February Vacation Break & Kids Boost & Food Program available fromAmherst Survival Center

Do you live in one of the 13 towns our pantry serves (see list below) and have a school-age child (ages 5-17 years) who depends on a meals benefit during the school year? For many children and their families, school vacations mean that the free and reduced price breakfasts and lunches they rely on are not available.

Our Food Pantry’s Kids Boost program provides families with school-age children with extra child-friendly nutritious food (the “boost”) during every month that has a scheduled school vacation  (February, April, June, July, August, December).

QUESTION:      HOW TO REGISTER FOR OUR FOOD PANTRY AND GET THE BOOST? 

ANSWER:          If you live in one of the 13 towns our Food Pantry serves (see list below), come to the pantry during our open hours and bring proof of residence and proof that the school-age children live in your household.  Find out here.

SUMMER BOOST: Families with school-age children will receive extra food per child from the Pantry (the equivalent of nine additional meals), in their June, July and August distributions.

In addition, families can also come to the Amherst Survival Center for food from these Center programs:

• lunch Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from noon-1pm,
• light supper on Thursdays from 5-6pm, and
• get fresh produce from 11am-3pm on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, and from 11am to 7pm on Thursday.

Our Food Pantry serves residents from these towns:

• Amherst
• Belchertown
• Deerfield
• Granby
• Leverett
• Pelham
• Shutesbury
• South Deerfield
• South Hadley
• Sunderland
• Whately
• Ware

Generous financial donations from Amherst Pediatrics, The Rotary Club of Amherst, Berkshire Bank Foundation, and contributions from individuals, supported the Kids SUMMER Boost in 2014. Another donation from C&S Wholesalers supported the Boost during school vacations in February and April 2015.

"How Does Town Meeting Work?" Join us for PGO Coffee with the Principal this Friday, February 5th to Find Out!

Please join your friends Friday, February 5th at 9 am for coffee, donuts, and informative conversation! 

Special Guest Jim Pistrang, Amherst Town Meeting Moderator, will join us to talk about how Town Meeting works.  Topics to be covered include Town Meeting composition, rules, and procedures, how to become a member, and how items get addressed at Town Meeting. There will also be time for questions. 

This year Town Meeting will be considering funding for several capital projects including the Amherst Elementary School Building Project. 

The deadline to submit paperwork to be listed on the ballot as a candidate for Town Meeting is February 9th. Write-in candidates are allowed. 

Monthly PGO coffees take place on or about the 15th of each month. The dates can be found on the PGO calendar which is on the right side of the blog home page. Some coffees will take place in the evening. There will usually be a presentation for families and specifics will be available on the blog, FB, and Twitter.

Please share with your friends and neighbors! Your infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are always welcome! Families with future Amherst Elementary school children are also welcome to attend. We hope to see you there!

Hillside Pizza Pick-Up this THURSDAY, February 4th from 3 - 5pm

Thanks to all who bought Pizza to help the 5th Grade fund their field trip! 

Pizza!! Pizza!! 

Pizzas and cookie dough are available for pick up Thursday, February 4^th  after school between 3-5pm in the lobby, just in time for Superbowl weekend. 

Don't forget!

Chilly Night for a Chili Night: HOT! HOT! HOT! Thanks to all!

Fort River's annual Chili Night was held last THURSDAY - what a fun evening! The turnout was terrific, and the chili chefs were involved in a heated competition for epic bragging rights. There were 14 mouth-watering chills and the winners were:

Golden Ladle:

Steph Jones for Chili Chili Bang Bang

Best 5-alarm:

Phil Airoldi for Eyeball Sweatin' Chili

Best Name:

Steph Jones for Chili Chili Bang Bang

Kid Pleasin':

Lisa Solowiej for Dragon's Love Vegan Chili

Thanks so much to our Chilly Chili Coordinator, Allison Page, and her hardworking committee: Stacey Beganny, Nicole Blum, and Jessica Spoehnle. So many other parents lent a helping hand to bake bread, staff the tables, set-up, clean-up, make announcements, etc. Community events at Fort River are fun because everyone is willing to pitch in … THANK YOU!

The PGO raised $288 from generous contributions. This pays for 75% of the FREE Directories provided by the PGO!

Finally, thanks SO MUCH to all of the 2nd grade parents who provided the baked goods, 2nd grade students who worked the table and did the selling, and all of our dessert table customers. The 2nd Grade made enough to bridge the funding gap for the visit from Wingmasters and to provide scholarships for the spring trip to Sturbridge Village. 

If you see our winners or volunteers, please congratulate and thank them for making this annual event such a success!

National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on Sunday, February 14 at Smith College

The Smith College Athletics Department is proud to host its annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on Sunday, February 14. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. at the Indoor Track and Tennis Facility and will run until 4 p.m.

Please join us as our Smith College women's varsity and club athletics programs will be hosting free clinics for all girls in grades 3-5. Clinics will include track and field, soccer, lacrosse, rugby, tennis, ultimate frisbee, softball, rock wall, volleyball and basketball. All participants will receive a t-shirt, certificate and snacks. 

No equipment is needed by participants. However, comfortable athletic attire and sneakers are recommended.

Those wishing to participate in NGWSD can pre-register for the event by CLICKING HERE.
Drop-off/Pick up Instructions: Drop off and pick up will be in the lobby of the Indoor Track and Tennis Facility. Directions to the facility can be found HERE.

Address: Lower College Lane, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063

If you have any questions about the event or the registration process, please contact:Morgan Powell - Smith College Athletic Department Internathinter@smith.edu413-585-3076

About NGWSDThis year marks the 30th Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. NGWSD began in 1987 as a special day in our nation's capital to recognize women's sports. The day united premiere organizations and elite female athletes to bring national attention to the promise of girls and women in sports.

This year's NGWSD theme, Leading the Way, is a nod to all those individuals and organizations who are the frontline for girls and women in sports: the organizations committed to advancing women's issues, athletes who have overcome barriers, coaches who challenge their teams to succeed, girls who have faith in their own potential and all those who continue to use the power of example to inspire greatness.
NGWSD has become a day to acknowledge the past accomplishments of female athletes and recognizing current sports achievements of women in sports.

Click for details and links to forms

42 - The Jackie Robinson Story: Thursday, February 11, 2016 6:30PM at The Jones Library

This engaging Hollywood film (rated PG-13) from 2013 dramatizes the story of Jackie Robinson and the racism he faced as he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.  We’ll look at how other characters in the story did and didn’t stand up against racism and what we can learn from them, as well as from Jackie Robinson himself.  (Please note the earlier than usual starting time: 6:30PM). Please join us for an evening of entertainment, discussion, and connection with each other. Click here to see a trailer for this movie. This year we want to emphasize building a more connected local community of people who care about dismantling racism.  This evening will be an opportunity to meet others who would like to make a difference, and to lay the groundwork for taking action.    Much more is possible in our community than we have yet accomplished.

Coming Together: Understanding Racism, Working for Justice, & Building Connections www.coming-together.org   We've had over 16,000 page views of our local website!  If you haven't visited it recently, check it out.  Click on the link above.

Nominate Math/Science Teachers for National Award!

Do you know a K-6 grade teacher who provides excellent mathematics or science instruction to his or her students? Then please consider nominating him or her for one of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Anyone—researchers, parents or members of the general public—may nominate a K-6 grade teacher by completing the nomination form available on the PAEMST website (www.paemst.org). To submit a nomination, you only need the teacher’s contact information.

PAEMST is the highest honor the United States government bestows for K-12 mathematics and science teaching. Since 1983, more than 4,400 teachers have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics and science education. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education. Up to 108 teachers may be recognized each year.

Presidential Awardees receive a certificate signed by the President of the United States; a trip for two to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events, professional development opportunities, and policy-maker meetings; and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.

The Nomination Deadline is April 1, 2016. The Application Deadline is May 1, 2016 for teachers (K-grade 6). If you know more than one teacher deserving of this award, you may submit more than one nomination. Teachers may also initiate the application process themselves at http://www.paemst.org.

Please consider nominating outstanding mathematics and science (including computer science) teachers today!

Sincerely,

Nafeesa Owens, Ph.D.

Program Lead, PAEMST*

*The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.