ARHS PGO Parent News

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Hello,

The Senior Award ceremony will be virtual this year. It will take place on Wednesday, June 8th. We will be sending out the link with the time and other details soon. With Covid numbers still rising, and this event happening two days before graduation, we feel that it is safer to have the ceremony happen virtually. The physical awards will be given to the recipients during the graduation rehearsal on the morning of June 10th.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Take care

Talib Sadiq

Principal

The PGO will provide our annual thank-you lunch for ARHS staff on Friday, June 17. Please consider expressing your gratitude to the teachers, paras, and other staff who have worked with your student(s) this year by:

Donating to help fund the catered lunch: The lunch costs about $1500; donations of any size are welcome and can be made by mailing a check to ARHS PGO c/o Ellen Brout Lindsey. Treasurer. 288 Shays Street, Amherst, MA 01002, or by Venmoing the PGO at @arhs-pgo

Signing up to help: You can sign up for various tasks here, from providing supplemental food to bringing some flowers from your garden. Some of these can be done the day before and dropped off; we also could use more volunteers who are available before, during and after the lunch.

Juniors are in the process of requesting their teacher recommendations for next year! They should be sure to check their emails from Ms. Cuffee-Gray for more information.

Ms. Cuffee-Gray is hosting a Common Application Virtual Overview for Juniors and Parents on Thursday, May 26 from 5:00 – 6:00pm! Video call link: https://meet.google.com/kkd-imfe-mzf

Missed out on pre-ordering the 2022 Yearbook? No worries! The yearbook is for sale for immediate ordering at arps.picaboo.com! 

Information on in-person summer school options for ARHS students, including a link to registration and where to direct any questions, can be found on this flyer.

Please join the Amherst Hurricane Athletic Boosters for the next meeting to be held outside of the High School cafeteria on May 25th at 6:00pm. This will be our first in person meeting in a couple of years! We will discuss our exciting projects underway- the Track & Fields Fundraising, our (FREE-open to all) Summer Kick-Off Party at the Drake (6/2) to honor the 2022 Girls State Swim Champions, the annual Golf tournament and Family Celebration (8/27), honoring Ron Moyer and Liz Haygood, and more! If you want to have fun and make an impact on our community athletics, please join us. Bring your own chair or blanket for the grass and a beverage/snack, if you wish.

The Graphic was recently recognized as an online publication by the New England Scholastic Press Association. The paper won a Highest Achievement award and All New England award in its class. Individual students won Special Achievement Awards for News, Feature, and Editorial! Congrats go to ARHS class of 2021 grads Jana Murphy, Cynthia Xie, Mildred Orellana, Clara Lopez, and Sachin Khashu, and current seniors editor Kathryn Carvel, Brynn Sullivan and Nakos Maroudas. 

The online hurricane store is now open! The store will be open for only 2 weeks. Thanks for your support and go canes! 

May 26: Common Application Virtual Overview for juniors & families
May 28: Senior prom @ 6pm
May 30: Memorial Day – no school
May 31: FPA Meeting 6:30 pm
June 2: Hurricane Boosters Summer Kick-off Party
June 3: Last day of school for seniors
June 10: Graduation @ 6pm
June 17: Last day of school–Half day
June 17: Staff Appreciation Luncheon
June 18 & 19 Juneteenth Celebration  – More info to come!

Home games

May 20: Varsity and JV girls lacrosse
May 23: Varsity and JV girls lacrosse
May 23: Varsity and JV boys lacrosse
May 23: JV Girls ultimate
May 25: Varsity baseball

The Jones Library is actively collecting feedback from the community on what they want the new teen space to look and feel like. We especially want to hear from teens on what they’d like to see in this new space. Please take this survey to share your opinions — thank you! www.tinyurl.com/joneslibteenspace

For a pdf version of the ARPS Update, please click here.

Para obtener una versión de la actualización de ARPS en español, haga clic aquí

Para uma versão do ARPS Update em português, clique aqui.

During May, we are pleased to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month,  As noted by reporter and author Minhae Shim Roth, AAPI Heritage Month is held in May in commemoration of the immigration of the first Japanese people to the United States on May 7, 1943 and in recognition of Golden Spike Day on May 10,1869, which marks the completion of the transcontinental railroad—a feat made possible only by the significant contributions of Chinese workers.  Today, in a time of great strides (such as Kamila Harris’ election as the first Asian American Vice-President of the United States), the AAPI community is also facing a deplorable rise in anti-AAPI violence in many areas of our nation.  As a community, ARPS stands in unwavering solidarity with the AAPI community, and we honor and recognize the innumerable contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout our history and in every aspect of our society.

The month of May also marks Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness and educate the public about mental health and wellness.  For those who want more information or need contact information for mental health hotlines, you can visit the Mental Health IS Health website (the numbers from their SOS page are also included below). As we strive for greater understanding of mental health in our community, I want to recognize and thank all of the mental health providers in our ARPS schools who serve our students and families so diligently and well.

Finally, we would like to reiterate that we are strongly encouraging all staff and students to wear high-quality masks to help mitigate the spread of COVID in our schools.  As you may be aware from the ARPS Case Count Dashboard, COVID cases in the schools are on the rise.

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Hello,

Here is some more information about Prom and Seniors’ last days of school.

Prom is almost here, and unfortunately, Covid is still a thing. In an attempt to try and prevent a potential large spread, we will be asking all seniors and their non-ARHS or non-senior guest to take a Covid rapid test between 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm (when the doors open for Prom) on May 28th. We will be giving out rapid test kits to all seniors on Friday, May 27th. Each kit contains two rapid tests. We will have to rely on Seniors and their families to make sure that tests are taken, and that anyone who is positive does not attend the Prom. We do not want Prom to be a “super spreader” event. Thank you for your help with this.  

Our Seniors’ last day of school is still June 3rd. To clarify, they are expected to be in school and to attend all of their classes those last four days. Some teachers will want to celebrate with them before they leave us, and they will have work and activities for them to do during their last days of school. 

Seniors will receive their Cap & Gown during lunch on their last day, Friday, June 3rd. There will be an Ice Cream Social on that day as well. Seniors will get dismissed from their D-period class, around 1:45 pm, and walk out of the front door to thunderous applause from their classmates and the adults in the building. Then they can enjoy some ice cream and popsicles across the street next to Memorial pool. We are hoping they will enjoy their last week of school with each other and the educators who have watched them grow and mature during their time at ARHS. 

Please reach out if you have any questions.

Take care

Talib Sadiq

Principal 

(2.5 Hour Delay for students in Grades 9,11,12: May 17th & 18th)

May 17--10th Grade students take the first section of the MCAS MATH 9am-11:30am (students may continue testing through the day as needed).

STUDENTS IN GRADES 9, 11, 12 WILL ARRIVE TO SCHOOL AT 11:30AM. 

There will be two bus runs–one at the regular time and one that will be delayed 2.5 hours.

May 18-– 10th Grade students take the second section of the MCAS MATH 9am-11:30am (students may continue testing through the day as needed).

STUDENTS IN GRADES 9, 11, 12 WILL ARRIVE TO SCHOOL AT 11:30AM. 

There will be two bus runs–one at the regular time and one that will be delayed 2.5 hours on BOTH days

The following email was sent to families on Tuesday, May 10:

Dear ARPS Community:

As we have done throughout the COVID pandemic, ARPS is continuing to work closely with the Amherst Health Department to monitor COVID data trends.  Over the past two weeks, there has been an increase in the number of COVID cases in our state and region.  Likewise, we have already seen an increase in the number of COVID cases within the ARPS community, and as a result, we are recommending that the entire school community wear a high-quality mask (KN-95 or surgical) when indoors.  These types of masks continue to be available free of charge to all students and staff members.  In addition, free rapid COVID tests are still available for students and staff through the DESE program.  You can sign up here to receive the take-home tests  if you have not already done so.

It is important to note that this is not a mask mandate, but a temporary recommendation being made in consultation with the Amherst Health Department. The goal of adding this masking recommendation to our ongoing COVID mitigation efforts of distancing, adequate ventilation in indoor spaces, and utilizing outdoor learning time, is to meet our top priority, which is to maintain adequate staffing levels and student attendance to ensure a safe and supportive learning environment through the end of the school year. We want to thank all of the ARPS community for your continued efforts to reduce the risk of COVID transmission.

Sincerely,

Dr. Michael Morris

Superintendent

Estimada comunidad de ARPS:

Como hemos hecho a lo largo de la pandemia de COVID, ARPS sigue trabajando estrechamente con el Departamento de Salud de Amherst para supervisar las tendencias de los datos de COVID.  En las últimas dos semanas, ha habido un aumento en el número de casos de COVID en nuestro estado y región.  Del mismo modo, ya hemos visto un aumento en el número de casos de COVID dentro de la comunidad de ARPS, y como resultado, estamos recomendando que toda la comunidad escolar use una máscara de alta calidad (KN-95 o quirúrgica) cuando esté en el interior.  Este tipo de mascarillas sigue estando disponible de forma gratuita para todos los estudiantes y miembros del personal.  Además, las pruebas rápidas gratuitas de COVID siguen estando disponibles para los estudiantes y el personal a través del programa del DESE.  Puede inscribirse aquí para recibir las pruebas para llevar a casa si aún no lo ha hecho.

Es importante tener en cuenta que esto no es un mandato de máscara, sino una recomendación temporal que se hace en consulta con el Departamento de Salud de Amherst. El objetivo de añadir esta recomendación de enmascaramiento a nuestros esfuerzos de mitigación de COVID en curso de distanciamiento, ventilación adecuada en los espacios interiores, y la utilización de tiempo de aprendizaje al aire libre, es cumplir con nuestra principal prioridad, que es mantener los niveles de personal adecuados y la asistencia de los estudiantes para garantizar un ambiente de aprendizaje seguro y de apoyo hasta el final del año escolar. Queremos agradecer a toda la comunidad de ARPS por sus continuos esfuerzos para reducir el riesgo de transmisión de COVID.

Sinceramente,

Dr. Michael Morris

Superintendente

Traducción realizada con la versión gratuita del traductor www.DeepL.com/Translator

Cara Comunidade ARPS:

Como temos feito em toda a pandemia da COVID, a ARPS continua a trabalhar em estreita colaboração com o Departamento de Saúde de Amherst para monitorizar as tendências dos dados da COVID.  Nas últimas duas semanas, tem havido um aumento do número de casos de COVID no nosso estado e região.  Do mesmo modo, já assistimos a um aumento do número de casos COVID na comunidade ARPS, e como resultado, recomendamos que toda a comunidade escolar use uma máscara de alta qualidade (KN-95 ou cirúrgica) quando estiver dentro de casa.  Estes tipos de máscaras continuam a estar disponíveis gratuitamente para todos os estudantes e membros do pessoal.  Além disso, os testes rápidos COVID gratuitos continuam a estar disponíveis para estudantes e pessoal através do programa DESE.  Pode inscrever-se aqui para receber os testes para levar para casa, caso ainda não o tenha feito.

É importante notar que isto não é um mandato de máscara, mas uma recomendação temporária a ser feita em consulta com o Departamento de Saúde de Amherst. O objectivo de acrescentar esta recomendação de máscara aos nossos esforços contínuos de mitigação da COVID de distanciamento, ventilação adequada em espaços interiores, e utilização de tempo de aprendizagem ao ar livre, é satisfazer a nossa prioridade máxima, que é manter níveis adequados de pessoal e de frequência dos alunos para assegurar um ambiente de aprendizagem seguro e de apoio até ao final do ano lectivo. Queremos agradecer a toda a comunidade ARPS pelos seus esforços contínuos para reduzir o risco de transmissão COVID.

Com os melhores cumprimentos,

Dr. Michael Morris

Superintendente

We know it’s been yet another looong and difficult year for students – and also for staff and teachers. We would like to show our ARHS staff how much we value them with a delicious end-of-year luncheon catered by Wheelhouse Farm. There are several ways YOU can show your appreciation for our amazing staff and help with the event. We need volunteers to:

*Bring a fruit salad for 8-10 people
*Bring a dessert for 8-10 people
*Help on the day of the event

Please sign up at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0d4baaab283-staff1

The PGO is also seeking donations of any amount to help fund this annual event. Checks can be mailed to ARHS PGO c/o Ellen Brout Lindsey. Treasurer. 288 Shays Street, Amherst, MA 01002, or you can Venmo the PGO at @arhs-pgo. 

Questions? Contact Ellen at ellenlindsey@gmail.com. Thank you!

We’re looking for parents to join us to support the Arts in the schools! We are a 501(c)(3) organization of parents, guardians, and community members supporting the performing arts at Amherst Regional Public Schools.  We believe that all students should experience the transformative power of the performing arts, and our goal is to provide financial and logistical support to the performing arts department.

Find out more at the Friends of Performing Arts Meeting Tuesday, May 31, 6:30-8:30 pm at 1310 South East St (home of Lisa Cain).

For 4 1/2 years, ARPS FPA has been raising money to support the arts at the high school and helping with logistics for performing arts events. We’ve helped fund the field trip, lighting, sheet music, new instruments and much more. We’ve held bake sales, a calendar fundraiser and the Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance and Silent Auction. The FPA is ready to come back and support the performing arts and we need new members who want to get involved.  Many of our team have graduating seniors and due to COVID – we haven’t been able to grow. New members are warmly welcomed–minimum meetings, maximum action!

Any questions? can’t make the meeting but want to help out? – please email, call, or text – Lisa Cain lisamasseycain@gmail.com, 413-345-1460

For a pdf version of the ARPS Update, please click here.

Para obtener una versión de la actualización de ARPS en español, haga clic aquí

Para uma versão do ARPS Update em português, clique aqui.

I am so thankful for the outstanding educators we are privileged to have in the Amherst, Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Districts!  I am also thankful for the opportunity that Teacher [Educator] Appreciation Week gives us to acknowledge them–and educators in general–for the critical role they have in the lives of all children.  There are few other professionals who impact so many lives, so profoundly, over the course of their career.  Teaching is truly the profession that makes all other professions possible.  Thank you to our families, students, and all of our amazing PGOs for the many ways in which you made our educators (and other staff members) feel so special this week.  And thank you to our ARPS educators for the many ways in which you enrich the lives of your students and colleagues everyday!

While we honor educators this week, I want to acknowledge that May is also a month in which three other very important things are recognized and honored.  May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, and Mental Health Awareness Month.  We will be highlighting each of these in newsletters throughout May.

Finally, I want to remind everyone that, although masking remains optional in ARPS, the district strongly recommends that individuals wear a high-quality face covering (such as a KN-95 or surgical mask, which are still available at no cost to staff and students) following known exposure to COVID.  This is especially true if that exposure comes from a household member with whom you have ongoing contact. Please contact the school nurse (contact information is below) if a member of your household tests positive for COVID.  The nurses can provide health information and guidance regarding attendance at school.  In addition, there is now a state telehealth site where you can determine if you can benefit from taking the COVID treatment Paxlovid and, if so, can obtain it for free through your local pharmacy or overnight mail.  We appreciate everyone’s help in keeping our COVID cases as low as possible. ARHS nurses: Robbin Suprenant (362-1743) and Mary O’Brien (362-1744).

May 17-18: Math MCAS for 10th graders, 11:30 start for 9th, 11th, 12th graders
May 28: Senior prom @ 6pm
May 31: FPA Meeting 6:30 pm
June 3: Last day of school for seniors
June 10: Graduation @ 6pm
June 17: Last day of school
June 17: Staff Appreciation Luncheon
June 18 & 19 Juneteenth Celebration  – More info to come!

Home games

May 13: Boys tennis
May 13: Varsity girls lacrosse
May 13: Baseball
May 16: Boys tennis
May 17: Varsity boys lacrosse
May 18: Varsity and JV girls lacrosse
May 20: Varsity girls lacrosse

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(2.5 Hour Delay for students in Grades 9,11,12: May 17th & 18th)

May 17--10th Grade students take the first section of the MCAS MATH 9am-11:30am (students may continue testing through the day as needed).

STUDENTS IN GRADES 9, 11, 12 WILL ARRIVE TO SCHOOL AT 11:30AM. 

There will be two bus runs–one at the regular time and one that will be delayed 2.5 hours.

May 18-– 10th Grade students take the second section of the MCAS MATH 9am-11:30am (students may continue testing through the day as needed).

STUDENTS IN GRADES 9, 11, 12 WILL ARRIVE TO SCHOOL AT 11:30AM. 

There will be two bus runs–one at the regular time and one that will be delayed 2.5 hours on BOTH days

• Seniors can register for prom beginning Monday, May 9th. They can register during all lunches in the cafeteria. They must have a signed permission slip and payment to register. Permission slips are available in Guidance and were also emailed to seniors on the first day of Quarter 4.
• First generation college seniors, there are three scholarships for $1,000 each. Join Ms. Cuffee-Gray for a workshop to get the application done! May6th and May13th during the plus block. Here’s a LINK to sign up! 

• Pre-order is over, but you can still get your yearbook at https://store.shopyearbook.com/arps ! Just pay for shipping!
• If your student is a SENIOR on free OR reduced lunch and you have not yet ordered a yearbook because you cannot afford it, please contact Crystal Garrity at garrityc@arps.org to request a free yearbook by April 13th!

The Ultimate teams are excited to announce their first ever Friday night showcase featuring Premier Ultimate League all star players! The PUL is a professional ultimate league for women, non-binary, and trans athletes, so these are pro ultimate players coming to Amherst. There will be time to engage with the pros at halftime and after the game. This exhibition will be played tonight, Friday, May 6, at 7:00 pm at Amherst Regional High School and admission will be free for all. Pizza will be available for sale at 6:15 pm.

The Amherst Invitational will be held at MacDuffie School in Granby. Twenty six teams from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and all over New England will compete this Saturday and Sunday. Games begin at 9:00. Admission is free for everyone and there will be concessions for sale. Come watch our athletes play this amazing sport!

We need a couple more volunteers to bring purchased or homemade treats for the last Thank-you Thursday on June 9. Please sign up here.

NOTE: all donations must be soft goods, bagged and placed in the bin

You can help ARHS earn money by recycling your old linens and clothes in the white Bay state Textile bins by the ARHS parking lot. They accept items in good condition as well as stained clothes, single socks and shoes, worn towels and linens, and other textiles—just make sure they’re clean and dry. You can also recycle stuffed animals, backpacks, pillows… anything that’s soft.   Donations should be put in bags before being dropped off. Thank you for helping the ARHS PGO earn money for our school – at no cost to you!

For a pdf version of the ARPS Update, please click here.

Para obtener una versión de la actualización de ARPS en español, haga clic aquí

Para uma versão do ARPS Update em português, clique aqui.

As I have shared in prior newsletters, April is Linguistic Heritage Month. As a culminating event, the Amherst Public Schools and the Multilingual Parent Advisory Council, in collaboration with Town of Amherst Community Participation Officers, are pleased to host a Linguistic Heritage Celebration this Sunday, May 1 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. on the Amherst Town Common.  Participants will have the opportunity to listen to read-alouds in Spanish and Portuguese, take a Latin dance class, participate in a story walk, make crafts and enjoy delicious snacks provided by Amherst restaurants Mexcalito and Oriental Flavor.  Multilingual students, staff and community members will perform poetry, music, and dance, followed by a performance by Cape Verdean artist Tem Blessed.  A graduate of UMass Amherst, Blessed is a socially-conscious Hip Hop artist whose work centers around empowering youth.  He is a multilingual speaker of Portuguese, Kriolu and English.  I hope that many of you will be able to join us for this event in celebration of our community’s rich linguistic heritage!  

I am pleased to report that, on Tuesday, the Amherst School Committee and the Pelham School Committee accepted my recommendation to adopt i-Ready Classroom Math K-5 as the elementary math curriculum for the Amherst and Pelham school districts beginning in Fall 2022.  This recommendation followed a six-month review process that was led by a 20-member Elementary Math Review Committee (MRC), which included teachers from all four elementary schools in a variety of roles, as well as principals, central office administrators, math specialists, and parents/guardians. In addition, the MRC considered input from stakeholders such as the school-based Parent-Guardian Organizations (PGOs), the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC), and the Multilingual Parent Advisory Council (MPAC).

I convened the curriculum review due to persistent opportunity gaps in state-defined subgroups and the potential power of curriculum as an equity promoter. For any curriculum to be considered, it must meet five guiding parameters:   1) be a high-quality, core instructional math curriculum with research-based evidence; 2) provide equal access in English and Spanish; 3) support the learning of all students given diverse skill levels; 3) include both print and digital materials; and 5) embed a strong program of professional development for teachers. 

The MRC began by investigating deeply four curricula that had received top ratings from EdReports, an independent nonprofit committed to ensuring all students have access to high-quality instructional materials, and CURATE, which convenes panels of Massachusetts teachers to review and rate evidence on the quality and alignment of specific curricular materials, then publishes their findings for educators across the Commonwealth to consult.  After the MRC identified two finalist curricula based on their investigations, those curricula were piloted for six weeks by a select group of 15 elementary teachers from grades 1-5 representing all schools. The pilot teachers contributed daily feedback during the process, and students from pilot classes, as well as classroom observers, also contributed feedback to the MRC. In addition, the MRC reached out to select school districts in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island that were using one of the two finalist curricula in order to learn from their experiences. 

Based on this extensive process, the MRC recommended i-Ready Classroom Math K-5 because it is the curriculum most closely aligned with district priorities.  Program features of particular appeal included:  the accessibility of the math to all students; the program’s prioritization of student discourse and active participation; the availability of in-depth reports that enable instructional decisions so teachers can help students reach their greatest potential; a wide range of features to maximize usability for students, teachers and families; rigorous practice opportunities that build students’ conceptual understanding and procedural fluency; and the availability of all materials for students and teachers in both English and Spanish.  

This was truly a community effort, and I am especially grateful to the members of the Math Review Committee and the pilot teachers for their invaluable contributions to the demanding work of seeking a new elementary math curriculum.  Proficiency in math is a gateway to future opportunities for young people. We are excited to make i-Ready Classroom Math K-5 available to our students, teachers and families, and look forward to the implementation of this powerful tool for teaching and learning!

May 6: Ultimate Showcase
May 7: Healthy Living Festival & Human Rights Youth Hero Awards Info to be found here
May 11: Early release @ 1:20pm
May 17-18: Math MCAS for 10th graders, 11:30 start for 9th, 11th, 12th graders
May 28: Senior prom @ 6pm
June 3: Last day of school for seniors
June 10: Graduation @ 6pm
June 17: Last day of school
June 17: Staff Appreciation Luncheon
June 18 & 19 Juneteenth Celebration  – More info to come!

Home games

May 6: Varsity and JV boys lacrosse
May 7-8: Ultimate Amherst Invitational, Granby
May 9: Girls tennis
May 10: Boys tennis
May 10: Varsity girls lacrosse
May 11: Girls tennis
May 11: Varsity and JV boys lacrosse
May 12: Boys tennis
May 13: Boys tennis
May 13: Varsity girls lacrosse
May 13: Baseball

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Hello ARHS Families,

We have been receiving a lot of questions about Prom and Graduation. Here are some of the important things to know about each of these exciting events.

The ARHS Graduation will be on Friday, June 10th at the Mullins Center. The graduation ceremony will start at 6:00 PM and last for approximately two hours. Soon we’ll be asking senior parents to volunteer to help with some of the graduation prep work. Be on the lookout for that request. We will not be printing tickets for graduation. In the past, we have never charged anyone to attend graduation, and we believe the Mullins Center can accommodate all of our graduates’ guests. We will however ask our seniors to limit the number of guests they plan on inviting to no more than 20. This, of course, is all dependent on the Department of Public Health (DPH) safety guidelines. We will let you all know if any changes to those guidelines impact the number of guests who will be able to attend the graduation ceremony.

The ARHS Senior Prom is scheduled for Saturday, May 28th at The Log Cabin (500 Easthampton Road Holyoke, Mass 01040) from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM.

Below are the guidelines that were given to our seniors at their grade level assembly on April 4th. They were also given the Prom permission slip at that assembly. They need to purchase their ticket(s) and return the permission slip before Wednesday, May 18th. They were also told that if the DPH safety guidelines change it could impact them being able to bring a guest from another high school to the Prom. If we receive any new information from the DPH about the safety guidelines, we will share it with all of you.

PROM GUIDELINES:

• Tickets:
  • ARHS Seniors: $60
  • ARHS Reduced Lunch: $45
  • ARHS Free Lunch: $25
  • All Non-ARHS Students/ARHS Juniors/ARHS Sophomores/ARHS Freshman: $65
• Students and guests will be admitted to the Prom between 6:00 PM  and 8:00 PM.
• No one may enter the Prom after 8:00 PM.
• Dinner will be served at 7:00 PM.
• ●     Non-senior and non-ARHS students must enter with their ARHS Senior host. They may not remain at the prom if their ARHS senior host leaves.
• ●     Each ARHS senior is responsible for their non-ARHS or non-senior guest
• Every student and guest must submit to a non-invasive alcohol screening.  A cut-off level of zero percent reflects our zero-tolerance alcohol policy.
  • Students unwilling to submit to the screening will not be admitted.
  • Students who test positive for alcohol will be supervised until a parent/guardian can pick them up.
  • Students will be asked to resubmit to an alcohol screening during Prom if there is a reasonable suspicion that they are under the influence.
• Students may not leave and re-enter the Prom.
• The Log Cabin is a non-smoking/vaping facility.  There are no smoking/vaping areas at the Prom.
• Students and guests are expected to follow all rules outlined in the ARHS Student Handbook. 

We are really excited about both of these events. Any support with our efforts to help our seniors end their high school careers on a high note is welcome and appreciated. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you.

Take care,
Talib Sadiq
Principal 

Need to run your thinking regarding Life After ARHS by someone? Guidance Counselors will be outside of the Guidance Office ready to help you out on Friday during Plus Block.

It’s the final week for seniors to evaluate their admission and financial aid offers and make a decision on a college before the May 1st deadline. If you are still unsure of where to enroll, check out MEFA Pathway’s College Cost Calculator. This video from Ms. Cuffee-Gray leads you through the process.

Juniors who are eligible to apply for National Honor Society (g.p.a. of at least a 3.0) should check their school email for an invitation and application link. (It was sent on April 14).  The deadline to submit an application is May 15, 2022.  Please contact Assistant Principal Miki Gromacki with any questions.

Seniors members of NHS received an email with information about documenting their 10 hours of community service as well as information about ordering honor cords to wear with their graduation gowns. Please email gromackim@arps.org if you have any questions or can’t locate your email notification.

The canceled final performance of the musical has been rescheduled for April 29. Information is available on the ticketing website.

Players from the women’s professional teams Portland Rising and NY Gridlock will play with Amherst girls in this first-ever showcase event. Come watch the action on Friday, May 6. 7:00 p.m. at the Amherst-Pelham Regional High School, 21 Mattoon St. Free!

And don’t forget: Come watch 26 outstanding Massachusetts high school Ultimate teams compete in the 29^th Amherst Invitational Tournament, May 7-8 at the MacDuffie School in Granby. Parking entrance is on Rt. 202. Play starts at 9:00 a.m. Free! 

April 29: Hair the Musical
April 30: Prescription drug take-back day
April 30: Town Wide Clean Up day Info to be found here
May 1: Library Community Outreach Day Info to be found here
May 1: ARPS Linguistic Heritage Month Celebration Info to be found here
May 6: Ultimate Showcase
May 7: Healthy Living Festival & Human Rights Youth Hero Awards Info to be found here

May 11: Early release
May 28: Senior prom
June 10: Graduation

Home games:

April 29: Baseball
April 29: Girls tennis
April 30: Girls tennis
May 2: Girls tennis
May 3: Girls tennis
May 4: Boys tennis
May 4: Varsity girls lacrosse; Varsity and JV boys lacrosse
May 4: Varsity girls ultimate @ Amherst College
May 5: Girls tennis
May 5: Baseball
May 6: Varsity and JV boys lacrosse
May 7-8: Ultimate AI

Congratulations to the 2022-23 Excellence Award Grant recipients! In its 28th year, the Amherst Education Foundation (AEF) is thrilled to announce a total of $35,269 in grants have been awarded in support of programs spread throughout the Amherst Regional Public Schools. Please click here for details on our funding of the following projects: Dash Robots for the Technology Lab, PBL School Leader Network Participation, Restorative Justice Leadership Program, and Theater For All. To learn more about previous grants we have awarded, or to help us continue to support our teachers and staff, please visit amhersteducationfoundation.org

You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

Program Overview: The UMass Turing Summer Program is a three week-long summer program for High School students who have an interest in or would like to learn about Computer Science and how computing can be used to address challenges in areas such as healthcare, energy, and many others. See the flyer here.

Intended Participants: While the program is specifically designed for entering tenth and eleventh graders (entering sophomores and juniors) in high schools in Western Massachusetts, rising ninth graders and seniors are welcome to apply. A background in computer programming is not necessary to attend.  A basic mathematics background is assumed for this program.

Program Format/Schedule: The program features two classroom sessions and one lab session daily for three weeks and will expose students to concepts in sensing, data analysis, and visualization. This is a hands-on program where students will learn by doing, and the program will feature the use of signal processing and machine learning using Python and an intro to health sensing using apps for Android phones. The program will run for three weeks on weekdays from Monday July 11th to Friday July 29th. The program will run daily from 9:30am to 4pm, and a full day commitment is expected from all students. This is a commuter summer program – the ability to commute daily to the UMass campus on your own is a must.

How to Apply?: The College of Information and Computer Science is offering this program at no charge to local students. Students will need to pay a nominal fee to obtain a UMass ID card and to process the registration paperwork. This fee will be waived for any student for whom it poses a hardship. To apply for the program, please fill out the google form available at the Turing program website below. For more details, please visit the turing program website at https://lass.cs.umass.edu/turing/ or send an email to turing.umass@gmail.com. 

There is no official PGO Newsletter this week; see below for a message that was mistakenly left out of last week’s newsletter.

Esta semana no hay boletín oficial del PGO; véase a continuación un mensaje que se omitió por error en el boletín de la semana pasada.

Juniors who are eligible to apply for National Honor Society (g.p.a. of at least a 3.0) should check their school email for an invitation and application link. (It was sent on April 14).  The deadline to submit an application is May 15, 2022.  Please contact Assistant Principal Miki Gromacki with any questions.

Seniors members of NHS received an email with information about documenting their 10 hours of community service as well as information about ordering honor cords to wear with their graduation gowns. Please email gromackim@arps.org if you have any questions or can’t locate your email notification.

Los estudiantes de tercer año que son elegibles para aplicar a la Sociedad Nacional de Honor (G.P.A. de al menos 3.0) deben revisar su correo electrónico de la escuela para una invitación y un enlace de aplicación. (Se envió el 14 de abril).  La fecha límite para presentar la solicitud es el 15 de mayo de 2022.  Por favor, póngase en contacto con el Subdirector Miki Gromacki con cualquier pregunta.

Los miembros del último año de NHS recibieron un correo electrónico con información sobre la documentación de sus 10 horas de servicio comunitario, así como información sobre el pedido de cordones de honor para usar con sus vestidos de graduación. Por favor, envíe un correo electrónico a gromackim@arps.org si tiene alguna pregunta o no puede localizar su notificación de correo electrónico.

Haga clic aquí para ver los artículos del boletín en español

Hello ARHS Families,

I hope this message finds everyone in good health and spirits. I wanted to let you know that our bathroom monitors will be in place starting Monday, April 25th. There will be an announcement that morning reminding students to expect the adult monitoring the bathroom to ask them to sign in, and that they will only be allowing 2 students in the multi-stall bathrooms at a time.  

This has been a year of adjustments, and if it turns out that students are waiting for long periods of time to use the bathrooms, we will adjust the number of students we allow in them together. I will also send an email reminder to students on Sunday, April 24th. Thank you for your support in implementing these procedures. I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable break from school. 

Take care,
Talib Sadiq, Principal

For a pdf version of the ARPS Update, please click here.

Para obtener una versión de la actualización de ARPS en español, haga clic aquí

Para uma versão do ARPS Update em português, clique aqui.

Students across the country have benefited tremendously from the waivers Congress passed allowing universal access to free breakfast and lunch during the pandemic.  For families who found themselves facing loss of income, jobs or businesses due to COVID restrictions, the free-meals-for-all program has given them peace of mind knowing that their children have access to nutritious food during the school day.  Many ARPS families have shared with us how essential the universal free meals program has been in allowing them to stretch their income during difficult financial circumstances.  Unfortunately, Congress will no longer support the free meals program after this school year. 

Statistics from our own School Nutrition Department are striking.  Since 2019, prior to the free-meals-for-all program, the average number of meals served per day has increased from 1,454 in 2019 to 1,893 in 2022. That represents an increase of 267 lunches per day and 172 breakfasts.  Our Districts have provided over 47,000 more meals to students so far this school year than we did at this time in the 2019/20 school year.  Additionally, 33% of our students currently qualify for free lunch based on the prior free/reduced lunch formula, which is up from 29% in 2019. 

This increase in the number of meals served is not simply a reflection of the increased financial need in our schools, however.  Enrollment in the traditional free/reduced lunch program drops off significantly as students move from elementary into secondary school.  This is primarily due to adolescent students’ heightened concern about perceived social stigma related to receiving a free or reduced-price lunch, despite our School Nutrition Department’s ongoing efforts to de-stigmatize the experience.  With the free-meals-for-all program, this concern has been completely eliminated for all students.

Having universal access to nutritious, free meals at school has been one of the few truly beneficial changes to come out of the pandemic for our students and families. Since it will no longer be supported by Federal funds, we have advocated with our state legislators for the Massachusetts Legislature to provide alternative funding to continue this program that benefits every school-aged child in the Commonwealth, but particularly those who experience food insecurity in their daily lives.  I am pleased to report that Representative Mindy Domb and Senator Jo Comerford are very supportive of such funding and, in fact, the Massachusetts’ House budget, which has now been passed to the Senate, includes such funding.  We will keep our families updated as the issue moves through the budgetary process.

As a reminder, break begins tomorrow and runs through next week.  I hope our ARPS families, students and staff have a nice, restful break! 

For a pdf version of the ARPS Update, please click here.

Para obtener una versión de la actualización de ARPS en español, haga clic aquí

Para uma versão do ARPS Update em português, clique aqui.

The month of April is Autism Awareness Month and serves as a time to acknowledge and honor the neurodiversity in our schools and communities.  Some organizations, including the Autism Society, have renamed the month Autism Acceptance Month in order to shift the emphasis from simple awareness to one of inclusion and belonging for those with autism. Our goal is to celebrate neurodiversity within the ARPS community and honor autistic individuals, just as they are, by accommodating their needs and ensuring welcoming, inclusive and equitable experiences everyday. 

I am pleased to share that Amherst Regional Middle School and Amherst Regional High School will be welcoming Earl Miller, Director of Amherst’s new Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service Department (CRESS) for visits to work with students and staff.  Mr. Miller, who was appointed to the position by the Amherst Town Council last month, will be working with the District as part of the Healthy Communities Initiative and was introduced to the ARHS student body at assemblies earlier this week.  We are excited to welcome Mr. Miller, both to our community and into our schools.

On Thursday, April 28th Rising 9th graders will be hosted by student leaders for Step-Up day at ARHS.  They will meet in the Middle School Auditorium and walk up to the High School. They will tour the building, observe classes, and have small group Q&A sessions with High School Student Leaders in their Advisory groups.  This event will run from 9:15am-11:30am.  

You can purchase the yearbook OR a parent ad at this link: https://store.shopyearbook.com/arps

Every parent ad helps purchase a yearbook for a student on free/reduced lunch! The deadline to submit parent ads is April 22nd!

The canceled final performance of the musical has been rescheduled for April 29. Information is available on the ticketing website.

Check out the newest issue of The Graphic, ARHS’s school newspaper. These news, club, sports, and feature articles are produced in a Journalistic Writing class at ARHS! Reading them is a great activity for the plus block or advisory study hall! : ) You will be amazed to learn at all that is happening at ARHS!

The SPIFFY Coalition, along with some other coalitions in the region, are co-sponsoring a showing of the next Screenagers documentary. Filmmaker and physician Dr. Delaney Ruston takes the conversation around screens and teens to the next level with Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER: Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience—a film that examines the science behind teen’s emotional challenges, the interplay of social media, and most importantly, what can be done in our schools and homes to help them build crucial skills to navigate stress, anxiety, and depression in our digital age. Access to the film will start on May 3rd and will be available through May 17th. Please Register here by May 2nd to gain access to the link.

NOTE: all donations must be soft goods and placed in the bin!

Have you ever noticed the two large white donation bins in the ARHS parking lot? You can help ARHS earn money by recycling your old linens and clothes in these Bay state Textile bins. They accept items in good condition as well as stained clothes, single socks and shoes, worn towels and linens, and other textiles—just make sure they’re clean and dry. You can also recycle stuffed animals, backpacks, pillows… anything that’s soft.   Donations should be put in bags before being dropped off. Thank you for helping the ARHS PGO earn money for our school – at no cost to you!