Bus/Van Driver Appreciation Breakfast

Please join the community in thanking the hard-working bus and van drivers who safely bring our children to and from school every day!  The Bus Driver Breakfast will be held in the Cafeteria at Fort River Elementary, from 8:30-9:30am NEXT Wednesday, June 6, 2012. You can drop off food items after 8:00am that morning.  Please sign up to donate a breakfast item by clicking here: http://frpc.pleasebringit.com/public/cInHXBISubY

For more information, contact Jenn Wellman at 253-7324 or ajwellman@comcast.net.  Thanks for your support!

Field Day Thanks!

Field Day was super fun this year! Children of all ages worked together on teams to compete on a variety of fun and challenging events.  Students, teachers, staff and parents all worked together to make the new field day a smashing success.  Field Day would not have worked without the support of all our volunteers.  We would like to thank all the parents who volunteered to run our events, to lead a team of students, to set up the fields and to clean up afterwords.  There was such a tremendous outpouring of volunteerism, that we can't thank everyone individually.  We do wish to mention a few folks who really helped us create an event that encouraged teamwork, school spirit, and community building.  Thanks to Monica Colley for supporting and encouraging our many changes to field day this year.  Thanks also to Paula Mangiaratti for her administrative help over the last several weeks.  Thanks to Diana Spaulding for assistance on event planning.  Parents deserving a special thanks for their extra work include:  Ellen Alvord, Matt Schulkind, Michele Spirko, and Traci Hess.

We can't wait until next year!
Tim Farnham and Tammy Schulkind - Field Day Coordinators

Calling all Fort River PGO Volunteers!

Calling All Fort River PGO Volunteers!

Please join us for an end-of the year celebration to honor all of your contributions to the Fort River community on Tuesday, June 5th from 7 - 8 p.m. at 16 Bayberry Lane, Amherst, MA.

Contact Catherine McGraw at 256-4781 or  catherine.fortriver@gmail.com with any questions or for directions.

No RSVP necessary.

Final PGO Meeting of the Year: June 14

The final PGO meeting of this school year will be held on Thursday, June 14 at 8:45-9:15am in the FR Cafeteria. The Fort River PGO will be electing the following officers for the 2012/13 school year at this meeting: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Blog Editor. Any parent/guardian wishing to stand for election is welcome to attend the meeting to nominate yourself or be nominated.  If you are interested in serving as an officer but are unable to attend the meeting please contact Pam Rietkerk (pam.fortriver@gmail.com or 256-2605).

Attention 5th Grade Parents!!

It is a long standing FR tradition that 5th grade parents help with the reception following the 6th Grade Graduation Ceremony. All the supplies and refreshments will be purchased and ready to go. The cafeteria cannot be set up until 1pm on Graduation Day, Wednesday, June 20. The ceremony begins at 2pm and we are looking for some 5th grade parent volunteers who are willing to help with set up and a few others to stay through the first part of the reception. 

Please sign up online by CLICKING HERE or contact Kathy Brennan at kestrelbrennan@yahoo.com or 253-4611.

6th Grade Families!

Here are some announcements about 6th grade graduation:

*  Thanks to everyone who attended the Graduation Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 29.  You can still sign up to help by CLICKING HERE. You can also sign up using the link on the right side of the blog. 

* Please consider donating to the Class Gift in your student's name! You should have received a letter last week. Click here to see THE CLASS GIFT LETTER. We hope to give the school two beautiful new planters to adorn the entrance of the school and hope everyone will participate!

* Don't forget to submit your photos for the slide show! We need them as soon as possible to create a great show for graduation. CLICK HERE for the details on how and what to submit. Contact Karen Cousland at kscous@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Support Project Backpack 2012

The Office of the Superintendent is proud to announce that Project Backpack 2012 is currently underway.  In its third year, this successful community outreach program provides new backpacks and school supplies to income-eligible students in our schools.  This year, nearly 900 students in Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 qualify to receive these items.  In order to accumulate the tremendous amounts of backpack and supplies, Superintendent of Schools, Maria Geryk, is appealing to organizations and individuals in our community for help and assistance.  Please consider donating supplies.  Monetary donations are gladly accepted as well.   If you would like to be involved in Project Backpack 2012 or have questions, please contact Kimberly Stender at 413-362-1825.  Thank you in advance!  See the list below for needed items (you can click on the list to make it larger).

Afterschool Program Registration Night

New after-school programs will be launched at Crocker Farm, Fort River and Wildwood Elementary Schools in the fall of 2012.  The after-school programs are the result of a collaboration between the Amherst School Department and the Town of Amherst.  The programs will integrate academic enrichment and support, field trips, outdoor recreation and performing arts programs within each after-school program. Bus transportation home will be available and we will provide fee subsidy discounts to those who qualify to ensure equity and accessibility.

Attend the Fort River Elementary School registration night for more information on June 13, 5-7 pm  Learn more about the programs and find registration materials.

Puffer's Pond Pancake Breakfast

 

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.

Fiesta Flamenca

Multi-Arts, a non profit arts organization for children, will host a “Fiesta Flamenca” on June 17.  At the beautiful Amherst Farm Winery audience will enjoy a feast of food and dance. There will be tapas, a group dance performance, music, a theater for children, and an art auction.  All funds raised will go towards Multi-Arts financial aid for children. Families are welcome to assign which school the funds will go to.

Professional flamenco dancer Ines Arrubla has graciously offered a challenge: if we raise $500 through kickstarter, she will perform the "Tango Flamenco" that would be the highlight of the evening.

Fiesta Flamenca will take place on June 17, 2012, 6:00-9:00 p.m. at 529 Belchertown Rd, Amherst.
To buy tickets or more information visit our blog at: www.multi-arts.org

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.

Local Events this weekend!

Saturday June 2

• Crocker Farm PGO Tag Sale, Car Wash, Bake Sale, and Electronic Recycling - 9 am - 1 pm at Crocker Farm
• Reading Fun Fair - Immanuel Lutheran Church, 9:30 - 12:30 pm  Click HERE for more information.

Sunday June 3

• Fort River Celebration Day: Let's celebrate the river from which our great school gets its name!   Sunday June 3rd, 2012 is the 5th Annual Fort River Celebration Day!  All are welcome to join us at Groff Park for educational displays and activities, and of course the Rubber Ducky Race at 1pm. A guided canoe ride will follow as stream ecologists lead explorative canoers and learners down the wild section of the Fort River from Kiwanis Park to Groff Park.   See http://fortrivercelebration.com for more information.

These events are not sponsored by the FR PGO.

6th Grade Families!

Here are some announcements about 6th grade graduation:

* The Graduation Committee will hold a meeting in the FR Library on Tuesday, May 29 from 7:30-8:15pm. Please try to come if you signed up to help with graduation or if you are interested in helping out. You can still sign up online by CLICKING HERE. You can also sign up using the link on the right side of the blog. We will be talking about decorations, food, and specific times for set up help. 

* Please consider donating to the Class Gift in your students name! You should have received a letter last week. Click here to see THE CLASS GIFT LETTER. We hope to give the school two beautiful new planters to adorn the entrance of the school and hope everyone will participate!

* Don't forget to submit your photos for the slide show! We need them as soon as possible to create a great show for graduation. CLICK HERE for the details on how and what to submit. Contact Karen Cousland at kscous@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Field Day is Next Week!

Field Day is NEXT WEEK!   As you know, field day will be run differently this year.  Kids will participate in mixed-aged groups on a variety of team-centered events.  We need all the help from parents that we can get to make this day a success.  Thanks to everyone who has signed up so far!

We still need a few more parent volunteers to help out.    You can volunteer for the whole morning by signing up for both sessions (8:45-10:15 and 10-11:30) or just participate in the early session or late session.

To sign up, CLICK HERE or go to:  ftriver.blogspot.com and click on the "Field Day-Volunteer Sign-Up" tag on the right side of the page. We're excited to make field day a fun day for the entire school!

Staff & Teacher Appreciation Luncheon - Thanks for your support!

Fort River staff enjoyed a wonderful lunch gathering this week at the Amherst Brewing Company. We had a record 80 staff members in attendance. Thanks to the support of Fort River families, we more than covered the costs of the luncheon and staff were so grateful at the outpouring of generosity of our community. It really shows how much our families care about the staff and teachers of Fort River!

Thank you everyone for your support!  Special thanks to Fran Luddington, Paula Mangiaratti and the front office team, and parents Suzanne Schilling, Sue Borden, Tammy Rahhal, Pam Rietkerk, and Michele Spirko for helping make the day a success.

The Cultural Heritage Fair ROCKED!

WOW!!  The Cultural Heritage Fair ROCKED!

A huge thank you goes out to Reiko Sono and Liz Larson for pulling together this fabulous event. The food was amazing and the performances were top-notch!

There are many people to thank so here goes: Tim Farnham for a stellar job as MC; Peter Michaels for providing sound; Flamenco dancer Amalyah Leader and Catalina Arrubla; Anne White and Francisco Rodriguez for bringing out the music in our kids and members of the 4th and 5th Grade Chorus; Danielle Phillips and the Capacidad drummers; Seiha Krouch, Thyda Ty and Cambodian dancers; Shaolin Kung Fu Center of Hadley; and Iris Berkman and The Valley Dance Project.

Also thanks to the folks who set up the informative Country Tables: Dhandapani Venkataraman, Jiyoung Kim, Shari Abbot, Elizabeth Pretel and Juan Carlos Carpio.

We are so glad so many families attended this event and a big thank you to everyone who brought the most diverse and delicious spread Fort River has ever seen!

Thank our Bus/Van Drivers!

Please join the community in thanking the hard-working bus and van drivers who safely bring our children to and from school every day!  The Bus Driver Breakfast will be held in the Cafeteria at Fort River Elementary, from 8:30-9:30am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012. People can drop off food items after 8:00am that morning.  Please sign up to donate a breakfast item by clicking here: http://frpc.pleasebringit.com/public/cInHXBISubY

For more information, contact Jenn Wellman at 253-7324 or ajwellman@comcast.net.  Thanks for your support!

Recycle Electronics Day

LSSE Summer Sports Camps and Activities

LSSE is now enrolling for Spring activities and sports camps. Sign up now!

Sugarloaf Youth Track League 
2012 Summer Ultimate League
Summer Sports Camps

Click on the links above or go to www.lsse.org for more information.

These events are not sponsored by the FR PGO.

Reading Fair - June 2

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.

Celebrate the River!

Let's celebrate the river from which our great school gets its name!  The Fort River provides our drinking water, habitat for rare species, and is the longest free-flowing tributary to the CT River!

June 3rd, 2012 is the 5th Annual Fort River Celebration Day!  All are welcome to join us at Groff Park for educational displays and activities, and of course the Rubber Ducky Race at 1pm. A guided canoe ride will follow as stream ecologists lead explorative canoers and learners down the wild section of the Fort River from Kiwanis Park to Groff Park. 
Education in the Park: Bring a picnic and come join us for the free public event at 11 am in Groff Park. River-oriented professionals and organizations will share knowledge and activities about the Fort River and the greater Connecticut River watershed for all. A rubber ducky race will mark the close of the park portion of the event at 1 pm, where participants can earn prizes for racing their “buck-a-duck”!

Canoe/Kayak Ride: All “river explorers” will be shuttled from Groff Park to Kiwanas Park at the close of the event at 1:30pm. The canoe/kayak ride will then begin at 2pm, where stream ecologists from Rushing Rivers will guide you down the Fort River to discover the ecology while afloat.  Register online for a canoe - First Come, First Serve! We strongly encourage a donation of $20 for the guided canoe ride to benefit the Fort River Stewardship Project.

See http://fortrivercelebration.com for more information.

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.

TONIGHT - Latino Achievement Night

Celebrate the Sixth Annual Latino Achievement Night TONIGHT Friday, May 18 at 6:30pm in the Middle School Auditorium. This invitation is for all members of our community, so please join us as we celebrate the academic and other accomplishments of our Latino students. We will have informational tables about school and community programs, musical performances and presentations about student work. We hope you, your family and friends will join us. Thank you.

Esta noche, 18 de Mayo a las 6:30pm en el auditorio de la escuela intermedia vamos a celebrar la Sexta Noche de Logros de Estudiantes Latinos. Esta invitación es para todos los miembros de la comunidad, así que únase a nosotros para reconocer los logros de nuestros estudiantes latinos. Tendremos mesas con información de programas educativos y de la comunidad, números musicales y presentaciones de trabajos estudiantiles. Esperamos que vengan junto a sus familias y amigos. Gracias.

Opportunity of the Week: PGO Blog Editor!

Are you interested in helping the Fort River community learn more about PGO events and local activities?  Then this job may be for you!  Due to some reshifting in the PGO board, we may need a new PGO Blog Editor for the next school year. Advanced computer skills are not necessary to do this job.  Current blog editor Erin Cherewatti can provide training over this summer and into next fall. This is also a job that could be done with a partner or small group of volunteers.

Duties would include:

• Organizing relevant information from the school, district, and town and posting on a weekly basis on the blog
• maintaining the PGO Google calendar
• coordinating with the office and newsletter volunteer to send out "hard-copy" to requesting families

This is your chance to help the PGO stay in touch with Fort River families and friends and to shape the direction of the Fort River PGO website!

Please feel free to contact Erin Cherewatti at erin.fortriver@gmaill.com or 253-2304 with questions. 

Cultural Heritage Fair - Next Wednesday Evening!

Get out those family recipes or google something new!  It's time for the Fort River Cultural Heritage Fair and Potluck.  Join us Wednesday, May 23rd from 5:30 – 7:30 pm in the Fort River Cafeteria.  Please bring a dish (serving 8 - 10) to share.  Food is a wonderful way to share our diverse backgrounds and the potluck has been a very fun and popular part of past fairs.  For more information, please contact Liz Larson (lizinamherst@gmail.com).  You can also review the form that was sent home in your child's backpack this week, or click HERE for another copy.

Field Day is Coming Soon!

FIELD DAY - PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!!

Field Day is less than two weeks away - Wednesday, May 30! Field day has changed this year. 1st - 6th graders will participate together all morning long . Kids will be assigned to mixed-aged groups led by parents and teachers. Groups will rotate through a series of events focused on working together, promoting school spirit, getting some physical activity, and having fun!!! (Kindy kids will have their own special events from 10-10:45am.)

We STILL will need LOTS of parent volunteers to make field day happen. You can sign up to run an activity station, be a group leader, run a station just for kindergarten kids, or help with set up or clean up. Sign up for one time period or the whole morning! To sign up, click HERE

Any questions? Email Tammy Schulkind at: trahhal@psych.umass.edu.  Thanks so much! Your volunteer efforts will make our new and improved Field Day a great success.

  --  Tim Farnham and Tammy Schulkind - Field Day Coordinators

Let's Thank our Bus Drivers with Breakfast!

Please join the community in thanking the hard-working bus and van drivers who safely bring our children to and from school every day!  The Bus Driver Breakfast will be held in the Cafeteria at Fort River Elementary, from 8:30-9:30am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012. People can drop off food items after 8:00am that morning.  Please sign up to donate a breakfast item by clicking here: http://frpc.pleasebringit.com/public/cInHXBISubY

For more information, contact Jenn Wellman at 253-7324 or ajwellman@comcast.net.  Thanks for your support!

Make a gift to AEF in honor of your child's teacher

Our teachers and staff are stars!  Let them know how much you appreciate their hard work, care, expertise, and dedication this year with an end-of-school gift that keeps giving by strengthening our schools.

Make a tax-deductible gift to Amherst Education Foundation (AEF) in a teacher’s or staff member’s name, and AEF will deliver a personalized thank you card to the honoree during the last week of school.  Please send your gift using the form sent home this week, or make your gift online at www.amhersteducationfoundation.org by Wednesday, June 13th, to guarantee delivery by the last day of school.  Thank you for supporting our schools!

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.

Thanks for making Science Night a Great Success!

Thank you to all the people that made last Friday's "Science Night:  The Human Body" such a success!  The gym was full of enthusiastic kids and adults learning and trying out the many hands on displays.  There are so many to thank:

Organizer Sue Borden did a fantastic job pulling the entire night together!  Fort River parents, Kate Atkinson , David Berkman, Sam Borden, Mike Jacques, Paul Jodka, Eugene Kang, Jacqueline Kang, Navneet Marwaha, Carol Richardson, Patrick Schilling, Blake Spirko, Michele Spirko and Shubha Tewari,  Special Thanks to former Fort River parent Janet McGowan, and Fort River alums Caroline Borden, Fernanda Brena, Sadie Logan, Alison McCann, Gina Pryciak, Jessie Rietkirk and Luke Webb who manned the messy but fun casting station, James Borden (the Ears & Hearing loss station),  medical student Jessica Brown, and former Fort River parent Ann Becker who loaned us the CPR mannequins and AED machines.  We would also like to thank Rachel at the Child Life Center on the Pediatric floor at Baystate Medical Center, Kathy in the Baystate Pediatric Endocrine Department, Dr Paul Walker (Allergy & Immunology) and Margot at the Baystate Patient Library for loaning us various models and teaching materials that were used for the evening.

Sixth Grade Musical Performance - May 17

On Thursday, May 17th, the sixth grade will present their original extravaganza performance for families. The show will take place in the Amherst Middle School auditorium on Thursday night, May 17th at 7 pm. This performance is a wonderful farewell gift to the Fort River Community from this year’s graduating class! Students should plan to report to the Middle School auditorium that Thursday, at 5:30 pm, so we can rehearse on the stage.

Looking forward to seeing you!
- Anne White, Peter Lamdin, Roger Wallace and Kaitlin Leaver

Support the Fort River Staff!

The Staff Appreciation Luncheon will take place at the ABC Restaurant on  Wednesday, May 23.   Please express your thanks to our amazing staff by making a contribution in their honor.  The PGO needs your help to keep this special tradition going.   Complete the flyer that was sent home earlier this week (also available HERE), and send a contribution of any amount to the PGO mailbox in the office by May 11 (cash or checks payable to Fort River PGO). Please make your donation today! 

Fort River Cultural Heritage Fair and Potluck

Get out those family recipes or google something new!  It's time for the Fort River Cultural Heritage Fair and Potluck.  Please bring a dish (serving 8 - 10) to share.  Food is a wonderful way to share our diverse backgrounds and the potluck has been a very fun and popular part of past fairs.  For more information, please contact Liz Larson (lizinamherst@gmail.com).

Field Day - Parent Volunteers Needed!

FIELD DAY - PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!!

Field Day is less than three weeks away - Wednesday, May 30!  Field Day has changed this year. 1st - 6th graders will participate together all morning long .  Kids will be assigned to mixed-aged groups led by parents and teachers. Groups will rotate through a series of events focused on working together, promoting school spirit, getting some physical activity, and having fun!!! (Kindy kids will have their own special events from 10-10:45am.)

We STILL will need LOTS of parent volunteers to make field day happen.  You can sign up to run an activity station, be a group leader, run a station just for kindergarten kids, or help with set up or clean up.  Sign up for one time period or the whole morning! To sign up, click here: http://frpc.pleasebringit.com/public/l5SYxUf+Qt4

Any questions?  Email Tammy Schulkind at:  trahhal@psych.umass.edu.  Thanks so much!  Your volunteer efforts will make our new and improved Field Day a great success.

     --   Tim Farnham and Tammy Schulkind - Field Day Coordinators

Celebrate 40 years of Amherst Ballet

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.

Multi-Arts at the Jones

Multi-Arts presents TWO SHOWS at the Jones Library, Amherst.  Free Admission.

Saturday May 12

3:30 PM: THE CASE OF THE MISSING CATS - Multi-Arts After School Program Theater Company
Christine Moshinsky, the famous pop star, returns home from a show to discover that her precious cats have been stolen! She hires two detectives to crack the case, but one of them is too silly to be of much help. You'll meet a colorful cast of characters they encounter as they try to solve the mystery, all conceived and developed, along with the script, by the actors themselves.

4:00 PM: THE GIRL WHO DIDN'T LISTEN TO HER MOM - Multi-Arts Theater Company
A humorous account that brings local history to life for children and adults. The play based on a real event that took place in New England in 1840. It tells the fascinating true story of a beautiful girl that disobeys her mother and goes out without a coat during a winter night and freezes with a terrible consequences. The play was written by a 14 yo Alejandra Rojas a Fort River alumnae.

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.

Boy Scout Troup 500 Open House

Come join Boy Scout Troop 500 Amherst to see how Scouting is evolving as it moves into its 2nd century. We are having an Open House for prospective scouts and their families Tuesday, May 22 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at the South Congregational Church, 1066 Southeast Street, Amherst. Troop 500 has a 50+ year history in Amherst working with school-age boys (grades 6-12). Troop activities are organized and run by the boys, including weekly meetings, monthly camp outs, and projects in the community. Our Scouts learn practical outdoor skills and develop leadership skills while having a lot of fun. For more information, contact Scoutmaster Peter Crowley at (413) 348-8052.

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.

Science Night!

Fort River Science Night - THE HUMAN BODY !!
FRIDAY, May 4th 6:30-8 pm

Ever wonder … how it feels to perform CPR? … what happens to lungs when you exercise or have an asthma attack? … how to read X-Rays and plaster a cast? Come join us for an evening of learning about the human body and common ailments such as diabetes, asthma, celiac disease & allergies. We’ll have CPR mannequins to practice on, X-Rays to read, casts to plaster, and much, much more.

Presented by Healthcare Professionals in the Fort River community.  Friday, May 4th, 6:30 to 8 pm at the Fort River Gym.

Opportunity of the Week: PGO Treasurer!

Are you organized and great with numbers?  Do you have experience with financial reporting? Do you want to get more involved at school? Then PGO needs you!  Consider running for treasurer for the 2012-2013 school year.  Contact Pam Rietkerk at pam.fortriver@gmail.com if you're interested in finding out more. 

Last chance to reclaim Lost & Found items!

There are many really nice coats, snow pants, boots, and lots of "hoodie" sweatshirts that will be donated if unclaimed. Please check out the table in the lobby and remind your child to check it out at school. Tables will be cleared out on Monday morning!

Say Thank You to our amazing Fort River Staff!

The Staff Appreciation Luncheon will take place at the ABC Restaurant on  Wednesday, May 23.   Please express your thanks to our amazing staff by making a contribution in their honor.  The PGO needs your help to keep this special tradition going.   Complete the flyer that was sent home earlier this week (also available HERE), and send a contribution of any amount to the PGO mailbox in the office by May 11 (cash or checks payable to Fort River PGO). Please make your donation today! 

The Cultural Heritage Fair is Coming!

The PGO is hosting a "Cultural Heritage Fair" on Wednesday, May 23.  If you, your child(ren), or someone you know can share your/their talent, skills, or treasures with the Fort River community to showcase a cultural heritage, be it generationally inherited or just recently adopted, please contact Reiko Sono, via email (rsono@asianlan.umass.edu).

We welcome any genre, from music and dance to martial arts, craft, etc, at any skill levels.  Please help us make this event interesting, educational, and, most importantly, FUN!

Field Day is Coming!

Field Day is just around the corner on Wednesday, May 30!  Field day has changed this year. 1st - 6th graders will participate together all morning long .  Kids will be assigned to mixed-aged groups led by parents and teachers. Groups will rotate through a series of events focused on working together, promoting school spirit, getting some physical activity, and having fun!!! (Kindy kids will have their own special events from 10-10:45am.)

We will need LOTS of parent volunteers.  You can sign up to run an activity station, be a group leader, run a station just for kindergarten kids, or help with set up or clean up.  Sign up for one time period or the whole morning! To sign up, click here: http://frpc.pleasebringit.com/public/l5SYxUf+Qt4


Any questions?  Email Tammy Schulkind at:  trahhal@psych.umass.edu.  Thanks so much!  Your volunteer efforts will make our new and improved Field Day a great success.

   -  Tim Farnham and Tammy Schulkind - Field Day Coordinators

Join us tomorrow for the 2nd annual Spring Sprint to benefit AEF

Join the Amherst Education Foundation this Saturday, May 5th for the Spring Sprint! The registration for this 5K Run/Walk and 1 mile Fun Run for kids starts at 8am at Wildwood School, with the race to start at 9am. Get outside, enjoy family time together and help our schools! For more information see the latest AEF newsletter http://www.amhersteducationfoundation.org/april-2012

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.

Celebrate all Families at the Noho Pride Parade

A group of Fort River families are trying to gather a group to march together in the Northampton Pride Parade and Rally on May 12th from 12-5. Kids hear homophobic comments at school starting as young as Kindergarten. By participating in the Pride Parade we can support our kids from from LGBT families and show them that Fort River celebrates their families.  You do not have to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered to march.  Straight family members and allies are more than welcome.  Pride parades are about showing support and celebrating people for being who they are.  Here is a link to the event itself: http://www.site.nohopride.org/  If there’s enough interest, the group will get a banner to march behind and sign up to participate in the parade.  They plan to have their contingent line up by 11:30 in the parking lot across from the Northampton Brewery in Northampton.
The parade begins at 12:00 and ends at the rally, which is at the Fair Grounds.There will be food and fun at the rally, including a kid's area.  People will probably spread out once there, so the best time to show your support is by marching with the group in the parade! Please email Ali Wicks-Lim at wickslim@yahoo.com if you’d like to attend the march. We need to get a sense of the number of participants and we will forward more specific information about the event as it gets closer.

News from the District Office

You are invited to view Superintendent Maria Geryk's popular Amherst Media television program, Voices from Our Schools, as a district administrator, school committee member, and community partner.  This episode features Principal Mark Jackson, World Languages Dept Head Sean Smith, and Librarian Leslie Lomasson discussing the NEASC Accreditation process at Amherst Regional High School. 

This segment is currently airing on Amherst Media:

http://blip.tv/amherstmedia/voices-from-our-schools-w-maria-geryk-4-23-12-6112020

See a report from 22News about the plan to change school start times starting in fall 2013.

Donate your Gently Used Furniture for the Amherst Survival Center

Donate your gently used furniture for the Amherst Survival Center's annual fall used furniture sale! See www.amherstsurvival.org, email furniture@amherstsurvival.org or call 549-3968 x252 for information or to arrange pick-up or delivery. All contributions are tax deductible. The sale supports Survival Center programs that provide food, health care and clothing to over 4,000 of our neighbors in need in Hampshire and Franklin Counties each year.

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.