Dear Parents and Guardians: Although this has been a short week

Dear Parents and Guardians:
Although this has been a short week, it’s been an eventful one with the Amherst School Committee voting on a
grade configuration model for the Elementary Building Project at their meeting on Tuesday. I’m happy to share a
report on their decision in my attached newsletter. I hope you’ll also read the newsletter for information about
free preschool screenings, a free Basic Rights in Special Education Workshop being offered by SEPAC and the
ARPS Family Center, and free spring semester evening courses being offered by Greenfield Community College
at ARMS.
Even though it sounds like we are going to be spared the brunt of it, the massive winter storm moving up the
eastern seaboard this weekend means it’s a good time for a reminder that you can call 362-1898 for school
cancellations or delays. We’ve been very fortunate so far this year not to have had any weather closings—last
year there had been two cancellations and two delayed openings by this time!
Have a great weekend!
Maria
Estimados padres y tutores:
Aunque esto ha sido una semana corta, ha sido uno llena de acontecimientos con la votación del Comité Escolar
de Amherst en el modelo de configuración de grado para el Proyecto de Construcción Escuela Elemental en su
reunión del martes. Estoy feliz de compartir un informe sobre su decisión en mi boletín adjunto. Espero que usted
también lea el boletín de información sobre las evaluaciones de preescolar gratis, el taller de Derechos Básicos de
Educación Especial ofrecidos gratuitamente por SEPAC y el Centro de Familia de ARPS, y los cursos nocturnos
del semestre de primavera que se ofrecen por Greenfield Community College gratis en ARMS.
A pesar de que suena como si fuésemos a ser librados de la peor parte de la enorme tormenta de invierno
ascendiendo en la costa este durante el fin de semana, es un buen momento para recordarle que puede llamar 3621898 para cancelaciones o retrasos escolares. Hemos sido muy afortunados en lo que va del año, de no tener
ningún cierre escolar debido al clima. ¡El año pasado a esta fecha, ya teníamos dos cancelaciones y dos aperturas
retardadas!
Tengan un excelente fin de semana!
Maria
Updat es f r om Su per i n t en den t M ar i a Ger yk
January 18-22, 2016
Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.
? Victor Hugo
Upcom ing
Event s
FROM THE
SUPERI NTENDENT
.
Monday, January 25
Policy Subcommittee
Superintendent's Conference Room (ARMS) @ 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 26
Regional School Committee
ARHS Library @ 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 27
Basic Rights in Special Education Workshop
ARPS Family Center @ 9:30a.m.
Fr ee
pr eschool
Scr eenings
avail abl e
The Amherst
Public Schools are providing free developmental
screenings for children three years to five years of
age. Parents and guardians who are interested can
make an appointment for a screening that will look
at their child's overall development in
speech/ language, fine and gross motor skills,
memory, ability to reason, color naming and
counting.
Screenings will be available by appointment on
Friday, February 5, 2016 at Crocker Farm
Elementary School. Please call Michele
Regan-Ladd, Preschool Coordinator, at
413-362-1610 to schedule an appointment.
On Tuesday night,
the Amherst
School
Committee voted
to approve the
grade
configuration
that will be used
going forward with the Amherst
Elementary Building Project.
The approved option will
reconfigure the Amherst
elementary schools so that
Crocker Farm will become a
PreK-grade one early childhood
school and a new building will
be built to house all Amherst
students in grades 2-6. The new
building will be arranged with
two autonomous schools, each
with its own principal, teacher
teams and specialists.
As I described in my official
recommendation I shared last
week, this option is the most
equitable for all students. It
eliminates the demographic
disparities that arise over the
years and require redistricting.
It also addresses the
deficiencies in the learning
environments of both the
Wildwood and Fort River
buildings. And it allows the
district to utilize resources in
the most efficient way possible.
I want to thank the School
Committee for their exhaustive
work on this project and
for their deliberative,
thoughtful decision. I
appreciate that this option
is not the preferred choice
of everyone in our
community, but I strongly
believe that we will all work
together to provide schools
that best support our children's
educational experience. I also
want to
thank our
district's
outstanding
faculty and
staff for
their work
on this
project to
date. They
are a truly exceptional
educational team!
There is still much work to do in
the MSBA process before these
new schools can become a
reality. I look forward to
continuing the process,to
hearing from our community,
and to sharing information with
you as things move forward.
Sincerely,
Maria
Updat e on Pot ent ial
Merging of ARMS & ARHS
Next Tuesday, January 26, at
6:00p.m., the Regional
School Committee will hear
the report on the study that's
been conducted regarding
the potential merger of
ARMS and ARHS in one
building. We hope you will
be able to
attend for
this
important
update!