Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Mark Your Calendars

Jan 20th- Early Release Day; Latin Club Field Trip to Mt Holyoke Classics Day
Jan 23rd- Teacher Curriculum Day- No School
Jan 24th- Quarter 3 and Semester 2 Classes Begin
Feb 1st- Term 2 Progress Reports Sent Home
Feb 8th- Early Release
Feb 20th-24th- Winter Break- No School  

ALSCT Presents Shrek!- Final Weekend


"Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek..." Join ALSCT for a fabulous night of fun with all the characters you know and love--plus a live orchestra, spectacular sets, and a host of talented folks bringing it all to life!   Only 5 performances left!  See it this weekend at Bowker Auditorium at UMass:

Thursday, January 19 at 7:30 pm
Friday, January 20 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 21 at 1:00 pm (matinee)
Saturday, January 21 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, January 22 at 1:00 pm (matinee)

• buy tickets online

• by phone by calling  LSSE at 413-259-3065

• in person at the LSSE office, Amherst Regional Middle School, 170 Chestnut Street, Amherst, MA 01002 (Mon-Fri, 8:00-4:30 PM) or at the Theater Box Office (opens one hour before the show).

Overdue Books Amnesty at the Jones until Jan 31st

It’s a Great Time to Return Overdue Library Materials!
The Jones Library and branches will be offering an amnesty period from January 9 – 31, 2017 for library patrons who return overdue library materials.  Library patrons are encouraged to bring a non-perishable, non-expired food donation for the Amherst Survival Center when they return overdue library materials during this time.
“This is a great opportunity for patrons with long-overdue library materials to get those items back to the library without having to pay the fines that are accumulating,” says Amy Anaya, Head of Borrower Services at the Jones Library.  It’s important to note that the amnesty applies only to items that are being returned during this time.  It will not be possible to forgive existing overdue fines on items that have already been returned, or for billed or lost items.
The food collected will support the work of the Amherst Survival Center, a local service agency that assists many in our community in meeting their basic needs.
For further information about returning overdue items, please contact Amy Anaya at 413/259-3132.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

The Valley’s Got Talent Auditions

The First Annual Valley’s Got Talent competition will be held on Sunday, March 26th, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the Bangs Community Center. This is an amateur talent competition for all ages!  Auditions will be held on February 6th from 6:30 - 8:30 PM at the Bangs Community Center.

1st Prize $1000, 2nd Prize $500, 3rd Prize $250!

Auditions will be held on February 6th in the Bangs Community Center from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm.

For an application go to: https://www.amherstma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1818


Get Ready for Winterfest 2017!

The Annual Amherst Winterfest will be held on Feb. 11, 2017. The festival will be held at Cherry Hill Golf Course, 323 Montague Road.

The festival begins at 1 p.m. and ends after the 6 p.m. fireworks.

There’s the annual cardboard classic sled race with prizes for best design, as well as the "Best in Snow" dog show.

Amherst Baseball Registration

Amherst Baseball online registration is open. Here is some information:

How do I register?

Online registration for the 2017 season begins on January 15 at www.amherstbaseball.org. If you wish to register in person, we will have a table at Winterfest on February 11 and we will make registration available during indoor Spring Training on March 11 at the Amherst College cage. You can also request a registration form by sending an email to amherstbaseball@gmail.com.

Do you offer financial aid?

Yes! Scholarships are available to qualified families. Please email amherstbaseball@gmail.com if you wish to be considered for a need-based scholarship.

Who can register?

We have Spring leagues for children who are 5 years old up through and including the age of 16.  We have Summer leagues for ages 14 through 19, and Fall leagues for ages 9-13. All leagues are co-ed. You are eligible to play if you live or go to school in Amherst, Hadley, Pelham, Shutesbury or Leverett, and for Babe Ruth, Belchertown. You can also play with waiver from the district president. Email amherstbaseball@gmail.com for more information on waivers.

Do you offer any clinics?

Amherst College hosts its annual Winter Instructional Clinic on January 16 and 18, 2017 for ages 9-16. Players will participate in small groups and will be given individual attention and instruction by college coaches and players. You can register at  http://athletics.amherst.edu/sports/bsb/2016-17/releases/20161218m7n7or . We also offer coaching clinics.

When does the season start?

Our season starts with Indoor Spring Training will be held on Saturday March 11 and Sunday March 19 at the Amherst College cage. Please save the dates and we will provide more information on the website regarding the exact times for each age group. We practice for much of April outside, and games generally begin around May 1.

When does the season end?

The season ends around the same time that school ends in mid-June. Post-season tournaments for 9-10 and 11-12 year olds run from mid-June to mid- to late-July.

Do you have equipment available for purchase?

Families are invited to bring any unwanted baseball equipment to Spring Training on March 11. We will sort and offer this equipment on a first come-first serve basis at the March 19 Spring Training.

My child is playing for his school team. Can he also play Amherst Baseball?


Yes! We work closely with the schools to ensure that kids can play both school and town baseball by avoiding conflicts with practices and games.

Monday, January 16, 2017

AEF Celebrates Music in Our Schools!

AEF is thrilled to announce its spring fundraiser: Music in our Schools!

Emceed by Performing Arts Department Chair John Bechtold and State Representative Solomon Goldstein-Rose, the evening will be filled with tributes, performances, and wonderful food and drink.

AEF will be giving a special award to ARMS Chorus Director Dave Ranen and lifetime achievement recognitions to all of our district’s music educators, past and present, who have taught for more than 20 years in the schools.

AEF has invited all music educators to be our guests at our event, and is pleased to announce that we will be joined by Fort River Music Teacher Anne White, Crocker Farm Music Teacher Eleanor Lincoln, Wildwood Music Teacher Jacob Brownell, ARHS Chorale teacher Todd Fruth, and retired Band Leader Sue Dunbar. The list is still growing!

Proceeds will support AEF's 2017 excellence grants, with a portion going directly to the ARPS music program.  Tickets can be purchased online at : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aef-celebrates-music-in-our-schools-tickets-30365825000#tickets or by clicking here.

The event will be held at:  Marriott Center, Campus Center, 11th floor, UMass-Amherst
1 Campus Center Way, Amherst, MA