Upcoming Events

Buy-a-Brick Forms Dues. Monday, March 31st. Last chance to order a brick! Click here for more information and forms: Buy-a-Brick Info. Town Election. Tuesday, April 1st. Polls open 7am-8pm. See below for more info. Dean's Beans/Fort River Roasters Orders Due. Friday, April 4th. Click here for form. Media, Body Image and Our Kids. Tuesday, April 8th, 6:30-8:00pm. Amherst Regional Middle School Cafeteria. See below for more info. Sponsored by the Diversity and Social Justice Committee. Coffee With A Principal – Friday, April 11th, 8:30 to 9:15 am, cafeteria. Book Fair - Week of April 14th to 18th. Spring Recess. Week of April 21st. Parent Council Meeting – Wednesday, April 30th, 8:30 to 9:30 am, cafeteria.

Media, Body Image and Our Kids

To the Fathers, Mothers, Guardians, Teachers and Staff of the Amherst/Pelham Elementary School Community: Join us to explore Media, Body Image, and Our Kids on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, from 6:30-8:00pm in the Amherst Regional Middle School Cafeteria.

Erica Scharrer, Department of Communication, UMass Amherst and Tom Gardner, Department of Communication, Westfield State College, will facilitate a discussion on the following questions: How is body image portrayed in the media? How does media imagery of bodies impact our kids, both boys and girls? What are ways to help kids think critically about messages in the media? We'll view parts of two films, "Slim Hopes: Advertising and the Obsession with Thinness" and "Tough Guise: Violence, Media, and the Crisis in Masculinity," and follow with an informal discussion. For more information, contact Chris Felton, 253-1242, cmfelton@comcol.umass.edu or Sue Cairn, 253-9148, scairn@verizon.net. Childcare can be provided. Please contact Chris by April 4 if childcare is needed. Sponsored by: Diversity and Social Justice Committee of the Fort River Parent Council.

It's No Joke: Town Elections on April 1st!

Town elections are being held this coming April Fool's Day (Tuesday). Polls are open 7am-8pm. Given the budget problems in town, it's vitally important that parents with kids in the public schools make their voices heard. Also, both candidates for the open School Committee seat are Fort River parents!

For more information on who is running, check out the Amherst Bulletin website at http://amherstbulletin.com/. The Amherst Town Government website also has a wealth of voter information including candidates, sample ballots, polling places, etc.: http://www.amherstma.gov/voter_information.asp.

Of Interest to Fort River Families

Please note that these events are not sponsored by Parent Council. The Amherst Survival Center will be holding its first ever "Family Night" on Monday March 31 from 4-6 PM at the Center (1200 North Pleasant Street). We are opening outside of our usual hours in order to welcome families and school age children to come and learn what the Center is about, have a nice kid-friendly dinner, shop in the Free Store, or get a box of groceries from our Pantry. We'll also have arts and crafts activities for the children. For more information contact Sue Cairn (scairn@verizon.net) or Tracey mailto:tracey@amherstsurvival.org). Amherst Community Arts Center, Leverett Crafts & Arts, and Hampshire Franklin Children's Daycare Center are pleased to present: Go, Kids Art, Go! Celebrating the artist in every child. An exhibition of children's artwork from schools and organizations in the Hampshire-Franklin Region. On display in the Barnes Gallery at Leverett Crafts & Arts, Saturday March 8-Sunday April 27, 2008. Gallery Hours: Fri-Sun, 2-5pm. Opening Reception & Party, Saturday March 29, 2008, 11am-5pm. FREE EVENTS for children and families, including: music, dance, art demos and face painting. FEATURING: The Pop Rockets! A raffle and bakesale will also be held to benefit the three organizations and Go, Kids Art, Go! For further information contact Hillary Milens, Executive Director, Amherst Community Arts Center(413) 253-65, http://www.amherstarts.org/. Nomads Field Hockey Club, Spring 2008 Season. When our children go on to the middle school, field hockey is one of the sports they will be able to participate in. In addition to LSSE’s summer field hockey camp, here is another opportunity for young players to learn the sport. The Nomads Field Hockey Club is now offering an Under 12 program that will be coached by the Nomads’ senior players under the guidance of Kerry Ann Jaggassar (former UMASS assistant coach) as well as Jamie Ginsberg (current Smith College coach)! Fort River parent Susan Anderson Noonan (noonanfamily@comcast.net) would be happy to answer any questions about this organization and this amazing opportunity. For more information, schedules and to register, please click here: http://www.nomadsfieldhockey.org/. Come Downtown and Celebrate: Amherst Grows Green! Saturday, April 26th Arbor Day Festivities at Amherst Common (across from Town Hall) 9am-1pm. Earth Day festivities on North Pleasant Street (shopping area) 11am-3pm. For details on all information, events and free tree seedlings, please see "In the News" link at http://www.amherstma.gov/. In case of rain, Arbor Day events will take place at the Amherst Cinema building’s covered walkway. A note from Parent Council. We will publish information about non-Parent Council sponsored events with the following conditions: 1. The event should be of interest to Fort River families. 2. The information should be sent to Ann McLaughlin at damclaughlin@comcast.net in the form of a short blurb of 100 words or less. 3. Contact information (name, telephone and/or email address) must be included. We add new information to the blog every Friday during the school year. Please note that we do not accept announcements of items or services for sale (with the exceptions of children's classes/lessons). Inclusion in this section does not imply any guarantees or endorsements by Fort River Parent Council or Fort River School.

Upcoming Events

Diversity and Social Justice Committee Meeting - Wednesday, March 26th, 8:45, library. Dean's Beans/Fort River Roasters Orders Due. Friday, April 4th. Coffee With A Principal – Friday, April 11th, 8:30 to 9:15 am, cafeteria. Book Fair - Week of April 14th to 18th. Spring Recess. Week of April 21st. Parent Council Meeting – Wednesday, April 30th, 8:30 to 9:30 am, cafeteria.

LAST Chance to Order a Brick for the Playground

As many of you know, as part of last year’s fundraising for the new playground, families could order bricks to be etched with a special name or saying. The bricks are now being etched, and will be installed this spring, but a few new families have asked if a brick could be purchased. We are therefore extending the date for ONE MORE week in case there are last brick orders to be placed. Please click here for a form: Buy-a-Brick Form. Please return forms (and checks) to the Parent Council box in the main office (or to Catherine Sanderson, 23 Alyssum Drive, Amherst), by Monday, March 31st. ALSO, please save the date of Thursday, May 22nd to join Fort River families, teachers and staff for a fun potluck picnic when we unveil our new brick walkway and plaque!

Volunteers Needed for the Book Fair

The Book Fair will be held the week of April 12th to 16th (a good time to pick up some new books to enjoy over spring break!), and we need volunteers to help children find books, answer questions, and just be there to help out. Volunteers are needed to sign up for 2-3 hour slots from 9 am to noon Monday, 4/13 through Thursday, 4/17 AND Thursday, 4-17 from 3 to 7 pm. We could also use a few volunteers to pack up the book fair on Thursday evening. Information on when classes sign up (and the information forms about the books being sold) will go home on March 28th if you want to coordinate with your child’s class. Please contact our Diane Caraker (253-4191; dianec711@comcast.net) to volunteer.