ARPS Update - Amherst - Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools

0 downloads 233 Views 3MB Size Report
Feb 9, 2018 - While Wildwood and Fort River scored equally on their level of need, Mr. McPherson recommended prioritizin
A RPS U p d at e Feb r u ar y 9, 20 18 A M essage f r om M ich ael M or r is, Su per in t en den t of Sch ools Thank you to our amazing facilities and transportation staff for getting our parking lots cleared in the worst possible weather and for safely transporting our students everyday! Since we had a snow day on the planned early release day this Wednesday, the early release has been rescheduled for Ever w on der h ow t h ey clean sn ow of f Wednesday, February t h e t op of t h e bu s? Th is is h ow ! 28. Please mark your calendars. Also, we have had three school closings so far, making the current last day of school June 19. The Enrollment Working Group, a volunteer group of parents/guardians, staff, and community members, has been studying enrollment patterns in the Amherst Elementary Schools for the past seven months. Four of the five subgroups have presented their findings in Amherst School Committee meetings over the past few months; the reports can be accessed here. At the next Amherst School Committee meeting on February 27, Phyllis Hardy, the Executive Director of MABE, will be coming to share her expertise as a follow-up to the Dual Language subgroup's recent report. At the Amherst School Committee meeting on March 13, I will share a formal response to all of the reports completed by the Enrollment Working Group. As usual, all members of the public are invited! The Jones Library has announced that the Amherst Regional High School Theater Program is a recipient of the Fifth Annual Samuel Minot Jones Awards for Literary Achievement, also known as the Sammy. The Theater Program is receiving the Sammy for significant contributions to Amherst?s literary culture. The Jones Library noted, ?In ARHS?s Theater Department, students have the opportunity to

take coursework in both the academic and practical applications of theater; participate in acting classes; write new works; direct plays; and work on the design of lighting, sound, and set plans for productions. Illustrious alumnae can be seen in many venues, from professional stages (playwright Annie Baker ?98, actor Libby Woodbridge ?05) to Hollywood (screenwriter/director Tom Bezucha ?82, actor Erik Mabius ?86, playwright Madeleine George ?92). The ARHS Theater Company was also recognized by American Theatre magazine in 2012 for its innovative staging of A Midsummer Night?s Dream.? Congratulations on this wonderful honor! I hope many of you had the opportunity to hear Ruby Bridges speak at Smith College last Friday. Pelham first grade teacher Giselle Gonzalez and fourth grader Alexandra Robb had the opportunity to meet Ms. Bridges after her presentation. She even signed the poster Alexandra's second grade brother Evan and another student made for their presentation on Ruby Bridges for Pelham School's Black History Month celebration. Because Evan was out sick, his sister brought the poster and got it signed. Last week I shared information about the Innovation Grant Five Colleges, Inc. received from the Community Foundation of Western MA. The Daily Hampshire Gazette published an article on Wednesday highlighting the work we and other local districts will be doing in partnership through these grant funds. Have a great weekend,

Superintendent

Updat e f r om t h e Am h er st Sch ool Com m it t ee Ch air an d Vice-Ch air Du al Lan gu age Su bgr ou p of t h e En r ollm en t Wor k in g Gr ou p At our February 5th meeting, the Amherst School Committee heard the fourth presentation by members of the Enrollment Working Group regarding creating a Spanish-English dual language program within the Amherst Public Schools. The subgroup shared their findings about the benefits of dual language study and bilingualism to all students. As part of their research, they conducted a survey of preschool and elementary parents about interest in a Spanish-English dual language program , reviewed earlier proposals for such a program, consulted with area experts, visited a dual language school in Holyoke, and held a focus group. Please click here for the full report and appendices. To continue this exploration, the Superintendent has invited Phyllis Hardy, executive director of the Multistate Association for Bilingual Education, Northeast (MABE), to present related information at the February 27th Amherst School Committee meeting. Community members will also have the opportunity to ask questions of Ms. Hardy. Please join us! Sch ool Bu ildin gs as Elect ion Pollin g Sit es Following security concerns expressed by parents about allowing our elementary schools to serve as election polling sites, the Superintendent asked the Amherst Police Department to examine the sites and make recommendations for increased safety. Lieutenant Brian Johnson conducted site visits to all three elementary schools and made several recommendations to the School Committee, which will be acted upon shortly. The full list of recommendations can be found here. The School Committee thanks community members for raising these questions and the Police Department for their thorough and prompt review. M SBA St at em en t s of In t er est Discu ssion Jim McPherson, Town Facilities Director, presented the Facilities Department?s findings regarding the infrastructure conditions at Wildwood and Fort River Elementary Schools. The work was done in anticipation of submitting 2018 Statements of Interest (SOIs) to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The district is required to indicate which building it prioritizes for replacement or renovation based on its condition; a chart rating the conditions of each building can be found here. While Wildwood and Fort River scored equally on their level of need, Mr. McPherson recommended prioritizing Fort River in the SOIs based on immediacy of challenges for working and learning conditions. Pr esch ool Par en t Resear ch Gr ou p Dr. Morris presented findings to the School Committee of a study conducted by University of Massachusetts MBA students seeking a better understanding of current preschool parents?perceptions about the ARPS school districts. The study made several recommendations, including improving communications with parents of young children. Questions or comments for the Amherst School Committee can be emailed to [email protected]. For posted meetings, agendas, and meeting minutes, please visit www.arps.org. Phoebe Hazzard, Chair

Anastasia Ordonez, Vice-Chair

Polit ics an d Past r ies with Representative Solomon Goldstein-Rose

Politics and Pastries, a free community social hosted by State Representative Solomon Goldstein-Rose, is every third Thursday,7-8 p.m.at Share in downtown Amherst. Featuring free dessert food, coffee, and tea, and often accompanied by a performance, this is a great low pressure way to learn more about state politics. The February 15th event will include an interactive dessert-based demonstration of Ranked Choice Voting, which is an election system reform which would reduce partisanship. Come chat, eat, and learn. Bring a friend!