Learning at ARPS
March 2, 2007
Dear Everyone Learning @ Amherst, Region, and Pelham Schools:
On Monday and Tuesday, March 5 and 6, the Regional and Amherst School Committees will review school budgets (and cut lists), respectively. Final budgets will be voted by the School Committees at their next meetings. Over the next few months, the budget debate will continue locally and there will be debate at the state and federal levels, as well. Thank you for staying informed and getting involved. These months will be consuming and challenging, a predictable factor in cutting budgets for the fourth year running. While we have heard from many, there are still opportunities for your voice to be heard and for your participation in our work as a school system.
In recent weeks, I have talked with a few individuals who are critical of our school operations. While one believes we are too compliant with federal and state regulations, another believes we still have a ways to go in being compliant with federal and state regulations. One argues we spend too much on special education as another demands more costly services and programs that exceed agreed upon needs. Some believe we are dedicating too much effort for MCAS and curriculum alignment while others welcome the intentionality of our effort for achievement for all. One appeals for greater supervision and evaluation of employees to insure academic rigor for all children, while another claims we do not need administrators in the schools. The dichotomies go on and on.
School districts everywhere experience this level of discord and thank goodness for that. Schools are public and there should be public debate about our challenges and public scrutiny of our work. Public--and civil--debate and scrutiny. It seems, however, that the issues become compounded, arguments become generalized, and participants tend to become more vocal and "dug in" when there are limited resources. And, while scarcity necessitates difficult choices and fosters vigorous debate, a group can easily lose its way and sight of its mission when competition for limited resources begins.
Our mission is pretty simple: the achievement, academic engagement, and school membership (sense of belonging) of every student--not some--EVERY student.
We may not all agree on the best means of achieving those ends. We may differ on approach or philosophy. We may have differing perceptions of what is a priority. I would expect us to agree, however, on keeping our eye on the prize, focusing on each and every student coming home and saying, "I had a great day in school today!" and working collaboratively for the success of each young man and woman in our schools who will walk across the stage beaming as s/he receives an Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools Diploma in 2007, 2008, 2009... 2019.
Thank you for your interest.
Jere Hochman
Superintendent
LEGISLATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE FORMING
Annually, policy and budgetary issues are addressed at the State and Federal levels which affect our children and our schools. State funding, bus idling, graduation requirements, charter school tuition, special education funding, and high stakes testing are a few of the topics on which we have engaged our state and national legislators to act on our behalf. School Committee members, many of you, and I have attended periodic legislative meetings or met with legislators locally, in Boston or in Washington to advocate for our children. Many of you have written to your legislators as a result of this
learning@arps.org email or from another listserve.
We are forming a Legislative Action Committee to formalize our efforts. This Legislative Committee will be a politically neutral group of students, residents, business leaders, community members, parents, and staff. The Committee will study and become informed about town(s), state and federal policies and legislation that affect or could affect the schools. The committee will develop a set of guiding principles representative of community expectations for the schools, meet regularly to review legislation, and analyze all sides of issues pertinent to the schools in order to:
* provide feedback to the School Committees and the Superintendent,
* communicate with elected officials,
* educate other parents and the community about issues affecting the schools and
* encourage legislative advocacy that supports the education of every student.
To begin, I have scheduled a first meeting for Thursday, March 15 at 3:30. Please RSVP to this email if you are interested in participating, even if you cannot attend this first organizational meeting.
AMHERST REGIONAL'S PERFORMING ARTS BENEFIT CONCERT
Amherst Education Foundation and Friends of Amherst Regional Performing Arts are pleased to present the Spring Performing Arts Benefit show next Friday, March 9 at 7:00 PM at the Amherst Regional High School Auditorium. Performers will include The Hurricane Singers, select members of the ARHS Jazz Ensemble, members of the ARHS Dance Theatre Ensemble, and Blackberry Jam.
Advance tickets are available at The Jones Library (43 Amity St., Amherst) and Food for Thought Books (106 North Pleasant St., Amherst). Advance ticket prices are $10 Adults / $5 children and students. Tickets will also be available at the door for $15 Adults / $5 children and students. (Maximum of $35.00 per family.)
Proceeds from the show will be used to support the music and performing arts programs in the Amherst Regional Schools.
ARHS STUDENT ONE OF MASSACHUSETTS TOP TWO YOUTH VOLUNTEERS SELECTED IN 12TH ANNUAL NATIONAL AWARDS PROGRAM
David Poritz, 18, of Amherst was named one of Massachusetts top two youth volunteers for 2007 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 12th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary Principals (NASSP).
As a State Honoree, David will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C., where he will join the top two honorees - one middle level and one high school youth - from each of the other states and the District of Columbia for several days of national recognition events. Ten of these students will be named Americas top youth volunteers for 2007 at that time.
David, a senior at Amherst Regional High School, founded a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities adversely affected by oil contamination in the Amazon River basin of Ecuador. While studying the Ecuadorian rain forest in sixth grade, David read about an environmental and civil rights attorney who happened to be his teacher's father. After being introduced to the lawyer, David was offered an internship in his law office, where he helped research cases involving oil contamination in Ecuador. He eventually got to visit the country. Witnessing children with sores over their bodies bathing in contaminated waters and walking barefooted in toxic waste had a deep impact on me, he said. When I returned to Amherst, I felt a moral obligation to help these people.
David spent a month learning to speak Spanish fluently, and then organized a drive throughout New England that collected 12,500 pairs of shoes for children in Ecuador. Since then, Davids organization, Esperanza International, Inc., has raised money to furnish educational materials to impoverished schools, and provide medical supplies and support to local clinics. He also has guided groups of students and teachers to the Ecuadorian jungle, interviewed Ecuadorian cancer patients, and worked as a liaison for doctors' and other medical specialists' visits the area. My message to other students is about the importance of moving beyond their comfort zone, learning about injustices inflicted upon others and following their hearts to make a difference, said David.
All public and private middle level and high schools in the country, as well as all Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and Volunteer Centers were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award this past November. More than 7,500 local honorees were then review by state-level judges, who selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.
For information on David and all of this years Prudential Spirit of Community State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists, visit www.prudenital.com/spirit or www.principals.org/prudential.
ARHS STUDENT NAMED WINNER OR MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AWARD
The Massachusetts School Library Association has selected ARHS senior Alexandra Seager as the grade 7-12 Division winner of the MSLA 2007 Bookmark Design Contest. The contest asked student artists to design a bookmark to convey one of the activities, lessons and experiences they have had in their school library using the theme "School Libraries: Adventures in Information." Alexandra designed a bookmark illustrating librarian Leslie Lomasson's lesson to "get lost in your own fairy tale" at the ARHS library.
For her winning design, Alexandra will be awarded $25 in book gift certificates and 500 copies of her winning bookmark for the ARHS library. She will also be honored at an official ceremony at the State House on March 8th in front of the grand staircase. In addition, various vendors will be awarding prizes to the ARHS library in honor of Alexandra's award. More information about this award is available at www.maschoolibraries.org.
AGENDA for REGULAR Meeting of REGIONAL School Committee
7:00 PM, MONDAY-March 5, 2007
High School Library
1. Welcome
A. Call to Order
B. Agenda Review
C. Minutes-February 6, 2007
2. Announcements and Public Comment
3. Superintendents Update
4. Unfinished/Continuing Business
A. FY08 Budget
o Increase High School Preschool Fees
o Increase School Lunch Prices for FY08
o Budget Assumptions Update
o FY08 Proposed Budget
5. New Business
A. Parent Center Presentation
B. Accept In-Kind Donation
6. Reports
7. Sub-Committee Reports
8. School Committee Planning
A. Calendar review
B. Items for upcoming meetings
9. Adjourn
AGENDA for REGULAR Meeting of AMHERST School Committee
7:00 PM, TUESDAY-March 6, 2007
High School Library
1. Vote for Executive Session
2. Welcome
A. Call to Order & Agenda Review
B. Minutes-February 13, 2007
3. Announcements and Public Comment
4. Superintendents Update
5. Unfinished/Continuing Business
A. Policies for Approval
B. FY08 Budget
o Increase School Lunch Prices for FY08
o Budget Assumptions Update (Included in Regional Agenda packet)
o FY08 Proposed Budget
6. New Business
7. Reports
8. School Committee Planning
A. Sub-committee reports
B. Items for upcoming meetings
C. Calendar review
9. Adjourn