Beach Party

Are you feeling ready for Summer? If so, help us bring some Summer Sunshine to Fort River through the Annual Beach party (March 12th)! If you would like to help plan this exciting event, or can help out on the night of the party, please contact Sue Cairn (253-9148, scairn@verizon.net).

Don't Wait for the Elves...Time to Clean Those Bookshelves!

The Book Swap will take place in the Library during the week of March 18. Every student at Fort River can choose at least one book to bring home without spending a dime!! The number of books they receive will depend on donations. Please donate your gently used books for ages K-6. Donate as many books as you like and keep in mind that we always have a shortage of books for 5th & 6th grade. Adult level books are often great for the older kids, but please be sure they are appropriate. Reference books, dictionaries, thesauruses, are also welcome for the older grades. Collection boxes are in the Library entrances and outside the Main Office. We will collect books through the week of March 11, but the sooner we have your books the better! We also need volunteers to help with sorting, setting up, and working the Swap. Sorting and set-up will take place during school hours on Wed-Fri the week before. Details on volunteering will follow. If you are interested please contact Pam Rietkerk at pjrietkerk@aol.com or 256-2605. This is a fun event and many hands make light work!

Of Interest to Fort River Families

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. Come visit Spring Street Preschool at their annual OPEN HOUSE on Feb 9, 2008, 10 am - 12 pm. The school is located at 64 Spring Street behind the First Congregation Church. Now accepting applications for preschoolers ages 2.9-5 years for the 2008-2009 school year. For more information contact Alicia at 256-8442 or email at springstreetpreschool@verizon.net Hampshire Athletic Club is starting a group swim lesson program for pre-school to elementary aged children of all swim levels. The lessons will be held on Saturdays beginning in February. 6 lessons for $80 ($70 for members). Maximum of 1:4 student teacher ratio. Before the lessons begin we ask that you come in on Saturday February 2nd between 12:30 and 2:30 to sign up and for a level placement test. For more information contact Julian Porcino at jcp1405@yahoo.com. Amherst Community Arts Center. Registration going on now for Winter 2008 classes at ACAC, which is the premier place in the Pioneer Valley for art classes for all ages and abilities. Winter 2008 brings some old favorites as well as some exciting new classes such as The Art of Bookmaking, and Zen and the Art of Tile Making. Call ACAC at 413-253-9265 or look for us in the Amherst Leisure Times on pages 11, 12 & 25. Or visit our website at http://www.amherstarts.org/ Shop Amherst First. By shopping through the shopamherstfirst.org website, a portion of everything you spend will be returned to Amherst First, Inc., a non-profit whose only mission is to provide additional funds to support the schools, library, departments, and programs of the Town of Amherst, Massachusetts. You get great prices at over 1,500 of your favorite online stores and Amherst receives a portion of everything you spend. Thank you for your support. Contact us at info@shopamherstfirst.org. Amherst Education Foundation. The deadline for AEF’s grant applications is February 8 at 5 pm! Past winners include teachers, staff and community members, but the real winners are our kids and our schools! The grant application can be found at http://www.amhersteducationfoundation.org/Grants along with submission requirements and a listing of past awards. A note from Parent Council. We will publish information about non-Parent Council sponsored events with the following conditions: 1. The event should be of interest to Fort River families. 2. The information should be sent to Ann McLaughlin at damclaughlin@comcast.net in the form of a short blurb of 100 words or less. 3. Contact information (name, telephone and/or email address) must be included. We will add new information to the blog every Friday. Thanks for your cooperation!

Don't Forget Our On-Going Fundraisers!

Stop & Shop's A+ BonusBucks Program: If you are a Shop and Shop customer and haven't already signed up, please do so! It's quick, easy and free. You can log on to www.stopandshop.com/aplus to designate online, call 1-877-366-2668 to designate over the phone, or fill out the A+ BonusBucks Form and drop it off at any Stop & Shop store. Even if you designated last year, you must re-designate this year for our school to receive credit. Please be sure to designate Fort River using ID # 05218. More info here. Box Tops for Education: For each Box Top clipped we receive 10 cents! Please send in box tops to the collection box on the table in the Front Office. More info here. Cellphones and Ink Jet Cartridges: Please help protect the environment AND raise money for Parent Council by donating your used digital cell phone(s) and ink jet cartridge(s). Your used cell phone(s) will be recycled in accordance with EPA regulations or refurbished and sold, with 100% of the proceeds going to Parent Council. Just bring your used cellphone and/or ink jet cartridges to the box in the main office.

Crocker Farm PGO Throws Down the Gauntlet!

Attention Fort River Families! A challenge has been issued by Clare Bertrand of the Crocker Farm PGO to all other elementary schools to race them in the upcoming "Cardboard Classic" at Winterfest '08. Are any of you ready to take them on and form a Fort River team? Marks Meadow has already announced the formation of their "X-Wing" team. If you are interested in spearheading the Fort River effort please send me an email. I will be happy to coordinate any email communication. --Thanks, Ann McLaughlin (damclaughlin@comcast.net).

Here's the email from Clare:

Dear PTO leaders of Fort River, Marks Meadow and Wildwood,

The Crocker Farm PGO (parent group) would like to challenge the other elementary schools to join us in the first ever “Cardboard Classic” to be held at Winterfest ’08 at the Cherry Hill Golf Course on Feb. 9th, races to begin at 2:30. http://www.winterfestamherst.com/

In case you haven’t heard about it, besides the Cardboard Classic, Winterfest ’08 at Cherry Hill Golf Course features a rockin’ GREAT band (Swift Kicks), beer and wine, fireworks at 7pm, and LOTS of fun family events like sledding, skiing, snow sculpture contests, golf putting contests, a craft fair, and a chili cook off among area restaurants. For more info about Winterfest ’08 see http://winterfestamherst.com/activities.html.

So far they have planned some really great and funny match ups for the Cardboard Classic:
-A Selectboard Primary Race!!
-Larry Shaffer vs. Gerry Weiss vs. Larry Kelly!
-Fire Chief Hoyle vs. Police Chief Scherpa
-Building Inspector Bonnie Weeks vs. Building Outlaw David Keenan!
-Big Brothers vs Big Sisters
-And they’re looking for more races among restaurants, stores, non-profits, kids and the general public!!

So what do you think? Are you willing to take our challenge and meet us on the hill? We think our Crocker Crocodile is going to kick your butt!!!! Check out the fun you could have: http://winterfestamherst.com/cardboardClassic.html

The bigger the box, the more kids you can fit in it! Imagine the giggling as we all race to the bottom. Be in touch and let us know what you think!

Thanks,
Clare

Upcoming Events

Teacher Curriculum Workday. Monday, Jan. 28th. NO SCHOOL. Fort River Roasters/Deans Beans Coffee Orders Due. Fri., Feb. 1. Click here for form. Original Art Works After-School Activity. Wednesday, Feb. 6th. More info here. Parent Council Meeting. Monday, Feb. 11th, 8:30-9:30am. In the cafeteria. Coffee With a Principal. Fri. Feb. 15th, 8:30-9:15am. Please join Principal Vernon-Jones or Asst. Principal Lianne Suarez-Werlein for coffee, light breakfast foods and casual conversation in the cafeteria. Younger siblings are welcome to attend. In the cafeteria. Jump Rope for Heart Jumpathon. Feb. 14-15. Grades 1-6. Click here for more information. Winter Recess. Feb. 18-22. No school. Beach Party. Wednesday, March 12th. Time to be announced. In the cafeteria. Book Swap. Week of March 18th. See below for more information.

Of Interest to Fort River Families

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. Come visit Spring Street Preschool at their annual OPEN HOUSE on Feb 9, 2008, 10 am - 12 pm. The school is located at 64 Spring Street behind the First Congregation Church. Now accepting applications for preschoolers ages 2.9-5 years for the 2008-2009 school year. For more information contact Alicia at 256-8442 or email at springstreetpreschool@verizon.net Hampshire Athletic Club is starting a group swim lesson program for pre-school to elementary aged children of all swim levels. The lessons will be held on Saturdays beginning in February. 6 lessons for $80 ($70 for members). Maximum of 1:4 student teacher ratio. Before the lessons begin we ask that you come in on Saturday February 2nd between 12:30 and 2:30 to sign up and for a level placement test. For more information contact Julian Porcino at jcp1405@yahoo.com. Amherst Community Arts Center. Registration going on now for Winter 2008 classes at ACAC, which is the premier place in the Pioneer Valley for art classes for all ages and abilities. Winter 2008 brings some old favorites as well as some exciting new classes such as The Art of Bookmaking, and Zen and the Art of Tile Making. Call ACAC at 413-253-9265 or look for us in the Amherst Leisure Times on pages 11, 12 & 25. Or visit our website at http://www.amherstarts.org/ Shop Amherst First. By shopping through the shopamherstfirst.org website, a portion of everything you spend will be returned to Amherst First, Inc., a non-profit whose only mission is to provide additional funds to support the schools, library, departments, and programs of the Town of Amherst, Massachusetts. You get great prices at over 1,500 of your favorite online stores and Amherst receives a portion of everything you spend. Thank you for your support. Contact us at info@shopamherstfirst.org. Amherst Education Foundation. The deadline for AEF’s grant applications is February 8 at 5 pm! Past winners include teachers, staff and community members, but the real winners are our kids and our schools! The grant application can be found at http://www.amhersteducationfoundation.org/Grants along with submission requirements and a listing of past awards. A note from Parent Council. We will publish information about non-Parent Council sponsored events with the following conditions: 1. The event should be of interest to Fort River families. 2. The information should be sent to Ann McLaughlin at damclaughlin@comcast.net in the form of a short blurb of 100 words or less. 3. Contact information (name, telephone and/or email address) must be included. We will add new information to the blog every Friday. Thanks for your cooperation!