PGO Meeting Date Change

The February ARMS PGO meeting will be a daytime meeting, on Wednesday February 11th at 11 AM at The Works.  Topics for discussion will include MCAS snacks,  the upcoming Staff Appreciation Lunch (March 30th,) the ARMS Educator Award, and end of the year activities.  All parents and guardians are welcome to attend!  The March PGO meeting will return to the evening time slot on Tuesday, March 8th at 6:30 PM in the ARMS library.

Supporting Struggling Readers Workshop

The ARPS SEPAC is offering workshops in February for parents of struggling readers.  The workshops will be held in the ARHS Library.
Nuts and Bolts of Dyslexia will be held on February 1, 2016 from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. Speakers are Betsy Dinger, Renee Greenfield, Emily Pritchard and Tammy Sullivan-Daley will given parents an opportunity to learn some basic facts about why so many students struggle with reading.

“Dislecksia,” a documentary by Harvey Hubbell V, will be shown and a panel discussion will be held on February 8, 2016 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.  Is your child a struggling or reluctant reader? If so, please consider joining us for a unique opportunity to watch an award-winning film about dyslexia and participate in a panel discussion. Our panelists offer a wide range of perspectives.

The book, “Overcoming Dyslexia” by Sally Shaywitz will be discussed on February 29, 2016 from 5:30 to 7 pm.   This book is a must read for anyone with a child who struggles to read. It’s not a sign of intelligence or limitation of one’s potential.  This workshop will discuss steps parents can take to help students with their learning differences. It’s never too late to make sure the proper supports are in place.  Please read the book ahead of time!

RSVP to SEPAC at 687-4255 or sepac@arps.org.  Childcare is provided with advanced notice.

Soup for Syria Benefit this Weekend

SOUP FOR SYRIA, a community-wide benefit for Syrian refugees, will be hosted by the Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St. Amherst, on Sunday, January 31 at 4:30pm. Professor David Mednicoff, UMass Director of Middle Eastern Studies, Michel Moushabeck, publisher of the cookbook Soup for Syria, and Michael Kane of Valley Syrian Relief will update us on the Syrian refugee crisis, the greatest refugee crisis since World War II with over 12 million victims. Music will be performed by musicians from the Layaali Arabic Music Ensemble and Klezperanto. Delicious soups from Soup for Syria will be served. A collection will be taken for the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation, providers of desperately needed services. Attendees can purchase Soup for Syria and books by Syrian authors to further support Syrian refugees. The event is free and the public is welcome. For those who wish to contribute but are unable to attend a check payable to SAMS can be sent to the JCA, 742 Main St. Amherst, MA 01002. For more information call (413) 256-0493.

National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day to Benefit Whole Children

On Saturday, February 6, 2016 from 9am – 12pm (noon), Herrell’s® will sponsor their second annual “National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day” to benefit Whole Children. The menu will consist of waffles and ice cream, cereal Smoosh-in®s, coffee à la mode, hot cocoa, glazed doughnuts, breakfast ice cream flavors, and more.

For more information, click here.

Mark Your Calendars

Jan 22- Quarter 2 and Semester 1 Classes End

Feb 3- Term 2 Progress Reports Available on Parent Portal

Feb 9- PGO Meeting, Noon (at The Works)
Feb 10- Early Release
Feb 15 - 19- February Vacation Week- No School 

Feb 24- Smiles Dentist Van at ARMS

March 17- Early Release

March 18 - No School- Teacher Work Day

February PGO Meeting

Our next PGO meeting is Tuesday, February 9th at noon at The Works.  We encourage all to attend to discuss, MCAS snack distribution, Staff Appreciation Day (March 30th) and end of the year activities for both grades. 

Soup for Syria Benefit

SOUP FOR SYRIA, a community-wide benefit for Syrian refugees, will be hosted by the Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St. Amherst, on Sunday, January 31 at 4:30pm. Professor David Mednicoff, UMass Director of Middle Eastern Studies, Michel Moushabeck, publisher of the cookbook Soup for Syria, and Michael Kane of Valley Syrian Relief will update us on the Syrian refugee crisis, the greatest refugee crisis since World War II with over 12 million victims. Music will be performed by musicians from the Layaali Arabic Music Ensemble and Klezperanto. Delicious soups from Soup for Syria will be served. A collection will be taken for the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation, providers of desperately needed services. Attendees can purchase Soup for Syria and books by Syrian authors to further support Syrian refugees. The event is free and the public is welcome. For those who wish to contribute but are unable to attend a check payable to SAMS can be sent to the JCA, 742 Main St. Amherst, MA 01002. For more information call (413) 256-0493.

Trivia Night at Jones Library

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, February 4, 2016 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.

Old Fashioned Letter Writing at Jones Library

An Old Fashioned Letter Writing program will be held at Jones Library on February 11 from 5 to 6 pm.  Using the Special Collections exhibit Courtship by Mail as inspiration, teens will learn about the art of letter-writing and create some of their own mail to send.  As inspiration, an exhibit of vintage Valentines and old love letters will be on exhibit.     Participants will get to experience this exhibit in an exclusive after-hours session (Special Collections will be closed to the public but open to teens).  We’ll have lot of letter-writing supplies on hand, and even have tips for finding celebrity addresses. This program will be led by Special Collections Curator Cynthia Harbeson and Mia Cabana (Head of Youth Services).  Register by calling the Jones Library Kids’ Room at 413-259-3091 or kids@joneslibrary.org

Attention 7th Grade Families: ARMS Math Portfolio Group

The ARMS Math Portfolio Group takes place after school but it is not a club. The group functions

as a fast-paced three semester class with homework, classwork, and tests. This class is designed

to cover the content of honors 9th grade math.

 

Students will begin the ARMS Math Portfolio Group as 7th graders and continue the work as 8th

graders. Students who successfully complete the portfolio during 7th and 8th grades have the

opportunity to take the 10th grade math class as 9th graders at ARHS. Any 7th grade student can join

the group; however completion of the portfolio is contingent on maintaining both a rapid pace of

learning and meeting high assessment criteria.  

 

Students who participate in the portfolio group are expected to:

● Attend one or both of the after school sessions, Mondays and Wednesdays, from 2:30 p.m.

to 3:45 p.m for the second half of 7th grade and all of 8th grade.

● Complete assignments and assessments.  Sessions for 7th graders will begin on Monday, January 25, 2016. The first two weeks will serve as a trial period for interested students to experience the work. After which parents will be invited to hear more about the expectations for completion of the portfolio.

 

For more information, please click here.

 

Jones Library Offerings for Teen and Young Adults

Whether you are searching for the latest YA books, paging through a 'zine, or diving into your favorite manga series, the Jones Library System has lots to offer!  Check them out online at:  http://joneslibrary.org/193/Teens-Young-Adults

Ski & Skate Sale - Please Read if you Attended on Friday

An unfortunate situation from the Amherst Lions Ski & Skate Sale -- if you attended & made credit card purchases there on Friday, please read:

Unfortunately, all credit card purchases made at Amherst Lions Ski/Skate Sale on Friday, January 8, 2016, between 6 PM  and 9 PM were not processed through Pay Pal. The credit card machine malfunctioned. No records of purchasers names/addresses/telephone numbers were made by the volunteers who worked the check-out station.

Please spread the word on your blogs and in your school community. The Lions Club is hoping people who paid with credit cards will come forward to pay for equipment with cash/check. Checks should be payable to Amherst Lions.

The money from this event is 100% distributed back to ARPS and the community. The Lions Club is asking for the community's help.

This event was not school-sponsored but we ask that you help as the Lions are such strong community partners who support ARPS in many ways.

If you have any questions please contact Todd at tacromack@comcast.net.

Mark Your Calendars

Jan 18- No School- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Jan 22- Quarter 2 and Semester 1 Classes End

Feb 3- Term 2 Progress Reports Available on Parent Portal
Feb 10- Early Release
Feb 15 - 19- February Vacation Week- No School

Mark Your Calendars

Jan 12- ARMS Geography Bee

Jan 13- Early Release Day- Noon dismissal

Jan 14- ARMS Geography bee- Snow Date

Jan 18- No School- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Jan 22- Quarter 2 and Semester 1 Classes End

Feb 3- Term 2 Progress Reports Available on Parent Portal

ARPS Attendance Policy

The ARPS District would like to ensure that all parents and guardians are aware of the district attendance guidelines.  The policy and guidelines can be read here: ATTENDANCELETTER

Town Manager Search- Community Forums

The Town of Amherst is hosting 3 community forums scheduled to solicit community opinion on what skills, experience and attributes Amherst should be looking for in its next Town Manager.
These forums are scheduled on the following dates & times:
Tuesday January 19  3pm- 5pm & 7pm- 9pm in the Town Room (Town Hall)
Wednesday, January 20 9am- 11am in the Woodbury Room (Jones Library)
The forums will be facilitated by Executive Recruiter Bernie Lynch of Community Paradigm Associates.

LSSE Presents: Mary Poppins

Tickets are on sale now for Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater’s performances of Mary Poppins at Bowker Auditorium. Performances will be: Thursday, January 14 at 7:30 pm (general admission); Friday, January 15 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, January 16 at 1:00 pm; Sunday, January 17 at 1:00 pm; Thursday, January 21 at 7:30 pm; Friday, January 22 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, January 23 at 1:00 pm; Saturday, January 23 at 7:30 pm; and Sunday, January 24 at 1:00 pm.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $16 for students/seniors and $10 for children age 10 and under. For the general admission seating on January 14, 2015, tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for children age 10 and under. There is a $1.75 processing fee per ticket.
Tickets may be purchased in person at the LSSE office in the Bangs Community Center; through amherstma.gov/948/Community-Theater; or by calling LSSE at 413-259-3065.

Film Screening & Discussion: Cracking the Codes – The System of Racial Inequality

 Join us on Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 7:00 pm in the Woodbury Room for a screening of Cracking the Codes – The System of Racial Inequality.  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.

This film from Shakti Butler asks America to talk about the causes and consequences of systemic inequity. Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity features stories from racial justice leaders and others of many different racial backgrounds. Van Jones says, “Cracking the Codes challenges us to build a world that works for everyone.”

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/.

Voter Registration Info from the LWV

Did you know that voters must be 18 by election day (not necessarily by the day they register), and of course they must be U.S. citizens.

Other useful information:
If you have an ID issued by the Mass Registry of Motor Vehicles (e.g., a drivers license), you can now register on line.  Visit www.sec.state.ma.us and click the "Massachusetts Register to Vote Online" button to access the online application system.  (You can also update your address or change your party affiliation here if you are already registered.)  If you don't have the appropriate ID, you can still get a form here to print, sign and deliver to the Town Clerk's office (of the town where you reside, preferably, for your students from surrounding areas such as Pelham, Leverett or Shutesbury.)  Of course, those offices also have registration forms.
In this state, you may vote in the primary elections even if you have not registered in a party.  If you register in a party you can only get the ballot of that party.  If not, you can choose your ballot on election day.
Important dates:
February 10:  Last day to register to vote in the Presidential primary election on March 1.  If you will be 18, this will be an exciting election for your first time out!
March 9:  Last day to register to vote in the March 29 Town Election for Amherst residents.  (Surrounding towns do not have local elections this time of year.)  In addition to candidates for Town offices and Town meeting, there is also at least one ballot initiative in this election, to form a committee to review and possibly revise the Town Charter.
August 19:  Last day to register to vote in the primary election on September 8 (for offices other than President--federal, state, and perhaps district or local, depending on where you live.)
October 19:  Last day to register to vote in the general election on November 8 (for President, other federal, state and local offices and state ballot measures.)
For more information, please visit the Amherst Town Clerk's site at https://www.amherstma.gov/81/Voter-Information.

Oscars Movie Series at the Jones Library

Get in the mood for this year’s Academy Awards, which will air on February 28, by joining us for this film series at the Jones Library. This four week series will feature some of the films that were in the running for one of the Academy Awards last year.
Join us in the Woodbury Room at 6:30 pm for this Tuesday evening film series, which will begin on January 19 and end on February 9, 2016. For the program of specific film titles, pick up a flyer on your next visit to the library or visit our website for complete movie titles and ratings information at http://www.joneslibrary.org.

This film series is possible thanks to the Friends of the Jones Libraries. Free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223.