As you prepare for colder weather, please do not get rid of those gently-used winter coats that no longer fit your family members! The PGO will collect good quality coats that are appropriate in size and style for high school students; we get the coats cleaned and make them available to any ARHS students who need a coat for the winter months. You are also welcome to buy a new coat and donate it. Click here for a flyer that includes details about the multiple drop-off points in town (including at the high school itself).
Thank you to all who attended Wednesday’s ‘Exploring the Ins and Outs of NCAA Eligibility’ panel. If there are any student-athletes who would like to continue the conversation further please check out the pursuing athletics after college document and fill out the survey embedded in the first paragraph.
There is still time to register for Amherst Education Foundation’s Trivia Bee on Thursday, October 27th at 6:30pm in the Middle School Auditorium. Sign up now at bit.ly/trivia-bee22 It will be a fun night of trivia with your family, friends, and the Amherst area community. We are also holding a raffle full of great prizes (you don’t have to play trivia to enter). Prizes include $100 to Johnny’s Tavern, $100 to Arizona Pizza, $50 to Atkins, $50 to Iya, $80 to Alina’s Restaurant, $25 to Big Y, $30 to Texas Roadhouse, one-hour massage at Healing Zone, a one-month class at Pineapple Dance, and much more! Click here to see the flyer.
Don’t want to play but want to join in the fun? Come watch and cheer on the teams for free; there will also be pizza and refreshments.The Trivia Bee is our biggest fundraiser of the year and we would like to thank everyone who has already registered, entered the raffle, and all of our sponsors for making the event possible! The Amherst Education Foundation, Inc. is an independent, non-profit organization committed to promoting students’ educational equity, supporting diversity, stimulating excellence and mobilizing broad community support for the public schools of Amherst, Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury.
Oct 22: Homecoming Dance Oct 22: Diverse Women in STEM Oct 24: PGO Coat Drive begins Oct 27: AEF Trivia Bee Nov 8: No school (Teacher work day) Nov 8: Election Day Nov 11: No school (Veterans’ Day)
My name is Amrita Adak and I’m a senior at UMass Amherst studying Neurobiology, Language, and Trauma. With the help of Women for UMass, the Office of Equity of Inclusion, and several STEM departments across campus, I’m organizing a mini-conference on October 22nd focused on empowering Historically Marginalized Women in STEM.
Our project centers around connecting women who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and women with disabilities in the Hampshire county area, with contemporary female role models in STEM that reflect their marginalized identities. This event will include inspiring keynote speakers, one-on-one student interviews, engaging panel discussions with Q&A sections, and interactive workshops. Among other crucial topics, speakers will address their interests and contributions within STEM as well as how their marginalized identities have both helped and hindered their life journey. The event will foster connection and community between participants, creating a unique space for them that previously may not have existed. Attendees will also enjoy lunch that pays homage to the cultural identities found across the county and the opportunity to interact with peers and community members to create lasting connections founded on women empowerment. Click here for a full flyer about this free event.
Leslie Chalmers, SLP is giving a free interactive workshop for parents who have kids who struggle with reading, writing and/or spelling. Resources will be available. Workshop will be held at Forbes Library in Northampton on Tuesday, October 25 at 6:00pm. More information available here.
Teen Lounge – Fridays 3:30-5pm. Head to the Woodbury Room after school on Fridays for Teen Lounge! Help us test out our brand-new Nintendo Switch with a round or two of Super Smash Brothers. There will also be crafts, board games, and good times. Come hang out with friends or make some new ones! Drop on by — no reservation required. This program is for ages 11 – 17.
NaNoWriMo Write-a-Thon — Tuesday, November 8, 2-4pm Are you a teen interested in participating in NaNoWriMo this month? Or maybe you just want some dedicated time to work on your writing. Come to our write-a-thon on 11/8, which is a day off from school for ARPS students. We’ll have snacks and some inspiration to get your creativity flowing. This program is for ages 11 to 17. Please email teens@joneslibrary.org for more info and to register.
Words Together — Saturday, November 12, 4-5pm Students from the Amherst College Poetry Club will be leading a poetry workshop for teens ages 13 to 17. This is the first of a series of workshops. Please email teens@joneslibrary.org for more info and to register.
Attention ARPS Community: We are looking for volunteer and paid tutors for our ARHS STEM virtual tutoring center. Do you feel you could support high school students with their work in science or math courses? We need you! All sessions are in the evening and take place via Google Meet.
You can indicate your interest by filling out this signup sheet. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Ms. Vanessa Meikle.
The Theater Company is kicking off the year with BRIEFS – our annual evening of 10-minute plays, written by contemporary playwrights and directed & acted by ARHS students. The work will be produced as a “black box” production, placing the audience in seats up on the stage with the actors for a more connected experience. Masks encouraged, but the production will follow the mask-optional policy that is followed during the school day. Tickets are $2 for free/reduced lunch students, $5 for ARHS students/staff and $10 for general audiences. October 13-15, 7:30 pm in the ARHS auditorium. Please note that there is occasional swearing, etc in some plays that would not be considered appropriate in the everyday school environment.
If your student could use extra help in science, math, computer or engineering courses, visit this page for more information about the upcoming virtual tutoring program at ARHS.
Big thanks those of you who stepped up right away to provide some bi-weekly treats for the ARHS staff. We still need more volunteers to bring (homemade or store-bought) treats, including fruit, on October 27 and for the remaining dates this year. Please go to this link to sign up for a slot.
As you prepare for colder weather, please do not get rid of those gently-used winter coats that no longer fit your family members! The PGO will collect good quality coats that are appropriate in size and style for high school students; we get the coats cleaned and make them available to any ARHS students who need a coat for the winter months. You are also welcome to buy a new coat and donate it. Click here for a flyer that includes details about the multiple drop-off points in town (including at the high school itself).
Please use this link to view the winter sports registration information. Once registered more information will be sent out by the coach at a later date. Coaches directory and more information can be found on the athletic webpage.
The Sene-Gambian Scholars Program is starting a new cohort of 9th, 10th, and 11th graders for the next exchange. Any student interested in learning about and traveling to Africa and making new friends there should attend the informational meeting about the program on October 19 during the C+ period. Students should see Ms. Custard in Room 168 by Tuesday, October 18, for a pass to attend. For more information see this flyer.
ARHS scholar athletes and their Parents & Guardians are invited to a conversation with area coaches regarding NCAA eligibility for Division I, II & III, featuring coaches and Admissions Officers from UMASS Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Amherst College & Western New England College. Open to students in grades 9-12. Light refreshments will be served.
Wednesday, October 19th 7:00pm – 8:00pm ARHS Library
Oct 14 and 15: BRIEFS (Theater production) Oct 15: PSAT Oct 15: Latino/a/x/e Heritage Celebration Oct 19: Conversation on NCAA eligibility Oct 24: PGO Coat Drive begins
ARPS and the Multilingual Parent Advisory Council are partnering with the town of Amherst Human Rights Commission to celebrate Latino/a/x/e Heritage on October 15 in Kendrick Park from 11-3 pm.
The Town of Amherst has formed a committee to study and develop reparations proposals for residents of African heritage. At this time we are beginning our outreach campaign, particularly hoping to reach residents who identify as Black and of African heritage. It’s critical for us to consult with as many residents of African heritage as possible to develop a robust and inclusive reparative justice plan. Below are some ways community members can engage with our work.
We’ve opened an inclusion portal for residents who wish to learn more about the initiative and/or shape the reparative plan we’ll ultimately recommend to the Town Council — https://forms.gle/Zw7DjN2nHzz2gHzX7
Last weekend we started our boots on the ground program, going out into the apartment complexes and talking with folks about the initiative and inviting them to participate.
We’re hosting a listening session at the Hitchcock Center on October 27th from 6:30pm-8pm, open to all residents and centering Black and African heritage voices.
I hope this message finds you and your loved ones in good health and spirits.
Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to Open House last Thursday evening. It was really nice to see people and to have some in person conversations, even if they were brief. This week I’ve enjoyed hearing the positive feedback from families and teachers about how well they felt Open House went. It felt extra good considering the challenges we experienced in the weeks before Open House. For those of you who were not able to attend Open House, please feel free to contact your child’s teachers if you still have any questions about their classes. Staff email address can be found here, or you can email teachers directly from your child’s PowerSchool account. We did have a good turnout for Open House, and we’re always trying to get more families to come out to our events. Please let us know if you have suggestions on additional ways we can do that, or let us know about some of the challenges that kept you from being able to attend. We would like to know so we can have those things in mind when we plan future events.
Towards the end of last week and this week we have had several students end up in our nurses office throwing up and hyperventilating because they tried the “one chip challenge”. The picture below is the box the one chip comes in. Along with the health risks involved in eating this unnecessarily extra spicy chip, students are filming the reactions other students have when they eat it. Then they’re following the instructions on the box, and posting those reactions on several social media platforms. Our nurses are extremely busy and I don’t want this to be something they have to keep dealing with on a regular basis. We need your help to make sure that no more students bring this type of chip to school. If we do find out anyone has one here at school, we will confiscate it. If we do confiscate any of these chips from your child, we will contact you to let you know.
The Amherst ABC House is having their annual Fall Foliage Walk/Run fundraiser on Saturday October 15th starting on the Town Common at 9:30am. The Amherst ABC program has been bringing scholars from under-resourced areas to attend Amherst Regional High School since 1968. Over that timespan, hundreds of young men of color who have come to us through the ABC program have graduated from ARHS. Both the ABC scholars and the ARHS community have benefited from this experience. Come out and join the community celebration of this important program if you can. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your continued support and willingness to work with us to make this high school experience as meaningful as possible for all of our students. I hope you all enjoy the long weekend.
A quick reminder: The first PGO-sponsored coffee of the year will be on Tuesday,October 11th from 6:30-7:30pm in the High School library. That evening you’ll hear some updates from Principal Sadiq and have an opportunity to ask him questions. The PGO will provide light refreshments for everyone.
The PGO would like to continue our 1-year-old tradition of providing treats every other week for the ARHS staff. Families can volunteer to bring in cookies or some other treat; you drop them off in the ARHS office at the start of the day. Sign up here to provide a treat on one of the dates this fall–we would like to start this next Thursday, October 13.
Please use this link to view the winter sports registration information. Once registered more information will be sent out by the coach at a later date. Coaches directory and more information can be found on the athletic webpage.
ARHS scholar athletes and their Parents & Guardians are invited to a conversation with area coaches regarding NCAA eligibility for Division I, II & III, featuring coaches and Admissions Officers from UMASS Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Amherst College & Western New England College. Open to students in grades 9-12. Light refreshments will be served.
Wednesday, October 19th 7:00pm – 8:00pm ARHS Library
Following the sad and difficult events of the past few weeks, particularly the loss of our student Anna Burns, we are sending this update to share ways in which we can continue to work together to support our students.
ARHS counseling personnel, in partnership with Riverside Trauma Center, have been working together to respond to and support our community. Counselors from both organizations have been meeting with Individuals and groups to provide coping support during this difficult time. ARHS counselors continue to be available when students need assistance.
In addition, our outside trauma response team partners from Behavioral Health Network are now also available for individual meetings with students to provide psychological first aid if needed. If you feel your student would benefit from this service, please contact your student’s guidance counselor.
Some additional resources to further help support your child at home are provided here. You are also welcome to contact your student’s guidance counselor directly for any additional information or assistance.
We continue to be grateful for our caring community which helps us navigate these difficult times.
The link provided in the district’s email to families and copied in last week’s newsletter did not lead directly to the application, which is due in the main office today (September 30). Here is the district’s page with information on this program; the application links in both English and Spanish are in the upper left corner.
ARHS is launching our virtual tutoring center. High school students who need support with math, science, computers, engineering can request after school tutoring sessions that will take place via Google Meet. These sessions can be scheduled after school up until 9pm. If you have any questions, please contact the Tutoring Center coordinator Ms. Vanessa Meikle.
Please use this link to view the winter sports registration information. Once registered more information will be sent out by the coach at a later date. Coaches directory and more information can be found on the athletic webpage.
ARHS scholar athletes and their Parents & Guardians are invited to a conversation with area coaches regarding NCAA eligibility for Division I, II & III, featuring coaches and Admissions Officers from UMASS Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Amherst College & Western New England College. Open to students in grades 9-12. Light refreshments will be served.
Wednesday, October 19th 7:00pm – 8:00pm ARHS Library
Sept 30: Free/Reduced lunch application due Oct 5: No School Oct 10: Indigenous Peoples’ Day, No School Oct 11: Coffee with the Principal Oct 15: PSAT Oct 19: Conversation on NCAA eligibility
Amherst Regional Public Schools, School Equity Advisory Council, Restorative Justice Working Group. RJWG-We are a group of community members; mothers, grandmothers, educators, and activists, supporting the program and the work involved to keep it all running.
We meet monthly, sometimes twice in a month. Our first two meetings have taken place. School staff announce, with excitement, the beginning of a new year and the building, and the continuum, of relationships among students and with other staff. Our next meeting is scheduled for Ocotber 7th, 2022, at 10:00 am, via Zoom. You can contact Mary Lou, at mlferro2@hotmail.com, to be added.
Restorative Justice is a practice that focuses on circle gatherings, conflict resolution, pro-activism, but mainly it is centered to hear, listen to, and act on, the voices of the students who we are dedicated to “teach” and to serve. Thank you for interest.
I hope this message finds you all in good health & spirits.
This has been an emotionally challenging, but calmer week. We are still mourning the loss of Anna Burns. Additional counselors have been at school to help support our students and adults during this difficult time. One of our fantastic teachers had her class create some chalk art (see pictures below) to help our students cope with Anna’s tragic loss. Other teachers have had their classes write cards for Anna’s family. Those cards were delivered to their family Thursday afternoon.
I’d like to thank all of you who have reached out with supportive and encouraging emails, phone calls, and letters in response to last week’s events. All of us who have received them, greatly appreciate you for taking the time to make that thoughtful gesture. Those meaningful messages make a big difference and help us maintain our strength so we can continue to educate and support our amazing students.
I know you are all curious about how we are dealing with the student/students responsible for setting the two fires in the boy’s bathrooms last Thursday. The only thing I can legally say is that the Amherst Police Department and I have taken this criminal act extremely seriously. The safety of everyone at the high school is my number one priority. And I will deal with any threat to that safety swiftly and firmly.
We are also reviewing our communication protocols, in hopes of getting information to families a little quicker. Many families heard from their children before they heard anything official from the school about the early dismissal last Thursday. There were many factors we were taking into consideration before the final decision was made to send students home. Once that decision was made, it took time to arrange transportation for our students. We have a contract with the Five Star bus company to provide transportation for our students, but those drivers do not work in our school district, so finding out when they could have drivers available took additional time to arrange. We wanted to give families detailed information at one time, instead of bits and pieces of unclear information through multiple messages. While we were making these arrangements students who overheard adults talking began calling and texting their families. No adults were trying to stop students from communicating with their families. This is why many of you heard about school closing early from your children first. I know it may have been quite alarming to hear that news from them, and I am sorry about that. Our top priority was making sure everyone on site was safe, and then to communicate with families. We are all thankful that everyone made it home safely that day, and we hope we never have another emergency school closure again.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
We are excited to be back to an in-person Open House this year; this is an opportunity. to meet your student’s teachers and learn about their classes this semester. Click here to see the Open House schedule.
This is a reminder that families are strongly encouraged to complete the application for the free/reduced lunch program even though meals are free to all students this school year. Eligibility for the free/reduced lunch program determines eligibility for many other benefits in the district, such as reduced-price or free athletic participation. In addition, there are a number of funding sources for the School District that are determined by the percentage of students who are eligible for the free lunch program. By completing the form, you are helping the district maintain the level of funding needed to serve our students.
Please complete the application and return it to your Principal’s Office by Friday, September 30. The application is available in English at this link and in 49 different languages at this link. If you need assistance in completing the application, please contact your Principal’s Administrative Assistant.
Picture day is Tuesday, September 27th. The flyers have been available for students to take home all week. If you haven’t received one yet, your child can pick one up tomorrow or Monday in the main office. If you never get a flyer, they can bring in a check and order pictures that day. Or, you can order online:
The first PGO-sponsored coffee of the year will be on Tuesday,October 11th from 6:30-7:30pm in the High School library. That evening you’ll hear some updates from Principal Sadiq and have an opportunity to ask him questions. The PGO will provide light refreshments for everyone. Reminders about this event will be sent out as the date gets closer.
ARHS PGO Parent News 
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