PGO Meeting on May 23 at 9am

General PGO Meeting

Wednesday, May 23
9 - 10 am

Please join the PGO Board for our monthly meeting. All current Fort River parents and guardians are welcome! Parents of registered Kindergarteners or other newly enrolled students may also attend. Sign in at the Main Office to get directions to our meeting location.

New officers will be elected for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year. Please come if you'd like to be more involved in your child's school. Co-Officers can be appointed to a single position so that responsibilities are able to be shared. Budget, fundraising, grant proposals, and volunteer needs will also be discussed. The current Secretary, Treasurer, and Communications person (blog + social media + emails) are stepping down due to student graduations.

Small children are always welcome! We REALLY need more volunteers and help! Thanks for considering! 

Amherst Education Foundation Announces 2018-2019 Excellence Grants

Heading into its 25th year, the Amherst Education Foundation announces its Excellence Grants for the 2018-19 academic year.  Totaling $29,000.00, the grants are spread across the Amherst Elementary Schools, the Amherst Regional Middle School, and the Amherst Regional High School.

Of particular interest to elementary families is the winning proposal from Jennifer Reese, Elementary Science and Garden Coordinator:

ELEMENTARY GARDEN-BASED LEARNING 

Grantee: Jennifer Reese, Elementary Science and Garden Coordinator

Grant Amount: $5,000.00

Schools: Wildwood, Fort River, and Crocker Farm

Description: Garden educator Leila Tunnell will lead all second grade students in year-round garden-based learning at school and on field trips to Brookfield Farm.  Each elementary school will create universally accessible raised beds.  The curriculum will build on lessons individual teachers have used in kindergarten and first grade and will provide second graders with the opportunity to learn about our local ecosystem, food sources, collaboration, and problem solving.

Read about the other grantees here: https://www.amhersteducationfoundation.org/grants/

Big Y Education Express® is Back! Sign Up NOW!

Education Express is a Family Program to help local schools get FREE, much needed supplies & equipment! 

Through previous Big Y Education Express programs, local schools have been given approximately $14 Million Dollars worth of much-needed supplies and equipment.

Click Here to sign up: https://www.bigy.com/rs/educationexpress

• Everyone can participate! Does your child have grandparents, uncles, aunts, or even neighbors who would be willing to support our school? Everyone can support Fort River by signing up for Education Express.
• From February 1 through April 25, 2018, for every 500 Education Express Points earned, you get a GOLD COIN!
• Just shop Big Y stores and look for the participating items marked with the Education Express logo. Each item will have a point value and savings on top of that!

Time to Send in Those Box Tops!

Does this look familiar? Do you have Ziploc baggies of Box Tops sitting in the junk drawer that you've been meaning to send in? NOW IS THE TIME! Get your kids involved - this is a great activity for winter break!

Did you know each Box Top coupon you clip and donate to Fort River School is worth 10 cents that will go straight towards funding events and materials to benefit our students and staff?  

How simple is that? It’s fun to involve your whole family and be sure to ask grandparents, friends, and neighbors to clip and share too! A collection container is always available in the main school office (it's a big jar right on the counter!)

Please keep a bag in your kitchen so it’s easy to collect the Box Tops you clip. Children can be taught at a very young age to identify, clip, and count Box Tops. 
Visit http://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/participating-products for a complete list of participating brands including: 

• Annie's
• General Mills
• Ziploc
• Progresso
• Cascadian Farms
• Pillsbury
• Hefty
• Kleenex
• Scott
• Betty Crocker
• Yoplait

Please send any Box Tops that you have collected NOW! The spring deadline is coming up and they do eventually expire, so send in what you have and please keep clipping! So far this year Fort River has raised $298.20 with the Box Tops program. They really do add up - thanks so much for your support!!

Annual Fund Update #feelingthankful

Thanks again to our generous donors who have already contributed to the PGO Annual Fund!

The PGO's Facebook platform for Annual Fund donations closed on Monday with a total of $1050 raised from 20 donors! The PGO participated in this fundraising option because of matching grants made available. In honor of #GivingTuesday, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Facebook contributed $1 million to fundraisers on Facebook. The Gates Foundation matched $500,000 in donations to fundraisers (up to $1000 per non-profit). In addition Facebook waived up to $500,000 in administrative fees on the fundraising pages set up for the event (through December 31st). 

In addition to donations on Facebook we received charitable contributions via cash, check, and through our PayPal portal (link on top right of the blog homepage - "Donate" button) - contributions can be made at any time and all donations to the PGO are tax-deductible. Envelopes came home with students before Thanksgiving, but feel free to use a different one if it's been misplaced. Donations are accepted throughout the year.

Every donation made to the Annual Fund goes directly into the current year PGO operating budget to fund many teacher requests intended to enhance student experiences, e.g., classroom equipment or special furnishings, special curriculum materials, recess equipment, special guest authors, poets, musicians, and other performers, and field trips funds. 

Thanks again! We are all blessed to be part of such a generous and caring community!

Gift Ideas from the Amherst Education Foundation

Are you trying to figure out how to thank your children’s teachers for their wonderful work this holiday season? Here’s a great way to give a gift that teachers appreciate and is an easy way to remain in compliance with the law that forbids public employees from receiving gifts valued at more than $50. AEF’S THANK A TEACHER/STARS IN OUR SCHOOLS!

Contribute to the Amherst Education Foundation in a teacher’s name and they will get the gift that keeps on giving: money that comes back to the schools in the form of excellence grants. The teacher will receive a card from AEF indicating that you supported AEF in their honor. Click here Thanking a Teacher through our Stars in Our Schools; or go to www.amhersteducationfoundation.org and click on “Stars in Our Schools”.

How is AEF helping the elementary schools? AEF grants are funding the following programs: 

• Math coaches are receiving training to help underperforming kids in grades 3-6! 

• Students with special needs district-wide have much-needed laptop computers! 

• Music teachers are bringing visiting artists to the schools!

Thank you and happy holidays,

The Board of Amherst Education Foundation

Ethan Clotfelter, Becky Michaels, Clare Bertrand, Meg Robertson, Isabella Dell’olio, Rick Hood, Michael Hutton-Woodland, Sue Kelly, Ken Leblond, Sovann-Malis Loeung, Amanda Rivera Lopez, Susan Kennedy Marx, Jennifer Mendelsohn, Adelia Pope, Megan Rosa, Amanda Seaman, Sudha Setty, Jen Veshia

UMASS Amherst Community Campaign (UMACC) - Prizes Plus Donations to the PGO

UMASS Amherst Community Campaign (UMACC)

If you work at UMASS, you can help support the Amherst Regional Public Schools PGOs through the University’s UMASS Amherst Community Campaign (UMACC).  The program allows UMASS employees to donate to nonprofit organizations via payroll deduction, or check/credit card. Employees choose which organizations they would like to support (out of a list of more than 400), and how much they would like to give.You can sign up online at http://www.umass.edu/umacc/login, using your UMASS NETid & password.Anyone who signs up by December 18 will be entered into a drawing for prizes, including a $300 Amazon gift card, hockey and basketball tickets, Fine Arts Center tickets and more.The Fort River Parent Guardian Organization has UMACC code 15301.

Fort River Library Display Features Books Purchased by PGO

Fort River Librarian Fran Ludington submitted this photo of an Open House display featuring books purchased using PGO donations. Thanks to all in our community who support the PGO so we can enrich the collection for our school library!

Giving Tuesday is on November 29 - Where Do your Donations to the PGO Go?

Save the Date! 

Fort River PGO will be participating in a day of giving with others across the globe on Tuesday, November 29, 2016. 

Donations to our Annual Fund are accepted at any time, but on this special day of giving we recognize the power of community in helping the PGO and other non-profits continue to do great work year round. 

Thank you for your continued support of our students and staff! 

Where does the money go? The pink family directories that came home last month were provided free to every family thanks to generous donations to the PGO.

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.

Fort River Students Raised Almost $6000 for Jump Rope for Heart! Please Read Further for Prize Update

Great job Fort River students! Here is an update from the AHA about prizes: 

__________________

Dear Fort River Families,

As you know Fort River Elementary School students participated in the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart event during the 2015/2016 school year raising an astounding $5,953.92 towards the fight against heart disease and stroke.  This is quite an accomplishment!  Congratulations and Thank You!!! The support of you, your child and Fort River Elementary School means so much to the American Heart Association and your community.  Thank you for supporting our partnership to build healthier lives free from heart disease and stroke.

Each participant has made a difference and has earned their special “thank you” gifts based on funds raised.  Due to unforeseen circumstances the gift order was placed at the end of the school year which did not give us time to deliver and distribute the gifts. The school volunteer felt we should deliver the gifts when the children return in the Fall. We understand how exciting it is for your child to receive the gifts they have earned in a timely fashion and would invite you to call Mary Blake, V.P. Youth Markets, to request that your gifts be mailed directly to your child over the summer.  She can be reached at 508-904-3046 or mary.blake@heart.org. 

Once again thank you for supporting and promoting heart health awareness in your community!  The kids had a great time at the event this past year and I’m really looking forward to working with Fort River Elementary School again this upcoming year!

You’re the Cure!  Together we CAN save lives!

Kimberly O’Connor, Director, Youth Markets Kimberly.oconnor@heart.org

Mary Blake, Vice President, Youth Markets Mary.Blake@heart.org

American Heart Association                                                                       

                                   

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Valley Gives Day is May 3, 2016

Please remember Fort River on May 3rd!

ValleyGives Day is May 3, 2016. It is a 24-hour event promoting philanthropic giving in the Pioneer Valley.

Valley Gives is hosted by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. Since 2012, Valley Gives has engaged over 24,000 donors, together raising $5.8 million for over 550 nonprofits throughout the Pioneer Valley!

During Valley Gives 2014 (most recent since the event was skipped in 2015) 14,000 donors supported 463 organizations with $2.6 million raised!

Fort River Community Event on Saturday, April 30: Tag Sale, CarWash,Cake Walk

This Saturday! 🎉🎈🎊✨ tag sale! 👚👟📚👒👗 car wash! 🚗💦🚙💧🚕 cake walk! 🍰🍴🎂 🏃🏽

Join us for a Fort River Community Event on Saturday, 4/30: Tag Sale, Car Wash, Cake Walk!  See flier for details. 

We are seeking cakes from around the world for the first annual Fort River Cake Walk!  If you can contribute a home-made or store-bought cake, please contact Nicole via email colieblum1@gmail.com by Thursday, 4/28.

Tag Sale items from the school community welcome - drop off items to the 5th grade quad any day after school beginning Monday 4/25.

Thank you for your support. The small 5th Grade really needs support from our community! All funds support field trips for the 5th and 6th grades. See you there!

Spanish flyer: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-2bHm-1AjRfT3RBTWN0SjZuVEk

English flyer: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-2bHm-1AjRfS2FLSU05eWhraEU

Local Vocal Chord Bowl #8 is Saturday, April 2 at 7pm at ARHS

The Local Vocal Chord Bowl will be held this Saturday! This is an event you do not want to miss! The performances will truly amaze you - these a Capella groups are phenomenal!

Last year the event raised $6000! Three thousand dollars went to ARHS - to help the music department purchase a new upright piano!  The other $3000 went to Northampton High School for funding the purchase of electronic keyboards and headphones for a class.

The performance will feature nine acapella groups, including The Chorale and The Hurricane Singers from ARHS, two groups from UMass, and one group from Amherst College, as well as three adult groups.  It should be a great deal of FUN!!

Spring update from Amherst Education Foundation

Spring is a busy time at AEF! Did you know that they have received 14 grant applications and have over $30,000 to allocate? This is all thanks to incredibly generous donors from our community. Read about an ARMS Grantee below …

2015-2016 AEF Grantee Spotlight

Music Education at Amherst Regional Middle School  AEF grant purchases 21 iPads and music education software to expand music education at ARMS to reach all middle schoolers and support Music Choral/Classroom Music Teacher David Ranen and Instrumental Teacher Ben Peterson.  Mr. Ranen demonstrating the "Storybook Soundtrack Project" to AEF Co-President Diana Spurgin. If in fact “music hath charms”, as Shakespeare wrote long ago, then every student at the ARMS is charmed, indeed, thanks in part to the 2015-16 AEF Excellence Grant awarded to ARMS. The grant purchased 21 iPads and music education software to support two of the three new music courses at ARMS, taught to both 7th and 8th graders by David Ranen and Ben Peterson.  “The new music classes are attended by students who have chosen not to be in one of the three vocal or instrumental ensembles,” Ranen said. “Now they have a choice: Introduction to Music, Introduction to Songwriting, or Introduction to World Percussion. So now, every student at ARMS is involved in music in some way.”  Introduction to Music: The topics run from the music of the Civil Rights Movement to playing guitar to studying the structure of a song before performing it “garage-band style.” This spring, Ranen said, students will be selecting a children’s book and will “record themselves reading the book, and ultimately make a soundtrack that will fit the story, using things that they have made or borrowed.”  Songwriting/Music Theory: Peterson explained, “We’ve been using the iPads primarily to access online notation software. In one project, students wrote a haiku online and then instrumentalized it, giving it percussion, then notating it and learning how to share it, as well as how to access and share things over the internet.”  Both instructors emphasize that the iPads represent some students’ first real access to the internet other than using school computers, so not only are they learning about music, they are learning how to activate an account, set up a password, and learning “what we think of as basic elements of using the internet.”  “Having not had iPads before,” states Mr. Ranen, “we’re just exploring the possibilities and scraping the surface of what is going to become a really great program.”  The Amherst Education Foundation salutes the innovation and creativity that these instructors are generating and is proud to have been a partner in the new curriculum’s inception.

Learn more about AEF here:

http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=7c033d09b9965cb2e21f8e152&id=9643c41be3

Or visit them at http://www.amhersteducationfoundation.org

Pizza Fundraiser for 5th Grade Field Trip - Order Today!

URGENT!! Pizza!! Pizza!! 

Help the 5^th grade class go on their field trip to Boston AND enjoy yummy Hillside Pizza and cookies for the Superbowl and beyond!  

Who doesn’t like some pizza in the freezer for a quick dinner on a hectic night? All made with natural organic ingredients. There are lots of options:   plain, pepperoni, pesto, asiago, pesto, sundried tomato and gluten free. Choose between large 16 inch pizza’s and 13 inch party packs of 3 (or better yet, get some of each). There are also tubs of cookie dough: chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and maple sugar. Each tub makes 3 dozen and the dough freezes well to use as you eat.

We really need your help to make our trip happen. Please have orders in by January 28^th and we will have them available for pick up Thursday, February 4^th  after school between 3-5 in the lobby, just in time for Superbowl weekend. Please make checks payable to Fort River School.  

Need a new form? Click below to print one.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-2bHm-1AjRfVUVzYmZFM2NWMUU

Giving Tuesday - Please Remember Fort River!

On December 1st, "Giving Tuesday" follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday! It is an opportunity for reflection and a chance to support the many successful and thriving non-profit organizations that make the Valley such a wonderful place to live.

The Fort River PGO has kicked off the 2015 - 2016 Annual Fund. The youngest students in each household were sent home with Appeal letters in their backpacks at the end of last week.

Please consider financial support of the PGO during this giving season. The work that the PGO does to support teachers and students at Fort River is dependent upon generous donations now and throughout the year. Annual appeal gifts directly support teaching and learning in Fort River classrooms. All donations are tax-deductibile.

Checks made out to "Fort River PGO" can be returned to the Main Office or mailed in the return envelope that was provided with the Appeal request. Thank you so much for supporting Fort River Elementary School!