ARHS PGO Parent News

**Not a School Sponsored Event**

Baseball and softball players ages 5-14 in your community are invited to attend a FREE instructional clinic on Monday, June 24 with experienced staff from Ripken Baseball, courtesy of your Springfield Chevy Dealers! Special needs participants of all ages are welcome to attend.

The clinic is open to kids of all skill levels – Participation in a league is not required to attend. Qualified coaching staff will separate participants into age groups and rotate them through stations to learn and enhance essential baseball and softball skills.

Spots are limited so we encourage you to register for this experience right away using the instructions below!

Monday, June 24, 2019

Mill River Recreation Area

95 Montague Rd

Amherst, MA 01002

Check-in: 4:30PM – 5:30PM

Clinic Rotations: 5:30PM – 8:30PM

Snack: 8:30PM

*Please note if you are unable to get your participant(s) there by the start time of the clinic, we accept late check-ins! Please do not let that hinder your child from participating in this experience!

Summers are for Reading!
LWV GIANT SUMMER BOOK SALE
Friday, July 26: 9 AM to 6 PM Saturday-Sunday, July 27-28: 9 AM to 4 PM Friday-Saturday, August 2-3: 9 AM to 4 PM
Fort River Elementary School Gymnasium, 70 South East Street
We invite all young readers to come browse our wonderful collection of books for kids and teens, all priced at 50c, $1, or $2, as well as books on sports, nature, crafts, and more
Please see http://www.lwvamherst.org for more information

LWVbooksale2019

Rehearsal

Graduation rehearsal will be held at 8 a.m. on June 7th at the Mullins Center. All graduating seniors must attend this rehearsal, which will last approximately two hours.  Please enter the Mullins Center via the ground level doors on the west side of the building (facing the town of Hadley) for rehearsal. Lot 67 is available for rehearsal parking. Note – University parking regulations are in effect if you park in another lot. Students have been issued tickets in the past.

Ceremony

The Graduation Ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. tonight, June 7th at the Mullins Center. Doors will open at 5:00 p.m. for the ceremony. Handicapped parking is provided in the metered lot on the N/E corner of the building. Balloons of any kind are prohibited in the building.  This includes mylar and helium ones as they interfere with lighting and equipment.  The Mullins Center has installed metal detectors for the safety of its users, and staff will be available to assist you at all entrances.

In order to preserve the dignity and ceremony of the occasion, we ask that parents and guests remain in the seating area during the ceremony, and not climb down onto the floor of the stadium. After the ceremony, the barriers will be removed so families can reunite.  Since the Mullins Center staff must break down the facility set-up that evening, we ask that you not loiter on the floor.

For those who cannot attend the ceremony at the Mullins Center, the event will once again be live-streamed at https://livestream.com/UMassAmherst/ARHS2019.  Please share the link with any friends and family members who want to share in this milestone event.

Congratulations to the all in the Class of 2019!

Over the past several weeks, the Math Curriculum Review Committee, which included teachers, administrators and parents/guardians, met for more than 30 hours, conducted extensive research on potential math curriculums for grades six through 12, and reviewed community feedback received from a public review process.  Based on their work, I am pleased to report that the District will be adopting two new math curriculums beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.  Grades six through eight will use Open Up Resources Math Curriculum and ARHS will use CPM Math Program (Core Connections).  Tim Sheehan, Curriculum Coordinator, presented information about the curriculum selection process and the two curriculums at the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee meeting on Tuesday night.  You can see the information presented here.

On Friday, June 14 ARHS parents and guardians will thank the entire staff for their work with a scrumptious lunch catered by Wheelhouse Farm. There are several ways YOU can show your appreciation for our amazing staff and help with the event. Please sign up using the link below to:

Bring a dessert for 8-10 people

Make a monetary donation to help cover the cost of the meal

Volunteer to help set up, serve, and clean up

To sign up, go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E49A9A92AA2F85-arhs1

Any questions? Contact Jen: jnbus@comcast.net

When school opens in August, we will welcome Ms. Deidre Cuffee-Gray to the ARHS Guidance Department as the new college and career counselor.  Ms. Cuffee-Gray has been the Department Co-Chair and College-Bound Counselor at The Springfield Renaissance School in Springfield for the past eleven years.  Here she built the college planning program which has seen ten years of graduates with 100% college admissions. Prior to that she worked at Brattleboro Union High School in Vermont for three years as the Department Chair of School Counseling, Gay Lesbian Straight Educators Network (a school reform organization), several independent schools in New York City and Connecticut and at the Hopkins School in New Haven, CT, her alma mater.  She excitedly looks forward to working with the Amherst Regional High School students and families and we are fortunate to have such a highly skilled professional join our staff.

We are in dire need of parent volunteers to run the Senior Graduation Party.  This event, in its 38th year, is an essential part of keeping our student’s safe on this potentially dangerous night and honors them with a celebration for their efforts.  Please take a moment to go to the sign-up link below and volunteer a few hours of your time.

Thank you!
Tracy Farnham
Event Chair and Senior Parent

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c054faeab29a2fe3-2019

The ARHS Sene-Gambian Scholars Program, which conducts an exchange program with schools in Senegal and The Gambia, is currently forming its cohort for the 2020 exchange trip to West Africa, which will take place in February. (To read more about the program, see Hattie Carolan’s article in the current issue of The Graphic.) There are still some openings for additional participants, and partial scholarships are available. Students who will be in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade next year are eligible. There is some preparation required over the summer, so students and families who are interested in this life-changing experience are encouraged to identify themselves as soon as possible. For more information, please contact advisers Bruce Penniman (pennimanb@arps.org) and Momodou Sarr (sarrm@arps.org).

The Art Department at Amherst Regional High School is proud to present AR[T]HS, an exhibit of outstanding student artwork from the 2018-2019 academic year. The exhibit will showcase juried work from all of the Art Department’s areas of study: Ceramics, Drawing, Painting, Photography, Digital Photography, Foundations of Art 1 & 2, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Advanced Studio Art.

AR[T]HS will be on display at The Eli Marsh Gallery, 105 Fayerweather Hall, Amherst College, from June 5-9.  Opening reception is Thursday, June 6, 2019 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Gallery hours are from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays, Sat & Sun 10-4pm.

The opening is free and open to the public. Please join us in celebrating the young artists in our community!

June 7 – A and G period Final Exam Review
June 7 – Graduation Rehearsal from 8-10AM at the Mullins Center
June 7 – Graduation Ceremony 6PM at the Mullins Center
June 10 – A Period Final Exam
June 11 – B and G Period Final Exam
June 12 – Early Release; C and F Period Exam
June 13 – Early Release; D and E Period Exam
June 14 – Final Exam Make Up Day
June 14 – PGO Sponsored Staff Appreciation Luncheon

STE MCAS INFORMATION:

The Science and Technology/Engineering MCAS will be given to all 10^th grade students at 7:45 a.m. next Tuesday and Wednesday, June 4^thand 5^th.  Students not participating in MCAS will have a late arrival of 9:45 a.m. on both days.  Unlike the ELA and Math MCAS, the STE test is paper-based, so students will not need Chrome Books.  Calculators are required for the Chemistry MCAS, and students may use their own personal calculators as long as they are not part of another electronic device (remember to bring them on test days).  Calculators will be provided for any student who does not have one.  Calculators are not needed for the Biology MCAS, but students may choose to use one during testing.

Important Note:   If you borrowed a chrome book or charger during the Math or ELA MCAS tests, please return it to the room from which it was signed out (either Rm 141 or Rm 309) as soon as possible.  Fees will be assessed for any devices that were borrowed and not returned.

On Friday, June 14 ARHS parents and guardians will thank the entire staff for their work with a scrumptious lunch catered by Wheelhouse Farm. There are several ways YOU can show your appreciation for our amazing staff and help with the event. Please sign up using the link below to:

Bring a dessert for 8-10 people

Make a monetary donation to help cover the cost of the meal

Volunteer to help set up, serve, and clean up

To sign up, go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E49A9A92AA2F85-arhs1

Any questions? Contact Jen: jnbus@comcast.net

The New England Academy of Chinese Language & Culture meets on Sundays from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at ARMS during the school year to provide Chinese language and culture instruction. As part of an agreement with the district, the program receives a reduced rental rate in exchange for reserving spots for ARPS students at reduced cost. It is seen as a mutually beneficial arrangement, as it provides a requested service to ARPS families (Chinese language instruction), is a link to the robust Chinese language programming that we have at ARMS and ARHS, and helps this small 501(c)(3) organization to be able to afford to provide this education.

Classes begin in September 2019. Classes are also held on Tuesday/Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. at Panera Bread, Hadley.

Flyer 2019-20

Come one, Come all! ARHS is having its very Rainbow Run, hosted by the Class of 2021. Walk/run a course around the high school and the middle school while getting multicolored powder thrown at you! Music, popsicles, and snacks to follow! Entry is $10 and entry with the official T-shirt is $15. There are a limited number of official Rainbow Run T-shirts, so please contact the emails provided in the flyer below to order while you still can! And make sure to bring eye protection- there will be color everywhere!

***If any school-affiliated adults or students are interested in volunteering at this event, please contact Seo-Ho Lee at leeseo@arps.org. Thank you!

On Friday, May 31st from 7 – 9 PM in the ARHS Auditorium

All are invited to the 2019 Singers’ Soiree, hosted by the ARHS Jazz Band! A delightful evening of jazz, pop, funk and soul, featuring some of ARHS’s top singers.

Hello Seniors,

Only five more days to go before you don’t need to wake up early and get yourself to ARHS anymore! There are a few things you still may need to do.

Pay your application fees BEFORE YOU LEAVE. If you are not on free or reduced price lunch and if you applied to colleges or for scholarships that required transcripts, you probably owe us money! Even if you are not going to prom, you still need to pay your fees.

To find out how much you owe, click on “manage Transcripts” under Colleges /apply to college in your Naviance account. The amount you owe can be found at the bottom of the page. Remember that for all students, the first four transcript fees have been waived. All transcript fees have been waived for students registered for free or reduced-price meals even though a dollar amount shows on the screen.

Payment can be made:

In person in the Guidance Office via cash or check (payable to Amherst Regional High School), or Electronically by clicking on the UniBank link on your Naviance Home Page. The link will take you to Unibank’s UniPay Gold ARHS site, where you will select “Current Senior Transcript Fees”. Fill in the amount you are paying, your name and ARHS student ID, then click the “Add to Cart” button to add the appropriate account information (Note: All financial information is confidential.)

If you are planning to attend a community college, you must take the Accuplacer exam at the college so you can register for the classes you really want. For best access to classes, take care of this during the week of June 3 if you have not done it already. You do not need to pay the college when registering for classes. If you change your mind before the semester begins, you will not need to pay.

Check your Naviance account. If you are planning to go to college – even part-time, have you indicated which college you will be attending? Amazingly, more than a few of you have not! It’s particularly important to check your account if you changed your mind and may have forgotten to change Naviance. We use the list generated when you indicate which college you will be attending to send your final transcripts – the proof that you have graduated from high school and are eligible to enroll at a college.

All my best to all of you! I will be leaving ARHS this year too. I will retire after twenty years here, thirteen as the college advisor. I have really loved my job and I expect I will also love the liberation from all of the homework!

That’s it! Finish all of your work. Graduate!

Myra ross

College Advisor

Myra Ross
College Advisor

This has been an outstanding year for Amherst Regional High School’s JETS Engineering Club. The club entered 6 teams (45 students, grades 9-12) into the national Test of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAM+S) and won Best in State at both the 9th/10th grade and 11th/12th grade level.  

Our top finishing 11th/12th grade team also finished 1st Nationally in our division. Team members include juniors Chang Jin, Naomi Johnson, Levi Blinder, Mohan Setty-Charity, Nadav Benhamou Goldfaja, Ben Fang, Innis Gallagher, and senior Christina Lee.

Our top finishing 9th/10th grade team also finished 4th Nationally in our division. Team members include 10th graders Rohini Narayanan, Seo-Ho Lee, Sammy Conrad-Rooney, Noah Saxenian, Allison Brau, Shreya Venkataraman, Sierra Triozzi, and Mariam Ahmed.

The Graphic won a highest achievement award at the New England Scholastic Press Association (NESPA) contest/conference this year.

Sara Barber-Just entered 30 pieces or more from the last year and a half. Students from schools all over New England participate. Journalists, journalism professors, and teachers judge the contest.

Four ARHS students nabbed prizes in specific categories: graduate Stanley Cliche, for his feature “The Breakfast Club gets a makeover”; senior Ollie Noble for his news story “Students crushed to lose Foods classes”; junior Ben Robes-Kenworthy for his personality profile on Solomon Goldstein Rose; and junior Soren Campbell for his sweet feature “One big happy family: parents and kids ‘share’ ARHS.”

To quote Ms. Baber-Just: “These pieces are truly funny, smart, powerful, touching, and engaging pieces of writing, each for different reasons!”

http://thegraphic.arps.org/…/the-breakfast-club-gets-a-mak…/
http://thegraphic.arps.org/…/students-crushed-to-lose-foods/
http://thegraphic.arps.org/…/one-big-happy-family-parents-…/
http://thegraphic.arps.org/…/solomon-goldstein-rose-reflec…/

ALL pre-ordered yearbooks are in Guidance for pickup!

If you have not yet ordered your yearbook, you can still do so at arps.picaboo.com !!!

The Massachusetts Board of Education is seeking public input on an appeal filled this week by the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley.  PVCICS administration is appealing the DOE Commissioner’s denial in January of their latest expansion request.   The proposal would increase the maximum allowed enrollment to 952 students.

Input can be sent to the Board of Education at boe@doe.mass.edu on or before June 12, 2019.

May 29, 2019

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

ARHS Cafeteria

Come join our Farm to School Cultural Food Exchange and help celebrate the work that has been done this past year to build a robust Farm to School (F2S) program which will link fresh food in the cafeteria to student learning in the classroom, the community, and area farms. There will also be a presentation from the F2S Team about their plan for the upcoming year!

To view the flyer, click here.

Have you heard about the new booster organization for ARHS Performing Arts? Friends of Performing Arts (FPA), was formed this year and has already made some great strides in helping the performing arts programs at ARHS.
In its first 3 months, FPA held 4 major fundraisers, raised more than $3,500, received funds from 378 donors, held 5 bake sales, secured support from a corporate sponsor (Polar Beverages) for the Musical, and organized volunteers to staff the many performances our incredible ARHS students gave. The inaugural board of 16 members completed the filing need to become a 501(c)(3), and now the the organization is ready to welcome new members!
The FPA would like to invite all parents, guardians, and community members who love performing arts to join us. The FPA will hold a general meeting on:
Wednesday, May 29 at 6pm
in the ARHS Library.
We encourage all parents of students in theater, band, orchestra, or choir to come and engage in this booster organization, as well as any community members who want to support the arts in school.
We are also putting out a call for board members. We currently have 16 board members. The commitment is just one meeting per month. Minimal meetings, maximum action!
Please contact FPA with any questions: friendsofperformingarts@gmail.com. Our website: www.arpsfpa.org.

Tickets are still available! We hope you can join us on Thursday, May 30, 2019, for a festive evening of fun!

It’s the party of the season, and we don’t want you to miss it! AEF honors YOU, our generous supporters, as we celebrate 25 years of support for our elementary and regional public schools.* Join us to raise a glass as we toast everyone who makes our schools thrive!

Our special guests include AEF co-founder Ellen Story, Senator Jo Comerford, Representative Mindy Domb, and Amherst Town Council President Lynn Griesemer. The evening will feature cocktails, hearty appetizers, and a fun and unique silent auction. See you there!

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Proceeds support AEF-funded grants in our public schools.*

Audition for Pelham Players! Pelham Players is a free youth theater program for kids in the ARPS towns and nearby area. This summer’s show will be Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Performances will be on August 2nd and 3rd, with rehearsals several times a week throughout the summer.
Auditions for As You Like It will be held on Saturday, June 15th from 10:30am to 12:30pm at the Pelham Library. Everyone is guaranteed a part, but auditions will help determine who fits which role. Actors should come prepared to read from script excerpts provided and to do some basic movement. E-mail the director at Solomon_Goldstein-Rose@alumni.brown.edu if you need an alternate time/day, or for more info.

The Amherst Education Foundation is seeking a part-time (20 hours/month) Administrative Assistant to assist with our work fundraising and providing grants to educators in the Amherst Regional Public Schools. For more information about the organization, please see our website: https://www.amhersteducationfoundation.org/.

Duties include coordinating mailings, depositing and keeping track of checks and other donations;keeping QuickBooks and donor database updated; checking mailbox and email regularly; preparing thank you letters and correspondence; and working with Treasurer on budget. The ideal candidate will have excellent organizational skills, work well independently, and have some knowledge of budgeting. The work takes approximately 20 hours per month, although the work is not always evenly divided across months (e.g., May is busier than July).

Review of applications will begin May 27th and continue until the position is filled.

Online application

Planet Fitness welcomes high school teens ages 15 – 18 to work out at any of its more than 1,800 locations throughout the United States* and Canada for free all summer long as much as they want!

Teens can work out for free at Planet Fitness locations from Wednesday, May 15th through Sunday, September 1st. Teens must work out at the location they sign up at and are not permitted to use other locations.

Teenagers ages 15 – 18 can visit any Planet Fitness location in the United States and Canada. Online signups are not available. Teens under 18 must bring a parent/guardian to sign up. Once the parent/guardian waiver is signed for teens under 18, teens can workout alone. Students who are already 18 do not need a parent or guardian to be present during the sign-up process.

The Amherst 4^th of July Celebration is looking for volunteers for this year’s festival. If you are interested in contributing to a community event, filled with fun and festivities, while getting a front row seat to the fireworks, come assist the Amherst 4^th of July Celebration. This is a great opportunity to give back to your community, and get a behind the scenes look at event-planning, in addition to free food, drink & admission for all volunteers. If interested, please contact Noah Kramer at: LSSEFireworks@AmherstMA.gov or (413) 259-3267

Summers are for Reading!
LWV GIANT SUMMER BOOK SALE
Friday, July 26: 9 AM to 6 PM Saturday-Sunday, July 27-28: 9 AM to 4 PM Friday-Saturday, August 2-3: 9 AM to 4 PM
Fort River Elementary School Gymnasium, 70 South East Street
We invite all young readers to come browse our wonderful collection of books for kids and teens, all priced at 50c, $1, or $2, as well as books on sports, nature, crafts, and more
Please see http://www.lwvamherst.org for more information

LWVbooksale2019

On Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22, all ARHS 10th Graders will take the MCAS Mathematics tests. The tests will begin promptly at 7:45 a.m. on both days. Students not participating in MCAS will have late arrival on those days.

Students not participating in MCAS testing will have late arrival on all MCAS testing days, and should report to school as follows:

Tuesday, May 21 – 10:45 a.m.

Wednesday, May 22 – 10:45 a.m.

Buses will make two runs both mornings.

IMPORTANT NEXT GENERATION MCAS TESTING INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES OF ARHS 10TH GRADE STUDENTS:

This year, for the first time, the high school will be participating in the Next Generation MCAS on-line testing. This testing app is only accessible on school owned chromebooks. Each student is responsible to bring a fully charged, school-provided chromebook and charger with them on both days of testing. Any students who have not been assigned a chromebook (because they chose to use their personal computers) will be responsible to check-out a school device from Room 309 no later than the end of the school day on Friday, May 17th.

Dear Families,

As you know from prior communications, Amherst Regional High School is reviewing new textbooks for math courses. These textbooks will replace the Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP) textbooks that are currently in use. As part of the textbook review process, we have made copies of the texts under consideration available for review at the Reference Desk in the Jones Library. There are also feedback forms available to complete and leave for your input to be included. The books are available now and will remain at the Jones Library through Monday, May 20, 2019.

For anyone who attended the informational sessions earlier this week, please know that there has been an addition to the books under consideration. After continued review and consultation with other school districts and expert advice, the Core-Plus Mathematics Program was added to those being reviewed. The committee has also eliminated one of the options that was previously being considered after determining that it would not meet the needs of our students.

All three selections will fulfill the requirements set forth by the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and can be used in Honors or College Prep courses. They will all prepare students for higher-level math courses and all have been reviewed and given high rankings by the non-profit curriculum review think tank “Ed Reports” (edreports.org). Additionally, all three have online components or eBooks that accompany print materials and support student learning.

The options currently under consideration are:

CPM Math Program (Core Connections)

• CPM follows a traditionally titled sequence of courses: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2.
• More information is available at https://cpm.org/. Information specific to parents/guardians is available at https://cpm.org/parent-support.

Core-Plus Mathematics

• Core-Plus follows an integrated course sequence: Course 1, Course 2, Course 3 with the topics of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, as well as probability and statistics, and discrete mathematics integrated throughout each course.
• More information is available at https://www.mheducation.com/prek-12/program/core-plus-mathematics-20152015/MKTSP-QRE07M0.html.

Agile Mind

• Agile Mind follows a traditionally titled sequence of courses: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2.
• More information is available at https://www.agilemind.com/evaluate1/amherst-pelham/

We welcome your feedback on the textbook options. Please feel free to use the forms available at the Jones LIbrary or follow this link to a Google Form to provide your feedback: https://forms.gle/xZVAeB2zAnNbacCX9

Thank you!

Queridas familias,

Como saben por comunicaciones anteriores, Escuela Superior Regional de Amherst está revisando nuevos libros de texto para cursos de matemáticas. Estos libros de texto reemplazarán los libros de texto del Programa de Matemáticas Interactivas (IMP) que están actualmente en uso. Como parte del proceso de revisión de libros de texto, hemos hecho copias de los textos bajo consideración disponibles para su revisión en la Oficina de Referencia en Jones LIbrary. También hay formularios de comentarios disponibles para completar y dejar para que se incluya su opinión. Los libros ya están disponibles y permanecerán en Jones LIbrary hasta el lunes, 20 de mayo de 2019.

Para cualquiera que haya asistido a las sesiones informativas a principios de esta semana, tenga en cuenta que ha habido una adición a los libros en consideración. Después de la revisión y consultas continuas con otros distritos escolares y el asesoramiento de expertos, se agregó el Programa de Matemáticas Core-Plus a los que se revisaron. El comité también eliminó una de las opciones que anteriormente se consideraban después de determinar que no cumpliría con las necesidades de nuestros estudiantes.

Las tres selecciones cumplirán con los requisitos establecidos por los marcos curriculares de Massachusetts y se pueden usar en los cursos de honores o de preparación universitaria. Todos ellos prepararán a los estudiantes para los cursos de matemáticas de nivel superior y todos han sido revisados y se les ha otorgado una alta calificación por parte del grupo de expertos sin fines de lucro “Ed Reports” (edreports.org). Además, los tres tienen componentes en línea o libros electrónicos que acompañan a los materiales impresos y apoyan el aprendizaje de los estudiantes.

Las opciones actualmente bajo consideración son:

Programa de Matemáticas CPM (Core Connections)

• CPM sigue una secuencia de cursos tradicionalmente titulada: Álgebra 1, Geometría, Álgebra 2.
• Más información está disponible en https://cpm.org/. La información específica de los padres / tutores está disponible en https://cpm.org/parent-support.

Matemáticas Core-Plus

• Core-Plus sigue una secuencia de cursos integrada: Curso 1, Curso 2, Curso 3 con los temas de álgebra, geometría, trigonometría, así como probabilidad y estadística, y matemáticas discretas integradas en cada curso.
• Puede obtener más información en https://www.mheducation.com/prek-12/program/core-plus-mathematics-20152015/MKTSP-QRE07M0.html.

Mente ágil (Agile Mind)

• Agile Mind sigue una secuencia de cursos tradicionalmente titulada: Álgebra 1, Geometría, Álgebra 2.
• Más información está disponible en https://www.agilemind.com/evaluate1/amherst-pelham/

Agradecemos sus comentarios sobre las opciones de libros de texto. Siéntase libre de usar los formularios disponibles en Jones LIbrary o siga este enlace a un formulario de Google para enviar sus comentarios: https://forms.gle/xZVAeB2zAnNbacCX9

¡Gracias!

High School graduation can be a dangerous night for our students. You can help keep it safe for ARHS Seniors by donating your time to help coordinate or by giving a few hours on Friday, June 7th.  Volunteers can be from all grades 9 – 12 and there are a variety of positions that need filling such as coordinating food, entertainment, security, transportation, volunteer coordinator, etc.  Sign up for a volunteer shift at:  

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054FAEAB29A2FE3-2019

 If you are willing to help with this important task, please reach out to Project Graduation Coordinator and Senior Parent, Tracy Farnham via email: tqfarnham@gmail.com

Parents of Seniors:  information and registration available: Senior Party Registration Packet

There will be a Football Pre-Season Meeting for parents/guardians on May 22nd at 4:30 p.m. in the High School Library.  Please join Coach Ehorn to hear about summer plans, tryouts and the program.  Athletes are encouraged to attend a meeting prior to that, at 3 p.m., that same day.

May 16-18 – Student-Written Play 7:30PM

May 17- Latino Achievement Night

May 19 – Annual Bombazo, ARHS Auditorium, 1:00 – 4:00 PM

May 21-22 – Math MCAS for 10th graders

May 22 – Football Pre-Season Meeting, ARHS Library; Athletes at 3PM, Parents/Guardians at 4:30PM

May 23 – Combined Spring Concert 7PM

May 27 – Memorial Day: No School

May 28 – Senior Exams Begin

May 29 – Bomba Formal Concert, ARHS Auditorium 7PM

May 29 – Friends of Performing Arts General Meeting, 6PM, ARHS Library

May 30 – Jazz Singer Soiree Concert 7PM

May 31 – Last Day for Seniors

June 4-5 – MCAS Science and Technology

June 4 – Grades 7-12 Combined Dance Concert, ARHS auditorium 7PM

June 6 – Concert Choir Concert 7PM

June 7 – Graduation Ceremony 6PM Mullins Center

Seniors, if you have not already done so, please do the following as soon as possible:

1) If you plan to attend college next year, list the school to which you will be matriculating in Naviance. You must do this before we can submit your final transcript.
2) Complete the Senior Graduation Survey in Naviance
3) Check your “Manage My Transcripts” page in Naviance to find out if you owe transcript fees. These must be paid before you can purchase prom tickets. See Miss Garrity in room 101 or Mrs. Tracy in room 309 if you have any questions. (See Tidbits email from Mrs. Ross dated 5/9 for more information on how to pay)

-Pay your fines, hand in your permission slip and buy your prom ticket starting on Monday May, 13th. You can buy your ticket before school, after school or during D period lunch. See Ms. Haygood with any questions.

– Check the list on the lime green sheets hanging on the Guidance door. If you did not put your plan for next year in Naviance properly, your name is on the list. Please make the necessary adjustments to your Naviance account. If you never entered a college where it says “attending,” please do that now.

Many schools across the country, including our own, have seen an increase in the use of e-cigarettes among middle and high school students. In September 2018, the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Commissioner Riley and the MA Department of Health’s Commissioner Bharel issued a joint letter to school administrators urging them to equip staff with various resources to combat the rising epidemic.

Vaping is the act of inhaling vapor produced by an electronic vaporizer or e-cigarette. The casing can come in any shape or size, but one of the most popular forms is the Juul, which appears much like a flash drive and can easily be concealed. The liquids vaporized are marketed to our youth with different flavors such as cotton candy, bubble gum, and lemonade, giving the appearance that this is a harmless smoking option with limited risks but this is far from the truth. These products contain nicotine and are not only addictive but dangerous.

Earlier this year teachers received training on this topic from Melinda Calianos the Director at Hampshire Franklin Tobacco-Free Community Partnership. Students will receive the “Catch My Breath” curriculum endorsed by same organization before the year’s end. We also recognize this is new territory for many of you as parents. Therefore, we are offering an evening sessions with Melinda Calianos during on:

Tuesday, May 14th, 6:30-7:30 @ Amherst Regional Middle School Auditorium

We hope you are able to attend, and we have also included some free resources to help families better understand this growing public health concern.

Muchas escuelas en todo el país, incluida la nuestra, han visto un aumento en el uso de cigarrillos electrónicos entre los estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria. En septiembre de 2018, el Comisionado Riley del Departamento de Educación Primaria y Secundaria de Massachusetts y el Comisionado Bharel del Departamento de Salud de Massachusetts emitieron una carta conjunta a los administradores escolares para instarles a equipar al personal con varios recursos para combatir la creciente epidemia.

Vapear (“Vaping”) es el acto de inhalar vapor producido por un vaporizador electrónico o un cigarrillo electrónico. La carcasa puede tener cualquier forma o tamaño, pero una de las formas más populares es la “Juul” (marca de cigarrillos electrónicos), que se parece mucho a una unidad flash y se puede ocultar fácilmente. Los líquidos vaporizados se comercializan a nuestra juventud con diferentes sabores como algodón de azúcar, chicle y limonada, dando la apariencia de que esta es una opción de fumar inofensiva con riesgos limitados, pero esto está lejos de la verdad. Estos productos contienen nicotina y no solo son adictivos sino también peligrosos.

A principios de este año, los maestros recibieron capacitación sobre este tema por parte de Melinda Calianos, la Directora de la Asociación Comunitaria Libre de Tabaco de Hampshire-Franklin (“Hampshire Franklin Tobacco-Free Community Partnership”). Los estudiantes recibirán el plan de estudios “Atrapa mi aliento” respaldado por la misma organización antes de que finalice el año. También reconocemos que este es un nuevo territorio para muchos de ustedes como padres. Por lo tanto, estamos ofreciendo un sesione con Melinda Calianos:

● Jueves, 14 de mayo, 6:30-7:30 en el Auditorio de ARMS (Escuela Intermedia)

Esperamos que pueda asistir a uno de estos eventos. También hemos incluido algunos recursos gratuitos para ayudar a las familias a comprender mejor este creciente problema de salud pública.

Vaping FAQ.pdf

Tips for Talking with your Kids about Vaping.pdf

The New Look of Nicotine Addiction.pdf

Join the ARPS Community for the annual Latino Achievement Night on Friday, May 17, 2019 at 6:00 PM in the ARMS Auditorium!

Tickets are now available! We hope you can join us on Thursday, May 30, 2019, for a festive evening of fun!

It’s the party of the season, and we don’t want you to miss it! AEF honors YOU, our generous supporters, as we celebrate 25 years of support for our elementary and regional public schools.* Join us to raise a glass as we toast everyone who makes our schools thrive!

Our special guests include AEF co-founder Ellen Story, Senator Jo Comerford, Representative Mindy Domb, and Amherst Town Council President Lynn Griesemer. The evening will feature cocktails, hearty appetizers, and a fun and unique silent auction. See you there!

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Come to the 28th Annual Amherst Invitational on May 11-12, 2019 to see the 32 top teams compete in this exciting tournament. Games generally run from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The event is free but food and merchandise will be available for purchase.

The tournament will be held at the Amherst Middle and High Schools.

Check out the Facebook page for news and updates: Amherst Invitational
Ultimate Tournament.

AMHERST, MA Following a national search, we are pleased to announce that Gene T. Jones has been appointed to the position of Principal of Amherst Regional High School beginning July 1, 2019. Mr. Jones, who holds a B.A. from Boston University, an M.A. from Old Dominion University, and has completed post-graduate work at Old
Dominion University and Virginia Tech, comes to the District with extensive educational leadership experience.

Much of Mr. Jones’ career has been spent in Virginia, where he began as a Social Studies teacher in Norfolk before moving into administration, first as an Assistant Principal in the Virginia Beach City Schools, then as Principal of Warwick High School in Newport News, which was recognized as one of the top 100 high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine under his leadership. Mr. Jones was appointed to the Principal position at William Fleming High School in the Roanoke Public City Public Schools, where he increased the four-year graduation rate from 69% to 80%.

Mr. Jones has overseen and spearheaded implementation of numerous initiatives throughout his career. In addition to his work as a Principal, Mr. Jones has extensive experience in supporting teachers through his work as Director of Teaching and Learning for the Petersburg City Public Schools in Virginia and as the Executive Director of High Schools for the Norfolk Public Schools. He has expanded use of Restorative Practices in schools he has led, leading to reductions in out-of-school suspension incidents; has worked with his teams to increase minority representation in Advanced Placement courses by 84%; and has implemented a variety of student support programs including online credit recovery, a mechatronics lab with curriculum that leads to preengineering dual-enrollment credit, Honors for All program for all ninth grade students, and blended learning programs.

Thank you to the students, staff, and parents/guardians who served on the initial Screening Committee, which reviewed all applications and chose semi-finalists, and to those who served on the Interview Committee, which interviewed eight semi-finalists and recommended the three finalists for the ARHS Principal search. We also appreciate the participation of the ARPS community in the three days of finalist interviews. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Jones to Amherst Regional High School.

Two public forums have been scheduled to share information with parents and guardians about the ARHS math text review process. To accommodate as many schedules as possible, we have planned an evening and a morning forum. The identical sessions will be held on Monday, May 6 at 5:00 p.m. in the ARHS library and on Tuesday, May 7 at 8:30 a.m. in room 202 at ARHS.

Dear Parents and Guardians,
May 2019 is already here and it’s that time when we begin to make final preparations for Graduation. We want all of our seniors to leave ARHS with fond memories. We’re invested in promoting this celebratory occasion while also reminding students about their responsibilities as they leave ARHS.
To that end, I wrote a letter to the Class President of 2019, Leif Maynard that he agreed to distribute to all of the students in the class via email and social media. The letter summarized the parameters for any senior pranks that are being planned as well as a reminder about our Prom being drug and alcohol free.
(A copy of the letter is below)
Please contact me if you have any questions.
I look forward to seeing many of you on June 7th at the Mullins Center as we celebrate and honor the Class of 2019.

-Interim Principal Gromacki

Important Dates for Seniors:
May 3: Black Scholars Rising 6PM
May 7: Prom Ticket Sales Begin
May 17: Latino Achievement Night 6:30PM
May 23: Last Day to purchase Prom Tickets
May 28: Senior Exams Begin
May 31: Ice Cream Social (after last exam period)
June 2: Prom–The Boylston Room in Keystone Mill Easthampton 4:00-9:00PM
June 3: Senior Dinner 6PM
June 5: Senior Awards 7PM
June 7: Graduation (Rehearsal from 8-10AM at the Mullins Center)

Dear Class of 2019 President Maynard,
We are fully committed to supporting seniors these last few weeks of school. We want you to have fond memories of ARHS and we want to support you as you make these last few weeks fun and enjoyable.

As we discussed yesterday, here are some guidelines and consequences related to Senior Pranks. We have total faith that the Class of 2019 will make us laugh, not cry, and that our Deans and Administrators will not have referrals to manage after the Prank(s).

Here are the Parameters:
1. No Harm to others
2. No damage to property
3. No extra clean up for custodians or other staff members
4. No disruption to School Culture

The potential consequences for students involved in pranks that did not follow the parameters we’ve established are:

Not attending the Senior Dinner
Not attending the Prom
Not attending the Senior Party
Not participating in the Graduation Ceremony
Having to sit for exams (even if exemption criteria were met)

Regarding the Prom:
If alcohol or other illegal substances are introduced (either on your person or in your blood stream) during the prom, parents/guardians will be contacted to pick up the student and they may not be permitted to attend the Senior Dinner, Senior Party, and/or the Graduation Ceremony.

Here are some important dates for seniors:
Important Dates for Seniors:
May 3: Black Scholars Rising 6PM
May 7: Prom Ticket Sales Begin
May 17: Latino Achievement Night 6:30PM
May 23: Last Day to purchase Prom Tickets
May 28: Senior Exams Begin
May 31: Ice Cream Social (after last exam period)
June 2: Prom–The Boylston Room in Keystone Mill Easthampton 4:00-9:00PM
June 3: Senior Dinner 6PM
June 5: Senior Awards 7PM
June 7: Graduation (Rehearsal from 8-10AM at the Mullins Center)

Come this year’s Student Produced play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike directed by Sophia Schweik. Completely put on by students and one of the last productions of the year; this show is not one to miss! Shows are this Friday, May 3rd at 7:00pm and Saturday, May 4th at 2:30pm and 7:00pm. Tickets are $5.00 for students and $7.00 for adults. Tickets will be sold at the door and at lunch. Students who receive free or reduced lunch or for whom cost affects their ability to go, talk to Mr.Bechtold!

Friday, May 3 is the last day to register for the June 1 SAT and subject tests with no late fee. Sign up at collegeboard.org. It is also the last day to register for the June 8 ACT with no late fee. Sign up for that one at actstudent.org. See Miss Garrity for a fee waiver if you are registered for free or reduced price lunch.

The Board of Directors of the Amherst Boys & Girls Club is pleased to announce a new summer program for 2019.  The Program will run for eight weeks beginning June 24th and end on August 16th.

The Program is open to all children ages 8 to 14.  The Program will run Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Registration for the summer program will be held at the Club, 29 A Cottage Street, Amherst and begin on Thursday, May 23rd All children must be registered to attend the program. We are accepting the first 75 children to sign up.

Children must be members of the Amherst Boys & Girls Club to attend. Children can become members or renew their memberships at registration. Membership is $50.00 a year.J

The summer program will offer a wide variety of recreational, educational and cultural activities for the participants as well as to provide experiences which will give opportunities for individual achievement, development of self confidence, reinforcement of values and fun. Programs will include physical education, arts & crafts, games, sports, health and life skills, education, special events, and summer reading.

Fees:  1^st Child $75, 2^nd Child $60, and 3^rd Child $50 per week.

Scholarships are available

For additional information please email Tony at the Club, tpoti@amhersbgc.org

Girls in grades 9-12 have a great opportunity this summer to participate in Girls With Impact, a summer entrepreneurship and leadership academy! It is a 6-week online course that ARHS students can take part in for FREE- just pay the $35 application fee. Build your resume, learn about starting your own business, and stand out from the crowd with your leadership abilities! Come to Guidance for a flyer with more information

The Amherst 4th of July Celebration is looking for volunteers for this year’s festival. If you are interested in contributing to a community event, filled with fun and festivities, while getting a front row seat to the fireworks, come assist the Amherst 4th of July Celebration. This is a great opportunity to give back to your community, and get a behind the scenes look at event-planning, in addition to free food and admission for all volunteers. If interested please contact Noah Kramer at: LSSEFireworks@AmherstMA.gov or (413) 259-3267.

Now is the time to Seize the Day! Friday May 10, 7pm and Saturday May 11, 1pm and 7pm at the Academy of Music in Northampton. Newsies performed by over 50 students from all over the Valley from Starlight’s Youth Theatre, which was established 10 years ago as a non-profit youth theater in the Valley. Artistic Director Cynthia Strycharz states “ I hope as the director of this powerful story this amazing cast will always remember that they can also be a leader and change history for the better!” https://www.aomtheatre.com/