Easy Ways to Earn $$$ for Fort River

Stop & Shopʼs A+ BonusBucks Program
Use your Stop & Shop card and Fort River earns a percentage! It's not too late to sign up! This is an easy way to raise money with absolutely no cost to you. However, for Fort River to receive credit you need to re-designate Fort River each year. Call 1-877-366-2668 or visit www.stopandshop.com/aplus. Fort River ID # 05218. Remember, even if you registered your card last year, you must re-register this year for our school to receive credit. Thanks to everyone who has already signed up. Also, don’t forget to encourage your friends and relatives to do the same. And, if you sign up anytime in the month of January, ALL your purchases for the month will be counted! We need your support! Contact Ann McLaughlin if you have any questions or problems.

Big Y Education Express
Use your Big Y Express Savings Club card and Fort River can earn points for buying much needed equipment and supplies! Just visit the Big Y customer service desk and fill out a form that will link Fort River with your card (School ID # 5947). Or go to www.bigy.com/education and sign up from your computer! Whenever you use your card to purchase items designated with the “Education Express” logo, youʼll earn points for our school. 


Target Take Charge of Education
If you have a Target REDcard (credit card), you can designate Fort River to receive up to 1% of the value of your purchases on the card. Go to www.Target.com/tcoe to designate Fort River (School ID # 58645).

Atkins Farms Country Market
Use your Atkins card when you shop at Atkins Farms Country Market, and they will donate a percentage of your purchase to Fort River School. Atkins provided us with one card per family last year, and new cards for new families will be coming soon-- stay tuned! Just show the card when you are checking out. There is an expiration date on the card, which is the date that youngest child graduates from Fort River. 
Last year Fort River parents earned $500 for Fort River by shopping at Atkins! Thanks to everyone who has been participating--and don't forget to keep using your card every time you go.

Box Tops for Education
In case you are not familiar with Box Tops this is an easy way to earn money for Fort River--just take your scissors and clip! Last year we earned over $500. For each Box Top clipped the school receives 10 cents. Just look for the Box Tops logo on products in you already have in your kitchen, cut it out and deliver your box tops to the school's main office. If you would like to learn about the other ways you can make a difference sign up for the Box Tops website at boxtops4education.com. It’s easy, free and you’ll learn about new ways to help our school earn the extra cash it needs.

Cellphones & Ink Jet Cartridges
Protect the environment and raise money for Parent Council by donating used digital cellphones and ink jet cartridges. Please deliver to the Main Office. Cellphones will be recycled, according to EPA regulations, or refurbished and sold, with 100% of the proceeds going to Parent Council.

Amherstopoly--A Great Holiday Gift

Here’s a great gift idea for the holidays – give your friends and family copies of the Amherstopoly board game! This is a unique gift that will provide hours of fun for the whole family and/or be a great souvenir of Amherst.

Ever dream of managing ARMS or Town Hall? Well, your chance is finally here! Amherstopoly, the fantastic board game that is all about Amherst and its most beloved haunts, has arrived just in time to celebrate Amherst’s 250th Anniversary.

Amherstopoly is a collaboration of the Parent Groups of Crocker Farm, Fort River, Mark’s Meadow and Wildwood schools to raise funds for student enrichment programs. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, 100% of the money ($25) raised through school sales of the game will be split equally amongst the four elementary schools.

Games can be purchased directly from the front office any time. Questions? Please contact Sue Cairn scairn@verizon.net.

Amherst School Committee Meeting, Tues. Dec. 15.

Amherst School Committee Meeting, Tues. Dec. 15, 7pm at the High School Library.

This meeting of the Amherst Elementary School Committee will include a presentation of the preliminary budget cut projections for the elementary schools and an update on the redistricting plan.

The meeting agenda can be seen here. 

Fort River Fort River Family Redistricting Meeting Monday, 12/21 from 7-8:30pm.

An informational meeting for families of students currently attending Fort River will take place on Monday, Dec. 21 at 7pm.  I will post the location for this meeting as soon as possible!

Info here:  http://www.arps.org/node/1064.

Upcoming School Events

Lost and Found. Tues. Dec. 15-Thurs Dec. 17 in the front lobby.  All items not claimed by 3:30pm on Thursday will be donated to charity. See below for more info.

Elementary School Committee Meeting. Dec. 15th. High School Library.

School Council Meeting. Thurs. Dec. 17th, 7-9pm. FR Conference Room.

Fort River Family Redistricting Meeting. Monday, Dec. 21 from 7-8:30 pm. An ll informational meeting for families of students currently attending Fort River. Location TBA.

School Vacation.  Thursday, Dec. 24-January 1. (Last day 12/23; School reopens 1/4/10). 

Coffee with the Principals.  Friday, Jan. 8, 8:30-9:15am. Join Principal Sharick and Asst. Principal Kennedy-Marx for coffee, conversation and light refreshments. Younger siblings welcome. In the cafeteria.

Parent Council Meeting, Mon. Jan. 11, 7pm. In the school library.

Chorus Concert.  Jan 14th, 7pm. Middle School Auditorium.

Teacher Curriculum Workday. Jan. 15. No School.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Jan. 18. No School.

*Items in teal are sponsored by Parent Council.

Lost and Found, Dec. 15-17.

Please come and check the Lost and Found items that will be on tables in the front lobby on Tuesday-Thursday, Dec. 15-17th.  All items not claimed by 3:30pm on Thursday will be donated to charity.

Reminder to have your children bring home all items by their coat hooks before vacation break.  Often items left behind are cleared for cleaning and placed in the Lost and Found.

Parent Council Thanks Book Fair Volunteers

Thanks to everyone who volunteered at last week's Book Fair:

Jan Kelly
Karen Regis
Desiree Bohl
Eileen Marasco
Elayne Berger
Mark Dooley
Jean MacKimmie
Kerry Crosby
Catherine McGraw
Jacqueline Kang
Elizabeth Caraker
Sue Borden
Libby Stanforth

And special thanks to Diane Caraker for organizing the book fair! Our thanks also to Peter Wood for coordinating the Winter Sports and Clothing Swap, as well as to everyone who donated items.