After-School Clubs

The After-School Clubs brochure was sent home with every student on 9/27. The brochure contains descriptions for each club and a sign-up sheet on the final page. Sign-up sheets are due on October 5th and can be dropped off in the ARMS office. If you did not receive a brochure, you can pick up a new one in the ARMS office. For questions regarding clubs please contact Corey Haynes (haynesc@arps.org).

Vela Scholars Program

The Vela Scholars After-School Program is back! We offer tutoring on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 2:30-3:45 p.m. at ARMS. Students may either drop-in for help by coming to the library at the end of the day or parents/guardians may request to have them sign a contract with Mr. Singley to attend on a particular schedule. If students sign a contact their attendance and academic progress will be monitored and parents will be contacted in the event of an absence. Drop in is open to any and all students that would like to work with tutors from Amherst College and UMass. We would also like to remind you that team teachers are available for after school help. If you have any questions or would like to have your student sign a participation contract, please contact Joel Singley (singleyj@arps.org).

 

 Coffee with the Principal - Friday, Oct. 5th

Please join us Friday, Oct. 5th for coffee

with principal Betsy Dinger

                 What:  Conversation, Coffee and Treats

            Where: Amherst Regional Middle School

            When:  7:45AM - 8:30AM

Meet other ARMS families

Ask questions / Share observations

Enjoy a cup of coffee and tasty treats

Watch this and support Amherst Elementary Schools

UMASS Professor John Gerber and the UMASS Permaculture group have offered to plant trees bearing edible fruits and nuts on all three Amherst Elementary Schools starting in October if this Permaculture video gets 10,000 views by Sunday Sept 30. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FJPJ5DyMc4

Youth Action Coalition's Arts-for-Change Programs ready to launch!

Youth Action Coalition (YAC) promotes youth empowerment through creative expression and social action projects. YAC’s core project, Arts-for-Change, is a series of distinct arts and media programs offered to youth in Amherst, Ware and Easthampton. Through the development of art and media skills, creative writing, group collaboration and social justice education and action, Arts-for-Change fosters community, embraces change, and promotes fun.  AfC provides youth from across the race/class/social spectrum access to free, high quality arts programming, helping youth break down barriers, and offering a safe space for shared dialogue and collaboration.

Our 2012-13 Amherst offerings:
GirlsEyeView (GEV) offers a supportive and creative space for young women to express themselves through photography and creative writing. We shoot with black and white film and manual cameras, develop our prints in the darkroom, write stories and poems, share our ideas about important social justice issues, and laugh! In GEV you will also exhibit your work several times a year in our schools and community spaces.

Open to 7th-9th grade girls
Meets Tues/Thurs, 2:30-5PM in the Photo Lab at Amherst Regional High School.
Contact: Naomi Cairns, naomi@youthactioncoalition.org. 
START DATE: 10/9

Get Up Get Down (GUGD) Speak your mind through public art! We use a variety of art forms–from murals to metal sculpture to paper mache–to investigate issue that are relevant to you and your communities. Build leadership and learn about the intersections of creativity, community and social justice while creating fabulous works of art. This fall come help create the town’s newest mural on the Rao’s red wall!

Open to youth in grades 8-12.
Meets Tues/Thurs, 3:30-5:30PM at the Bangs Center.
Contact: Katie RIchardson, katie@youthactioncoalition.org.
START DATE: 9/24 (SPACE STILL AVAILABLE!!)

Video Vanguards (VV) works with youth of color and their allies integrating youth leadership, video production, media critique and social justice education. We learn high-end video skills and engage in deep dialogue and training to create socially-conscious pieces that address issues that are overlooked by the mainstream media. We organize screenings and events throughout the year. The skills you learn from this program help to affect a change in yourself as well as a change in your community.

Open to youth in grades 8-12.
Meets Wed/Thurs, 3:30-5:30PM at Amherst Media.
Contact: Monique Desir, monique@youthactioncoalition.org.
START DATE: 9/26 (SPACE STILL AVAILABLE!!)

A few important points: our programs are a bigger commitment than the other clubs -- 2 days/week for 2-2 1/2 hours throughout the school year.  We often have students who take time off for a sport, but prefer to have students who can commit to the full year (and want to be there for students who are not active in sports and other activities). We have an application process (mostly to garner commitment, but also used if the program is oversubscribed to ensure diversity). See attached.

If you have any questions please contact the coordinator of the respective program or Allison Scott, Programs Liaison, allison@youthactioncoalition.org. Our website is also full of info and a gallery of images.

FSP Ask

The ARMS Family School Partnership sponsors activities and programming that support all ARMS teachers and students - from After School Clubs to Artists in Residents and other programs and materials that help provide additional enrichment experiences.   Instead of asking you to buy gift wrap or candy bars, we're just going to ask you for a check and we’ll put 100% of your donation to good use for our school and kids!

Why donate?

Every dollar counts! Your donations to the PGO go directly to:

• Replenishing last year’s major funding of After School Clubs (over $7600)
• Supplementing the After School Clubs budget this year if needed
• Funding hundreds of dollars in grants for special Class and School Projects
• Providing free School Directories to all families
• Saying thanks with the Teacher & Staff Appreciation Lunch
• Student and family community building activities and events.

Without your support, the FSP cannot continue to provide this support!

How much should I donate?

It’s up to you!  We'd love to reach all families so even if you can only contribute $1.00, please do.  We are an economically diverse community.  If you have the resources, please be generous. 

Please send your donation (with checks made out to ARMS FSP) into school with your child or by mail (ARMS FSP, 170 Chestnut Street, Amherst, MA 01002).  Please try to donate by October 12th so that we can put your contribution to good use as soon as possible.

Questions?  Please contact the FSP at armsfsp@yahoo.com or call Becky at 230-3306.

A look ahead...

The FSP will hold the first PGO meeting of the year on Monday, October 15^th at 7:00 PM in the library.  We hope you will join us as we begin planning our year.

Our Movie Night debuts on  October 12th at 7PM featuring Beetlejuice!

The Unicef Social will be held on Friday, October 26th from 7 - 9PM.

Thursday, October 12 is a late start day.

Simple, no cost ways to support ARMS!

***Big Y Education Express***  

This program earns the school “points” when registered shoppers buy items with the Education Express logo on them using their Big Y card.  Schools can then redeem these points for educational supplies.  The ID # for ARMS is 5942.   Sign up at your local Big Y store when you check out or online by clicking here. 

***Stop and Shop A+Rewards Program***

  Stop and Shop will donate a percent of grocery purchases made by families that register for this program. Our ID number is 05171.  Sign up at your local Stop and Shop store or online here.

***Target REDCard Take Charge of Education program***

 Families with a Target REDcard can sign up so that ARMS earns 1% of the value of all purchases.   The ARMS id number is 1825. Thus far, only 7 families have signed up to support ARMS through this program. Sign up online here. 

The ARMS Book Fair Needs You!

 The FSP is looking for volunteers to help students select and purchase books during the following hours: 

Monday, September 24^th:

8-8:20 

9:20-10:30

         11:56-2:20

Tuesday, September 25^th

 1:50-2:20

  

Wednesday, September 26^th

 11:20-12:00

 12:30-1:00

  

Thursday, September 27^th

9:30-10:30

            10:30-11:00

We have some parent volunteers BUT can use some more.  If you are interested please contact DIANE CARAKER at Dianec711@comcast.net or BECKY DEMLING at Beckydemling@yahoo.com