Breaking News: It's Official--Superintendents Resign

The following is from the ARPS website:

Superintendents Vivian and Sprague Resign; Maria Geryk Appointed

February 27, 2009 The Amherst-Pelham, Pelham, and Amherst School Committees announce acceptance of the resignation of Interim Co-Superintendents Helen Vivian and Al Sprague for personal reasons. Concurrently, the School Committees have appointed Maria Geryk as Interim Superintendent, effective February 27 through June 30, 2009. Ms. Geryk has served as Director of Student Services for the district for the past six years. She has current certifications in the following areas: Intensive Special Needs, School Psychologist, Supervisor/Director - Pupil Personnel Services, and Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent. The School Committees appreciate the services of Dr. Vivian and Mr. Sprague and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Upcoming School Events

Regional School Committee Meeting. Monday, March 2. 7:30pm. ARHS Library. The Regional School Committee will vote for the next Superintendent at this meeting. Please see below for more information. Amherst School Committee Meeting. Tuesday, March 3. 7:00pm. ARHS Cafeteria. Discussion of possible cuts to the elementary school budget. Agenda here. Coffee With the Principal. Friday, March 6, 8:30-9:30am. Fort River Cafeteria. Fort River Roasters by Deans Beans. Monday, March 9 . Orders Due (order deadline has been postponed from Friday 3/6). Forms here. Parent Council Meeting. Wed. March 18th, 6:30pm. Fort River Library. Stay tuned for more information on: School Reorganization/Budget Options Data Presentation. Date and time to be announced. Fort River Library. Note: Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Box Tops for Education Update: New Record Set!

Thank you to everyone for clipping Box Tops so far this year. For the first time ever we have reached our goal of $500. We actually surpassed the goal with a grand total of $530.50! A huge increase over previous years - $98 in 06-07 and $296 in 07-08. Keep clipping and bringing the Box Tops to the office. Even though this was the last submission for this year, the reason we made our goal was the huge submission we sent in October from Box Tops clipped from March on and over the summer. Again thanks to everyone. I personally love the fund raisers that do not cost me anything but a little time and effort. Jan Kelly

Superintendent Vote on Monday, March 2 at 7:30pm, ARHS Library

The Regional School Committee is going to meet this coming Monday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the High School library to vote on its top pick for School Superintendent. By law, their deliberations must be made in public. All nine members of the Regional School Committee, which includes five Amherst School Committee members, will be voting. Many Fort River parents made a special effort to attend the public sessions with the three superintendent finalist candidates. It's important for Fort River parents to be heard, so please consider contacting the members of the School Committee with your personal impressions about the candidates and your recommendations for how you would like to see them vote. You can email the school committee as a whole by sending an email to the following address: schoolcommittee@arps.org. You can also find contact information for the individual committee members at this link: http://www.arps.org/contact-us/. It's important that you contact the members of the school committee, even if you filled out the forms at the various public sessions. Also, please plan on attending the meeting on Monday evening. If you would like to refresh your memories about the candidates, you can see their resumes on the ARPS.org website. You can watch the evening sessions with each of the candidates online at the ACTV website. Also, please note that there will be an Amherst School Committee meeting the following evening, Tuesday March 3rd, at 7p.m. in the ARHS cafeteria. They will be discussing the possible cuts to next year's budget. The agenda for that meeting can be seen here.

Recent Newspaper Articles about the School District

Please click on the title to view the full text. "Superintendent choice due Monday in Amherst." Daily Hampshire Gazette, Feb. 26. "Cuts Eyed for Regional School," Amherst Bulletin, Feb. 27. "Skarz: Amherst is where I belong," Amherst Bulletin, Feb. 27 "Rodriguez: 'Students smarter than we were,'" Amherst Bulletin, Feb. 27. "Rodriguez 'Interviews' with town," Amherst Bulletin, Feb 13.

Instrumental Music Program Petition

I have been asked to post this link for all who would like to voice their concern about the possible loss of the instrumental music program--Ann McLaughlin. A growing group of parents is very concerned about possibly losing the instrumental music program in the elementary schools. Right now the school committee is considering proposals to eliminate the orchestra and band programs along with the instrumental lessons that support those groups. If you would like to learn more about this and voice your concern, parents have created an online petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/viCCu5ro/petition.html. Sincerely, Sara Eddy and Jessica Payne Crocker Farm Parents

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. The Fresh Air Fund: Host a Child This Summer. The Fresh Air fund is in need of hosts for this summer. Host families are volunteers who open their hearts and home to a child from the city to give a fresh air experience that disadvantaged children never forget. There's lots of info on the Fresh Air Fund website here: http://www.freshair.org/the-fresh-air-fund. FOA Salute to Families. On March 26th, 2009, Family Outreach of Amherst (FOA) will be hosting its Seventh Annual Salute To Families Series, at the the Amherst College Cole Assembly Room of Converse Hall, from 7:00 - 9:00 PM. This year's event, titled "Coming Home: Memoir Writing and Transformation", will feature author Leslie Garris. Ms. Garris is an Amherst native and granddaughter of the authors of numerous popular childrens' books, including The Bobbsey Twins and the Uncle Wiggly series. Ms. Garris will read from her recent book, The House of Happy Endings: A Memoir. Additionally, she will discuss some of the challenges and rewards inherent in writing about one's family, particularly one fraught with mental illness. The evening will be moderated by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Madeleine Blais. Following the book reading and discussion, there will be a reception and book signing. Tickets to this event will be available at the door. The cost of tickets ranges from $25 Benefactor, $10 General, $ Seniors, to free for Students. All proceeds will benefit Family Outreach of Amherst. Multi-Arts Winter 08-09 Online Magazine. Multi-Arts has published its latest edition of its online magazine with contributions from many of the valley's talented young people! Click here to take a look. Multi-Arts Play-Writing Competition. As a way to inspire children and young adults to create stories and promote their imagination, Multi-Arts invites them to enter a play-writing competition. The winner will receive $200 and the staging of their play by children in our summer program. Rules can be found on our website: www.multi-arts.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.

Ongoing Fundraisers

Stop & Shopʼs A+ BonusBucks Program. Use your Stop & Shop card and Fort River earns a percentage! Call 1-877-366-2668 or visit www.stopandshop.com/aplus. Fort River ID # 05218. Box Tops For Education. Keep clipping and bringing the Box Tops to the office! Even though have made our last submission for this school year, we will hold all additional box tops clipped this year and over the summer for submission next October. Big Y Education Express. Use your Big Y Express Savings Club card and Fort River can earn points for buying equipment and supplies! Visit the Big Y customer service desk and fill out a form that will link Fort River with your card. Fort River ID # 5947. Target Take Charge of Education. Designate 1% of the value of your purchases to Fort River every time you use your Target REDcard (credit card). Visit www.Target.com/tcoe . Fort River ID 58645. Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans. Order forms are available here. Next order deadline: March 6th. Please deliver to the Main Office. Cellphones & Ink Jet Cartridges. Protect the environment and raise money for Parent Council by donating used digital cellphones and ink jet cartridges. Please deliver to the Main Office.

Upcoming School Events

Winter Recess, Feb. 16th-Feb. 20th. No School. Superintendent Search Public Forum: Dr. Alberto Rodriguez. Monday, Feb. 23rd, 7pm. High School Library. Breakfast: Tues. Feb 24, 8 am., Middle School Cafeteria. Lunch: Tues, Feb 24, 11:30 am, High School Cafeteria. Diversity & Social Justice Committee Meeting. Monday, Feb 23, 4:45 p.m., Fort River Library. Please note that the meeting time has been changed from 5:30pm to 4:45. Regional School Committee Meeting - MS and HS budget. Tuesday, Feb 24, High School library. (Please check back for a possible venue change.) Box Tops For Education Collection Deadline, Wed. Feb. 25. Please send in your Box Tops by this day for the last collection of this school year. All box tops received after this day will be held until next Fall's submission. Click here for more information. School Reorganization/Budget Options Data Presentation. Date and time to be announced. Fort River Library. Coffee With the Principal. Friday, March 6, 8:30-9:30am. Fort River Cafeteria. Parent Council Meeting. Wed. March 18th, 6:30pm. Fort River Library. Note: Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Amherst Elementary Reorganization News

From the Feb 10th Amherst School Committee meeting. The budget shortfall for the next year was estimated in the range of $800, 000 to $1.8+ million for the Elementary School Budget. Precise figures for State and Federal funding are not presently available and may not be for months after Amherstʼs budget decisions are made. Interim Superintendent Helen Vivian released data for the following: (1)The present configuration of 4 elementary schools with 3 different tiers of budget cuts, and (2)The costs and savings for 4 proposed reorganization scenarios. Of note: the first tier of budget cuts under the present configuration of 4 elementary schools calls for the elimination of ALL instrumental music (band and orchestra) at the elementary school level as well as other cuts. This data is available online at the ARPS website (www.arps.org/node/713). The School Committee opened the floor to public comment which continued for over 1 hour and focused on closing Marks Meadow and the value of instrumental music. The School Committee then voted to put aside 2 plans: (1) The pairing model: Fort River-Crocker Farm, and Wildwood-Marks Meadow and (2) Wildwood as a 5/6 school These two plans were found to cost more money then is currently spent and would not help solve the budget crisis. The School Committee will instead focus on prioritizing the budget cuts under the current configuration and continuing to evaluate the other reconfiguration plans: (1) Closing Marks Meadow and redistricting the town to three K-6 schools, (2) Closing Marks Meadow, redistricting the town to three K-5 schools and moving the 6th grade to the Middle School. Data on the budget options will be presented by a member of the School Committee to each of the Elementary School communities. Be on the lookout for the Fort River presentation. For other reorganization keep checking this website and School Committee member Catherine Sandersonʼs blog (myschoolcommitteeblog.blogspot. com). Also, check ACTV to view reruns of Tuesdayʼs School Committee meeting.

Teachers Wish Lists: A Work in Progress

Please note that we are working on getting the teacher wish lists in the right-hand column of this website functioning shortly after the February vacation. Please stay tuned!!

Superintendent Search: Update

The third Superintendent candidate, Dr Alberto Rodriguez, is scheduled to visit Amherst on Monday Feb 23 and Tuesday Feb 24th - the first days after February vacation. There will be 3 opportunities to meet him: (1)Public Forum, Mon Feb 23th, 7pm, High School Library, (2) Community Breakfast Feb 24th, 8am, Middle School Cafeteria, (3) Drop-in lunch with Parents/School Councils/PTOʼs, Tuesday Feb 24th 11:30 am, High School cafeteria. Resumes and multicultural statements for all 3 Superintendent candidates are available online at (www.arps.org).

Math Curriculum Night

Thanks to Math Coach Pam Szczesny and Principal Ray Sharick for a great presentation at Math Curriculum Night on Thursday Feb 12th. Special thanks also to Ms. Castronovo, Ms. Bhowmik, Mr. Austin, Mr. Wallace and to all the students who demonstrated their math skills and enthusiasm ! Two math sites recommended by Fort River teachers during curriculum night: Illuminations by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and National Library of Virtual Manipulatives, Utah State University.

Volunteers Needed

T-Shirt Sale T-shirts sweatshirts & totes made with the Fort River logo will be available this Spring. Co-organizer needed. Please contact: Sue Borden (FRPC.sborden@gmail.com) Spring Bookstore Fundraiser Volunteer needed to help coordinate this event &/or call local bookstores. Please contact: Sue Borden at FRPC.sborden@gmail.com Immigration Play (5th Grade) Volunteer help needed with rehearsals leading up to performance in the Spring. Please contact: Anne White at WhiteA@arps.org. Library Fran Ludington is looking for volunteers to shelve/organize books and perform minor book repairs. Training will be provided. Contact Fran Ludington at LudingtF@arps.org.

Fun Programs

Savings Makes Cents This is a really fun, easy way to help our kids learn to save. Children can open a bank account with Florence Savings Bank and bank weekly in the cafeteria, or directly at the bank. Only $1.00 is needed to open an account, and any amount can be deposited. After 10 deposits, the Bank will contribute $1.00 to the account. Parent Volunteers help students make deposits into their savings accounts Tuesday in the cafeteria from 8:15 am to 8:45 am. Sign up materials are also available at this time. Contact Barbara Morse at bmlmorse@comcast.net. Grade Events Be on the lookout for grade events from February - March. Grade events bring together all kids in a given grade, across classrooms, during an out-of- school time. If you have an idea for a grade event please contact VP for Grade Reps: Navneet Marwaha at marwaha.navneet@gmail.com.

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. FOA Salute to Families. On March 26th, 2009, Family Outreach of Amherst (FOA) will be hosting its Seventh Annual Salute To Families Series, at the the Amherst College Cole Assembly Room of Converse Hall, from 7:00 - 9:00 PM. This year's event, titled "Coming Home: Memoir Writing and Transformation", will feature author Leslie Garris. Ms. Garris is an Amherst native and granddaughter of the authors of numerous popular childrens' books, including The Bobbsey Twins and the Uncle Wiggly series. Ms. Garris will read from her recent book, The House of Happy Endings: A Memoir. Additionally, she will discuss some of the challenges and rewards inherent in writing about one's family, particularly one fraught with mental illness. The evening will be moderated by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Madeleine Blais. Following the book reading and discussion, there will be a reception and book signing. Tickets to this event will be available at the door. The cost of tickets ranges from $25 Benefactor, $10 General, $ Seniors, to free for Students. All proceeds will benefit Family Outreach of Amherst. Multi-Arts Play-Writing Competition. As a way to inspire children and young adults to create stories and promote their imagination, Multi-Arts invites them to enter a play-writing competition. The winner will receive $200 and the staging of their play by children in our summer program. Rules can be found on our website: www.multi-arts.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.

Second superintendent candidate visits Amherst, Daily Hamphire Gazette

By Mary Carey

02/13/2009

AMHERST - West Hartford Superintendent David Sklarz has led school districts in Charleston, S.C., and Santa Cruz, Calif., places he discovered were "3,000 miles apart in geography and 10,000 miles apart in philosophy."

He would like to conclude his long and varied career in Amherst, he told parents and teachers at a community breakfast at the middle school Thursday. "Amherst is where I belong; I just have to convince you of that."

Sklarz is the second of three superintendent finalists to visit the district. Northampton Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez met with parents, teachers, students and administrators earlier this week. Alberto Rodriguez, a Florida principal, is scheduled to visit the district later this month.

A new superintendent in Amherst will enter the system at a time when budgets will have to be slashed.

"The challenge is to say, what's important?" said Sklarz. "The only way you can find out is you ask people, #If we have to give something up, what do we keep, what do you stop? What do you want to change?'"

He said he is aware of a proposal to eliminate the elementary instrumental music program, and said he sees the arts as one of four pillars of a sound education, along with academics, athletics and social and civic responsibility. "Eroding one of the legs weakens the system."

Still, Sklarz said educators must "ask the tough questions."

"In an economic crisis like this, nothing can be sacred. Everything has to be held to the same litmus test. ... That's the hill I'm willing to die on," Sklarz said. "In the next couple of years, you're going to define the new Amherst for the decade. I think that's exciting."

Sklarz has been an elementary and high school teacher in his native Ipswich; middle school director in Ridgefield, Conn.; middle school principal in Marblehead; a principal in Concord, N.H.; and a superintendent in West Hartford for 14 years. He gave notice that he was retiring from that post 18 months ago and a successor has been named.

"I think seven to 10 years is when a superintendent is at his peak," he said. "After seven to 10 years, you start to get possessive about it, and you lose objectivity."

The average tenure of a superintendent in Massachusetts is under four years.

Sklarz said he would describe closing the achievement gap between black and Hispanic and white students as a passion.

When he accepted the position of deputy superintendent in Charleston, the district was under a court-ordered desegregation plan. Now the high school in the area ranks among the top in the country, he said.

Then he went to Santa Cruz as superintendent. He noted the contrast, saying that the joke out there was that people moved to Santa Cruz when Haight Ashbury became too conservative.

Asked by a science teacher to talk about his middle school vision, Sklarz said middle school teachers should want to work at middle schools rather than at a high or elementary school. Most educational programs don't teach people how to work with this age of student, he said.

In answer to a question about how schools can reach out to families who do not feel connected to the system, Sklarz said the West Hartford system rented a vacant Section 8 apartment and staffed it with teachers and guidance counselors with the idea of turning it into a kind of community and learning center. Only one family came at the beginning of the first year, by the end of the second year, it was usually filled to capacity until closing time.

Parents said they were impressed by Sklarz's breadth of experience and communication skills.

"He seems like a straight shooter," parent Laura Quinn said.

Amy Rose said she appreciated his "can-do attitude."

Michael Jacques said, "I feel like he can maximize the full potential of the Amherst educational system."

Article on Feb. 10 School Committee Meeting

'Opening salvo' as Amherst schools eye cuts

By Mary Carey, Daily Hampshire Gazette

AMHERST - The elementary schools' instrumental music program would be eliminated in the preliminary budget cuts that administrators unveiled to the dismay of 250 or more community members packed into the Mark's Meadow Elementary School Auditorium Tuesday.

But at least $800,000 in cuts must be made, school officials said, and another option on the table is closing Mark's Meadow.

Shuttering the smallest of the town's four elementary schools could save up to $687,000, according to preliminary figures school officials released for the first time Tuesday.

Proposed cuts that would save $799,000 involve eliminating not only the music program but cutting two English language learner teachers, two cafeteria aides, a computer teacher, math coaches and a custodian, among others.

About two dozen parents and others spoke out against both options, castigating School Committee members for lacking "vision" and focusing too narrowly on money.

Meanwhile, elementary school students played string instruments in the hall to call attention to the value of musical education and a group of Mark's Meadow students made a brief appearance to urge officials to "save Mark's Meadow."

It was just the "opening salvo" in the budget discussion, Amherst School Committee Chairman Andrew Churchill said of the evening's proceedings. The committee will consider the cuts in the budget school administrators presented Tuesday as well as two other plans under which more drastic cuts would be made. The committee is aiming to finalize a budget by the end of March to present to the Select Board and Finance Committee and then Town Meeting in May. Similarly deep cuts will have to be made in the regional school budget.

Seven teachers would be cut in the elementary school plan to meet the Finance Committee's request that the final budget amount to no more than 2 percent more than last year's total. An additional nine teachers would be cut under the plan that cuts $1.2 million from a level-services budget and eight more teachers for a total of 24 under the "worst-case scenario" budget proposed.

"This budget scenario we're facing is like saying to someone, #Do you want your left hand or your right hand cut off?'" said Irvin Rhodes, who is running for School Committee.

Community members should "reorient" their thinking away from any cuts and talk to their friends and neighbors about raising taxes to support the schools, one parent said.

At least a dozen parents talked about how important Mark's Meadow is to the community, and about a dozen others argued to keep the music program intact.

The instrumental music teacher said it had taken decades to build the music program that Amherst takes pride in now.

Another music teacher suggested the School Committee find a way to keep some of the music program going.

Ninth-grade musician Tess Domb Sadof said her classmates at the high school were upset to learn that younger children might not have the same opportunities they did to learn to play an instrument. Some 387 students at the high school have already signed a petition asking to preserve the program, she said.

"For me, music education is part of our core," said Tess' mother, Mindy Domb.

Some speakers offered suggestions for saving money that the School Committee never considered, with Town Meeting member Vincent O'Connor, for instance, suggesting that the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School be folded into the district so that Amherst children's per pupil aid from the state would not continue to be diverted to the charter school.

Megan Rosa and Steve Rivkin, who are also running for School Committee, explained their positions.

Rivkin said he supports closing Mark's Meadow and redistricting the elementary schools, because there are vast inequities among them now.

"All of it sucks, it just sucks," Rosa, a Mark's Meadow parent, referring to the divisiveness she said talk of closing Mark's Meadow has caused. But if the school must close, the community will make it work, Rosa said.

More Information on Proposed Cuts to School Budget

Copies of the proposed cuts to next year's school budget and the various re-organization scenarios are online at the following link to the APRS.org website: http://www.arps.org/node/713. Last night's meeting will be rebroadcast for re-broadcast on ACTV (Channel 15). Schedule here. Although it is not available as of this writing, I assume it will also be available on demand for viewing on your computer. I recommend checking this page for a link in the near future.

Upcoming School Events

Fort River Roasters by Dean's Beans Coffee Orders Due. Friday, Feb. 6th. Click here for order form. There's still time to get your orders in by the end of school today! Superintendent Search Public Forum: Dr. Isabelina Rodriguez. Monday, Feb. 9th, 7pm. High School Library. See below for details and other public meeting times. School Committee Meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 10th, 7pm. Marks Meadow Auditorium. Superintendent Search Public Forum: Dr. David Sklarz. Wednesday, Feb. 11th, 7pm. High School Library. See below for details and other public meeting times. Fort River Math Night. Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009. In the Fort River Library. All parents invited. See below for more information. Winter Recess, Feb. 16th-Feb. 20th. No School. Superintendent Search Public Forum: Dr. Alberto Rodriguez. Monday, Feb. 23rd, 7pm. High School Library. See below for details and other public meeting times. Box Tops For Education Collection Deadline, Wed. Feb. 25. Please send in your Box Tops by this day for the last collection of this school year. All box tops received after this day will be held until next Fall's submission. See below for more information. Note: Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

February 10 School Committee Meeting Venue Changed To Marks Meadow Auditorium

The venue for the next very important Amherst School Committee meeting has been changed. The school committee will be discussing the various scenarios for dealing with anticipated cuts in the school budget during this meeting on Tues. Feb 10 at 7pm. According to the ARPS.org website: Location Changed for February 10th Amherst School Committee Meeting Home

In order to accomodate all interested community members, the location of the Amherst School Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 10 has been changed. The meeting is now scheduled in the auditorium at Marks Meadow Elementary School at 813 N. Pleasant Street on the UMass campus. Parking is available in UMass lots 66 and 44. Lot 66 is in front of Marks Meadow by the School of Education. Lot 66 is accessible by passing through Lot 44 and continuing around the left side of the Marks Meadow building. Both lots are clearly marked.

Also, please note that although I previously reported that babysitting would be available during this meeting, there will be no childcare provided. Sorry for any confusion! -- Ann McLaughlin

Updated Schedule for Superintendent Candidates Visits

The Superintendents office has rescheduled the visit of Dr. Alberto Rodriguez to Monday Feb. 23rd and Tuesday Feb. 24th. (The first days back from February vacation.) The Parent Groups of all four elementary schools will be offering limited babysitting for children age 4 or older during each of the evening events. Please make use of these services only if necessary. Also, please note that according to the full schedule of events for each candidate, there will also be a "Drop-in lunch with Parents/School Councils/PTOs" held on the second day of each visit at the High School cafeteria from 11:30am to 12:30pm. This is another chance for you to meet informally with each of the candidates. Here is the updated schedule of public events.

Candidate: Dr. Isabelina Rodriguez

Public Forum

Date: Monday, February 9, 2009 Time: 7-8:30pm Location: Amherst Regional High School Library

Community Breakfast

Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 Time: 8-9am Location: Amherst Regional Middle School Cafeteria

Candidate: Dr. David Sklarz

Public Forum

Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 Time: 7-8:30pm Location: Amherst Regional High School Library

Community Breakfast

Date: Thursday, February 12, 2009 Time: 8-9am Location: Amherst Regional Middle School Cafeteria

Candidate: Dr. Alberto Rodriguez

Public Forum

Date: Monday, February 23, 2009 Time: 7-8:30pm Location: Amherst Regional High School Library

Community Breakfast

Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Time: 8-9am Location: Amherst Regional Middle School Cafeteria

Fort River Math Night, Thurs. Feb. 12th, 6:00-8:15pm

Principal Ray Sharick has sent out a flyer about next week's math night. (If you are on his email list, you should have gotten this by email. If not, a paper copy should be coming home in your child's backpack.) This night is meant for parents to find out about the math curriculum at Fort River. There will be limited childcare provided by Parent Council. (Contact Sue Borden at FRPC.sborden@gmail.com for more information about childcare.) A detailed schedule for the evening is at this link: http://www.arps.org/fr/Newsletters/Fort_River_Math_Night.htm.

Stop & Shop A+ BonusBucks Update: January Numbers Are In!

Fort River is continuing on a record-breaking pace in the Stop & Shop BonusBucks program! The total amount we have raised as of Jan. 31st is $1119.33, which means we earned another $383.33 in January. We have also increased the number of cards which are designated for Fort River to 111 (up 17 from last month). I'm expecting that we should exceed last year's total during the month of February. Thanks to everyone who is participating in this program. It's still not too late to sign up if you haven't already. Click here for information on how to do it. It's easy and costs you nothing. If you sign up, all your February purchases will be counted toward Fort River's total.

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. Winterfest '09. Saturday, Feb. 7, 12noon-6pm. Cherry Hill Golf Course. You're invited to enjoy indoor and outdoor winter activities for children, families and adults. More info here. Gift Basket Silent Auction for Local Libraries. The Friends of the Jones Library announce the 12th Annual Valentine Gift Basket Silent Auction featuring Baskets, Books, and Chocolate on display in the atrium of the Jones Library, Amherst, starting Thursday, January 29th and ending at 4pm on Saturday, February 7th. This fundraiser for library books offers over one hundred beautifully wrapped gift baskets filled with books, chocolates, goods and services donated by local businesses and loyal patrons. There are baskets to catch anyone's fancy, from pet lovers to gardeners, parents to children, movie buffs to lovers of music. Last year’s gift basket auction raised over $5,000 to buy new library books for the Amherst Town Libraries. Come to the Jones Library on Saturday, February 7th, enjoy a free family-friendly concert with Nerissa and Katryna Nields at 10:30 a.m. sponsored by the Friends, and then bid on your favorite baskets. Visit the Jones Library website for more information: http://www.joneslibrary.org/. Multi-Arts Play-Writing Competition. As a way to inspire children and young adults to create stories and promote their imagination, Multi-Arts invites them to enter a play-writing competition. The winner will receive $200 and the staging of their play by children in our summer program. Rules can be found on our website: www.multi-arts.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.

Ongoing Fundraisers

Click here for information on easy ways to help raise money for Fort River.

Amherst School Panel Girds With Much at Stake

From the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Feb. 4, 2009 By Mary Carey

AMHERST - The Amherst School Committee has formally requested specific details from school administrators on potential budget cuts - as well as a change of venue for next week's meeting in anticipation of a big community turnout.

The board met briefly Tuesday so that Chairman Andrew Churchill could read aloud a memorandum to interim co-superintendents Alton Sprague and Helen Vivian requesting a prioritized list of potential savings, personnel cuts and the impact on classroom size under several elementary school reconfiguration plans. The board is also asking for estimates of the costs of redistricting and potential cuts in next year's school budget.

About 30 parents and community members attended the meeting, including all three candidates currently running for two seats on the School Committee. More are expected to come to the Feb. 10 meeting when the committee begins debating whether to close Mark's Meadow or otherwise reconfigure the four elementary schools.

Churchill said the committee would seek a great deal of public input before making a decision and probably would not narrow down the choices until a month or so from now, when more is known about how much state aid the schools can expect and how much money from the federal stimulus plan potentially will be targeted to the schools.

School officials have estimated that keeping the schools running would require an increase of 7 to 8 percent in the $20.6 million budget. The schools will instead be aiming to increase the budget by no more than 2 percent over last year. And there is a chance that the budget might have to be even tighter than that, Churchill said, which is why the committee is also asking administrators to outline "worst-case scenarios."

Superintendent Visit Postponed

Due to a death in his immediate family, the visit of Superintendent finalist Dr. Alberto Rodriguez scheduled for February 4th and 5th has been postponed. Details of the rescheduled visit will be posted as soon as they become available. Link to Amherst Regional Public Schools website

ACAC Sale

Amherst Community Arts Center is closing and selling all art materials, office supplies, equipment and furniture. For further information or an inventory list, please contact Hillary Milens at hm.acac@gmail.com Or, stop by during the following hours: Tuesday 11am-5pm Wednesday 10am-3:30pm Friday 10am-3pm -- Hillary Milens Executive Director Amherst Community Arts Center