We are participating in the FIRST Tech Challenge, with our first competition coming up on 2/17. We need financial support for transportation, food, uniforms, and more.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Yoh Morita <moritay@arps.org>, Alexander Lagrant <lagranta@arps.org>, and/or Mr. Harrison <harrisonn@arps.org>. Thank you so much!
P.S. If anyone is interested in supporting us as mentors in the future, please let us know. We welcome anyone who can help guide our club!
Join the Human Rights Commission and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion on Saturday, February 17 as we welcome in the year of the Dragon. Learn about the origins and traditions of the Spring Festival.
Enjoy a Dragon dance and other traditional Spring Festival dances and songs. There will be activities for all and lunch will be provided by our favorite local restaurants. Visit the town website for details about this free event for the whole family.
The ARHS PGO is partnering with gotsneakers?gotsneakers? “recycles and reuses quality pre-loved sneakers. Our sneaker drive fundraiser keeps sneakers out of landfills and reduces toxic chemicals from being released into our air and soil. All reusable sneakers from our sneaker drive fundraiser program are recirculated to secondhand markets so people can access quality, pre-owned footwear at affordable prices. All heavily used and damaged footwear is recycled to reuse materials or to convert waste into new energy.”
Please consider donating used or unwanted athletic shoes to this fundraiser for the ARHS PGO and to help others and our environment! For each pair of athletic shoes donated to gotsneakers? you will not only be making a global impact, but you will also be helping the ARHS PGO earn money for student and teacher grants. This fundraiser drive will begin February 1st and continue through the school year with boxes ready to be filled in the high school guidance office. If you have a donation but cannot get to the high school, please get in touch with Nancy Johnson at johnce34@gmail.com to make other arrangements.
Feb 17: Spring Festival Celebration
Feb 19-Feb 23: Winter recess
Haga clic AQUI para ver los artículos del boletín en español.
Use the code FUNDRAISEARHS to get 20% OFF Minted cards and gifts all year round, and 15% off each order placed using our unique promo code. A percentage of proceeds from every purchase made with our code will be graciously donated back to the ARHS PGO at the end of each year.
Click here for a flyer with all the details, and click here for Valentine’s Day-themed ideas from Minted.
Wanted to send you all some more information about the flex block / info session we are hosting next Tuesday (2/13) from 2:50 – 4:30. Amy Proietti from GCC, Kael Miyata from UMass, and Michael Ireland from Smith will be at ARHS to help seniors one-on-one with their financial aid forms.
Seniors can sign up for 15-30 minute sessions over flex block here.
Any senior registering for the event should have an FSA-ID. There’s still time for them to set up their accounts before this event.
After flex block and beginning around 3:40 families are invited to attend and will be able to ask questions of all of our visiting financial aid experts. Families of juniors as well as families with kids enrolled in college are also welcome to attend this portion.
Families/guardians can sign up for the panel before the event here.
Any students or families that will benefit from this event are strongly encouraged to attend. We are lucky to have experts in the house and it would be great to include as many students and families as possible.
Thanks so much and feel free to reach out with any questions.
Sincerely,
Katie + Sequoya + Ms. DCG
Love is in the air! The Class of 2024 Senior Council is doing candy grams, and this year we’re inviting parents to send their students or favorite teachers a token of appreciation.
A candy gram consists of a note and a choice between a carnation or candy bag and will be delivered personally by the Senior Council on Valentine’s Day.
Please make all $5 payments with cash or check (made out to ‘Class of 2024’) and turn them in at the main office.
Order online using this form: https://forms.gle/QhqCFJwnq6dhWPGa8
Assistant Principals Sam Camera and Miki Gromacki will present at the next PGO coffee on 2/15 @ 6:30pm in the ARHS library on the topic of course registration for current ARHS families.
We will discuss the process as well as course offerings and be available to answer questions families may have about scope and sequence or other related scheduling issues.
We are participating in the FIRST Tech Challenge, with our first competition coming up on 2/17. We need financial support for transportation, food, uniforms, and more.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Yoh Morita <moritay@arps.org>, Alexander Lagrant <lagranta@arps.org>, and/or Mr. Harrison <harrisonn@arps.org>. Thank you so much!
P.S. If anyone is interested in supporting us as mentors in the future, please let us know. We welcome anyone who can help guide our club!
Thank you for supporting our teachers and staff. Please click here to sign up for a slot to bring in treats for our ARHS staff.
There are approximately 180 staff and teachers at the school, and 20-30 have various dietary restrictions. Please add a note with “gluten-free, vegan, or dairy-free” for any treats that fall into those categories. Fresh fruit is always welcome, too!
Questions? Please contact Arina Beg at arinabeg@hotmail.com
This week @ ARPS! Continue to check ArbiterLive for updates, the link is on the athletic webpage.
Join the Human Rights Commission and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion on Saturday, February 17 as we welcome in the year of the Dragon. Learn about the origins and traditions of the Spring Festival.
Enjoy a Dragon dance and other traditional Spring Festival dances and songs. There will be activities for all and lunch will be provided by our favorite local restaurants. Visit the town website for details about this free event for the whole family.
Performing Arts Gala will be taking place on Tuesday, February 13th at ARHS. It’s an exciting event where students from dance, theater, band, orchestra, and choir classes will be presenting 15-minute performances around the performing arts wing.
Audience members are encouraged to wander to different spaces in the performing arts wing to take in all of the amazing artistic pursuits that ARHS has to offer.
Questions? Contact Oliver Waldman, cell 413-992-8124
For the second year in a row, Chorale will be offering Valentine’s telegrams as a unique Valentine’s Day gift! In addition to a song, we’ll also give some chocolate and a small bear toy for in-person deliveries. Proceeds will benefit the scholarship fund for future overnight music trips.
The cost is $15 for an ARHS telegram, $40 for a telegram outside of ARHS, and $10/$15 for a virtual telegram. You can order them at this link.
Spread the word! Orders need to be received by Saturday, February 10th.
Feb 9: Early release day
Feb 13: ARHS Performing Arts Gala
Feb. 13: Financial Aid Panel & One-to-One FAFSA Support
Feb 17: Spring Festival Celebration
Feb 19-Feb 23: Winter recess
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The official deadline for seniors to submit their senior photos and optional baby photos to the yearbook is today, Friday February 2. However, the yearbook is happy to accept photos through Monday, February 5. Please email them to yearbook@arps.org; any questions about this can be sent to the same email address or to betkebrunswicke@arps.org. Thank you to photography teacher Ms. Betke-Brunswick for her work supervising the yearbook!
The link posted in last week’s newsletter was the wrong one; please click here to sign up for a slot to bring in treats for our ARHS staff. The next Thank-you Thursday is February 15.
There are approximately 180 staff and teachers at the school, and 20-30 have various dietary restrictions. Please add a note with “gluten-free, vegan, or dairy-free” for any treats that fall into those categories. Fresh fruit is always welcome, too!
Questions? Please contact Arina Beg at arinabeg@hotmail.com
For planning purposes, note that the following dates are MCAS testing dates for 10th graders:
MCAS ELA–March 26, 27
MCAS Math–May 21, 22
Students in 9th, 11th and 12th grade have a late start that day; there is a 2.5 hour delay for those grades, with class starting at 11:30 am. The 10th graders start school at the usual time.
The ARHS PGO is partnering with gotsneakers?gotsneakers? “recycles and reuses quality pre-loved sneakers. Our sneaker drive fundraiser keeps sneakers out of landfills and reduces toxic chemicals from being released into our air and soil. All reusable sneakers from our sneaker drive fundraiser program are recirculated to secondhand markets so people can access quality, pre-owned footwear at affordable prices. All heavily used and damaged footwear is recycled to reuse materials or to convert waste into new energy.”
Please consider donating used or unwanted athletic shoes to this fundraiser for the ARHS PGO and to help others and our environment! For each pair of athletic shoes donated to gotsneakers? you will not only be making a global impact, but you will also be helping the ARHS PGO earn money for student and teacher grants. This fundraiser drive will begin February 1st and continue through the school year with boxes ready to be filled in the high school guidance office. If you have a donation but cannot get to the high school, please get in touch with Nancy Johnson at johnce34@gmail.com to make other arrangements.
The ARHS PGO is happy to partner with Minted’s Fundraising Program which provides the ARHS community with a unique promo code: FUNDRAISEARHS offering 20% OFF Minted cards and gifts all year round, and 15% of each order placed using our unique promo code which will be donated back to the ARHS PGO at the end of the year.
Click here for a flyer with all the details, and click here for Valentine’s Day themed ideas from Minted.
This week @ ARPS! Continue to check ArbiterLive for updates, link is on the athletic webpage.
Feb 9: Early release day
Feb 13: ARHS Performing Arts Gala
Feb 17: Spring Festival Celebration
Feb 19-Feb 23: Winter recess
Join the Human Rights Commission and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion on Saturday, February 17 as we welcome in the year of the Dragon. Learn about the origins and traditions of Spring Festival. Enjoy a Dragon dance and other traditional Spring Festival dances and songs. There will be activities for all and lunch will be provided by our favorite local restaurants. Visit the town website for details about this free event for the whole family.
Haga clic AQUI para ver los artículos del boletín en español
Every other Thursday the PGO organizes treats to show the ARHS staff our appreciation for their hard work. If you have time to contribute a baked good (either homemade or store-bought) or some fruit, please sign up for one of the spring dates here.
There are approximately 180 staff and teachers at the school, and 20-30 have various dietary restrictions. Please add a note with “gluten-free, vegan, or dairy-free” for any treats that fall into those categories. Fresh fruit is always welcome, too!
Questions? Please contact Arina Beg at arinabeg@hotmail.com
For planning purposes, note that the following dates are MCAS testing dates for 10th graders:
MCAS ELA–March 26, 27
MCAS Math–May 21, 22
Students in 9th, 11th and 12th grade have a late start that day; there is a 2.5 hour delay for those grades, with class starting at 11:30 am. The 10th graders start school at the usual time.
The ARHS PGO is partnering with gotsneakers?gotsneakers? “recycles and reuses quality pre-loved sneakers. Our sneaker drive fundraiser keeps sneakers out of landfills and reduces toxic chemicals from being released into our air and soil. All reusable sneakers from our sneaker drive fundraiser program are recirculated to secondhand markets so people can access quality, pre-owned footwear at affordable prices. All heavily used and damaged footwear is recycled to reuse materials or to convert waste into new energy.”
Please consider donating used or unwanted athletic shoes to this fundraiser for the ARHS PGO and to help others and our environment! For each pair of athletic shoes donated to gotsneakers? you will not only be making a global impact, but you will also be helping the ARHS PGO earn money for student and teacher grants. This fundraiser drive will begin February 1st and continue through the school year with boxes ready to be filled in the high school guidance office. If you have a donation but cannot get to the high school, please get in touch with Nancy Johnson at johnce34@gmail.com to make other arrangements.
Did you know that, when you donate goods to the Baystate Textiles bins by the ARHS parking lot, you help raise money for the PGO’s activities at ARHS? Please see the flyer below for more information about this program, including which items are accepted in the bins. (Note that everything must be bagged; please do not leave items outside the bins, which are emptied regularly but occasionally fill up.)
The ARHS PGO is happy to partner with Minted’s Fundraising Program which provides the ARHS community with a unique promo code: FUNDRAISEARHS offering 20% OFF Minted cards and gifts all year round, and 15% of each order placed using our unique promo code which will be donated back to the ARHS PGO at the end of the year.
Click here for a flyer with all the details.
This week @ ARPS! Continue to check ArbiterLive for updates, link is on the athletic webpage.
Jan 26: No School (All Teacher Curriculum/Work Day
Jan 29: Start of 3rd quarter/2nd semester
Feb 9: Early release day
Feb 19-Feb 23: Winter recess
IvyMath is providing all Amherst Regional High families with a free online math tutoring session and an in-depth parent conference to discuss your child’s strengths and weaknesses and how they compare to grade level.
IvyMath will also create a custom learning plan that maps out the exact areas your child should be focusing on in math for the rest of the year. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, and understand what your child needs to feel confident and stay on track in math this year.
The IvyMath tutoring session, parent conference, and learning plan are free for all Amherst Regional High families. Popular times fill up, so please register quickly! Signup now at: IvyMath.com/Boost
Ready to shape your future and join an empowering sisterhood? Become a coder this summer with Girls Who Code! Girls Who Code’s free virtual Summer Programs empower you to build skills, community, and a professional network for your future, in the ways that work best for you. Choose your adventure with two free programs:
Curious to create your own computer games? In our two-week Summer Immersion Program (SIP), you’ll learn how to design your own games using p5.js, a JavaScript library for creative coding. Join classmates and our dedicated Teaching Teams in live virtual classrooms hosted by industry-leading companies like MetLife, Bank of America, Logitech, and Synchrony. We’ve got three rounds to fit your schedule: June 14 to June 28, July 8 to July 19, and July 29 to August 9. SIP is for current 9th-11th grade girls and non-binary students with beginner or intermediate coding experience, including program alums. Eligible students can even apply for a $300 SIP Student Grant and laptop and hot spot access!
Excited to explore the biggest topics in tech at your own pace? Our six-week Self-Paced Program offers tracks in Web Development, Cybersecurity, and – new for 2024 – Data Science + AI! From July 1 to August 9, you get to decide how and when to build your coding skills, and you can always ask questions in our Discord server or optional Student Hours. The Self-Paced Program is for current 9th-12th grade girls and non-binary students with beginner to advanced coding experience, including program alums.
Apply here by the early deadline, February 14, 2024 for priority consideration or apply by our general deadline, March 22, 2024. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to level up your coding skills, kickstart your future, tap into lifelong career support, and have fun along the way! Need help? Learn more with our program flyer, webinars, or FAQs, or email us at summer@girlswhocode.com.
The Multi-Arts Counselor-In-Training (CIT) program has some open positions for February and April, or/and Summer Camps. This program will provide excellent training for students interested in pursuing a career in music, art, theater, or teaching, or for students simply looking to gain experience as a counselor. For more than 24 years, Multi-Arts has fulfilled its mission of inspiring, guiding, and educating children ages 4-12 in the performance and visual arts, fostering in the next generation a lifelong love of the arts.
Fill in 2024 registration form:https://forms.gle/NWh8ctBejPm4mGT46
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We will have two half days on Wednesday, January 24th, and Thursday, January 25th. Please encourage students to take advantage of the FlexBlocks that are embedded in this schedule for support and extra help in their classes. Also, encourage them to direct questions about the FlexBlocks and exam periods to their teachers. Here is the exam schedule for your reference. Please note that Friday, January 26th, is a curriculum day for teachers, and students do not have class.
Sam Camera
Assistant Principal
ARHS
413-362-1700
Staff Help Desk: https://arpstech.sherpadesk.com/portal/logon.aspx
Spring sports registration is now open! Please use this link to view more information and to register. Once registered more information will be sent out by the coach at a later date. The coaches’ directory and more information can be found on the athletic webpage. In addition, to learn more about spring sports join us during our spring sports night on 3/15/24 at 6PM in the high school gymnasium.
This week @ ARPS! Continue to check ArbiterLive for updates, the link is on the athletic webpage.
The Amherst Hurricane Athletic Boosters scholarship application is now open. The $1,000 scholarship is a one-time award to assist student-athletes pursuing further education. Scholarships are intended to recognize outstanding graduating athletes of ARHS. Applicants will be evaluated based on their athletic success, dedication, sportsmanship, and leadership, as well as academic effort and character.
The application deadline is March 31, 2024.
Apply online HERE
Global Scholarships was founded in 2017 as a platform for international students to search for scholarships around the world. Their mission is to provide an accessible way for international students to search and find comprehensive, accurate, and updated scholarship information. They also provide free guidance on student VISAs to many countries.
As of January 2024, the database has 4517 Scholarships, 1741 Universities and Organizations, and 11.2M students benefiting from the information since 2017.
Check it out! It’s free.
Please donate to the POCU Food & Goods Drive to benefit the Amherst Survival Center (Collection boxes will be in the Front Hallway).
Food items most needed:
Brown rice, Dried beans (black beans, red beans, Goya)
Kids snacks (granola bars, dried fruits, snack mixes, small applesauce, poptarts)
Meat and chicken soups (canned and boxed)
Pasta, oats, quinoa, cereal
Gluten-Free, Vegan, Low Sodium
Low Sugar foods
Canned fruits (all kinds, low sugar please)
Canned vegetables (all kinds)
Coffee/tea/honey
Juice boxes: Capri Suns, Gatorades, apple juices, etc.)
Personal Items:
Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss
Menstrual Products (Tampons and Pads)
Disposable Diapers for Babies – sizes 4, 5, & 6
Disposable Diapers/Incontinence briefs for Adults (pull-on brief style)
Thanks!
Mary E. Custard
Dean of Students, Grades 10 & 12
Join us at The Drake for ARHS Cabaret, an entertaining evening of skits and small group musical performances featuring students from Amherst Regional High School. A pair of MCs will weave together musical acts from a variety of genres showcasing the many talents of the students in town. $10, $5 students.
New date: January 20 @ 7:30 pm.
January 25 from 1:30-4:00 PM
For ages 11-17
Come hang out in the Jones Library Woodbury Room on your Early Release day. We’ll have snacks, games, and gelli printing to enjoy while hanging out with friends after school. No registration is required. Email teens@joneslibrary.org if you have any questions.
Please note: The Jones Library will be closed on Wednesday, January 24th which is also an ARMS/ARHS early release day. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Tickets are now on sale for the Amherst Community Theater production of SEUSSICAL: The Musical! “Oh, the thinks you can think” when Dr. Seuss’ best-loved characters collide and cavort in an unforgettable musical caper! Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage at the beautiful UMass Bowker Auditorium.
Remaining show dates: January 19, 20, and 21.
For more information, and to purchase tickets, scan the QR code above.
Jan 19-21: Seussical the Musical
Jan 24 & 25: Early Dismissal (1:20/HS Exams)
Jan 26: No School (All Teacher Curriculum/Work Day)
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McPherson & Jacobson, the executive search firm for the superintendent search, wants to hear from ARHS and ARMS students on the following four topics:
Your input will be included in a summary report for the 20-member Search Committee, and for the Regional and Union 26 School Committees.
There will be six sessions open to the public, including a Spanish language session, and sessions that focus on Special Education, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students and families, and LGBTQIA+ students and families.
For more information, click HERE.
ARHS PGO Parent News 
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