Virtual Student Directory

Many families have requested a virtual directory now that home-schooling is continuing through the end of the school year. The PGO cannot simply post September's printed version as families did not give explicit permission for that purpose. Families MUST fill out this form in order to authorize the PGO to include your family in this new virtual directory.  Once completed, everyone will receive a copy of the directory in the form of a Google Sheet. We hope that this resource will help your student to make social connections during this challenging time. The Fort River directory is an internal resource that is private and not disseminated to any outside vendors -- it is only used to distribute Fort River-related information. Only fill out the fields that you want to be included in this directory. Please complete this form by Wednesday, May 6th.

Click here to fill out the form!


¡Haga clic aquí para llenar el formulario!

Muchas familias han solicitado un directorio virtual ahora que la educación en el hogar continúa hasta el final del año escolar. La PGO no puede simplemente publicar la versión impresa de septiembre ya que las familias no dieron permiso explícito para ese propósito. Las familias DEBEN completar este formulario para autorizar a la PGO a incluir a su familia en este nuevo directorio virtual. Una vez completado, todos recibirán una copia del directorio en forma de Google Sheet. Esperamos que este recurso ayude a su estudiante a hacer conexiones sociales durante este momento desafiante. El directorio de Fort River es un recurso interno que es privado y no se distribuye a ningún proveedor externo; solo se utiliza para distribuir información relacionada con Fort River. Solo complete los campos que desea incluir en este directorio.Complete este formulario antes del miércoles 6 de mayo.

Kendrick Park Playground

The Town of Amherst is designing a playground for the children of Amherst, to be located in Kendrick Park.  The Planning Department, LSSE and DPW staff are working together to prepare a design, with input from the public.  

During the summer of 2019 the Town of Amherst applied for a PARC grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and was awarded $400,000.  In the fall CPAC (Community Preservation Act Committee) and the Town Council voted to match this grant with about $260,000 from town funds to build a playground that will serve Downtown Amherst.   

Despite the covid-19 pandemic, work is proceeding, and LSSE and the Planning Department want to hear from you before a design is finalized in the next couple of months!  Please see https://www.amherstma.gov/3527/Kendrick-Park-2020 for more information, including the preliminary design that was presented to the Planning Board  in March, 2020, and a link for submitting comments.

Art from the Heart Contest

Teens, Tweens and Quarantines

Honoring ARHS Seniors

This is a strange and difficult time for most students, but especially our seniors. This should have been a spring full of fun and recognition, but they will miss out on many rites of passage. 

We want to come up with some way to honor them. We are organizing an effort to have lawn signs made to acknowledge and support the seniors. The signs will cost $5 a piece. Each sign will read: “ARHS Class of 2020: We love you and are cheering you on!” 

Please feel free to contact Patricia Taylor with any questions.  All Orders must be received by April 30. Wishing you all the best!

Here is a link to the order form:

Class of 2020 Lawn Sign Order Form

Internet Access Campaign - A Success!

Internet Access for All Students - The Campaign was a Success!

In early April, the (Insert your school name here) PGO joined with the other ARPS PGOs to organize a fundraiser to ensure that all Amherst and Amherst Regional public school students would have home wifi access during the school shutdown.  Thanks to the generosity of our community, we raised over $45,000 - enough to cover the costs not only for the rest of this school year, but for next year as well. These funds will help close the digital divide and provide more equitable educational access for all ARPS students.

The PGOs received over 235 donations of all sizes. Our major donors include the Norwottuck Fish and Game Association ($8,000), the Beveridge Family Foundation ($5,000), and the Amherst Pelham Education Association ($2,000), which represents ARPS educators and staff.  Collectively, the elementary and secondary school PGOs gave over $5,500. Thanks to all who supported our fundraiser and helped get the word out.

To see a full list of donors, please visit arps-pgo.blogspot.com or https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/arps-pgo

Fort River Virtual Coffee with the Principal

The Fort River Virtual Coffee with the Principal is scheduled for THURSDAY, April 16 @ 2:00. Please see Principal Chamberlain's email for the Google Meeting link or email the PGO at ftriver@gmail.com.

We will review the Distance Learning Plan and answer questions.

Please feel free to send any questions you want covered in to Diane in advance at chamberlaind@arps.org

El Café Virtual de Fort River con el Director está programado para el JUEVES 16 de abril a las 2:00.

Revisaremos el Plan de Educación a Distancia y responderemos a las preguntas.

Por favor, siéntanse libres de enviar cualquier pregunta que quieran cubrir en para Diane con antelación a chamberlaind@arps.org