Attention 6th Grade Families

Sixth grade parents and students are invited to the ARMS Family Education Night on Tuesday, January 27 at 7 pm in the ARMS library. Please join us for a panel discussion concerning "Socialization and the Middle Schooler" - how to help your child navigate the potentially choppy waters of middle school life. Topics of discussion will include the whys and wherefores of team placement and the role the teams play in middle school life, and what the school can and does do for kids with social/emotional disabilities. Also issues around ostracism, real-time- and cyber-bullying, queen bees and wanna-bes and all the myriad aspects of social life of young adolescents (and how many of us would like to redo our middle school years?!) Presenters will be De Boyd and Talib Sadiq- 7th and 8th grade Guidance Counselors, Denise Green- School Psychologist, Paul Lyons-Therapeutic Teacher and Sue Tippett- School Adjustment Counselor We thank these ARMS staffers for their time and expertise and hope you will have lots of questions for them following the presentation! Students are welcome to participate. Hope to see you there!

Upcoming Community Events

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. Come to Seussical! You'll leave singing the songs and reminiscing about all all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters. The show is about a boy, JoJo who "thinks too much" and the troubles of finding one true friend. And of course there's the Cat in the Hat and Horton the Elephant working out social justice themes from start to finish. The cast of adults and kids is grand, the set and costumes are wild, and there's a live orchestra! Tickets are available through Amherst Leisure Services. You can call 413-259-3065 or buy them on the web - http://www.lsse.org/ There are four remaining shows this weekend: Fri. 1/23 @ 7pm, Sat. 1/24 @ 2pm and 7pm, and Sun. 1/25 @ 2pm. But I can't tell you any more, so... you'll have to come see the show!! 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 description. 3. Contact information (website or name, telephone and/or email address) must be included. We add new information to the blog every Friday during the school year. Please note that we do not accept announcements of items or services for sale (with the exceptions of children's classes/lessons). Inclusion in this section does not imply any guarantees or endorsements by Fort River Parent Council or Fort River School.

Upcoming Events

Martin Luther King Day. Monday, Jan. 19. No school. Create a Welcome Sign in Your Native Language. Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 8:30am or Thursday, Jan. 29th at 3:10pm. In the cafeteria. Sponsored by the Diversity & Social Justice Committee. See below for more info. Report Cards sent home for Grades 1 - 6. Friday, Jan. 30. Superintendent Search, Public Forums. Week of Feb. 2 & Feb. 9. Times and locations to be announced. School Council Meeting, Thursday, Feb. 5th, 7pm. Principal's Office. Coffee With a Principal, Friday, Feb. 6th, 8:30am. Fort River Cafeteria. School Committee Meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 10th, 7pm. High School Library. Winter Recess, Feb. 16th-Feb. 20th. No School. Note: Items in teal are sponsored by Fort River Parent Council.

Amherst Elementary School Reorganization News

News from Tuesday’s Amherst School Committee meeting. Preliminary data on budget cuts to the elementary school budget was presented in general terms that did not specify how individual programs would be effected (art, music, instruments, transportation etc). Budget cuts were estimated at one half to $1 million. Interim Superintendent Helen Vivian announced that she no longer supports any restructuring of the elementary schools at this time and will instead focus on cuts to the elementary school budget. However the School Committee requested further data on the cuts that would be necessary to maintain our current elementary school configuration AND information on the impact of closing Marks Meadow, as well as under other reorganization plans, to be prepared to present a budget to Town Meeting in mid March. The 2 other plans are: (1) the pairing of Fort River-Crocker Farm, and Marks Meadow-Wildwood, and (2) creating three K-4th grade schools and one 5th-6th grade school. This information will be presented at the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 10th. For further information regarding reorganization news check the Parent Council Blog for links to preliminary budget data from the ARPS website (www.arps.org), Interim Superintendent Vivian’s statement (www.arps.org/node/475) and School Committee member Catherine Sanderson’s blog (myschoolcommitteeblog. blogspot.com). Please check out the comments section of Catherine's blog, where community members and Catherine are having a lively, on-going discussion. Also, check ACTV to view reruns of Tuesday’s School Committee meeting. (It is possible to view some meetings online, although, last time I checked I was unable to view the 1/13 school committee meeting-Ann McLaughlin) Many parents were unsettled by Interim Superintendent Vivian’s reversal of a opinion regarding the elementary School reorganization and concerned about prospective cuts and added fees if we maintain the current configuration. I strongly urge you to mark your calendars and attend the February 10th School Committee meeting when further data will be made available.

Recent Newspaper Articles about the School Reorganization

"School Closure Hotly Debated," by Mary Carey, Amherst Bulletin, Jan. 16, 2009. "Proposal to Reconfigure Amherst Elementary Schools May Be Delayed," by Diane Lederman, The Republican, Jan. 10, 2009.

Annual Family Fund

This is our largest annual fundraiser, and thanks to all who have already donated! As of December, we are behind compared to last year, with only 40% parent participation to date. Our goal is 100% participation, or $7,000. Even donating $1 will help! The Family Fund supports:

• School Directory for each student
• Free Yearbook
• Staff Appreciation Luncheon
• Parent Council activities

The suggested donation is $20 per child, but contributions of any size are welcome. Contributions are tax deductible and anonymous. Please make checks payable to Fort River Parent Council and send to the Parent Council mailbox in the Main Office. Remember--All Parents Are Members of Parent Council! Every parent is automatically part of the Parent Council. Our goal is to unite parents, children, teachers and administration to make a better school. Here are the events and fundraisers the Parent Council manages throughout the year:

• New Family Welcome, Staff Welcome Back Day
• Fall Festival, Multicultural Fair, Family Fair, Field Day
• Grade-wide events, 6th Grade Graduation
• School Picture Day, Fort River T-shirts Sale, Book Fair
• Appreciation Lunch/Breakfast for Teachers, and Van/Bus Drivers

We also fund field trips, cultural & classroom events, books for the library, scholarships for children in need, Student Directory, Yearbook, and teacher support. Your help makes it possible!

Volunteers Needed

Library Volunteers needed to shelve / organize books and perform minor book repairs. Training provided. Please contact: Fran Ludington, LudingtF@arps.org. T-Shirt Sale T-shirts, sweatshirts & tote made with the Fort River logo will be available this Spring. Co-organizer needed. Spring Bookstore Fundraiser Volunteer needed to help coordinate this event &/or call local bookstores. Please contact: Sue Borden FRPC.sborden@gmail.com Immigration Play (5th Grade) Volunteer help needed with rehearsals leading up to performance in the Spring. Please contact: Anne White,, WhiteA@arps.org. Gardening Committee Help needed with the final phase of the playground renovation! Volunteers for landscaping (thanks to the lovely design by Carol Pope), and/or painting games on the blacktop. Please contact: Catherine Sanderson casanderson@amherst.edu