughts after the meal. After an Oxfam America Hunger Banquet event, few participants leave with full stomachs, but all possess a greater understanding of the problems of hunger and poverty and will hopefully be motivated to do something about them.

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 School Events

Picture Day. Tues., October 7th. See below for more information. Columbus Day. Monday, Oct. 13th. No school. School Committee Meeting. Tues. Oct. 14th, 7pm. High School Library. Parent Council Meeting. Thursday, October 16, 6:30 to 7:30 pm, school library. Early Release Days. 1:20 dismissal. Tuesday, Oct. 21st & Thursday, Oct. 23rd. Parent-teacher conferences will take place on these afternoons. **Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Picture Day Is Coming!

Don't forget that picture day is on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Please remember to send in your order forms. Pam Rietkirk is still looking for volunteers to help out during the day, especially during the hours from 8:30am-Noon. Please contact Pam at PJRietkerk@aol.com if you can help out. Thanks!

Fort River Swap at the Fall Festival

Start cleaning out your closets! Parent Council will be sponsoring a Fort River Swap during this year's Fall Festival. Please bring your unwanted clean and usable winter clothes and sporting equipment to the Swap, which will be taking place during the the Fall Festival on Oct. 24th. This is a take-it-or-leave-it event without money or obligation.

Possible items include but are not limited to:

• Dance clothes/shoes
• Skates and skating clothes
• Soccer equipment
• Hats, gloves, coats, snowsuits
• Skiing equipment

Bring your items to the Family Fair and drop them off in the school lobby. Contact: Peter Wood cpwolfwood@hotmail.com

2008-2009 Yearbook--Help Wanted

Are you interested in learning about publication layout and graphic design? Do you enjoy digital photography? Then come help with the Fort River Yearbook! Parent Council provides a parent/guardian designed yearbook for every student at the end of each school year. If you are interested, please contact Mary Zyskowski at m.zyskowski@comcast.net or 256-1971.

Stop & Shop A+ Bonus Bucks: Reminder

The A+ Bonus Bucks program at Stop & Shop has now started. Please register (or re-register) your card) ASAP if you have not already done so. It's still not too late! Starting today, you will accrue money for Fort River every time you use your Stop & Shop card. You just have to make sure you are registered! It's simple: it only takes a minute. Click here for several easy ways to register. Don't forget: your friends and relatives can also register. Please note that it takes a week or so for your card information to get into the system. Contact Ann McLaughlin (damclaughlin@comcast.net) if you have any questions. Thanks!

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. ABC Fall Foliage Walk, October 18th. This year the 40th Annual ABC Walk will feature a free concert with Charles Neville, a barbecue, a community art project, and other activities on the Town Common. It is ABC's 40th Anniversary, and for nearly all of those years we have been presenting the Walk. At the ABC House on North Prospect Street we board eight young men of color who come from inner city neighborhoods in the northeast, while they attend ARHS. Over a hundred young men have graduated through the program. ABC has come to stand for educational equity, academic excellence, and community service. In recent years the walk has attracted 300-400 participants who walked along 12 miles of wonderful trails in Amherst, Leverett and Shutesbury. Peter Lambdin and former Ft. River teacher Sandy McNiven (now retired) have been champions of the ABC Walk for decades, leading their classes on the walk year after year. This year, to celebrate our 40th, the walk will be much shorter (5k) along a paved route that families can enjoy. It will begin at 10:00 am on the Common. The concert with the Charles Neville Quartet will begin around 12:30. Charles, one of the Neville Brothers, is a renowned jazz saxophonist, and his local band plays jazz standards, and New Orleans-flavored blues and funk. The event will be catered by The Pub. This is a chance to celebrate the diversity of our community while enjoying a walk under the canopy of diverse colors, and to enjoy good music and food with our neighbors. Register for the walk online at www.amherstabetterchance.org. This Halloween, Join the Reverse Trick-or-Treat! Trick-or-treaters can give chocolate BACK to adults this Halloween...Fair Trade chocolate, attached to a card with thanks and information on how Fair Trade certified chocolate presents a solution to problems faced by cocoa-growing communities, such as poverty, child labor and environmental degradation. The kits are free to participating individuals, schools, congregations, and youth groups, who pay only postage. This new tradition is a wonderful way for trick-or-treaters to give back to their communities...and the world...bringing important meaning to the holiday. Deadline to order kits: Monday, October 13. Reverse Trick-or-Treating is organized by the human rights and environmental organization Global Exchange. To order kits or for more information, please visit http://www.reversetrickortreating.org. Also visit this website to find excellent educational resources for families and teachers on the subject of fair trade cocoa. Please contact the Amherst Fair Trade Partnership at amherstfairtrade@earthlink.net if you participate so you can be added to their count! 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.

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.