SAFE Pancake Breakfast on October 16 at North Amherst Fire Station

The Amherst Fire Department is holding a Pancake Breakfast at the North Fire Station, 603 East Pleasant Street (next to the UMass Police Station), Sunday October 16th, 2016 7:30am to 11:30am, to benefit the SAFE (Student Awareness of Fire Education) program in our elementary schools. 

Breakfast cooked by the firefighters includes pancakes w/maple syrup, sausages, juice and coffee. There will also be a raffle for donated items. Suggested donation for breakfast of $7 adult and $4 for children. 

This is an awesome family event! The SAFE program is offered to all 4th graders and is a fabulous partnership between our schools and fire safety professionals. The breakfast gives families a chance to see where our firefighters work and to get up close with their equipment and vehicles. The food is super yummy, too, and they have REAL local maple syrup! Mark your calendar now!

Fort River Picture Day is Tuesday, October 18th - Volunteers Needed!

SAY CHEESE! Volunteers are needed for school picture day on October 18th! This is a fun activity for parents and guardians. It's so sweet to see all of our students looking their best for school photos!

We need volunteers to help direct the students to their individual photos, and each class to its group photo.  Please sign up to help out for 30 minutes, one hour or longer at this address: 

http://frpc.pleasebringit.com/public/iUSJ7QoxGpk 

Please be certain that your CORI is up to date and check in at the Main Office when you arrive. Thank you in advance for your help! If you have questions, please contact Deb Christakos at deborah_christakos@yahoo.com

Meet Special Education Parent Advisory Council and others on October 17 at 5:30pm

SEPAC meetings are open to all community members! Come learn more about the programs and services available to all families!

Date: Monday, 10/17/2016
Location: Wildwood Elementary School, Library 71 Strong Street, Amherst
Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm
RSVP: Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Nancy Stewart sepac@arps.org 413-687-4255 ARPS

We are fortunate to host this informal gathering and plan to do the following:

• Introduce you to some members of staff that help support your child on an IEP or 504:
• Dr. Faye Brady, Director of Student Services
• JoAnn Smith, Student Services Administrator
• Some members of Wildwood Staff
• Learn more about how the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) supports families on an IEP or 504.
• We will share basic special education information to help you advocate for your child.
• Network with other families in the district!

Childcare can be provided if given notice one week ahead of time.

ARPS SEPAC Families supporting families!

ARPS SEPAC Families supports families in a variety of ways and wants to connect with you!

MONTHLY MEETINGS
The board meets with Dr. Faye Brady, Director of Student Services the first Friday of every month at rotating schools. You are welcome to attend!

WORKSHOPS
Workshops are held at various locations during the school year. Let us know if there is a topic you’d like to learn more about.

FACEBOOK
“Like” us on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/arps.sepac
We post resources, events and tools to support all students and families.

EMAIL US
sepac@arps.org
Feel free to reach out to us if you need any assistance!

Blog
https://arpssepacblog.wordpress.com
Check out our blog as well for information!

Volunteer
Please consider reaching out to us if you can make time to help out! Together we can make a difference!

SEPAC= Special Education Parent Advisory Council

Auditions for the Hampshire Young People’s Chorus

Does your child like to sing? The Hampshire Young People’s Chorus (YPC) is an award-winning youth choir, currently accepting new members. YPC offers children the opportunity to experience choral singing in a comfortable and encouraging atmosphere. Healthy vocal technique and fundamental music skills are taught through singing a wide range of music from many styles and traditions. 

The choir’s roster includes more than 45 children in two age divisions – Concert Choir (grades 3-6) and Chamber Singers (grades 6-10). Rehearsals take place on Tuesdays in Amherst. For more information, please visit http://www.hampshireypc.org or call the director, K.C. Conlan, at 413-530-9337

Amherst ABC Fall Foliage Walk- October 15th

The Amherst Committee for A Better Chance will hold its 45th Annual Fall Foliage Event on Saturday, October 15, including the 3-mile Family Style Walk and the 5k Competitive Run. An Amherst tradition, the event has annually brought together hundreds of members of the community together to admire the diverse colors of the foliage while they walk or run in support and celebration of diversity in our community.

Since 1968, Amherst ABC has played a critical role in changing the face of leadership in American society, selecting high qualified young men of color from disadvantaged school districts whose families envision a brighter future for their sons outside of their home environments. These ABC Scholars live at the ABC House in downtown Amherst under the guidance of Resident Directors Sid and Isabel Ferreira while they attend Amherst Regional High School.

For more information as to how to participate and/or donate to the ABC Fall Foliage Event, go to the Amherst A Better Chance website http://amherstabetterchance.org/

Volunteers Needed for School Committee - Deadline to Apply is October 6

A vacancy on the Amherst School Committee will be filled on Thursday October 13, 2016 at a joint meeting of the Select Board and the remaining members of the Amherst School Committee. Interested candidates must submit a Letter of Interest to the Select Board office by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 6, 2016.

Letters of Interest may be submitted by email to selectboard@amherstma.gov (preferred) or via hard copy to Select Board, Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Ave. Amherst MA 01002. Please include a summary of your reasons for wishing to serve on the Amherst School Committee and your qualifications and experience. All submissions will be distributed to Select Board and Amherst School Committee members as they are received, and will be available to the public on the Town web site in the Select Board’s packet materials for the October 13, 2016 meeting. Certain personal information will be redacted upon request. Please note that while candidates are welcome to make the public aware of their interest, members of the Select Board, Amherst School Committee, and staff will not release the number of candidates, or candidate names or other identifying information, until after the Letters of Interest appear in the Select Board packet materials for the October 13, 2016 meeting.

Candidates who have submitted a Letter of Interest will need to attend the Thursday October 13, 2016 joint meeting at 5:00 p.m. The joint meeting will be held in the Town Room on the second floor of Town Hall and will be broadcast live by Amherst Media on channel 17.

Vacancies in elected Town-wide office are governed by MGL Chapter 41 Section 11. A roll call vote of both bodies is required, and at least five positive votes must be made for the selected individual, regardless of how many members of the Select Board and Amherst School Committee are present.

The person elected on October 13, 2016 will serve until the next Annual Town Election, to be held on March 28, 2017, and has the option to seek election on the Town ballot through the standard nomination process. The Amherst School Committee term that ended with resignation on September 26, 2016 will be on the March 28, 2017 Town ballot as a two year term. The new Amherst School Committee member also serves on the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee, and must be sworn in at the Amherst Town Clerk’s office prior to participating in meetings of either body. Visit http://www.arps.org/administration/school_committee to learn more about the committee.

If you have questions please contact Debra Puppel in the Select Board/Town Manager’s Office at 259-3001 or puppeld@amherstma.gov.