Seussical the Musical

 

AEF Stars in our schools

 

AEF's December Stars In Our Schools Is Now Open!

Is there a teacher or staff member that has made a difference in your child's life this year? Make a donation to the Stars In Our Schools Campaign in their honor and the Amherst Education Foundation will send a note of gratitude on your behalf, thanking them for all their hard work and dedication.

We grant an average of $30,000 annually to teachers and staff in our public schools and all the money raised this month will help us fund the next round of initiatives and programs. In April, we awarded funding for the Bridge To Resilient Youth In Transition Mindful Gardening Project at the High School, Combating Sexual Harassment at the Middle School, the Fort River Table & Project-Based Development Initiative, and the Revitalize Elementary Music Instrument Education Project. We need your help so that we can continue to fund initiatives that teachers will be applying for in the upcoming months.

Last December we honored over 200 teachers and staff and raised $5,000; please help us do the same this year! 

Visit amhersteducationfoundation.org/stars by December 31st to make your online gift or click on this link for the form to print out and mail it with a check.

 

 

Site Council Vote

 

Vote for the Fort River School Site Council Representative!

Thank you to the parents who put themselves forward:

• Alex Hebert-Markiewicz

• Yuhwa Hong

• Liz Anette Perez Leboeuf

• Paul Leboeuf
  

• Grover Wehman-Brown

Ballots will be sent via email on Monday, December 18. Votes are due on Thursday, December 21 at noon.

What is the School Site Council?

• Created by the state's education reform law (Public Act 10-111) to enable parents, school staff, students, and community leaders to work together to improve student achievement in the state's schools.

This is the LINK to the full description of the School Site Council.

Spirit Week

 

Learning Study at MGH

 

School Site Council

 Volunteers needed for School Site Council

What is the School Site Council?

• Created by the state's education reform law (Public Act 10-111) to enable parents, school staff, students, and community leaders to work together to improve student achievement in the state's schools. 

Role of School Improvement Planning Team

• To represent the voices of stakeholders and provide diverse perspectives

• To help identify workable opportunities for the greater community to engage in

• To represent the planning process within the community, providing ongoing two-way communication about progress

Main Areas of Responsibilities:

1. Adopting educational goals for the school that are consistent with local educational policies and statewide student performance standards

2. Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school

3. Reviewing the annual school building budget

4. Formulating a school improvement plan 

This is the LINK to the full description of the School Site Council. Please let Maria Torres (torresm@arps.org) know if you are interested in being on the council; once we have a list of interested parents and guardians, the PGO will facilitate an election in December, following DESE guidelines.

Last year, the School Council developed the School Improvement Plan. This year, the School Council will review the Family Handbook. Once elected,  this School Council  Team will meet on the following dates (tentative) from 3:00-3:45 pm in the Principal's Office: 

• January 24, 2024

• March 13, 2024

• April 24, 2024

• May 22, 2024

In Collaboration, 

Tammy

Room parents wanted!

 

 

We still need room parents before the room parent kick-off ! Are you interested in being a room parent and helping to encourage community events and organize getting supplies? If so, please sign up by Friday, December 1st!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E45A4A82FAAFCC07-46271629-room

 

The PGO is looking for bakers and volunteers for our Voting Day Fundraiser on Tuesday, November 7th!

Baked goods should be wrapped individually. Please label the container or each item so our customers know what they are buying. Drop-off information will follow closer to the date.

The bake sale stand will be open from 9am-2pm.

Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E45A4A82FAAFCC07-45496733-voting

Fort River Apparel

The Fort River Apparel store is open and ready to go! Show your school spirit and support the PGO at the same time. This year we are offering 3 colors and 3 styles in both youth and adult sizes. Orders will be back to us and ready for delivery around Thanksgiving. If we receive the order from soundscape during the week of Thanksgiving we will set up pick up times the following week. 

Place your orders by November 1st. Thank you for your support! 

 

 

3rd Annual Apple Cider and Doughnut Halloween Costume Parade

 

Where: Blacktop area by the playground
When: Sunday, October 29 at 12:00 to 1:30

Get ready for a costume parade around Fort River!
We will have Cider and Doughnuts from Atkins available!
This event is sponsored by the Fort River PGO, donations are appreciated.
All funds raised directly benefit the school and classroom activities.

Amherst Hockey Programs

 

AEF Annual Trivia Bee

 

The Amherst Education Foundation is hosting its 29th Annual Trivia Bee on Thursday, October 26 at 6:30pm in the Amherst Regional Middle School Auditorium. Put together a Trivia Bee Team (4 people max) and test your knowledge against other community members, businesses and organizations during a super fun event! Teams are encouraged to come in their best Halloween costumes and participate in a costume contest. There will also be a raffle for gift cards from area restaurants and businesses, and pizza and refreshments for purchase.

The Trivia Bee is our biggest fundraiser of the year and proceeds will go towards funding critical programs and projects created by public school teachers and staff in Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury. You don't have play to participate; come watch all the fun for free and support all the players!

You must pre-register to play. Please visit bit.ly/2023-trivia-bee to sign up your team or enter the raffle.

Walk, Bike and Roll to School

All students are encouraged to walk, bike or roll to school - contact your neighborhood's organizer for meet-up details. No one in your neighborhood? Grab some parents and make it happen!

Back to School Popsicle Party and 6th Grade Fun Fair

Please join us at Fort River as we celebrate the start of the new school year by grabbing a popsicle with our principals, meeting other families, and supporting our 6th Graders to raise funds for field trips and graduation activities. They will be selling pizza, drinks, and snacks and will also organize fun games for the younger kids! Bring the whole family!

Thursday, September 28, 2023, 5:00-6:30pm
Black Top Area near the smaller play structure.

Fort River Directory - Information Needed!

Every year, the PGO creates a student directory for the school year. Inclusion is voluntary, but we hope that you would find the directory to be a useful tool -- whether it's arranging play dates, contacting other parents, or using it to build relationships with other Fort River families. Families MUST fill out this form in order to authorize the PGO to include your family in this directory. Only fill out the fields that you want to be included in this directory.

Everyone will receive an electronic copy of the directory. The Fort River directory is an internal resource that is private and not disseminated to any outside vendors.

Please complete this form by FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th.

Project Backpack 2023

 

Summer Ultimate League of Amherst

 

Registration is now open for the Summer Ultimate League of Amherst (SULA), youth division. This is open to all area residents and beginners are welcome. All players will be assigned to a team. With volunteer coaches from championship Amherst teams this is the oldest youth Ultimate League in the country, entering its 25th season.

Games are at Plum Brook Field in Amherst on Tuesday nights and begin at 6:00 PM. The season runs from June 27 through August 8.

There are 3 divisions: Frisbee Activities for Kids (Ages 7-8), Elementary (Ages9-11), and Middle School (Ages 12-13).

To sign up, go to www.suladisc.org and follow link to registration through Amherst Recreation or call 413-259-3065. For more information, contact Nathan Salwen or Susan Morrello at 413-374-7193 (salwen.1@gmail.com). The fee is $49 for the
season.

Amherst Ballet

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-empress-of-thunder-tickets-631747733477

AEF Stars in our schools

 AEF's Spring Stars In Our Schools Closes June 15!

Is there a teacher or staff member that has made a difference in your child's life this year? Make a donation to Amherst Education Foundation's Stars In Our Schools Spring Campaign in their honor and AEF will send a note of gratitude on your behalf, thanking them for all their hard work and dedication.

We grant an average of $30,000 annually to teachers and administrators in our schools and all the money raised this month will help us fund the next round of initiatives and programs. In April, AEF awarded a total of $29,317 in grants spread throughout the Amherst-Pelham School District including, ARHS Bridge to Resilient Youth in Transition Mindful Gardening, Combating Sexual Harassment at the Middle School, Fort River Table and Project-Based Development Initiative, and Protect the Investment project. So far this spring we have honored 42 teachers/staff and raised $956. Last June we honored 165 teachers and staff and raised almost $6,000; please help us do the same this year.

Visit amhersteducationfoundation.org/stars and make your gift today!

 

Yearbooks are coming!

The Fort River yearbook hasn't made an appearance since before the pandemic... but it's BACK! We need your help:

- YOUR NAME is important! The default name used in the yearbook is the legal name used when your child was registered for school. If you would like a nickname or preferred name listed, please fill out this form no later than June 1.

- COST: The cost of each yearbook is $6. Unable to contribute? No problem! The PGO is committed to ensuring that every child receive a yearbook. If you are willing to donate more, it will go towards funding yearbooks for all students. Please send payment (cash or check) to your classroom teacher or via Venmo (@FortRiverPGO) by June 2.

Book Swap

Please check the weather forecast. It says: books for days! 

If you have books to donate for the June Fort River Library Book Swap, please send them to school in your students’ book bag or leave them in the box outside the front doors! The Fort River Library is collecting book donations! During the 2nd week of June, all Fort River students will get to choose from these books to keep, read, and love throughout the summer (and forever if you choose).

 

===

Por favor, compruebe el pronóstico del tiempo. Dice: ¡libros por días!

Si tiene libros para donar para el intercambio de libros de la Biblioteca de Fort River de Junio, por favor envíelos a la escuela en la mochila de sus estudiantes o déjelos en la caja afuera de la puerta principal. La Biblioteca de Fort River está recolectando donaciones de libros. En la semana segundo de Junio, todos los estudiantes de Fort River podrán elegir entre estos libros para guardar, leer y amar durante el verano (y para siempre si así lo desean).

Mad Science / Art Ventures Summer Programs

 

Registration is now open for Mad Science and Art Ventures summer programs. Both are being offered in Amherst!

Info and sign-up for Mad Science: https://westnewengland.madscience.org/parents-camps.aspx

Info and sign-up for Art Ventures: https://www.artventuresforkids.com/summer-program-info/

Children's Studies at MGH

 

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 Institute of Health (NIH). 

The purpose of this study is to examine how children use language to complete complex tasks. The study will involve up to 3 visits to the lab in the Charlestown Navy Yard and 1-2 virtual visits. During the visits, children will complete several cognitive and language-based assessments and play games on the computer while electrical brain activity is recorded. The recording is done with a safe and noninvasive electroencephalography (EEG) net worn on the scalp. Each in-person visit will last 1.5-2.5 hours. We are looking for children who were late to develop language and/or currently struggle to use or understand language (spoken or written). More information can be found at: https://rally.partners.org/study/language_and_executive_function

Your child will earn up to $85 for completing this study and a fun prize at the end of each visit. We provide free all-day parking in the Navy Yard. We will also mail you a summary of your child’s scores on the cognitive and language assessments. Please email us at cnglead@mghihp.edu or call us at (617) 724-7363 if you are interested or if you have any questions.

We are running multiple research studies in our lab so please feel free to add your contact information to our recruitment database by right clicking on this hyper link: Child Research Recruitment (partners.org) and a member of our research team will reach out if your child is eligible for any of our current studies.

Refugee Awareness Event

 

Pelham Players Summer Theater

 

5th Grade Necessities Drive

 

For more information, visit the Welcome Home Refugee Resettlement
Program: http://welcomehomenorthampton.org/volunteer.

Interested in volunteering? Reach out to our fifth-grade class by contacting Mr. Austin at austint@arps.org.

ARHS Boosters - Track Project

 

AEF Mini Golf

 

Nominate a Teacher for the Roger L Wallace Excellence in Teaching Award

Do you know a special teacher at Fort River who has shown a commitment for social justice and exhibits excellency in teaching more generally?  We'd love to honor them!

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2023 Roger L Wallace Excellence in Teaching Award, the deadline is April 28th and instructions are here.  Nominations can be submitted in any language.

Roger L. Wallace was a teacher at Fort River and inspired many of his students and colleagues with his focus on social justice and passion for educating kids.  He retired in 2012 after 39 years of excellent teaching in our elementary schools. In 2012, a group of parents, alumni, and retired educators, partnering with the Amherst Education Foundation, and collaborating with the Amherst Public Schools, created this annual award to honor Amherst and Pelham elementary teachers and recognize excellence in teaching! The first teacher was honored in the fall of 2013 and the group has raised money to create an endowment so that one teacher will be honored each year in perpetuity. The award includes a stipend of $750 and an award dinner to celebrate them.

Missoula Children's Theater: Hansel & Gretel

 

For more information: https://amherstacts.org/

Fort River Apparel

Show your school spirit while helping the PGO raise money to support the Fort River community! Access the store here: https://fortriveelementarypopup2023.itemorder.com/

This year, we are offering t-shirts, crew neck sweatshirts and hoodies. All are available in royal blue or cardinal red, with lots of available sizes.

The online store is now open until March 14. Orders will be distributed at Fort River in early April.

The PGO would appreciate any support to provide t-shirts for all students who would like one. If you are willing to donate any amount in addition to your order, please make a donation to the PGO via Venmo (@FortRiverPGO) and note 'T-shirt fund' in the comments. To request a scholarship shirt, please email your student's name and size to annaliese.fortriver@gmail.com.
 

Chili Night

 

The Fort River PGO invites ALL Fort River Families to Chili Night! Come help us welcome back our annual Chili Night Cook- Off & Family Fun Night.

We need chili chefs, volunteers, and some hungry families! Please join us on Tuesday, March 7th from 6:00-8:00 to Eat, Have Fun, & Raise PGO Funds!

Please Sign up to Volunteer Here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E45A4A82FAAFCC07-chili

Please share this post and spread the word!

¡El PGO de Fort River invita a TODAS las familias de Fort River a la noche del chile! Ven y ayúdanos a dar la bienvenida a nuestra noche anual de cocinero y diversión familiar de la noche de chile.

 

¡Necesitamos chefs de chile, voluntarios y algunas familias hambrientas! ¡Únete a nosotros el martes 7 de marzo de 6:00 a 8:00 para comer, divertirte y recaudar fondos de PGO!

Por favor, regístrese para ser voluntario aquí:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E45A4A82FAAFCC07-chili

¡Por favor, comparte esta publicación y corre la voz!