Backpacks Project

In keeping with the Social Justice Commitment of the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools, aspiring toward equity of opportunity, inclusion, respect and community-building in and out of the classroom, our district has envisioned the Back Packs Project.  This initiative has been designed to help support income-eligible families to acquire the necessary school supplies their children need to be ready for the first day of school and the academic year. 

This project will provide free access to backpacks filled with appropriate, grade-level supplies, to families who qualify for Free/Reduced lunch.  Our goal is to help ease the financial burden the beginning of the school year can mean for families struggling financially.

We will be collecting supplies during the month of July and the first two weeks of August.  Donations can be dropped off in the Central Office of our district, located in 170 Chestnut Street.  If you have any questions, please write to Dr. Marta Guevara, guevaram@arps.org or call 413-362-1859. Our goal is to collect enough supplies to provide 200 back packs for elementary students and 200 for middle and high school students.  Back packs will be available for families the week before school begins.  We will notify families the schedule for distribution during the week of August 23, 2010.

The following supplies will be collected:

For elementary school students:
Assignment books
Backpacks
Colored pencils
Contraction paper
Crayons
Drawing Paper
English Dictionary (both, regular and picture)
Erasers
Folders
Glue sticks
Markers
Pencils (#2)
Pencil sharpeners
Rulers

For MS and HS students:
Assignment books
Backpacks
Binders
Calculators (both, graphic and regular)
Cards (3 x 5)
English Dictionary (both, regular and picture)
Erasers
Folders
Graphic Paper
Highlighters
Locks for lockers
Loose leaf paper
Notebooks
Pencils (#2)
Pencil sharpeners
Rulers

Upcoming School Events

Lost and Found.  Tues-Thurs. June 15-17th. In the school back hall (near the lost and found cubbies). This is your last chance to unearth your child's lost jackets, lunch boxes, etc.!

Last Day of School. Thursday, June 17th. Early dismissal at 1:20pm (Wednesday schedule).

First Day of School, 2010-11. Thursday, Sept. 2nd, Grades 1-12. (Kindergarten starts on Tuesday, Sept. 7th.)

Also, be on the lookout during the late summer for announcements for the Staff Welcome Back Day and the New Family Welcome.

Have a great summer, everybody!--Ann McLaughlin, Website Editor.

*Items in teal are sponsored by Parent Council.

Looking Ahead to Next Year

As we are winding down this school year, Parent Council is already planning ahead for September. While many of the volunteers coordinating Parent Council Events are continuing, we are still looking for coordinators for the positions listed below. It would be helpful to have these positions filled before September – particularly for the fall events: Family Fair, New Family Welcome, and Cultural Enrichment Volunteer.

We are also looking for volunteers to help with the directory in early fall.

A brief description of each coordinator position can be seen when you click on the "Read More" link at the bottom of this post.

If you are interested in taking over any of these positions please contact Sue Borden.

Thanks for a great year!


Coordinators needed:

Family Fair (5th & 6th grade parent)
Cultural Enrichment Volunteer

New Family Welcome

6th Grade Graduation

Box Tops for Education

Lost and Found

Parent Council Secretary

*Picture Day

*Blog Editor


*Co-coordinator needed.

Microscopes

Parent Council voted to purchase microscopes for Fort River using the generous funds made available by Amherstopoly. 

Thanks Sue Cairn, Liz Larson and all the folks who made this all- elementary school fundraiser such a success.

Thirteen microscopes should be ready for use at Fort River next September!

Field Day 2010

Thanks to Sarah Murphy and Tammy Rahhal for coordinating this year's Field Day. Thanks as well to all the Fort River parents/guardians who volunteered to make Field Day a success!

Sixth Grade Class Gift Gets Big Donation

Through the generosity of Dorsey Memorials on Main Street, around the corner from Fort River, the sixth grade class of 2010 will be giving two long granite benches to the school. The eight-foot long benches of Vermont gray granite will replace the worn wooden benches on both sides of the sidewalk that leads to the school's front door. There will be room on the front of the benches for an inspirational saying or two. Our committee was surprised by the donation. We had collected enough money for one bench and planned to buy only one, but when Richard Verock, the president of Dorsey Memorials, stopped by Fort River to look at the site, he told us that the school really needed two benches and that if we could pay for one ($1,000) then he would donate the second one to the school. "I'm glad to do it. It's for the neighborhood," he said. Two years ago, our good neighbor Mr. Verock donated his time to engrave the bricks that lead to the new playground equipment. Thank you to all sixth grade parents who contributed, and thanks to Mr. Verock for his great contribution. He will install the benches at the end of June.

The Sixth Grade Class Gift Committee:
Janet McGowan
Elly Hosea
Betty Sharpe

Bus/Van Driver Appreciation Breakfast

Dear Fort River families,

I wanted to thank all the parents who contributed to the bus/van driver appreciation breakfast this year.  Again, it was a huge success because of all the wonderful food items that were brought in.  I know it is hard for most parents to be able to stay and chat with our drivers, but I wish some of you could have seen the gratitude on their faces.  This event means so much to them.  It shows our drivers how grateful we are, as parents, that they are keeping our children safe on a daily basis, and that we know what an extremely stressful and important job they have.  Many thanks to everyone for all your help.  You make this volunteer position very easy for me!!

Also, thank you to the Parent Council for providing the Dunkin Donuts gift cards to the bus drivers.  They all love receiving them.

With gratitude,
Jenn Wellman