Original Works Deadline Extended!

The deadline for Original Works orders has been extended to Monday, November 21. So if you were thinking about creating those special gifts from your kids for the holidays you have the weekend to get artistic! Contact Sue Borden at frpc.sborden@gmail.com with questions, and click here for more information on the program.

Upcoming Early Dismissal Days

• Fort River students will be released at 1:20 pm Wednesday, Nov 23 to start the Thanksgiving break.
• Also, Tuesday, November 29 will now be an early dismissal day: students will be released at 1:20 pm to accommodate the rescheduled parent-teacher conferences.

Winter Clothing Drive

The Amherst schools are now collecting winter outerwear to ensure all our students stay warm this winter.  Donations will be accepted in the lobby at Crocker Farm School until Tuesday, November 29.   Fort River families needing warm winter clothing are encouraged to pick up items at Crocker Farm November 30 - Dec 2.  For more information, look here.

Volunteers needed to work at the Book Fair

If you love to read and want to share your enthusiasm with kids, we need you at the book fair! Volunteers are needed for shifts during daytime classroom visits or during the evening Book Fair at our new FORT RIVER READS!!! Book Event & Community Marketplace.

Tasks are varied and include assisting shoppers, stocking and arranging merchandise, pulling books for Teacher Wish Lists, checking out customers, or maybe even dressing up as your favorite book character! During slow times you might have time to read to kids! Volunteers are also needed to set-up and breakdown the fair and for other promotional and decorating tasks.

The Scholastic Book Fair will take place during the week of December 5th. We need lots of volunteers! Classroom visits will occur on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, December 6th - 8th. The evening Book Fair will occur on Thursday, December 8th, and includes book readings by featured guests, activities for your children, a delicious chili supper, dessert, coffee, and delightful company!

Click here to sign up to volunteer on the Please Bring It sign-up sheet

*NOTE* Not all classrooms have signed up for their Fair visit yet.

If your child's classroom teacher is not listed and you would like to volunteer during their Fair visit, please check the link again in a few days.

Please contact our Fair Coordinators with any questions:

Diane Caraker (dianec711@comcast.net) 413-687-8333

Carol Slaughter (cslaughter143@aol.com) 413-253-9920

All profits from our Scholastic Book Fair directly support the Fort River Library! Every child at Fort River will benefit from your participation in this great community event!

FORT RIVER READS!!!

Yearbook Club

The Fort River Yearbook club would like your Fall candid class photos, send in Fall field trip and school event photographs. Please email digital photos to yearbook.fortriver@gmail.com. If email does not work for you, send in a CD to the PGO mailbox or contact us to borrow a yearbook flash drive. Our students are ready to sort and file digital photos, so please send them to us.

NEXT YEARBOOK CLUB MEETING IS WEDNESDAY, 11/30 in the FR cafeteria. We will work on cover design and editing the InDesign layout.  For more info, contact : Kathy Niedzielski, Yearbook Club Coordinator, stonyhill4@verizon.net or 253-3201.

Save the Date! Fort River Reads!

Save the Date! Thursday, December 8

The second annual Fort River Reads evening book fair event will take place on Thursday, December 8. The evening will feature delicious chili made by the new Lumber Yard Restaurant in town, book related crafts, special guest readers, and much more. This is a great community event and gives families a chance to check out the Scholastic Book Fair offerings. Details will follow, be sure to mark your calendars and plan to come!

1st PGO Meeting of the Year

Wednesday marked the first PGO meeting of the year.  Please take a look at the minutes from the meeting, as well as the approved yearly budget.

We are always looking for volunteers willing to get involved with the PGO.  If you only have an hour or two to spare, please consider helping out with the Fort River Book Fair from December 2-9.  We need: set-up, cashiers, general help during class time, and breakdown.  The evening Book Fair event on December 8 will also need several volunteers to help with set-up, act as food cashiers, and help breakdown.  Look for Please Bring It sign up sheets on next week's blog.

If you'd like to have a larger role, we are currently searching for volunteers to fill the following positions:

•     Movie Night Event Coordinator
•     Volunteer Coordinator for Hour Power
•     Data Manager for next year’s student directory
•     PGO leadership for next year (Chair, Vice Chair)
•     Yearbook Coordinator for next year

 Please contact Pam Rietkerk if you'd like to help out with any of these roles.