Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Field Day News

Dear Parents,

Just a reminder that Field Day is Wednesday, June 22! Field day is a school wide event that allows the children to get outside for sun and fun. There will be a variety of outdoor activity stations on the field and playground where children can run, jump, throw, slide, dribble, and dance.

Please send your children to school with a bathing suit or change of clothing because there are many water activities that morning. Also, it would be a good idea to send in sunscreen, a water bottle, towel, hat and appropriate shoes.

Parents are invited to join their children for a picnic outside. Bring a blanket and either buy lunch for $3.25 or bring one. Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers and Veggie burgers will be on the menu that day.


The day will be divided into three play times:
9:00-9:45      Kindergarten
9:30-10:45    1st, 2nd, 3rd
11:00-12:15  4th, 5th, 6th

Picnic times:
1st, 2nd:         11:30
Kindergarten: 11:45
3rd, 4th:         12:00
5th, 6th:         12:30

We will have many stations, and we still need some parent volunteers to keep it safe and fun. Please take some time to join in the fun and volunteer to help. Stay for the picnic with your child. Volunteers can sign up by clicking here, by emailing Tammy Schulkind at trahhal@psych.umass.edu or calling her at 230-3431.

Congrats Graduates!

Congratulations to our 6th grade Classroom Parents and all graduating 6th graders and their families! It was such fun to see so many proud parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends at our school on Friday. We will truly miss our many dedicated 6th volunteer parents and students. Best wishes to all of you! Many thanks also to the volunteers who helped with 6th grade graduation!

Classroom Parents Needed for Next Year

If you are willing to volunteer as a class parent next year, please contact Michele Spirko. Assignments will be made in August when class lists become available.

Next year will surely be a very exciting time at our school as we welcome our new principal, Monica Colley. It should be a terrific environment for volunteers with lots of new initiatives and enthusiasm. Please join us!

The Yearbooks Are Coming!

The yearbook will be distributed this week, through the classroom teachers. Each child and staff member will receive a copy, thanks to funding provided by the PGO annual fund. If you would like to contribute to the annual fund, it is still possible. (Click this link to pay via PayPal.)

Thank you to our volunteer yearbook committee Joy Sullivan and Kathy Niedzielski and to our support photographers Sue Borden and Lynn Hayes. Thank you to those classes and teachers who provided candid shots. Next year we are planning for a yearbook club. If your child would be interested in participating,  you can send an email to the yearbook committee at yearbook.fortriver@gmail.com.  More information will be provided in the fall.

Are You Moving On? How to Unsubscribe

For those of you who, like me, will be moving on to another school next year, and do not want to continue receiving emails from the Fort River PGO, please follow the following easy step to unsubscribe from the PGO list:

Send a blank email to the following address: fort_river_pgo-unsubscribe@npogroups.org. You will be automatically unsubscribed. The only trick to this is to be sure to send it from the same email account that you used to subscribe in the first place. Please note that instructions for unsubscribing also appear at the bottom of every email that you receive from the PGO.

If you have any problems unsubscribing, please send me an email and I will do it for you.

My thanks to Erin Cherewatti for volunteering to take over the blog duties starting next school year. I'm sure she will do a great job!

In future, please direct your questions and website submissions to Erin at erin.fortriver@gmail.com.

Thanks,
Ann McLaughlin

Monday, June 20, 2011

Friday, June 10, 2011

WMECo Energy Saving Orders have arrived!

Please pick up your lightbulbs and power strips in the Fort River lobby on Friday, June 17th from 8:15-9am or 2:45-3:45pm. If you have any questions, please contact Whitney Lyman at 413.388.3338.

Fort River Teachers Lounge Renovations

Over the summer, the PGO will be working with the school district and Fort River staff to refresh the school's very tired teachers' lounge.  We will give the room a fresh coat of paint and recover the chairs.  In addition, the district will update the kitchenette.

Volunteers are needed to help with the painting and to recover the chairs.  The chairs project is fairly basic but if you have experience (and a staple gun!), it will go a lot faster.  We are looking at doing the majority of the work at the end of the summer, just before the school reopens.

If you would like to be part of this fun and much needed project to show our appreciation for the Fort River staff and all they do for our kids, please contact Liz Larson at lizinamherst@gmail.com or 230-3453.

Don't Forget to Volunteer for Field Day!


Field Day is fast approaching...it will be Wednesday, June 22nd. We still need lots of parent volunteers for this event to be a success! 

This is an easy and fun event for parents to participate in and you can join your children for the picnic lunch afterwords! Click here for the online sign up sheet.

Do You Wonder If Girl Scouting is for You?

Click on image to enlarge
This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO

LSSE Camp Flyer

To register and for more info: go to www.lsse.org

LSSE Camp Scholarships Available

Click to enlarge.

Multi-Arts Summer Camp

Click to enlarge.
This event not sponsored by the FR PGO.

An Evening of Dance and Music in Support of Japan

Please join Amherst's Nataraj Dance Company in support of Japanese artists affected by the recent earthquake. Dancers include 4th grade teacher Monica Bhowmik and even a few Fort River students! The performance will take place on June 18th at 7pm at the Williston School in Easthampton.
Please note: this event not sponsored by the FR PGO.
Click on picture to enlarge.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Staff and Teacher Appreciation Luncheon: A Big Success!

Field Day is Coming! Wednesday: June 22nd


Field Day is fast approaching...it will be Wednesday, June 22nd. We still need lots of parent volunteers for this event to be a success! This is an easy and fun event for parents to participate in and you can join your children for the picnic lunch afterwords! Click here for the online sign up sheet.

Sixth Grade Graduation Reception

Attention 6th Grade Families: we need your help!!

As you know, the 6th grade graduation will be held at Fort River at 1:30 on June 17th. Immediately following the graduation, there will be a reception in the cafeteria for students and their families/guests, with food provided by 6th grade families. In order to make sure we have a variety of food, we’ve created a list of requested items and ask for your help by signing up to bring one of these items (or feel free to add a new item if there is something else you’d like to bring!).

Go to http://fortriverreception.pleasebringit.com/public/fb1z+xH$tCw and sign up for something to bring.


Please sign up by Friday June 10th so we have time to fill in any gaps. Thank you!!

Contact: Lisa Harvey & David Arnold (harvarnold@gmail.com).

AEF Thank a Teacher

Want to give a meaningful gift to your child's teacher that shows how much you care about a quality education?  Let Amherst Education Foundation help you say how much you care and support them in the important job they do. http://www.amhersteducationfoundation.org/

Interested in playing Travel Soccer for Amherst?

Tryouts are being held soon. Information and pre-registration forms (due May 28th--this deadline is somewhat flexible!) are on-line at http://www.amherstsoccer.org/

2011-2012 Travel Soccer Age Brackets:
U-9 – Born on or after August 1, 2002
U-10 – Born on or after August 1, 2001
U-11 – Born on or after August 1, 2000
U-12 – Born on or after August 1, 1999
U-13 – Born on or after August 1, 1998
U-14 – Born on or after August 1, 1997

2011 - 2012 Travel Soccer TRYOUT SCHEDULE 2 of 3

ALL TRYOUTS WILL BE HELD AT CROCKER FARM SCHOOL IN AMHERST

ATTENDANCE AT TRYOUTS IS MANDATORY

Tuesday May 31 - U9 BOYS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Wednesday June 1 - U9 GIRLS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Thursday June 2 – U10 BOYS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Friday June 3 – U10 GIRLS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Monday June 6 – U11 BOYS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Tuesday June 7 – U11 GIRLS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Wednesday June 8 – U12 BOYS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Thursday June 9 – U12 GIRLS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Monday June 13 – U13 BOYS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Tuesday June 14 – U13 GIRLS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Wednesday June 15 – U14 BOYS 5:30 – 8:00pm
Thursday June 16 – U14 GIRLS 5:30 – 8:00pm

Deadline to turn in the pre-registration form is Saturday, May 28, 2011. Submit 1x1 color photo with pre-registration form. Name, age group, DOB on the back please.