ARMS PGO : June 2015

Monday, June 22, 2015

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

3rd Annual Amherst Juneteenth Observance

Final Report of Public Perception Study

Amherst College Adolescent Social Interaction Study

We are currently accepting boys between the ages of 13-16, and girls between the ages of 15 and 16.

Request from Amherst Survival Center

Project Backpack & Safe Seats for Kids 2015

Contact: Kimberly Stender stenderk@arps.org 413-362-1852

www.arps.org

Project Backpack & Safe Seats for Kids 2015

The Amherst, Pelham and Regional Public Schools in collaboration with community partners are proud to announce Project Backpack & Safe Seats for Kids 2015.

Backpacks will be distributed on August 20 & 21 from the ARPS Family Center (170 Chestnut Street) from 9am-3pm each day.

In its sixth year, Project Backpack supports income-eligible students in Grades PreK-12 to acquire necessary and grade-appropriate school supplies and is designed around the social justice commitment of the Amherst-Pelham and Regional Public Schools. Project Backpack aspires toward equity of access, inclusion, respect and community-building. New backpacks and school supplies will be accepted from June 1-August 1 and can be dropped off at the ARPS Family Center. Backpacks and supplies will be distributed on August 20-21. The ARPS Family Center staff will oversee the distribution process. In addition, Safe Seats for Kids is supported by the Amherst Police Department, Amherst Fire Department, University of Massachusetts Police Department and Safe Kids of Western Massachusetts/Baystate Children’s Hospital. Officers will install new infant and toddler car seats on August 20-21 from 9am-3pm at the ARPS Family Center located within Amherst Regional Middle School (170 Chestnut St).

“Our goal is to help ease the financial burden the start of the school year can mean for many families,” states Superintendent Maria Geryk. “Project Backpack is a great success due in part to the generosity of individuals and community partners. In 2014, over 465 backpacks with supplies were distributed and over 60 car seats were installed. I am deeply grateful for the community’s support of this initiative.”

School Supplies List

Pre-K- 5^th Grade: new backpacks, spiral notebooks, erasers, 2-pocket folders, glue sticks, markers, crayons, pencils, pens (blue/black/red), colored pencils, pencil sharpeners, pencil cases, bookmarks, rulers

6^th -12^th Grade: new backpacks, assignment pads, notebooks, loose leaf paper, 2-pocket folders, 3-ring binders, 3-ring pencil cases, highlighters, post-it notes, index cards, calculators (basic, scientific, or graphing), flash drives, pens (blue/black/red), pencils, combination locks for lockers

The mission of the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools is to provide all students with a high quality education that enables them to be contributing members of a multiethnic, multicultural, pluralistic society. We seek to create an environment that achieves equity for all students and ensures that each student is a successful learner, is fully respected, and learns to respect others.

VICTORIAN BALLROOM DANCE PERFORMANCE

VICTORIAN BALLROOM DANCE PERFORMANCE on the lawn of the Amherst History Museum

On Saturday, June 27, at 11 am, You are invited to waltz through time on the lawn of the Amherst History Museum. A Victorian ballroom dance performance will take place on the front lawn of the Amherst Historical Museum at 67 Amity Street. This performance will provide a glimpse into the 19^th century. The Small Planet Dancers, a community-based performance/dance troupe focusing on historically-accurate cultural dance, will transport you on a journey back in time. The past will come to life during this performance. The performance is funded through a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council; it is free and open to the public. After the performance you are welcomed to tour the museum or buy tickets to the Garden Tour, 10 am to 4 pm. For information about the museum and Garden Tour tickets visit www.amhersthistory.org

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Massachusetts Teachers Association Lifetime Civil Rights Award

CONGRATULATIONS to ALICIA LOPEZ

ARMS ELL TEACHER

FELICITACIONES a ALICIA LOPEZ
Maestra de ingléscomo segundo idioma

Amherst teacher, like her mother, to receive Massachusetts Teachers Association Lifetime Civil Rights Award

By DAVE EISENSTADTER

@DaveEisen

Monday, May 25, 2015
(Published in print: Tuesday, May 26, 2015)

AMHERST — Alicia Lopez of Amherst went through school knowing that whatever her life path would be, there was one career she would avoid at all costs — teaching.

Both her parents were teachers, and even seeing her mother, Sonia Nieto, win the prestigious Massachusetts Teachers Association Lifetime Civil Rights Award did not convince Lopez that the hard work and long hours were worth it.

Now 45, Lopez has been a classroom teacher for 20 years. Next month, at a June 19 ceremony in Waltham, she will accept the same civil rights award as her mother, who also earned the award when she was 45.

“More and more I am following in my mom’s footsteps, as much as I didn’t want to growing up,” Lopez said.

Lopez was nominated for the Lifetime Civil Rights Award, now named for Ayer educator Louise Gaskins, by Amherst-Pelham Teachers Association President Jean Fay. A language and English language learners educator, Lopez teaches some of the most vulnerable students, according to Fay.

“She really tries to ensure that every student she works with feels empowered and feels that they can, when they are working with her, do their very best work possible,” Fay said of Lopez.

Lopez instills in her students a sense that there are no barriers to what they can accomplish, Fay said, and she is a role model in the school and the community at large.

“You look at her and she just glows with energy — positive energy,” Fay said.

Fay had no idea when she nominated Lopez that Nieto also received the award in 1989. Lopez said winning the same award as her mother felt like “closing the circle.”

“It is a proud moment for me and a proud moment for her,” Lopez said of her mother. “She respects and supports teachers.”

Lopez, who also serves as faculty advisor to the Latinos Unidos student organization, as a member of the Tradiciones Dance Troupe and as director of the Western Massachusetts Writing Project’s Summer Institute writes a blog about her teaching titled Maestra Teacher. The blog covers a range of topics, including civil rights issues in the classroom. A post titled “Invisible Students” discusses how new students who aren’t fluent in English can feel invisible or stupid. Students who come from other countries and speak little English are often torn between two cultures and two different life experiences, she writes.

“When they are here, they will miss there, and wish to go back,” the post reads. “If they go back, they might miss here, their friends, their experience, their teachers. And in my experience, absence makes you idealize the life you left behind and your home.”

Lopez said social justice and civil rights issues are not separate from her curriculum, and she said that can be the case for all teachers. Looking for her own materials, she does her best to make her students look beyond what is written in textbooks. “I hope that the end result for them will be that they are more critical, and think ‘What is the other side of the story?’ ” she said.

The Amherst-Pelham Regional District was forced to confront racial issues during the previous school year when high school math teacher Carolyn Gardner was the target of racial slurs. During the current school year, Lopez said, the issue was not much discussed — but, she said, she hopes the discussion about race and about prejudice will return, with positive effects.

When Nieto, a retired University of Massachusetts professor in the School of Education, heard about her daughter earning the same award she won, she said she was thrilled — but not surprised. “She is a fabulous teacher,” Nieto said. “Even though she is my daughter, I think I can say that. She really cares for the community in very deep ways.”

Nieto, who also lives in Amherst, said she supported her daughter when she did not want to be a teacher. She was also proud when she heard Lopez say in college she wanted to pursue a career based on doing important and helpful work rather than making money, though Lopez still did not know what that would be at the time.

Lopez’s decision to take up teaching took place shortly after she graduated from Wellesley College. Following a talk by Jonathan Kozol about his book “Savage Inequalities” — which examines the differences between school systems in wealthy and poor districts — Lopez turned to her mother with a changed heart.

“She looked at me and said, ‘OK, I have to be a teacher. There’s nothing more important I can do,’ ” Nieto recalled.
Nieto said she is proud of her daughter, and proud of her profession. “For me, one of the greatest things you can do is teach,” she said. “It is one of the hardest and most rewarding careers. You are never going to be a millionaire, you won’t get much fame or any fortune or any recognition, but you’ll know you are making a difference.”

Lopez’s blog is online at http://maestrateacher.com.

Dave Eisenstadter can be reached at deisen@gazettenet.com.

Dates to Remember

Friday, June 12 – 8th Grade Social – HS Cafeteria – 7-9 p.m.

Wednesday, June 17 – Grade 8 End of Year Field Trip – Mill River

Thursday, June 18 – Grade 7 End of Year Field Trip – Look Park

Friday, June 19 – 8th Grade Movin’ On Ceremony – 7:45-10 a.m. Beginning in the MS Auditorium

Friday, June 19 – Early Release Day – Students will be dismissed at 12 noon. Lunches will be served.

Monday, June 22 – Last Day Early Release Day – Students will be dismissed at 12 noon. Lunches will be served.

Wednesday, July 1 - Final Report Cards will be mailed home

8th Grade Moving on Ceremonies

Subscribe to ARHS PGO/ Suscribete al boletín de noticas de la ARHS

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

PGO Coffee with Principal Mendonsa Café del PGO con el principal Mendonsa

The Last PGO Coffee with Principal Mendonsa is this Friday, June 5.

All Parents/Guardians are invited to join the PGO and Principal Mendonsa at 7:45 a.m. for coffee in the Professional Development Room here at ARMS.

This is a great opportunity to hear about the middle school and share questions and ideas.

The meeting begins at 7:45 a.m. and will end by 9 a.m. If you cannot make the entire meeting, we hope that you can join us for a portion of the time.

El último café del PGO con el principal Mendonsa es estes viernes 5 de junio.
Se invita a todos los padres/guardianes a unirse al PGO y al Principal Mendonsa a las
7:45 a.m. para compartir un café en el Cuarto de Desarrollo Personal aquí en ARMS. Esta es una gran oportunidad para escuchar acerca de la escuela intermedia y compartir preguntas e ideas. La reunión terminara a las 9 a.m.Esperamos que pueda asistir aunque sea a una porción de la reunión.

Final PGO del año escolar/ Last PGO meeting

Por favor, únase a nosotros el jueves, 4 de junio a las 6:30 en la casa de Laura Wear (143 Lincoln Ave.) para nuestra reunión final PGO del año escolar. Los temas del programa incluyen el Premio Educador de este año y la planificación para el nuevo año escolar.

Please join us on Thursday, June 4th at 6:30 PM at the home of Laura Wear (143 Lincoln Ave.) for our final PGO meeting of the school year. Items on the agenda include this year’s Educator Award and planning for new school year.

AR[T]HS: An Exhibit of Outstanding Student Artwork from the 2014-2015 Academic Year

The Amherst Regional High School Art Department and The Eli Marsh Gallery, Amherst College, Present: AR[T]HS: An Exhibit of Outstanding Student Artwork from the 2014-2015 Academic Year

The Art Department at Amherst Regional High School is proud to present AR[T]HS, an exhibit of outstanding student artwork from the 2014-2015 academic year. The exhibit will showcase juried work from all of the Art Department’s areas of study: Ceramics, Drawing, Painting, Photography, 2D & 3D Foundations, Printmaking, Art Portfolio and Sculpture.

AR[T]HS

will be on display at The Eli Marsh Gallery, 105 Fayerweather Hall, Amherst College, from June 3th-June 11th. Gallery hours are from 9 am to 5 pm, every day, Sat & Sun 10-4pm.

The opening reception is on Thursday, June 4th from 5-8 pm. The opening is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. The opening will be part of the monthly Amherst Art Walk. Last year’s opening was attended by more than 300 students, parents and relatives, including many non-art students showing support for their peers. It is also an excellent way for students to see what type of work is done in all the various art classes to help them in their future course choices.

ARPS PGO Spring Public Meeting

ARPS PGO

Spring Public Meeting

June 17, 2015

6:30 – 8:00 PM

CF Community Room

Agenda

Introductions

End of Year Wrap Up

ValleyGives & future other joint fundraising opportunities

Voting on new representatives

Other new business

Odyssey Bookstore brings Judy Blume to Amherst College

Join The Odyssey Bookshop as we welcome acclaimed and beloved author Judy Blume to western Massachusetts on Thursday, June 25, at 7:00 pm. She will appear in conversation with author Curtis Sittenfeld as they discuss Blume's highly-anticipated new novel, In the Unlikely Event.

The purchase of In the Unlikely Event from the Odyssey Bookshopguarantees a seat at the venue and a spot in the book signing line. There are a limited number of books with tickets available. Book with ticket purchases may be made online (below), in-store, or via phone (413) 534-7307. Visit odysseybks.com for more details.