Elementary students will be dismissed at 1:20pm.
Fort River PGO, Fort River School, Amherst, Massachusetts. Your source for Fort River news and events. Sponsored by the Fort River Parent Guardian Organization. All Fort River families are automatically members of the PGO.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Early Release on Wednesday, May 11
This Wednesday, May 11, is an Early Release Day for all ARPS students. Faculty and staff will spend the time in professional development activities.
School Garden Tour on May 31 at 5:15pm
Please join us for an informal PGO meeting/tour/party in the school garden on May 31 at 5:15pm. Our special guest Jane Costello will give a tour of the garden along with a brief description about how it is being used in school. The tour with be followed by a Question and Answer and brainstorming discussion about how families can enjoy and enhance the gardens.
There are seeds available for planting and a sign up sheet will be circulated for those who would be willing to water and weed existing crops (only a few) over the summer. In addition, space is available for families to plant summer crops in the raised beds for their own use.
If there is enough interest, a garden support committee of families would be extremely helpful to work with Ms. Costello in an extended collaboration to maintain and improve this incredible resource for our students and staff.
To learn more about the curriculum used in conjunction with the garden, please click to read the ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst report titled "Hope in School Gardens: The Amherst School Gardens Project."
Here is an excerpt from the report, titled “Putting the Garden to Bed":
“As the winter winds come swooping in and the days are getting shorter, everyone was excited to get back into the garden at Fort River on one of the last warm days of the year, November 5th. The UMass Sustainable Food and Farming crew, along with Ms. Monica Bhomik’s second grade class, had such a fun time talking about one of our favorite foods: garlic! After discussing the strong, pungent, and sweet flavors garlic can have, the kids told us the foods they like with garlic in them, some of their favorites being pizza, garlic bread, stir fry, and spaghetti. Then we spoke about how garlic has a family just like the second graders do: the Allium family, which includes shallots, leeks, and onions to name of few. These related plants smell and taste much alike, and also grow in a similar way.”
To learn more about the curriculum used in conjunction with the garden, please click to read the ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst report titled "Hope in School Gardens: The Amherst School Gardens Project."
Here is an excerpt from the report, titled “Putting the Garden to Bed":
“As the winter winds come swooping in and the days are getting shorter, everyone was excited to get back into the garden at Fort River on one of the last warm days of the year, November 5th. The UMass Sustainable Food and Farming crew, along with Ms. Monica Bhomik’s second grade class, had such a fun time talking about one of our favorite foods: garlic! After discussing the strong, pungent, and sweet flavors garlic can have, the kids told us the foods they like with garlic in them, some of their favorites being pizza, garlic bread, stir fry, and spaghetti. Then we spoke about how garlic has a family just like the second graders do: the Allium family, which includes shallots, leeks, and onions to name of few. These related plants smell and taste much alike, and also grow in a similar way.”
Bring the kids! They can play on the playground or pick weeds. We hope to see you in the gardens!
Town Meeting Votes to Restore Library Paraprofessional Positions
Amherst Town Meeting voted last week to appropriate an additional $30,000 to the Amherst Elementary School budget with the intent of fully restoring the elementary library paraprofessional positions that had initially been cut from the budget but were later restored to 0.6 FTE.
The School Committee and administration are not bound to use the money as intended by Town Meeting, as Town Meeting only has the authority to approve the total budget amount, not to edit line items. Coverage from the Daily Hampshire Gazette is here:
For a more detailed analysis of the issue, discussion, and vote, please see the following report written by Town Meeting Member and Wildwood PGO member/parent Laura Quilter:
https://wildwoodpgo.com/2016/05/04/town-meeting-schools-report-tm-appropriates-extra-funds-to-support-school-library-paraprofessionals/
PGO Book Share: June 6 -10 in the Fort River Library
SAVE THE DATE AND SET ASIDE YOUR BOOKS!
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
This wonderful annual event is for all students to take a book home to enjoy all summer!!
Book donations are needed!!!
Please send in any books your children can donate for the Share -- a collection box is in the school lobby.
We need to have enough books for all of the Fort River students to get a book for this year!
4th grade Orchestra Concert on June 1 at 10 am
SAVE THE DATE! The 4th grade Orchestra Concert will take place on June 1 at 10 am in the Gym.
Annual Black Scholars Rising Celebration on May 24
The Annual Black Scholars Rising Celebration: A Diaspora of African/ Black Culture will be held May 24, 2016 in the Middle School Auditorium, 6:30 – 8:30 pm.
The event is held in recognition of African/ Black Students in Amherst, Pelham and Regional Public Schools.
Contributions Needed for the Staff & Teacher Appreciation Celebration
The annual Staff & Teacher Appreciation Celebration will take place on May 20th. Please express your thanks to our amazing staff by making a contribution in their honor.
The PGO needs your help to keep this special tradition going. Please complete the attached form and send your contribution to the office by Friday, May 13. Thank you!
Every teacher will receive a personalized thank you note from the PGO the day of the celebration. All grades will have a parent attending at least one lunch session this week to assist students with writing thank you notes to staff.
If your child and family would like a little note to be included with their thank you gift, please send to the PGO mailbox by May 13.
You do not need to participate in the fundraiser to send in a note for any teacher or staff member.
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