ARHS PGO Parent News

Junior Teya Nolan named 2016 Western Mass. Girls Volleyball Player of the Year.  Additionally, Teya and Claire Basler-Chang were A1-State Selections on this Volleyball team.

http://highschoolsports.masslive.com/news/article/8720475635897372373/amhersts-teya-nolan-named-2016-western-mass-girls-volleyball-player-of-the-year/

• Amherst Sophomore Sophia Jacobs-Townsley named 2016 Western Mass. Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.

http://highschoolsports.masslive.com/news/article/7252781963755363827/amherst-sophomore-sophia-jacobs-townsley-named-2016-western-mass-girls-cross-country-player-of-the-year/

• Four Amherst High School Athletes were honored as Hampshire Gazette Players of the Year. They are: Sophia Jacobs-Townsley, Sophomore, Amherst, (Girls Cross Country). Megan Rice, Senior, Amherst (Volleyball). Samson Heyer, Senior, Amherst (Boys Soccer). Jack Yanko, Sophomore, Amherst (Boys Cross Country)

http://www.gazettenet.com/Gazette-banquet-7632732

• Congratulations goes out to Sidilene Pereira DaVeiga, who was nominated and selected to attend the First Annual Indoor Track Recognition Breakfast on Friday, February 17th. This Breakfast recognize and celebrates student-athletes who have shown success both in the classroom, in their sport, and are also involved in their community.    The Breakfast will be held at the MIAA offices, 33 Forge Parkway, Franklin, Ma. The morning will start at 8:30 with check-in and breakfast, followed by welcoming messages, presentation of certificates, and a  guest speaker.

Hello Juniors,

Below is a link to an excellent article about planning your senior year courses.  Check it out!  It comes from the blog “Best College Fit” by Peter Van Buskirk.  You might want to subscribe to the blog (free), which will help you in the college application and financial aid processes.

http://www.bestcollegefit.com/blog/archives/1851?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Best%20College%20Fit&utm_content=2.9.17+Blog–College+Planning+Tips+Feb

I have also included a link to the handout from Monday evening’s Naviance presentation for parents.  We ran out of them and could not make more because our copier is broken!  Juniors already have or soon will have each of the three documents in the packet.  The Important Dates has been updated to reflect changes.  I have been handing out the “Junior Homework” document in classroom presentations.  Some presentations have been snowed out and will take place after the February break.

Myra Ross

College Advisor

Below are the prompts, one of which you will choose for your college essay.  You should write your essay in the summer or next fall.  For now, read through them and start to think about what you want colleges to know about you. 

2017-2018 Common Application Essay Prompts

The Common Application essay prompts have one purpose: to help you introduce yourself to your colleges. (Yes, showcasing your writing ability is part of the equation, but that’s the role of the essay itself, not the prompts.) That’s why the instructions are at least as important as the prompts themselves. Here’s what they say:

“What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response.”

In a sense, the entire essay exercise boils down to that one leading question: What do you want the readers of your application to know about you? This is not a trick question. The ball is fully in your court and always has been. What you write is entirely up to you. So write about yourself–about what you love, where you come from, what you aspire to, how you spend your time, what bugs you, what inspires you, who is important in your life.

In other words: Write an essay on a topic of your choice.

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.  If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure.  How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Myra Ross

College Advisor

ARHS CEEB and ACT Code: 220015

Saturday, March 18, 6-9pm, UMASS Marriott Center

In a time of anxiety and upheaval in the bigger world, we at AEF have chosen to focus on the creative energy that our schools encourage and develop in our children. The ARPS music program is a huge part of that, and Amherst Education Foundation is excited to host an event that recognizes the key role of music and music education.

AEF is thrilled to announce its spring fundraiser: AEF Celebrates Music in Our Schools!, on March 18th at 6pm at the UMass Marriott Center.

Emceed by Performing Arts Department Chair John Bechtold and State Representative Solomon Goldstein-Rose, the evening will be filled with tributes, performances, and wonderful food and drink. AEF will be giving a special award to ARMS Chorus Director Dave Ranen and lifetime achievement recognitions to our district’s music educators, past and present, who have taught for more than 20 years in the schools.

We have invited all music educators to be our guests at our event, and we hope you will join us too. Proceeds will support AEF’s 2017 excellence grants, with a portion going directly to the ARPS music program.

Learn more and purchase tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com

Amherst will hold the Annual Town Election on March 28th.  It is important to remember that every election has a deadline of 20 days prior to the election by which one must register to vote in order to be eligible to vote in that election.  Any person who is a Massachusetts resident and a United States citizen and will be 18 years old as of the next election is eligible to register to vote.

In order to vote in the Town of Amherst you must be a registered voter in the Town of Amherst and you must vote in the precinct in which you are a registered voter.

Massachusetts residents can apply online by visiting www.sec.state.ma.us and clicking the “Massachusetts Register to Vote Online” button to access the online application system.  Any Massachusetts resident who has a valid identification card issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles will be able to use the online system to apply to register to vote, update their address, or change their party enrollment.
Massachusetts residents who do not have identification issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles can still complete an application online which they can print, sign, and mail or hand-deliver to their local election official.

You can check on your voting status by going to  www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx  You can register online or in person at Town Hall. You will need a photo ID or last 4 digits of your SS#.

Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater (ALSCT) and Missoula Children’s Theatre will bring two professional actor/directors to Amherst to stage an original, full-scale musical production of Treasure Island with local cast members in grades K-12 — IN ONLY ONE WEEK!  Roles of all sizes are available for 50-60 children, and Assistant Director positions are available for older students. Come on over to the Amherst Middle School on February 27th, at 4:15 — you just might get to travel to Treasure Island! For more details, see http://www.alsct.org/childrens_theater/index.html

The Town of Amherst needs your help in updating it’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP). The updated plan will be used to guide the Town’s decision making regarding the use, management, and acquisition of Amherst’s valued open spaces, conservation areas, parks, and recreational resources over the next seven years.

Three ways to provide input:

1. Take a survey
2. Attend a public meeting (listed below)
3. Provide comment on the current OSRP (Sections 6 – 9)

Public Meetings

1. February 22nd – 7pm, Town Room, 2nd Floor, Town Hall (Con Com Mtg)
2. February 23rd – 7pm, LSSE Office, ARMS (LSSE Mtg)
3. March 1st – 7pm, Glass Room, Lower Level, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Ave

Please visit the Town’s website to complete the survey, to review the current OSRP and for more details on how you can participate at: https://www.amherstma.gov/629/Open-Space-Recreation-Plan

ARHS CEEB and ACT Code: 220015

• Students on free/reduced lunch can get SAT fee waivers through the late registration period. For the ACT, they must pay late fee, but registration fee is waived through late registration.
• PHOTOS MUST BE UPLOADED AS PART OF SAT and ACT REGISTRATION.
• Registration for SAT Online “waitlist status” begins after late registration and continues until five days before test date.
• ACT Online registration for stand-by” testing begins after late registration, ending eight days before test date.
• Both waitlist and stand-by have large extra fees, No guarantees!
• All test dates are Saturdays.

Download Schedule here: 2017-schedule-of-important-events-for-juniors

Amherst’s Kacey Schmitt is MassLive’s 2016 Girls Volleyball Coach of the Year.

http://highschoolsports.masslive.com/news/article/-7821242549760897887/amhersts-kacey-schmitt-named-2016-western-mass-girls-volleyball-coach-of-the-year/

Bring $93 per test to the Guidance Office to sign up.  Registration is from February 6th through March 3rd. Fee reduction is available for those who qualify.

Feb 15th – Combined Concert: Hurricane Singers and Symphonic Orchestra
Feb 16th – Coffee with the Principal, 7pm: Course Registration Discussion
Feb 20th – 24th- School Vacation Week – No School
Feb 28th – Late Registration Deadline for March 11 SAT (at ARHS)
March 1st – UMass FAFSA Deadline
March 2nd – 4th- ARHS Winter Musical- Anything Goes!
March 3rd – AP Exam Registration Deadline
March 3rd – Registration Deadline for April 8 ACT with no late fee
March 11th – SAT Testing at ARHS
March 17th – Registration Deadline for April 8 ACT w/late fee
March 21st-23rd – MCAS ELA
March 23rd – Combined Concert: Concert Choir, Philharmonia
March 30th – Combined Concert: Jazz and Symphony Band

Saturday, March 18, 6-9pm, UMASS Marriott Center

In a time of anxiety and upheaval in the bigger world, we at AEF have chosen to focus on the creative energy that our schools encourage and develop in our children. The ARPS music program is a huge part of that, and Amherst Education Foundation is excited to host an event that recognizes the key role of music and music education.

AEF is thrilled to announce its spring fundraiser: AEF Celebrates Music in Our Schools!, on March 18th at 6pm at the UMass Marriott Center.

Emceed by Performing Arts Department Chair John Bechtold and State Representative Solomon Goldstein-Rose, the evening will be filled with tributes, performances, and wonderful food and drink. AEF will be giving a special award to ARMS Chorus Director Dave Ranen and lifetime achievement recognitions to our district’s music educators, past and present, who have taught for more than 20 years in the schools.

We have invited all music educators to be our guests at our event, and we hope you will join us too. Proceeds will support AEF’s 2017 excellence grants, with a portion going directly to the ARPS music program.

Learn more and purchase tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com

http://highschoolsports.masslive.com/news/article/5405415953447664856/amhersts-michael-rudd-named-2016-western-mass-boys-soccer-coach-of-the-year/

An ESPN article on Megan Rice ’17 and the ARHS’s girls volleyball team decision to kneel during the National Anthem.

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/18519123/the-national-anthem-experience

The Amherst Hurricane Booster Group is holding a fundraiser this month.  Here are coupons to use at the new Balance Restaurant in downtown Amherst.  These coupons are good for the month of February.  Please feel free to share them with friends, family and neighbors.

hurricane-booster

ARMS is hosting the film screening of “Screenagers” on Feb. 8 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The event is open to all ARPS families and students.  Admission is free. Donations are accepted for the popcorn snacks.The movie is 68 minutes. ARMS Principal Patty Bode will be facilitating a dialogue/Q&A after the movie.

See more info here http://www.screenagersmovie.com/

The ARPS Special Education Parent Advisory Council Meeting (SEPAC),
Representing: Pelham Elementary, Amherst Elementary, and Amherst
Regional Schools as well as students out of district, will meet on Friday, 2/3/17, from 9 am to 10:40 am. in the Amherst Regional High School, Room 146
Please sign in at the main office. The meeting is open to all in the community.
Executive Board Meeting Agenda:
1. Public Comment
2. Approve minutes from 11/4/16 and 1/20/17
3. Updates from Dr. Brady
4. Update from School Committee
5. Update on Math Group
6. Discuss Superintendent Search
7. Discuss Special Programs at Elementary Schools
8. Update remaining workshops for the school year
9. Other

Please see attached.
Por favor de leer el documento incluido.

SEPAC February Meeting Notice – Spanish

Online spring sports registration opened Feb. 1. Ensure a smooth start to the spring season by registering NOW. Current sport physical forms should be on file with the school nurse before the first day of tryouts. Please call the nurse’s office at the high school at 362-1743.

REGISTRATION:
You’ll need to set up an account with FamilyID, if you don’t already have an account. Any technical questions with this program please call the 888# at the top of the FamilyID screen. They are very helpful.

By submitting registration forms electronically you and your child are acknowledging that you have both read the documents and you will adhere to the MIAA/Amherst High School policies on these forms. By registering electronically you are fulfilling the signature requirements of registration.

See the attached link: https://www.familyid.com/organizations/search?query=amherst

PAYMENT:
Payment is due right away. Payment is required to try out/practice/participate. If there is a financial hardship, please contact Rich Ferro, the Athletic Director at ferror@arps.org

Payment can be made online as well at: https://unipaygold.unibank.com/Default.aspx?customerid=1211 NOTE: FamilyID and UniPay Gold aren’t linked, they are two totally separate programs. So FamilyID will always show that you have not paid.
VERY IMPORTANT: Clearly write your child’s name and sport in the MEMO of the check when you pay. You can drop off your payment or mail to:

ARHS Athletics
Amherst Regional High School
21 Mattoon Street
Amherst, MA 01002
ATTN: Sports Registration

START DATES:

All sports may begin tryouts on Monday, Mar. 20th. Ultimate is not an MIAA sport and will begin a week earlier.

Wednesday, Mar. 15th is Spring Sports Information Night for athletes and their parents/guardian. Time: 6:30 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria

Please join the PGO on Thursday, February 9th at 7 pmin the ARHS Library for our Coffee with the Principal series.  Our guest speaker will be Assistant Principal Ericka Alschuler.

Ms Alschuler will provide an overview of the course registration process and timeline for both MS and HS students, outline new courses and other changes in course offerings as well as answer questions.

Dear ARHS Community:

We are pleased to report that testing last week showed that additional repairs were successful on the remaining two water outlets at ARHS that had tested above the action level of 15 parts per billion for lead after initial repairs.  The full results of the water testing can be found here.

Thank you for your support and patience as we worked to resolve these issues.

Sincerely,

Dr. Michael E. Morris                         Mark Jackson
Interim Superintendent                      Principal

Estimada comunidad de ARHS:

Nos complace informar que las pruebas de la semana pasada mostraron que las reparaciones adicionales fueron exitosas, en las dos salidas de agua restantes en ARHS que habían probado por encima del nivel de acción de 15 partes por billón de plomo después de las reparaciones iniciales. Los resultados completos de las pruebas de agua se pueden encontrar aquí.

Gracias por su apoyo y paciencia mientras trabajábamos en resolver estos problemas.

Sinceramente,

Dr. Michael E. Morris                         Mark Jackson
Superintendente Interino                    Principal

Four Amherst High School Athletes were honored as Hampshire Gazette Players of the Year. They are:

Sophia Jacobs-Townsley, sophomore, Amherst, (girls cross country);
Megan Rice, senior, Amherst (volleyball);
Samson Heyer, senior, Amherst (boys soccer)
Jack Yanko, sophomore, Amherst (boys cross country)

http://www.gazettenet.com/Gazette-banquet-7632732

The Annual Amherst Winterfest will be held on Feb. 11, 2017. The festival will be held at Cherry Hill Golf Course, 323 Montague Road.
The festival begins at 1 p.m. and ends after the 6 p.m. fireworks.
There’s the annual cardboard classic sled race with prizes for best design, as well as the best in snow dog show.

The schedule for Winterfest is attached.

winterfest-flyer-schools-2017

We are looking for several creative people to join our Multi-Arts staff to work with children ages 4-12. Counselors in Training (CIT) Supervised work for teens who want to gain experience as an Assistant Counselor.
For more information and to apply visit:

http://www.multi-arts.org/job-opportunity–volunteer.html
Catalina Arrubla, Director
http://www.multi-arts.org
413-584-7951
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/IYAnLs
Love arts? http://www.razoo.com/story/Multi-Arts

Dear ARPS Faculty, Staff and Community Members:

It seems that the original email inviting community participation in the survey regarding the search for a permanent superintendent did not go out as planned. We apologize for this oversight. In order to allow constituents time to participate, the original deadline has been extended to 12:00 noon on Monday, January 30, 2017.

The purpose of this survey is to gather feedback to ensure the School Committee invites candidates who reflect the qualities and characteristics most valued by our communities. Please take a few moments to visit the survey at this link to share your opinions.

Thank you.

Hello Junior Parents/Guardians,

This is to let you know that I have changed the date of the Naviance presentation for junior parents to Monday, February 6 at 7:00 in the HS library. It was listed for tomorrow night on the calendar at the back of the College Handbook for Juniors that your students received on January 12. If you have not seen the book, please ask your student for it.

The book and its individual components are in the Document Library in Naviance under “Junior Documents.”

I’m looking forward to seeing you at the presentation and then in individual meetings with your juniors before the end of the school year.

Myra Ross

College Advisor

Parents of Juniors and Seniors: Your help is needed and it will be fun and your graduate will thank you for it! Join us next at Wednesday, February 1st, 7pm in Room 13 for a one hour kick off meeting at the High School to plan the details for Project Graduation 2017.

Every year, on the evening after graduation, parents of both seniors and juniors have organized a great party at the UMass Mullins Center to celebrate ARHS graduating seniors and give them a final chance to hang out and have fun. This is not a school-sponsored event! It has been going on for over 30 years with a lot of help from parents, business donors, and the entire community.
Think; bounce houses and obstacle course, photo booths, basketball courts, ping pong tables, henna tattoos, games and tons of food and ice cream.

Congratulations to Catalina Yang! Her poem “Trust the Horse” has won 1st place in Massachusetts and been judged the overall New England winner in this year’s Classical Association of New England Writing Contest. The theme this year was “Equo ne credite, Teucri: trickery and treachery in classical antiquity.” Catalina’s poem “Trust the Horse” is a clever reversal of the famous story of the Greek capture of Troy. Catalina will read her poem in March at the annual CANE banquet. This is the second year in a row that an ARHS student has won top honors in Massachusetts. Last year Sophia Fang won 1st place in Massachusetts for her poem “Non Sum Qualis Eram.”

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. You can choose from nearly one million organizations to support.
How do I shop at AmazonSmile?

To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.

To sign up either:
Go to https://smile.amazon.com/ch/46-4510327 for your Amazon shopping and ARMS will earn 0.5% of your purchases.

For over 20 years, middle school students from Amherst’s sister city Kanegasaki, Japan, have come to Amherst for a short visit in March. This year, they have asked us to receive four high school students in addition to the usual group of middle schoolers.

Any family interested in hosting a Japanese student from March 22-26, please contact Aaron Kropf (KropfA@arps.org, 362-1541) or Denise Boyd (BoydD@arps.org, 362-1838)

Emails went out to your school email if you have met the eligibility requirement to apply for membership in the National Honor Society. You are invited to submit an application to be a 2016-17 ARHS NHS Member. The ARHS Robert Frost Chapter of this organization recognizes students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or higher and demonstrate excellence in the areas of leadership, character, and service.

The email you received  contains a classroom code to join the ARHS  NHS Google Classroom.  If you would like to apply for membership to the NHS for this school year, all the information can be found in this classroom.

NHS meetings are the first Thursday of each month in Room 117 @ 3 p.m. sharp.

Further information about the NHS can be found on their website:  http://www.nhs.us/

Questions?  Email Mrs. White at whitep@arps.org

The Jones Library and branches will be offering an amnesty period from through January 31, 2017 for library patrons who return overdue library materials. Library patrons are encouraged to bring a non-perishable, non-expired food donation for the Amherst Survival Center when they return overdue library materials during this time.
“This is a great opportunity for patrons with long-overdue library materials to get those items back to the library without having to pay the fines that are accumulating,” says Amy Anaya, Head of Borrower Services at the Jones Library. It’s important to note that the amnesty applies only to items that are being returned during this time. It will not be possible to forgive existing overdue fines on items that have already been returned, or for billed or lost items.
The food collected will support the work of the Amherst Survival Center, a local service agency that assists many in our community in meeting their basic needs.
For further information about returning overdue items, please contact Amy Anaya at 413/259-3132.

The Annual Amherst Winterfest will be held on Feb. 11, 2017. The festival will be held at Cherry Hill Golf Course, 323 Montague Road.
The festival begins at 1 p.m. and ends after the 6 p.m. fireworks.
There’s the annual cardboard classic sled race with prizes for best design, as well as the best in snow dog show.

Interested in volunteering with a program that for nearly 50 years has successfully supported young men of color from disadvantaged school districts who come to Amherst to live in a supportive home environment while attending Amherst Regional High School?
Please consider joining the Board of Directors of Amherst A Better Chance. We can guarantee our volunteers the opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of these young men. They are scholars who demonstrate such promise while here in Amherst and who, as ABC and ARHS alumni, live lives of purpose. Please contact Wendy Kohler, President of Amherst A Better Chance, for more information. (Email: wendykohler@comcast.net; Cell: 413-250-0091)

The Jones Library is holding its fifth On the Same Page community reading program, this year featuring the book The Sixth Extinction:  An Unnatural History by bestselling author Elizabeth Kolbert.  The book explores the five mass extinctions that have occurred over the past half-billion years, when the diversity of life on earth has been severely reduced.  Kolbert explains how humans have altered life on the planet and how these actions may become our legacy.

This year, the Jones Library is pleased to partner with the Hitchcock Center for the Environment as we bring programs and discussions to the Amherst community during this community-wide read.  The following series of programs will be held during January and February at the Jones Library and at the Hitchcock Center, and are based on topics and themes from the book.  The author event will be held at the Amherst Regional Middle School.  For complete program descriptions, visit the program’s webpage at http://www.joneslibrary.org/onthesamepage.

Tuesday, January 31 at 7:00 pm – Jones Library

Climate Change and the Connecticut River: What Unexpected Events We Should Begin to Expect –

Dr. Richard Palmer explores what we can expect to occur to with respect stream-flows in the Connecticut River basin as we move into the 21st century.  Richard Palmer is Department Head and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Massachusetts; and Northeast Climate Science Center, Director and Principal Investigator.

Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 7:00 pm – Hitchcock Center for the Environment

From Hurricane to Climate Change Film Screening and Panel Discussion – This short film documents how the Monadnock region of New Hampshire is addressing the challenges of an increasingly unstable climate. The film highlights a range of regional responses designed to adapt to this new norm and to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. A panel discussion follows, with the film’s director and editor Doug Challenger as well as local experts Dwayne Breger, Christine Hatch, Chris Mason, and Michael Sen.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at 7:00 pm – Jones Library

The Human Footprint on the Earth’s Environment – Dr. Raymond Bradley explores the impact of humanity on our environment, especially over the last few decades, and discusses solutions that will lead to a more sustainable future.  These solutions would require foresight and leadership at an international level. Ray Bradley is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geosciences and Director of the Climate System Research Center at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Thursday, February 16 at 7:00 pm – Hitchcock Center for the Environment

Book Discussion of The Sixth Extinction – Join us for an in-depth discussion of our selected title, hosted by the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, led by a Jones Library librarian and an environmental educator from the Hitchcock Center.

Saturday, February 25 at 2:30 pm – Jones Library

Book Discussion of The Sixth Extinction – Join us for an in-depth discussion of our selected title, led by a Jones Library librarian and an environmental educator from the Hitchcock Center.

Tuesday, February 28 at 6:00 pm – Amherst Regional Middle School LibraryFriends’  Reception – Please join the Friends of the Jones Libraries and author Elizabeth Kolbert at this special reception.

Tuesday, February 28 at 7:00 pm – Amherst Regional Middle School Auditorium

On the Same Page …with Elizabeth Kolbert – Join us for this author appearance, with an introduction by Julie Johnson, Executive Director of the Hitchcock Center for the Environment. Elizabeth Kolbert will speak about the book and the environmental themes she explores in her writing.  Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Copies of The Sixth Extinction can be borrowed from the Jones Library and branches, requested and checked out from the C/W Mars library catalog, or purchased at Amherst Books in Amherst.

The Sixth Extinction was the winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction, a finalist for the PEN Literary Award and the L.A. Times Book Prize, and a New York Times bestseller. The Sixth Extinction was included on many “Best Books” list of 2014 and 2015, including The Economist Magazine Books of the Year, New York Magazine Best Books of the Year,  Washington Post Best Books of the Year, Time Magazine Top 10 Books of the Year,  Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, NPR Best Book of the Year, Library Journal Best Books of the Year, New Yorker Best Books of the Year, Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year, San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year, and New York Times Book Review Notable Books of the Year,

Elizabeth Kolbert has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1999. Previously, she worked at the New York Times, where she wrote the Metro Matters column; from 1988 to 1991, she was the paper’s Albany bureau chief, and, from 1992 to 1997, she was a political and media reporter, and also a contributor to the Times Magazine.  She is the editor of “The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2009” and the author of  The Prophet of Love: And Other Tales of Power and Deceit; Field Notes from a Catastrophe, and The Sixth Extinction, for which she won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction.

On the Same Page – Amherst and its programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Jones Libraries.  For further information about On the Same Page – Amherst, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223.

The Amherst, Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools are in the process of seeking a permanent Superintendent of Schools to serve our communities.  To support this process, the districts have contracted with Ray and Associates, Inc. to conduct the search.  A consultant for Ray and Associates, Dr. Michael Rush, met with the School Committee this past Tuesday to recommend a timeline and process for selecting the new Superintendent and the Committee voted to accept the timeline.

Dr. Rush will return to our district on Monday, January 23 and Tuesday, January 24 in order to conduct focus group sessions. These group sessions will represent a broad range of constituencies within the school district and the larger community and are intended to gather more specific information about the strengths and challenges within our community.

Parents and guardians are invited to meet with Dr. Rush on Monday, January 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school library.  The meeting with Dr. Rush will last one hour.  Please be sure to attend and offer your thoughts about what qualities, skills, and experience the School Committees should consider as they seek a permanent Superintendent of Schools.

We are excited to provide an update on the ARHS gymnasium renovation project.  The architectural firm Kuhn Riddle will have the design work for the project done by the end of January with construction anticipated to begin in March.  The construction phase of the project will be completed by August 15th in time for all of our Fall athletic programs and the 2017-18 school year.  The scope of the project will include the following:   

1. Removal and replacement of the existing gym floor
2. Removal of the wooden bleachers to be replaced with new ADA compliant composite bleachers
3. Painting the ceiling and walls white with Hurricane logos (location TBD)
4. Removal of the non-functioning mechanical doors to be replaced with drop down netting
5. Reconfigure the volleyball court to allow for two practice nets

We appreciate everyones patience with this project as it has put a strain on our physical education students and teachers as well as our athletic teams this year.  In the end we will have a fully renovated gymnasium that has not seen significant updates since its construction in 1959.  This is an exciting chapter in ARHS Athletics and we can’t wait to see our student athletes utilizing this space next year!

Jan 21st- SATs Administered at Northampton High School; All-State Auditions
Jan. 23rd – Teacher Curriculum Day- No School
Jan. 23rd – Meeting Time with Superintendent Search Consultant, 6pm in ARHS Library
Jan 24th – Quarter 3 and Semester 2 Classes Begin
Feb 3rd – Semester 1 Grades Distributed
Feb 6th- Registration Deadline for AP Exams
Feb 8th – Early Release Day
Feb 9th- Coffee with the Assistant Principal
Feb 15th- Combined Concert
Feb 20th- 24th- School Vacation Week- No School

We are looking for several creative people to join our Multi-Arts staff to work with children ages 4-12

Counselors in Training (CIT) Supervised work for teens who want to gain experience as an Assistant Counselor.

The district has planned a professional development workshop for administrative support staff (secretaries) on January 23, which is the next Curriculum/Work day. The training will take place at the Middle School from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm.  All high school offices will be closed during that time so that staff can attend.

Interested in volunteering with a program that for nearly 50 years has successfully supported young men of color from disadvantaged school districts who come to Amherst to live in a supportive home environment while attending Amherst Regional High School?

Please consider joining the Board of Directors of Amherst A Better Chance.  We can guarantee our volunteers the opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of these young men.  They are scholars who demonstrate such promise while here in Amherst and who, as ABC and ARHS alumni, live lives of purpose.  Please contact Wendy Kohler, President of Amherst A Better Chance, for more information.  (Email:  wendykohler@comcast.net; Cell:  413-250-0091)

The Jones Library is holding its fifth On the Same Page community reading program, this year featuring the book The Sixth Extinction:  An Unnatural History by bestselling author Elizabeth Kolbert.  The book explores the five mass extinctions that have occurred over the past half-billion years, when the diversity of life on earth has been severely reduced.  Kolbert explains how humans have altered life on the planet and how these actions may become our legacy.

This year, the Jones Library is pleased to partner with the Hitchcock Center for the Environment as we bring programs and discussions to the Amherst community during this community-wide read.  The following series of programs will be held during January and February at the Jones Library and at the Hitchcock Center, and are based on topics and themes from the book.  The author event will be held at the Amherst Regional Middle School.  For complete program descriptions, visit the program’s webpage at http://www.joneslibrary.org/onthesamepage.

Tuesday, January 31 at 7:00 pm – Jones Library
Climate Change and the Connecticut River: What Unexpected Events We Should Begin to Expect –
Dr. Richard Palmer explores what we can expect to occur to with respect stream-flows in the Connecticut River basin as we move into the 21st century.  Richard Palmer is Department Head and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Massachusetts; and Northeast Climate Science Center, Director and Principal Investigator.

Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 7:00 pm – Hitchcock Center for the Environment
From Hurricane to Climate Change Film Screening and Panel Discussion – This short film documents how the Monadnock region of New Hampshire is addressing the challenges of an increasingly unstable climate. The film highlights a range of regional responses designed to adapt to this new norm and to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. A panel discussion follows, with the film’s director and editor Doug Challenger as well as local experts Dwayne Breger, Christine Hatch, Chris Mason, and Michael Sen.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at 7:00 pm – Jones Library
The Human Footprint on the Earth’s Environment – Dr. Raymond Bradley explores the impact of humanity on our environment, especially over the last few decades, and discusses solutions that will lead to a more sustainable future.  These solutions would require foresight and leadership at an international level. Ray Bradley is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geosciences and Director of the Climate System Research Center at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Thursday, February 16 at 7:00 pm – Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Book Discussion of The Sixth Extinction – Join us for an in-depth discussion of our selected title, hosted by the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, led by a Jones Library librarian and an environmental educator from the Hitchcock Center. 

Saturday, February 25 at 2:30 pm – Jones Library
Book Discussion of The Sixth Extinction – Join us for an in-depth discussion of our selected title, led by a Jones Library librarian and an environmental educator from the Hitchcock Center.

Tuesday, February 28 at 6:00 pm – Amherst Regional Middle School LibraryFriends’  Reception – Please join the Friends of the Jones Libraries and author Elizabeth Kolbert at this special reception.

Tuesday, February 28 at 7:00 pm – Amherst Regional Middle School Auditorium
On the Same Page …with Elizabeth Kolbert – Join us for this author appearance, with an introduction by Julie Johnson, Executive Director of the Hitchcock Center for the Environment. Elizabeth Kolbert will speak about the book and the environmental themes she explores in her writing.  Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Copies of The Sixth Extinction can be borrowed from the Jones Library and branches, requested and checked out from the C/W Mars library catalog, or purchased at Amherst Books in Amherst.

The Sixth Extinction was the winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction, a finalist for the PEN Literary Award and the L.A. Times Book Prize, and a New York Times bestseller. The Sixth Extinction was included on many “Best Books” list of 2014 and 2015, including The Economist Magazine Books of the Year, New York Magazine Best Books of the Year,  Washington Post Best Books of the Year, Time Magazine Top 10 Books of the Year,  Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, NPR Best Book of the Year, Library Journal Best Books of the Year, New Yorker Best Books of the Year, Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year, San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year, and New York Times Book Review Notable Books of the Year,

Elizabeth Kolbert has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1999. Previously, she worked at the New York Times, where she wrote the Metro Matters column; from 1988 to 1991, she was the paper’s Albany bureau chief, and, from 1992 to 1997, she was a political and media reporter, and also a contributor to the Times Magazine.  She is the editor of “The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2009” and the author of  The Prophet of Love: And Other Tales of Power and Deceit; Field Notes from a Catastrophe, and The Sixth Extinction, for which she won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction.

On the Same Page – Amherst and its programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Jones Libraries.  For further information about On the Same Page – Amherst, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223.

In the November election, Massachusetts voters approved ballot question #4: the  ‘Legalization, Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana.’

As a result, school districts all over the state are working to clarify the law for their communities.

While the state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security has described the new law as ‘a complex web of different rules…’, my goal here is to sidestep most of the fine print and focus only on the implications of the law for the high school and its students.

In December, I met with a representative of the Amherst Police Department to take advice on how to best summarize the law. They have reviewed and approved the summary below.

Here are the core provisions:

1. It is illegal for anyone to possess or consume marijuana on the grounds of or within a public or private school where children attend classes in preschool programs, kindergarten programs or secondary schools.
2. It is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to possess marijuana or attempt to procure unless they hold a valid medical marijuana card.

The new law does not change the consequences for marijuana in school. Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 37 H still applies.

Beyond the law, there is our larger interest in the healthy development of our students. Marijuana use, in my judgment and those of experts in the field, doesn’t much contribute to this.

As always, our guidance department is available to talk with parents/guardians and families if there are concerns.

Thank you.

Mark Jackson
Principal

Following is news for seniors from Myra Ross, college counselor:

1.  Remember:  The application deadline for UMass Amherst is Sunday, Jan. 15.  If you plan to apply to UMass, and most of you should, you need to put it in your Common Application and in Naviance.  Tonight would be a good time to do it!

2.  The UMass Amherst deadline for ALL supporting documents, including all school documents and official test scores (ARHS does not send scores; they must be sent by the testing company) is FEB. 1.  BE sure that your account is complete.  Send scores officially today if you neglected to do it.  It can take 3 weeks for scores to get there at this time of year, so take care of this immediately.

3.  Almost all other four-year colleges will have deadlines before Feb. 1.  If you have been procrastinating, you are now in the home stretch and need to finalize your list, in Naviance, and in the Common Application, if applicable.  See me, your counselor or a Guidance secretary, (in 101 or 309) if you need help getting the logistics done.

4. About a week after you submit an application, you should begin to check the status of your applications.  If you received login codes from colleges, use them every day until you know that colleges have all of your materials.  If you provided an e-mail address to colleges, check it every day until you know that your applications are complete.  After about two weeks, if your application still seems to be incomplete, call the college to check.  Sometimes, they have materials that the computer has missed.  If materials are indeed missing, come to guidance and we will fax the missing materials for you.  Colleges lose materials all the time, so don’t worry.  Just check and then see us if you need help.  Do not be the student who did not get into a college because s/he did not know that something was missing.  Believe me, it happens!

5. Jan. 19 is FAFSA Day at ARHS.  Come at 7 pm and leave with much of the form complete.  Register at fafsaday.org.  The website has a list of documents to bring with you.  If you will need help completing the FAFSA, please sign up this weekend.

6. Before you can submit a FAFSA, both you and your parent(s) must create an FSAID.  This replaces the PIN, used in previous years.  Even if your parents have a PIN, they will need to get an FSAID.  It is an electronic signature and gives you access to the Federal Student Aid online system.  Go to fsaid.ed.gov to create yours.  Have your parent do it too.  It may take a few minutes, so don’t expect to do it here on FAFSA day, Jan. 19.

7. Be sure to file your FAFSA and any other required financial aid forms, on time!  This means they must be completed before your first financial aid deadline.  If you don’t know those deadlines, you have another task for this weekend!

8. Applying to HCC or GCC?  An HCC Admissions representative will be here on Tuesday, Feb. 7, to answer your questions and admit you.  The GCC representative will be here on Wednesday, Feb. 8.  Sign-up sheets are available in Guidance.  You must hand in your lime green release form, put the college into “Colleges I’m Applying To” in Naviance, and most importantly, complete the HCC or GCC application.  Find them at hcc.edu or gcc.mass.edu.

9. May 1 is the official national “Candidate Reply Date” agreed to by colleges that belong to NACAC, the National Association for College Admission Counseling.  Almost all colleges and most high schools belong.  Colleges have agreed not to require non-refundable deposits prior to May 1.  If a college asks you for a deposit before May 1 to reserve housing for example, it must be refundable until May 1.  If you are unable to make a refundable deposit, contact the Admissions Office and let them know that you are unable to make the deposit and that you would like your acceptance to remain active until May 1.  Please let me know immediately if a college seems not to know your rights.

10. Check your SAT and ACT accounts to see that all scores were indeed sent where you need them to go.

11. The ARHS scholarship brochure and application will be e-mailed to you just before February break.  Applications for scholarships determined by the ARHS staff or scholarship committee are due on Apr. 3.  The deadline is not flexible.  TAKE THE TIME TO APPLY FOR THESE SCHOLARSHIPS!!

12. The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (communityfoundation.org) scholarship application is now open.  The deadline is Mar. 31.  They offer many scholarships and require transcripts and the SAR (Student Aid Report) from the FAFSA.  Do not wait until the last minute to apply to the Community Foundation.  .

13. Keep checking Naviance for scholarships to apply for.  Remember that if you need a transcript, you must request one in Naviance.  It is not sufficient to simply list a scholarship in your account.

14. If you are informed by a financial aid office that you have been selected for verification of your FAFSA, follow the instructions provided to you ASAP.  Colleges will differ in what they want you to do.  You MUST comply with a verification request.

The Wellness Committee is seeking new members.  The committee will next meet in February.  The committee focuses on nutrition/food and physical activity.

The committee ensures that all schools are in compliance with federal and state requirements, and with the requirements set forth by this policy. The Committee shall be comprised of the Director of Student Services, a School Nurse, a Principal, and at least three community members or parent/guardians. The Committee shall meet at least twice during the school year. The Wellness Committee will review the Districts’ wellness guidelines every two years and make recommendations for any changes to the Superintendent.

A mid-year Wellness report addressing each element of the Wellness Policy shall be submitted to the Superintendent and the School Committee by January of each year.

For further information, contact Dr. Faye Brady at 362-1834.