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Amherst Regional High School, Library Entrance

Amherst Regional High School
21 Mattoon Street
Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 362-1700
Principal: Mark Jackson

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question about ARHS and you cannot find the information on this site, please contact the webmaster. Check back here in a few days to find the answer to your question.

Last Day of School

Why do different calendars show a different day for the last day of school?

The last day of school depends on how many snow days we have. When the 2007-2008 school year calendar was originally set, Friday June 13 was identified as the "Earliest Last Day of School." If there were no snow days, then school would indeed end on June 13. However, we have had four snow days so far this year. So at this point, the earliest last day of school is Thursday, June 19. If we have any more snow days (perish the thought!), then that day will change again. The monthly calendar on the ARHS website is updated for each snow day and shows the correct dates for exams in June.

Graduation

When is graduation for seniors?

Graduation will be on Friday, June 6 at 6 pm. To see all of the important dates for seniors, check our monthly calendar:
http://www.arps.org/hss/Calendar.jsp?month=June

Dress Code

Is there a dress-code or guidelines for appropriate dress at ARHS?

This is an excerpt from Section 23a of the Student Handbook:

"Students are expected to dress in a manner consistent with the academic and social goals of our school. Articles of clothing which are distracting or disruptive to the educational process, which violate common standards of decency and modesty, or which contain obscenities, fighting words, or references to gangs, drugs or alcohol are not acceptable. Extremely brief garments or see-through garments are not appropriate for school. Under garments must not be exposed. Any staff member who feels that a student's attire does not meet these standards may send the student to the Dean for a conference."

Weekend Access

Is there any way to get into the school on weekends? I left my homework on my school account.

The high school building is closed on weekends. Sometimes a small section of the building is open for a specific purpose, such as a performance. Even in this case, students would not have access to their lockers or school computers.

Students can access the files on their computer accounts from home by using an option known as NetStorage, which you can learn about from this tutorial.

Another option is a method known as FTP (File Transfer Protocol). This requires a program like Smart FTP, which is available for free for personal, noncommercial use. The host name to use is: "www.arps.org" and the login name would be something like this: ".cruzj.CL10.stu.soa" (don't forget the dot at the beginning of the login name!) Your school login password is required.

Senior Year Option

How does the Senior Year Option work?

As an alternative to Directed Study, or as an elective, seniors may choose to develop a plan for community based learning. Each senior who is interested will meet with a guidance counselor to plan his/her experience. With an approved plan a senior could leave school early (E period or D and E periods) to do an independent learning experience for one or more trimesters. The experience might be: community service, an internship, a college class, independent study, work-study, or something similar.

Nunia Mafi and Sherry Balzano are coordinating the Senior Year Option Program.

PE Requirements

What is going on with PE requirements?

Due to budget cuts, we have made significant changes in the graduation requirements for Physical Education. Previously, students needed 8 credits of PE in order to graduate, which was typically satisfied by taking 1 trimester of PE each year for four years. Now students need only 4 credits of PE in order to graduate.

In addition, students must complete one trimester of Health Education. Health is moving from the 9th to the 10th grade and will not be offered in 2007-2008.

For the 2007-2008 school year, tenth graders will not be taking Health Education because they took it last year in ninth grade. Instead, they are required to choose one PE elective for the year.

Eleventh and twelfth grade students may choose PE as an elective, but are not required to take PE. We encourage all students to maintain their personal fitness by taking PE classes and participating in athletics and other opportunities outside of school.

Jane Ames is the head of the department for Physical Education.

Community Service Opportunities

Can students do community service instead of a study hall?

Yes. This year, we have about 200 students performing a variety of services for the school. Students may act as peer tutors, library aides, office aides, or contribute a special skill, such as assisting with the school web site. They should contact the Guidance Office for information about community service.

Study Hall Requirement

What will the study hall requirement be for the 2007-2008 academic year?

With our trimester schedule, there are fifteen course blocks available over the course of the year (five blocks each trimester). During the 2006-2007 academic year, students were allowed to sign up for courses during fourteen of those blocks. This left one block for a study hall or community service. During the 2007-2008 academic year, this requirement will continue.

We had planned on requiring two blocks of study in order to cut costs but recently the School Committee has voted additional funding for elective courses. This means that students now need to update their course request forms in order to sign up for an additional course block.

Seniors may choose to meet the study hall requirement by participating in the Senior Year Option program, which allows them to leave the school building early in order to do community based learning.

Some students meet the study hall requirement by their participation in one of these programs:

Academic Support (special education)
Project Challenge
Prep Academy
English or Math Study Center
Reading
Pre-Algebra (all three trimesters)

These students do not need to sign up for a study hall.

For students who take part in our music program, the study halls work out a little differently. The music ensembles meet during all three trimesters. They don’t meet every day, however. Instead, the ensembles meet three days a week while students go to study hall the other two days of the week. When a student signs up for an ensemble, this counts as two of the fourteen allowable course blocks, and as one study hall block which meets the requirement of one study hall.

Assistant Principal Annie Leonard is in charge of the master schedule at ARHS.

Remote Email Access

Why can’t I access my school email account on the ARPS webpage?

In order to access your school email via the web, you need a special password. This password is not related to the password that you already use to log on to the school's computer network. You set up the special password through Groupwise while you are at school. Once the password exists, you will be able to access your school email by clicking on "ARPS Email Access" from www.arps.org. Go to Room 141 for help in setting up the password.

If you have in fact set up a special password through Groupwise, but you still can't access your email, there might be a problem with that server. Check back later. If the problem persists, there might be something wrong with your account. Go to Room 141 to report the problem.

Kathy Wilkes in Room 141 helps students use the computer network effectively. She also files work orders to fix problems with a student's computer account. This assistance is available during the school day, until 2:30 pm.

Work Permits

Who, in the Amherst schools, is responsible for handling work permits?

Work permits are issued by the Office of Student Support Services, located in Room 309 of the high school. Students who are 16 or 17 can come to that office and get a work permit to take to their employer. Students who are 14 and 15 need to come and get a work permit application. That application needs to be filled out by the employer and a doctor, and also signed by a parent/guardian. Students then return the completed application to the office in order to receive their work permit.

Contact Erika Grundstrom in the Office of Student Support Services for more information.

Taking Courses at Greenfield Community College

Where can I find information regarding ARHS's cooperative program with Greenfield Community College? Specifically, I would like to know (1) how a student becomes eligible (grade requirements, course levels, etc) to apply; (2) how do the school semesters match up; (3) transportation options if a student isn't yet driving; (4) fees; (5) credits.

Students interested in this program, known as ETP, should contact the guidance office at the high school. Students go through an application process and those who are accepted attend GCC full time. There is a fee for each semester at a greatly reduced rate. Scholarship funds are available for low income students. We provide a daily bus. Students earn both high school and college credits for their classes at GCC.

Guidance counselor Michael Bardsley works with ETP students.

Half Day before Thanksgiving

What time is school dismissed on the day before Thanksgiving? Do all classes meet on that day?

School is dismissed at 11:55 am on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. We follow a special schedule, where all five classes meet for a shortened period.

Discipline Policies

Where can I find a document explaining the school's discipline policies?

At the beginning of the year, all students receive a copy of the Student Handbook. This booklet includes the school's discipline code. The discipline code is also posted online at http://www.arps.org/hs/Policies/CodeOfConduct.pdf.

Dean of Students Mary Custard is in charge of discipline for 9th and 11th graders at ARHS. Dean of Students Nakaia Smith is in charge of discipline for 10th and 12th graders at ARHS.

Website Error

How do I report on error I found on this website?

We are committed to keeping this site informative, up-to-date and correct. If you encounter a problem while navigating the site, please fill out our error report form.

Mathematics and Computer Education teacher Nina Koch is in charge of the web site at ARHS.

Yearbook

How much is the year book? To whom do I write the check? How do I pick it up?

The 2007 yearbook costs $52. Checks can be made payable to "ARHS Yearbook." Books can be picked up the Friday before Memorial Day or the week after, after school. To order a yearbook, use this form. The deadline for ordering is November 3. They can also be ordered online at www.jostens.com. Checks can be mailed to the high school or put in the yearbook drop box outside the cafeteria.

Are older yearbooks still for sale?

2006 yearbooks are still available. They are $25. We are sold out of '05 and '04 yearbooks.

When are baby pictures due?

Baby pictures for seniors were due on Sept. 15. We will still accept them. If seniors do not have a baby picture, they can submit any photo, preferable from an earlier age. They will be returned in June.

Can I still buy a "parent ad" for my senior?

Recognition ads for seniors were due on October 20. We will continue to accept them until January. Space for color ads is limited, however. You can download the order form here.

When are senior portraits and quotes due?

Senior portraits and quotes are due on November 3rd. Lifetouch Photographers have completed their visits to ARHS. School portraits will be used for seniors who do not submit a portrait. Quotes must be emailed to yearbook@arps.org. They must be 300 characters or less and cannot contain no references to drugs or alcohol consumption, profanity or libel.

Technology Education teacher Lee Larcheveque is the advisor to the yearbook. He can be reached at yearbook@arps.org or 362-1578.

Courses Not Offered

I’m wondering about certain courses which are not offered this year. Why are the courses not offered? How could I find out more about this?

Some of our courses are offered every other year. As you plan out what you want to take each year, it’s good to look ahead and see when things are offered. For example, you might decide to take something in your junior year because it won’t be offered in your senior year.

In other cases, courses are not offered due to staffing and budgetary considerations. This is especially true for elective courses. Additionally, sometimes courses are offered in the Program of Studies, but then they do not run because not enough people sign up for the course.