Family Literacy Night Thank You's

Wednesday evening's Family Literacy Night was a huge success!  After a well-attended PGO meeting, parents enjoyed a fantastic and informative presentation by Linda Castronovo on encouraging literacy in our children, while the kids worked with Mt. Holyoke students on an interactive read-aloud.  

Many thanks to all of the families that attended, as well as the dedicated Fort River staff who made it possible:  Linda Castronovo, Susan Kennedy Marx and her Mt. Holyoke college students,  Karen Lowe, Fran Luddington, and Monica Colley.

We also thank Diane Caraker and Ellare Books for holding the book fundraiser for the Serrano-Rosa family.  Thanks to personal donations and book purchases, the book sale raise $450!  Many thanks for helping this Fort River family.  

If you would like to help the Serrano-Rosa family, it's not too late.  Checks can be made payable to the "Ana Rosa Memorial Fund" and brought in to any branch of People's Bank or sent to:
People's Bank
56 Amity Street
Amherst, MA 01002

The Book Swap is here!

The book Swap is next week: April 9-13. This is an opportunity for every student to choose a book to bring home without spending a dime! Thank you to everyone for your book donations! Every class will visit the book swap during the week. Here is the schedule.

We still need volunteers during the days of the Swap to help students choose appropriate books and to help restock. Sign up to help on the Please Bring It website HERE or contact Libby Stanforth at bstanforth@comcast.net or Deb Leonard at dleeleonard@gmail.com. This is a fun event and many hands make light work!

6th Grade Graduation Slide Show

6th Grade Families will be receiving a letter asking for photographs of their 6th grade students for the graduation slide show. Click here for a copy of the letter.

Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements about graduation! If you haven't already signed up to help with graduation, please go to our online sign up sheet CLICK HERE or contact Kathy Brennan at kestrelbrennan@yahoo.com or call 253-4611. We need many more volunteers, please consider helping out.

Thank you!

April 11 Forum on K-6 Regionalization

Regionalization of Our K-6 Schools? RSDPC Forum #1 -- Wednesday April 11, 2012 7:00 p.m.

Town Meeting established the Regional School District Planning Committee (RSDPC) at the November 9, 2011 Special Town Meeting, and required it to hold two open public forums to discuss Amherst-specific specific issues at the beginning of its work: to consider whether Amherst should join with one or more towns in a regional K-6 district.

The RSDPC will hold the first public forum on Wednesday April 11 at 7 p.m. in the Amherst Regional High School Library. This first forum’s purpose is to gather Amherst-specific community thoughts and questions regarding a possible change to the governance structure of our schools.  Information gathered at this forum, and at a second forum (likely to be held in late May), will assure that the RSDPC considers the breadth of matters important to Amherst prior to joining one or more other towns in forming a combined body, a Regional School District Planning Board. The second forum will allow the RSDPC to address the questions and concerns raised by the Amherst community at the April 11 forum.

While ACTV/Amherst Media will tape the April 11 forum for later broadcast, it is important to check out the wealth of materials at the RSDPC webpage on the Town website, amherstma.gov/rsdpc http://amherstma.gov/index.aspx?NID=1623 Questions and concerns may also be submitted via email: rsdpc@amherstma.gov

First Graders: Drop Everything and Read!

To all Fort River First Grade Families: On Thursday, April 12th, let’s Drop Everything and Read! First graders will enjoy some surprise classroom guests during the day to take a moment and celebrate reading together. That evening, we invite all first grade families to a very special pajama party with local author Diane deGroat. Please bring a classmate and your favorite stuffed animal for our storytime event. See this flyer for more information. See you there!

Eat Out for a Good Cause

Please join the Crocker Farm PGO and the Pub as we raise funds to for the “Sabir’s Health Recovery Fund”.

Tuesday,April 24th

4:00 PM – 9:00 PM

The Pub 15 E Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01002

Sabir’s Story:
South Amherst resident Sabir Anderson, age four and a half, was diagnosed with a malignant tumor a few months ago. Thankfully, cell activity is localized only to his bladder area. While we do not know the length of time it will take for Sabir’s health to be fully restored, his medical team is optimistic about his prognosis. During the treatment and recovery phase, expenses are staggering. Even with customary employment insurance coverage, the costs associated with weekly hospital trips, a 6 week long hospital stay, radiation and chemo therapies, daily medicines, visiting-nurse home care, and any other unforeseen accompanying expenses can be overwhelming for a median income household. That is why we are asking for the community’s help. Participation is simple, have dinner with family and friends at The Pub. They will donate a portion of their proceeds to a fund set up for the family. We will also be holding a 50/50 raffle and accepting additional donations throughout the evening.

Can’t attend but wish to help out? You can contribute your money order or check payable to “Sabir’s Health Recovery Fund”, then mail to:

Sabir Douglas
c/o Heather Anderson
P.O. Box 1078
Amherst, MA 01004-1078.

For more information, please contact the Crocker Farm PGO at 230-3306 or beckydemling@yahoo.com

Amherst Sustainability Festival - April 21

The Amherst Sustainability Festival will be held on April 21 this year.  In addition to a great entertainment line-up (including the ARHS-powered band, Who’da Funk It), this year there will be 110 booths (mix of sustainable artists and vendors), The Eco-hero Hunt and Amherst’s first-ever textile recycling collection, which will benefit the Amherst Survival Center and the Fisher Home Hospice Shop.  All the entries from the 4-6 grade Arbor Day/Tree art contest will be displayed on the Common.  Detailed festival info can be found via this link: http://www.amherstma.gov/index.aspx?nid=683

This event is not sponsored by the FR PGO.