Research Study Needs Volunteers

 

The Cognitive Neuroscience Group at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston is recruiting children between the ages of 8 and 12 years to participate in research studies funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Health.

Study 1. This is a longitudinal study that follows children over a period of 3 consecutive years. Our goal is to improve understanding of learning in children. The study consists of 1 in-person visit (about 2.5 hours) per year for 3 years (weekdays/weekends). During this visit, children play several games on the computer and complete several language/memory tasks. The lab visit includes safe and noninvasive EEG recording. The day after the visit, kids complete a quick follow-up task from a home/library computer. More information can be found at: https://clinicaltrials.partners.org/study/feedback_learning

Study 2. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the learning patterns of children with typical and atypical language development. The study will involve 2 visits to the lab at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. During this visit, children play several games on the computer and complete several language/memory tasks. The lab visit includes safe and noninvasive EEG recording.  A visit will last about 3 hours. A week after the second lab visit your child will be asked to complete follow up tasks on a home computer or a mobile device. We are looking for children who were late to develop language, and who still receive services for language or learning difficulties. More information can be found at: https://rally.partners.org/study/does_your_child_stru?

Payment is $60 for each in-person visit to the lab. We provide free all-day parking at the Navy Yard. Please email us at cnglead@mghihp.edu or call us at (617) 643-4821 if you are interested or if you have any questions.

Amherst Food Farm to School

MAY 29, 2019
FARM TO SCHOOL CULTURAL FOOD EXCHANGE

Come join our Farm to School Cultural Food
Exchange and help celebrate the work that has been done this past year to build a robust Farm to School (F2S) program which will link fresh food in the cafeteria to student learning in the classroom, the community, and area farms. There will also be a presentation from the F2S Team about their plan for the upcoming year!

ARHS Cafeteria
May 29, 5-7pm
RSVP and Volunteer

Summer Garden Help Needed

 
Thank you for all of the ways you have supported our school gardens! After a cool, rainy spring with little growth, the gardens are ready for an awesome summer, and you can help! This year we will be doing things differently, as we will have weekly maintenance support from the UMass Permaculture program. However, if we face any periods of drought, we will need additional help. To this end, we are compiling a volunteer call list. In the event of a dry spell, we will contact those on the list to arrange for a day or two of watering. Can you help water our crops for a healthy fall harvest? If so, please complete this very brief form. We will follow up with you with additional details. Questions/comments can be sent to Jennifer Reese at reesej@arps.org.

Mad Science and Art Ventures Summer Programs

Click here for Mad Science

Click here for Art Ventures 

Multi-Arts Summer Camp

Summer Activities with Multi-Arts

Field Day Volunteers Needed

June 10!

Field Day is a school wide event that allows the entire school to get outside for sun and fun. In the
morning, students will participate in field day activities together in multi-aged groups to build school
unity across grades. Groups will rotate through a variety of outdoor and indoor activity stations on
the fields, on the playground, and in the gym. This year, the afternoon will also be filled with
community building games and activities.

Schedule:
9:00 am - 11:30 am Grades 1 – 6 Field Day
10:00 am – 10:45 am Kindergarten Field Day activities
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Picnic lunch & recess (bring your own or purchase cafeteria lunch)
1:00 pm – 3:10 pm Afternoon elective activities

Field Day is an exciting day for students, and they have made many wonderful memories in previous
years. Please consider volunteering to help make Field Day 2019 another huge success. We will need
lots of parent volunteers to fill a number of important roles. Parents can volunteer as an activity
station worker or a group leader; parents can help set up or clean up. Volunteers can sign up here: http://frpc.pleasebringit.com/public/hkg2IR16BhA or by emailing Christine St. Laurent
(cwstlaurent@gmail.com) or Tom St. Laurent (tomstlaurent.ht@gmail.com).

Fort River Spirit Week

Tues, May 28	Wed, May 29	Thurs, May 30	Fri, May 31
Literary Character Day	Copycat Day	Throwback Day	Sports Day
Dress as a character from a book.	Dress as someone else in the school, you can dress as a student or a teacher.	Wear a style from the past, for example like someone from the 80s.	Wear athletic clothing or dress as an athlete (e.g. Tom Brady)

Monday, June 3: Pajama + Crazy Hat/Hair Day
● Come to school in your PJs with messed up hair
● Wear a silly hat, too
*No helmets, masks, or weapons

Amherst Education Foundation seeking administrative assistant

The Amherst Education Foundation is seeking a part-time (20 hours/month)  Administrative Assistant to assist with our work fundraising and providing grants to educators in the Amherst Regional Public Schools. For more information about the organization, please see our website: https://www.amhersteducationfoundation.org/.

Duties include coordinating mailings, depositing and keeping track of checks and other donations; keeping QuickBooks and donor database updated; checking mailbox and email regularly; preparing thank you letters and correspondence; and working with Treasurer on budget. The ideal candidate will have excellent organizational skills, work well independently, and have some knowledge of budgeting. The work takes approximately 20 hours per month, although the work is not always evenly divided across months (e.g., May is busier than July).

Review of applications will begin May 27th and continue until the position is filled.

Online application

Youth Activism Festival

Fort River Pub Night!

Dine Out with Family & Friends!

Join us for...

FORT RIVER NIGHT at the AMHERST PUB

Tuesday, May 21

15 East Pleasant Street in downtown Amherst

Take a night off from cooking, bring family and friends, and enjoy dinner at THE PUB with our Fort River community!

Tell your server you are a Fort River Family

and THE PUB will donate 15% of your bill to our PGO!

Help needed to paint doors

Do you like to paint?  Ms. Singer would welcome a few volunteers to help paint our doors - we are adding animal names to all of our quads and will have beautiful animal representation on the doors. Email Ms. Singer: singern@arps.org.

Say Thank You to our Teachers and Staff!

The annual Teacher and Staff Appreciation Luncheon will take place at the Pub on Wednesday, June 5th. The PGO needs your help to keep this tradition alive. Let’s honor the wonderful Fort River teachers and staff by giving them a real celebration.

3 Ways to Help:

(1) Send personal cards from your child to teachers/staff to the PGO mailbox in the office to be delivered on the morning of the luncheon.

(2) List your child’s name and the name of the teachers/staff they want to honor and return this form to the PGO mailbox in the office.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-2bHm-1AjRfV0F4Y3FETkZ0WVdzcEdVeUtNeGVMcUE2Yk5V/view?usp=sharing

(3) Please express your thanks to our amazing staff by making a contribution in their honor to fund the luncheon.

Amherst Boys & Girls Club Community Cookout

 

Join us for a Complimentary Community Cookout and Open House on Saturday, June 1st from 12:00 to 3:00 at The Club. This is our way of saying Thank You to all our Friends and Supporters. RSVP by calling our dedicated event phone number 413-461-2171 or by going to our website: amherstbgc.org and registering.

Bus/Van Driver & Crossing Guard Appreciation Breakfast

An appreciation breakfast to say thank you for all they do to get our kids to and from school safely!!!

When: Thursday, May 23, 9am

http://frpc.pleasebringit.com/public/QpO9umRft7o
Please Bring you food/supplies by 8:30 to the Cafeteria.
Please label your items.

Amherst Boys & Girls Club Summer Program

The Board of Directors of the Amherst Boys & Girls Club is pleased to announce a new summer program for 2019.  The Program will run for eight weeks, Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, beginning June 24th and end on August 16th. The Program is open to all children ages 8 to 14. 

Registration for the summer program will be held at the Club, 29 A Cottage Street, Amherst and begin on Thursday, May 23rd. All children must be registered to attend the program. We are accepting the first 75 children to sign up. Children must be members of the Amherst Boys & Girls Club to attend. Children can become members or renew their memberships at registration. Membership is $50.00 a year.

The summer program will offer a wide variety of recreational, educational and cultural activities for the participants as well as to provide experiences which will give opportunities for individual achievement, development of self confidence, reinforcement of values and fun. Programs will include physical education, arts & crafts, games, sports, health and life skills, education, special events, and summer reading.

Fees:  1^st Child $75, 2^nd Child $60, and 3^rd Child $50 per week.

Scholarships are available.

For additional information please email Tony at the Club, tpoti@amhersbgc.org

Newsies Disney Musical

NEWSIES Disney Musical performed by Starlight’s Youth Theatre. Now is the time to Seize the Day!  Friday May 10, 7pm and Saturday May 11, 1pm and 7pm at the Academy of Music in Northampton. Newsies performed by over 50 students from all over the Valley from Starlight’s Youth Theatre, which was established 10 years ago as a non-profit youth theater in the Valley. Artistic Director Cynthia Strycharz states “ I hope as the director of this powerful story this amazing cast will always remember that they can also be a leader and change history for the better!”  https://www.aomtheatre.com/

Amherst Ballet Summer Camps

Call for Nominations for New PGO Officers

Call for Nominations for New PGO Officers

Every year, the PGO elects new officers - President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Volunteer Coordinator and Communications Guru(s). These officers serve on the executive committee and help define the role of the PGO in enhancing the opportunities for our Fort River students and community. Each position is for a one year term. Below are brief descriptions of each position and the contact information of the current officer. In addition, we need several people for At-Large positions. If you are interested in standing for a position, please feel free to contact any of the below officers for more information. You may nominate yourself or another. Nominees will be contacted to confirm his or her willingness to stand for election. Board elections will take place at the next PGO Board Meeting on Friday May 10th at 9am.

President - Stacey B and Rebecca K.
stacey.fortriver@gmail.com, rebecca.fortriver@gmail.com
Oversee the year-round activities of the PGO. Act as liaison with district and school administrators and other PGOs. Presides over meetings and sets the agenda.

Vice President - currently vacant
Assist the president in planning the PGO calendar of events, attending PGO meetings, making decisions with the executive board, and consulting with Fort River's principal. Work with staff on curriculum mini-grants.

Treasurer - Deb L
deb.fortriver@gmail.com
Plan and report the budget, oversee PGO's bank account including checks and deposits for events and support programs. QuickBooks or excel knowledge/experience a plus but not necessary.

Secretary - Elizabeth F.
elizabeth.fortriver@gmail.com
Responsible for taking minutes at PGO meetings. Handles facility requests for events with the central office.

Communications - Krisztina F.
krisztina.fortriver@gmail.com
Responsible for weekly updates of the PGO blog and occasional email campaigns to publicize school events. Also handles other social media platforms such as Facebook.

Volunteer Coordinator - Meri C.
meri.fortriver@gmail.com
Recruits and educates room parents. Compiles a list of volunteers and their availabilities as well as finding coordinators for the PGO's various programs and events.