ARHS PGO Parent News

Samson Heyer, ARHS Junior and member of the ARHS Varsity Boys Soccer Team, was selected to the 2015 Massachusetts Division 1 Boys Soccer All -State Team.  Samson was one of only eight recipients of this award from all of Western Mass. Congratulations Samson!

ARHS is kicking off the basketball season with a “Tip-Off” at the Cage at UMass tonight, December 11th. Ticket prices: Children/students/seniors- $5 adults – $6. Girls play Palmer @ 6 p.m. & boys will play Northampton at 7:30 p.m. It’s a white out night!

The Norma Jean Anderson Civil Rights and Academic Achievement Award is based on race and class in our schools. A school system free of racism, classism, presented as part of the on-going work to remove systemic privilege prejudice and discrimination promotes safety, personal growth and academic achievement for ALL students.

The Norma Jean Anderson Civil Rights and Academic Achievement Award applauds the contributions of a current or former in the Amherst and/or Amherst-Pelham Regional teacher, administrator or staff member school districts who promotes the ideals of a just and respectful community built on compassionate relationships. We recognize many teachers, administrators and staff share these goals, and we look forward to acknowledging their contributions.

The candidate must be a current or former employee of the Amherst or Amherst-Pelham Regional School Districts as a teacher, administrator or staff person. The person nominating must be a student, parent, community member, teacher, staff or administrator of the Amherst and/or Amherst-Pelham Regional school districts.

Contact Pat Ononibaku (patbaku@aol.com) for information on how to nominate a candidate. All nominations need to be received by January 4, 2016.

The award will be presented at the Martin Luther King Jr Breakfast at the Amherst Regional Middle School on January 2016.

Thursday, JANUARY 28, 2016

AMHERST REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA; 7:00 p.m. sharp

Open to all ARHS seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and their parents

GET HELP WITH YOUR FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION AT ARHS FAFSA DAYSPEND TWO HOURS AND LEAVE WITH AN ALMOST COMPLETED FAFSA FORM.

What is FAFSA Day?
FAFSA Day is a free program that provides information and assistance to Massachusetts families applying for financial aid for higher education. Financial aid professionals from MA colleges and universities help families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the required form for students seeking financial aid, including grants, work study, and loans.

When is FAFSA Day?
The ARHS FAFSA Day event will take place on THURSDAY, January 28, 2016 at 7:00 p.m..

Who should participate in FAFSA Day?
All students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible for federal financial aid. Most students should complete a FAFSA. Students who need help applying for financial aid to attend college are encouraged to participate.

Who Sponsors FAFSA Day?
FAFSA Day is supported and administered by a volunteer committee of members of the Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (MASFAA), as well as members of various community organizations.

What do I need to bring?
Both students and parents must have an FSAID. Create them at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid. Bring them with you. (FSAID replaces the PIN, used in previous years)

If available, students and their parents should bring completed 2015 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 statements and other 2015 income and benefits information. Current bank statements, untaxed income records for the previous year (Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records), driver’s license (if any) and alien registration card (if you are not a U.S. citizen).

Do I need to register?
Register ASAP at fafsaday.org. Click the orange “REGISTER NOW” at the top right. Complete the form.

A wireless Internet connection is available in the cafeteria. Bring a laptop if you wish.  For more information and additional FAFSA Day dates (not at ARHS), visit fafsaday.org.

Dec. 11 – 12- ARHS Briefs Theater 7:30 PM
Dec. 16- Early Release
Dec. 17 – ARHS Combined Concert (Chorale, Hurricane Singers, Symphonic Orchestra and Wind Ensemble), 7:30pm
Dec. 18 – Trimester 1 Report Cards Distributed
Dec. 22 – ARHS Combined Concert (Symphony Band, Philharmonia, Concert Choir), 7:30pm
Dec. 24 – Jan 1- Winter Recess; No School

Saturday, December 5, 2015
Barnes & Noble Hadley
10:00 – 4:00 Enter your favorite teacher in our hourly raffle drawing

Performances to Enjoy

10:00 The Duffy Academy of Irish Dance
11:00 FR’s own Ms. Keizer shares How the Grinch Stole Christmas
11:30 Holiday crafts & songs
12:00 Fort River Orchestra ensemble
1:00 Performance by members of FR Band
2:00 FR Robotics Club demonstration

*And special Educator Holiday Shopping Event – use your Barnes & Noble Educator Discount Card to save 25% on all your purchases while supporting Fort River!

Visit BN.COM/bookfairs to support us online from 12/5/15 to 12/10/15 by entering Bookfair ID# 11609500 at checkout.

A percentage of your Barnes & Noble purchases will benefit our school/organization.

Did you know it costs almost $27,000 to print the yearbooks?  Only 185 students have bought yearbooks so far.  We need to sell 115 more.  Infact, Yearbook cannot affort to print this year’s edition unless they sell 80 more yearbooks.  This will be the last printed yearbook ever, if they don’t sell 80 more books.

Juniors, if you want a yearbook your senior year, please buy this year’s book.  Order forms were mailed home and distributed in advisories.  Please order your books ASAP.  questions?  See Mr. Larcheveque  We need to sell 115 more yearbooks this year or this will be our last printed yearbook!

A very limited run of tickets to the Theater Company’s immersive theater production – Bum Bum! – go on sale online at 6:00 p.m. this Friday!  Designed for one audience member at a time and featuring a cast of 50 students, this will be unlike anything else you’ve ever done.  Look for the link for ticket reservations on the Performing Arts website.  First come, first served – don’t delay!

Bum Bum Theatre dates are December 3-5; 

The next ARHS Performing Arts Production will be Briefs Theatre on  December 10-12.

The full schedule for Trimester 1 exams is attached below.

T1 Exam Schedule 15.16 (2)

Nasal Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, is used to reverse a potentially fatal opioid overdose. It is safe to administer, cannot be abused and does not have any adverse effects aside from feelings of opioid withdrawal.

Tapestry Health provides free trainings to individuals that educate on how to recognize and prevent an opioid overdose, what to do if one occurs including calling 911, how to perform rescue breathing, and how to administer nasal naloxone or Narcan. After each training, individuals who are likely to witness an overdose will be able to receive a Narcan kit at no cost to them.

Narcan trainings are available at Tapestry Health locations in all four Western Mass counties, including La Voz in Springfield, our two needle exchanges in Holyoke and Northampton, HIV Client services in Greenfield, and our health clinics in Pittsfield and North Adams.

For more information, please call 413-586-0310, x2

Congratulations to the four seniors who were named as Semi-Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Competition,Katya Schwenk, Ngan Nguyen, Alexander Hajir, Maia Hamin.  Read the press release below for more information on the National Merit Scholarship awards to ARHS Students.

NMSC 2016 press release

Dec. 2nd is the deadline to request school information be sent to colleges with Jan. 1 deadlines.  Take advantage of the long Thanksgiving break to update your list of schools and their deadlines in both Naviance and the Common App, match your accounts, and request transcripts.

Does your student need help?  Tell them to stop by and see Mrs. Tracy in rm. 309 or Mrs. Cappelli in Guidance.

Just a reminder that all ARHS students have a half day next Tuesday, November 24th.  Students are dismissed at NOON.  There is no school the remainder of the week in observance of Thanksgiving.

When the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone, try some savory West African cuisine and support 11 ARHS students who are working their way to West Africa! After a year’s wait due to the Ebola outbreak, the ARHS AFRICAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM is eager to begin its journey to Senegal and The Gambia on January 30.

To help defray the cost of the trip, the group is holding one last fundraiser, a reprise of its popular WEST AFRICAN TAKE-OUT offer. You can order the ever-popular CHICKEN YASSA and a new entree, VEGETARIAN YASSA in microwavable/freezable containers at $8 each.  Meals will be available for pick-up on Thursday, December 3, 3-5 p.m., at Amherst Regional High School. Pick-up will be at the side entrance, by the athletic fields.

Please see the attached order form for details, or order online at http://goo.gl/forms/8n6nEi85t1 by Monday, November 30.

In addition to conducting the fundraiser, the group is collecting laptops for its partner school in The Gambia, Sifoe Senior Secondary School, which needs more computers for its many students.  If you have a laptop in working condition that you are no longer using and would be willing to donate, please contact African Scholars Program Advisor Bruce Penniman atpenniman@english.umass.edu.   Thank you!

It is not too late to buy a Family Coupon Book to support the Athletics program!

The Amherst Lions Club is partnering with the ARMS & ARHS Athletics Program to raise money for equipment. Family coupon books are currently on sale to everyone in the ARPS community for $20.00 each.

There are over 30 businesses in the Amherst-area that are represented in service coupons. The value of all coupons in the book is approximately $1,000.00. The coupons are good through 7/31/16.

Family coupon books are available for purchase at the ARHS Athletic Director’s office (whitep@arps.org); ARMS office (adairs@arps.org); and the Amherst Lions Club (tacromack@comcast.net).

Sunday November 22nd 5 –7:30pm
Shutesbury Athletic Club
282 Wendell Rd, Shutesbury, MA 01072
80 chefs from around the world have donated soup recipes for the new book Soup for Syria, including Alice Waters, Yotam Ottolenghi, Mark Bittman and Anthony Bourdain. Join us for a selection of these soups on November 22nd. There will also be Middle Eastern music from Aliya Cycon, Professor Omar S. Dahi, Hampshire College, will speak at 5:30pm on the Syrian refugee crisis.
Copies of the book Soup for Syria will be on sale.
Profits will be donated to help fund food relief efforts to Syrian refugees.

Amherst, MA — Do you care about your rivers? The Connecticut River Watershed Council and Art for Water is creating a “river of words” to draw attention to five major hydro-operations from Turners Falls, MA to above Hanover, NH. This public participation, community art project will tell a thousand stories to improve the ecological health and recreational opportunities of the Connecticut River.  Come add your voice at the presentation given at the Jones Library, 43 Amity Street, Amherst on Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00 PM in the Woodbury Room.

The jubilat/Jones Reading Series continues its 17^th year with the third reading of the 2015-16 season on Sunday, December 6, 2015 at 3:00 pm in the Goodwin Room of the Jones Library.  The jubilat/Jones Reading Series showcases established and emerging poets in a number of readings each year. This reading will feature the poetry of Joshua Edwards and Mónica de la Torre.

Joshua Edwards directs and co-edits Canarium Books. He’s the author of three books of poetry, Architecture for Travelers, Imperial Nostalgias, and Campeche, and a photobook, Photographs Taken at One-Hour Intervals During a Walk from Galveston Island to the West Texas Town of Marfa. He also translated Mexican poet Maria Baranda’s book-length poem, Ficticia. He lives in Marfa, Texas and elsewhere with his wife, Lynn Xu.

Mónica de la Torre‘s The Happy End/ All Welcome is forthcoming from Ugly Duckling Presse in 2016. Previous poetry books include Public Domain (Roof Books, 2009) and Talk Shows (Switchback, 2007), as well as two collections in Spanish. Her work has been recently published in The New Yorker, Aufgabe, Convolution, frieze, Triple Canopy’s Corrected Slogans, The White Review, and the New Museum’s 2015 triennial volume The Animated Reader. She is BOMB Magazine’s senior editor.

This series is sponsored by the Friends of the Jones Library, jubilat, and the Juniper Initiative. This program is also supported in part by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Free and open to the public.  For more information, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223.

The Jones Library invites area trivia buffs to at our monthly Trivia Night, hosted by Mark “Harpo” Power, on the first Thursday of the month, from 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm.  The next Trivia Night will be held on Thursday, December 3, 2015 in the Woodbury Room.  All trivia aficionados are invited to join in the fun and support the Jones Library!

Bring friends and family as a team, or form teams on the spot, with a maximum of five per team. There will be two rounds of 15 questions each, and there will be prizes for the top teams.  Doors open at 6 pm, and the event starts promptly at 6:30 pm.  There is a suggested donation of $5-$10 per person to participate.  All proceeds benefit the Jones Library.  Refreshments will be served.

Open to the public.  For more information, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223.

This year, for the first time ever, the ARHS PGO is participating in #GivingTuesday!

We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. Now, we have #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. On Tuesday, December 1, 2015, the ARHS community will come together (virtually) for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give back to our school.

Donate now- all gifts count towards our GivingTuesday total.

Amherst High School PGO page: https://givingtuesday.razoo.com/story/Amherst-Regional-High-School-Parent-Guardian-Organization

The 2nd annual Valley Hatgiving Tournament will be held on Saturday, November 21, 2015 from 9:00 a.m to 5:00 pm at Greenfield Community College.  The tournament is open to all players of all levels.  Registration closes on Wednesday, November 18, 2015.  For further information, visit http://valleyultimate.org/hatgiving-2015/.

The School Equity Task Force was created by unanimous vote of the Amherst Regional School Committee in the Spring of 2014. Our charge is to help ARHS provide all students an innovative and academically exceptional education in an environment that embraces racial, cultural, and socio-economic diversity and where the educational workforce of our schools proportionately reflects, as closely as reasonably possible, the diversity of the school district as a whole. This educational experience and environment must include facilities and other human and capital resources that are equitable to support the district’s mission of Excellence in Teaching and Learning for All. The SETF is studying and making recommendations for short- and long-range actions concerning but not limited to the following: developing a school climate founded upon mutual respect; addressing discipline issues, especially racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities; and other equity issues related to achieving the Amherst Regional High School’s core values and beliefs of “high achievement, best practices, and social justice.”

To achieve this we have launched three working groups: Culture, Community & School Climate; Discipline Disparity & Development; and Excellence & Equity SETF is a multi-racial group of School Committee members, school leaders, community members, parents and family members of ARPS students.

Participation in the Task Force is open to everyone in the community. Our meetings are open to the public and are posted on the calendar at http://www.arps.org. Our work is ongoing.

For more information on the SETF, 

Click to access SETF%20Brochure%20for%20Taste%205.pdf

Nominations are being accepted for the 2016 Martin Luther King Citizen and Student Scholarship Awards.  Winners will be announced at the Martin Luther King Breakfast on January 16th.  The nominees for both awards must be committed to the spirit of the qualities advocated by Dr. King. Student nominees are required to submit a 250-500 word essay. Further information is available in Guidance 101.  The deadline for applying is December 4, 2015.

The ARMS Chorus will perform at the 40th Annual Merry Maple Celebration on the Town Common on December 4, 2015 beginning at 4:30 pm.  The Celebration begins at 3:00 pm with a chance to see emergency response vehicles at the Fire Station.  Hayrides will be offered from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Crafts from 4:00 to 5:30 pm at Town Hall.  The tree lighting will be held at 4:45 pm. The UMass Minuteman Marching Band will arrive at 5:30 pm.  The event concludes with a chance to visit with Santa at 6 pm at the Strong House (next to the Jones Library).  For further information contact Carrie Carbone at the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, 253-0700 or carrie@amherstarea.org.

Thursday, November 19 is Financial Aid Night for Seniors.  Come to the cafeteria at 7:00 for a thorough presentation by financial aid officials from Amherst College and UMass.

Following is additional news for seniors from Myra Ross:

Seniors looking for assistance in completing the FAFSA  should be aware that there will be a session on  Thursday, January 28, 2016 at  7:00 pm.

If you applied early action to UMass, they must have all supporting documentation to your application by November 20.

Seniors are invited to apply for an AFL-CIO scholarship.  Seniors must take a 30 minute multiple choice test and write an essay. The test is administered on February 3, 2106 either during directed study or after school.  See Guidance 101 for further information.

ARHS Community Service Club is hosting a Toy Drive from Nov 16-20. We are collecting new, unwrapped toys for the Toys for Tots campaign. There are two ways to participate. Each of the four classes will compete to see who can bring in the most toys.  Students are welcome to bring in more than one toy. In order to get credit for their class, students will need to check in with a club member at lunch any day during the week. But, adults, families and community members are also welcome to add to our toy collection. We will have a box in the front of the school, so if you have reason to be in the school, please bring us a toy. Contact Kristen Iverson at iversonk@arps.org if you have questions. Thanks for your support.

IEP Clinic: A Workshop for Parents and Educators will be held on Monday, December 7, 2015 at Amherst Regional High School, Room 13 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.

Every child with a disability who receives special education services must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). This workshop takes parents and educators step-by-step through IEP development, including how to articulate a vision, using evaluations to write measurable goals, and measuring their child’s progress.

The last hour and a half will consist of a round table discussion with volunteer Educational Advocates. Feel free to bring your child’s IEP.
Contact: Nancy Stewart 413-687-4255 or sepac@arps.org with any questions.

Sponsored by: Pelham, Amherst and Amherst-Pelham Regional Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC), Pelham, Amherst and Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools and the Federation for Children with Special Needs.

Parents and community members have been raising money for the ARHS PGO Grants Program by registering their Stop & Shop cards for the A+ Rewards Program. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to REGISTER (or re-register) your card, by clicking on the link in the sidebar to the right on this page. It couldn’t be easier! Enter the first three letters of your last name and your 13-digit Stop & Shop card number and click the “Look Up” button. On the next page where it says “school 1” enter Amherst Regional High School’s ID #05167, click “Register” and please make sure to take the last step by clicking “confirm my information.”

Another way to help raise Stop & Shop funds is to greet shoppers on their way into the Hadley store and ask for their support. A two hour shift at Stop & Shop translates to about $400 at the end of the year for ARHS, which directly benefits your student! Many thanks to Cindy Naughton for volunteering at the store last week! There are still 2-hour shifts available. Can you fill one? Click here to sign up.

Nov. 24 – Chorale Concert: 7:30pm, Wesley Methodist Church
Nov. 24 – Noon Dismissal
Nov. 25 – 27 – Thanksgiving Recess: No School
Nov. 30 – Teacher Work Day: No School
Dec. 4 – Merry Maple
Dec. 13 – Bum Bum Theatre, 7:00pm ARHS
Dec. 17 – ARHS Combined Concert (Chorale, Hurricane Singers, Symphonic Orchestra and Wind Ensemble), 7:30pm
Dec. 22 – ARHS Combined Concert (Symphony Band, Philharmonia, Concert Choir), 7:30pm

The Town of Amherst Conservation Commission is pleased to offer an exciting farming opportunity on Conservation Land for the 2016 growing season.  Please take a look at the attached Request for Proposals to farm a +/- 3 acre parcel at the Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, located on Old Farm Road, Amherst.  Proposals are due to the Conservation Department by 4:30 pm on Friday, December 4, 2015.   Please submit two hard copies of your proposal or one electronic copy – see address and email below.  Responses received after the deadline will not be reviewed.

Questions regarding the advertisement must be received no later than Tuesday, November 24, 2015  via email to Beth Willson, Wetlands Administrator, at willsone@amherstma.gov or in writing to the Conservation Department at the address listed below.

Join us on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 2:30 pm in the Woodbury Room for a screening of The Story We Tell.  This is the next event in a film & discussion series which began in the fall of 2014 and continues to look at issues of race.  A facilitated discussion will be held after the screening.

The Story We Tell is an eye-opening tale of how deep social inequalities came to be rationalized as natural – deflecting attention from the social practices and public policies that benefited whites at the expense of others.  We will look at how this story continues to affect us and our society today.  (This is Episode #2 inRace: The Power of an Illusion from PBS, California Newsreel.) Free and open to the public.  For more information, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223.  This film series is co-sponsored by the Jones Library and The Coming Together Project.  More information about The Coming Together Project can be found at http://www.coming-together.org/.

The 8th Annual Rotary Auction is beginning soon. Proceeds from the event support so many important community efforts. The auction will be held on November 13, 6pm-9 pm and November 14, 12 pm– 9 pm. Visit amherstrotaryauction.org for more information.

Any questions, send email to auction@amherstrotaryclub.org or call 413 256-0111.

Tonight: Join students as they drum, sing, and dance various styles of the Bomba tradition. The show is from 7:30 – 8:30 PM.

Next Friday and Saturday, November 13 and 14th join the Dance Theater Ensamble for their performance. Both shows are from 7:30pm – 10:00pm.

Please take a look in your closets for any gently used items for children and adults. We are looking for coats, snow pants, snow boots, hats, mittens, gloves, scarves and snowsuits. Items can be dropped off until November 6th in the box outside the ARHS Guidance Office. These donated items will then be available to students and families in need of warm clothing from the ARPS Family Center at the Middle School. If you have any question, contact Lynn Hayes, hay3bay@comcast.net

The Amherst Lions Club is partnering with the ARMS & ARHS Athletics Program to raise money for equipment. Family coupon books are currently on sale to everyone in the ARPS community for $20.00 each.

There are over 30 businesses in the Amherst-area that are represented in service coupons. The value of all coupons in the book is approximately $1,000.00. The coupons are good through 7/31/16.

Family coupon books are available for purchase at the ARHS Athletic Director’s office (whitep@arps.org); ARMS office (adairs@arps.org); and the Amherst Lions Club (tacromack@comcast.net).

ARHS Community Service Club is hosting a Toy Drive from Nov 16-20. We are collecting new, unwrapped toys for the Toys for Tots campaign. There are two ways to participate. Each of the four classes will compete to see who can bring in the most toys. Students are welcome to bring in more than one toy. In order to get credit for their class, students will need to check in with a club member at lunch any day during the week. But, adults, families and community members are also welcome to add to our toy collection. We will have a box in the front of the school, so if you have reason to be in the school, please bring us a toy. Contact Kristen Iverson at iversonk@arps.org if you have questions. Thanks for your support.

Do you have a winter Hurricane athlete in your home? Don’t forget to register them for their winter sport. Registering early allows the Athletic Office and Health Room time to get your student-athlete(s) on rosters and cleared in time for tryouts. Don’t delay.

Also, any outstanding athletic fees need to be cleared up before November 30th.

Greenfield Community College will be offering FREE evening credit courses at the Amherst Regional Middle School beginning January 27, 2016.All applicants must meet prerequisite requirements prior to enrolling in the courses and funding is provided in part by the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP) grant from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.
Courses offered include: Medical Coding: Diagnosis • Philosophy: Eastern Religions• Elementary Spanish I • Principles of Sociology.

Save the Date for Information & Enrollment Sessions:

• November 12, 10 a.m.-12:00 Noon
Information Session for students at the Amherst Regional High School(ARHS) only

• November 12, 6 p.m.- 8 pm.
Information Session/Open House held at ARHS

• November 17, 4 p.m.-8 p.m.
Enrollment Session at ARHS

• December 2, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Information Session/Open House held at ARHS

• December 7, 4 p.m.-8 p.m.
Enrollment Session held at ARHS

To learn more, contact 413-775-1801 or admissions@gcc.mass.edu. Greenfield Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution. For disability accommodation, please contact the Coordinator of Disability Services (413) 775-1812.

Amherst Together presents Conversations with Jimmy – A nationwide outreach initiative to engage diverse communities and inspire dialogue.

James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket
Monday, November 16 in the ARHS Auditorium
Reception begins at 6:00pm
Film Screening begins at 6:30pm

Please RSVP to Carol Ross Rossc@arps.org or 413-362-1820

This event is free and the community is welcome to attend.

Mi Tierra Restaurant is holding a fundraiser for Cancer Connection on November 9th from 4-9. They will be donating 100% of the food profits to support this wonderful Pioneer Valley community organization. Please come to our restaurant in Hadley to offer your support. You can make a reservation for this special event at (413) 587-9820. Mi Tierra has received much support from local individuals and organizations over the years. They are happy to help our neighbors!

Cancer Connection Mission: Cancer Connection offers a haven where people living with cancer and their loved ones can learn how to navigate the complicated cancer journey through education, peer support, integrative therapies and creative programs to strengthen the body and spirit.

Reservations are NOT required but are helpful for expedient seating or for larger groups.

The Amherst High School Outdoor Programs are looking for donations of specific items to support our students and outdoor trips! We are looking for gaitors (boot/pant covers), synthetic hiking pants, rain coats/pants, and wool socks (SmartWool or other brands), all in excellent condition. All donations will help our students to be more prepared for all of our outdoor adventures, and will be greatly appreciated. Donations can be dropped off at Amherst Regional High School, (21 Matoon St.).

The ARHS PGO is looking for a volunteer to Co-Chair the End of School Staff Appreciation Luncheon. For more information, please contact Laura at l.wear@comcast.net.

We are also looking for a volunteer to create a GivingTuesday Web page for us in the next week. If you are interested, please contact Becky at beckydemling@yahoo.com.

The Koryo high school kids from Japan come in every year and love it! They are coming in November 21st (late), Sunday the 22nd is a day to do whatever you normally do so they can be a part of it, Monday they get dropped off and picked up at the Dunkin/Big Y Plaza so they can go to Boston and then they leave from there Tues a.m. It’s a short homestay and a great way to check out whether you enjoy hosting or not! We’ve done it for many years and are still in touch with most of our kids~ if you get back to me I could meet you with your student letter and picture. The stipend is $20/day which you will get 2-3 months after they leave. There are 43 kids and we are still short 13, so if you can host or know anyone who can please let me know. Thanks! Dianedavidson711@gmail.com, 413-687-8833–Diane Caraker, Teacher Guide, PeopleLink(Becky’s mom)

Do you have an ARHS teen that wants to go to college? When should you start preparing?  How and when do you prepare for SAT’s and ACT’s? Are you terrified of the whole thing? Well, we’ve got good news for you, come on down to the ARHS Library on November 5th at 7pm for an Evening Coffee with ARHS College Advisor Myra Ross sponsored by the ARHS PGO. Get an overview of the college process, hear about Naviance, bring your questions and meet other high school parent/ guardians. Refreshments provided by ARHS Culinary Arts students.

We (Becky and Mare) are looking for one (or two) more volunteers to help us with our efforts to keep ARHS folks informed. We’d train you this Winter; it’s pretty easy and low-key, and can be done from home in an hour or two every few weeks (depending on how many editors we have). Plus, it’s a fantastic way to stay connected to what’s happening at ARHS!

Yearbook order forms have been mailed to seniors and juniors.
They were distributed in advisories to 9th graders and sophomores.
Order forms are due October 30th. Yearbooks are $65, $55 for reduced lunch students, $50 for free lunch students.

Parent congratulations ads and Senior Portraits are due on Friday, October 30. Please email them to yearbook@arps.org. If you do not submit a portrait, don’t worry about it. We’ll use your ID photo in the yearbook. Baby Photos for seniors were due on the 15th of September. We will still accept them through January 1.

Questions? Please email Lee Larcheveque at yearbook@arps.org or call 413-362-1579.

Donations of new children’s books (ages 0-18), games (board, dice, card, video), and warm winter accessories (hats, mittens, gloves, neck warmers) are needed for children whose families use the Amherst Survival Center’s Food Pantry. You can bring your donations directly to the Center (138 Sunderland Road, across from Cowl’s) or drop them off at the collection bins in the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce office or TD Bank (both in downtown Amherst). The Center will distribute 3 new donated books,a game and winter accessories to each child. Last year the Center distributed almost 2000 donated books. Donations are accepted now thru mid-December, the Center starts to distribute the books and games on December 1.