MCAS mathematics testing for students in 10th grade starts on Monday, May 13. See important information about MCAS.
Course verification forms are due on Friday, May 10. Students should return the signed forms to their A period teacher.
Progress reports were issued on Monday, May 6. If you did not receive one, contact the appropriate guidance counselor.
Calvin Terrell, warrior for peace and racial justice, will visit Amherst on May 7, as part of the Office of the Superintendent’s initiative to bring the national conversation on public education to the greater Amherst community. The public is invited to An Evening with Calvin Terrell on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 pm in the ARHS auditorium.
Students, families, and staff are invited to join the ARPS contingent at this year’s Northampton Pride Parade. See details about the event.
Don’t miss Chorale performing live on WGBY on Sunday, April 28th at 7:00 p.m. With top honors in the Classical (Secular) and Gospel categories of WGBY’s Together in Song series, Chorale will now be featured in the series’ live showcase at the Paramount Theater. Buy tickets for the show or watch from home and send a text message of support for our singers!
See the latest news from PRISM, our after school enrichment program.
Congratulations to our vocal ensembles! Both the ARHS Chorale and the Hurricane Singers won gold medals at the state choral festival. Read more about this great honor and see pictures of the singers.
Congratulations to the ARHS Science Olympiad Team. At the state competition, An Chu and Clara Dahill-Baue won a 5th place ribbon in Water Quality; while An Chu and Jonathan Simmonds won a 2nd place medal in Mystery Engineering. Also, Jonathan Simmonds and Aliyah Sarro-Schwartz won a 3rd place medal in Forestry. Overall, the team came in 12th in the state.
See the video created by ARHS Women’s Rights Club about the White Ribbon Day Campaign to end violence against women and girls.
Members of the community are invited to La Noche Cubana, a fundraiser for Casa Latina on Saturday, April 6 at 7pm at Florence Community Center, 140 Pine St., Florence.
Read about the experiences of our African Scholars, upon return from the school’s first exchange trip to Africa.
Support the ARHS Chorale on WGBY’s Together in Song! Listen to their performance of As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending or Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho and then leave a comment or like them on Facebook.
Report cards for Term 2 were distributed to students on Tuesday, March 26. If you did not receive one, contact the appropriate guidance counselor.
Incoming 9th graders: see registration information for the 2013-2014 school year
Congratulations to violinist Anna Perkins winner of the Windham Orchestra’s concerto competition! Anna performed Lalo’s Symphonie Espangole with the orchestra. She is a member of the ARHS Symphonic Orchestra.
Congratulations to playwright Annie Baker, ARHS class of 1999, who has been honored with the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and the Horton Foote Writer’s Retreat. In 2010, Baker won an Obie Award for Best New American Play .
Due to the weather forecast, the MCAS composition test scheduled for Tuesday, March 19 has been POSTPONED until Monday, March 25th (per Department of Elementary and Secondary Education).
ELA tests for Thursday, March 21 and Friday, March 22 will still be held.
ARHS 9th grader George Hamilton will be honored as a Hometown Hero by the American Red Cross on March 28 at the Mass Mutual Center. Read about George’s quick thinking that saved the life of his mother.
The PowerSchool Portal will be closed to parents and students until report cards are issued on March 26. Students who need information about incompletes or missing assignments should contact their teachers or an office secretary.
Parents of ELL students are invited to a meeting on Wednesday, March 20 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the high school library. Please come to learn more about communication with the high school, course registration, high school graduation requirements, state testing, applying to college, the after-school program, summer school, and more. Get all of your questions answered. Translators will be provided.
Tickets are now available for the 9th Annual Amherst Monte Carlo Night! Join us on Saturday, March 16 at Valentine Hall, Amherst College, for a fantastic night of fun while supporting ARHS Athletics. Doors open at 6:30pm.
Important Weather Update: Even if there is a weather-related delayed opening on Thursday, March 7, both A and E period exams will be administered. So, please do not let the forecast lure you into thinking that you don’t have to study for your exams, that somehow they will be postponed. They won’t be!
Congratulations to Sasha Yakub who was named Concertmaster of the Massachusetts All-State Festival Orchestra, an honor that places him at the top of all high school violin players in the Commonwealth!
There are no classes on Monday, March 11. Term 3 starts on Tuesday, March 12. Students should report to homeroom at 7:45 am. We will follow a special schedule.
Read about our culinary arts students on MassLive.com.
The MCAS English/Language Arts test will be given to all 10th grade students on Thursday, March 21, Friday, March 22, and Monday, March 25 beginning at 7:45 a.m. Students will need to check the room list posted on the bulletin board in the front lobby to find out in which classroom they will be testing. It is very important that students arrive on time on testing days and report directly to their assigned room. They will not have access to their locker or backpacks during testing time, but may bring a book to read when finished testing (no school books, please). Remember: be sure your student gets a good night's rest, and eats a healthy breakfast each morning! We appreciate parent/guardian support of our students during this testing period.
See the PowerPoint presentation about the registration process from Wednesday, February 27. The PGO course registration night featured presentations by Danae Marr and Simon Leutz, Department Heads from English and Social Studies, who shared information about 11th and 12th grade electives in their departments.
On Wednesday, March 13, ARHS staff will present Family Curriculum Night for incoming 9th graders at 7pm in the ARHS auditorium. Registration information is available at www.arps.org/hs/Academics/Registration/.
It’s tournament time! The Boys Varsity Basketball team hosts Pittsfield in a first-round game tonight at 7 PM. Come out and support our Hurricanes!
Course registration opens on Monday, February 25 at 3 pm and closes on Friday, March 1 at 3pm. Registration materials were mailed home to students on Thursday, February 21.
There will be no school during winter vacation week, February 18 to 22. All school offices will be closed on Monday, February 18 in observance of President’s Day. From Tuesday, February 19 to Friday, February 22, the main office will be open from 8 am to 3pm.
Please read the letter from the superintendent, principal and athletic director regarding the ARHS girls swim team and the Western Massachusetts swim meet.
Events Rescheduled:
-The Princeton Review Diagnostic Test scheduled for Saturday, Feb 9th has been changed to Saturday, March 2nd.
-The Boys Basketball vs Westfield game has been rescheduled to February 18th at 4:30
-The Western Mass Track and Field Championships will take place on Monday February 11 at 6 pm
-The Western Mass Swimming Championships are canceled
Our African Scholars have returned to Amherst. See photos and news on the African Scholars Blog.
The parent/guardian workshop scheduled for Thursday, February 7 has been canceled.
Congratulations to the ARHS students named to the All-State Band, Orchestra and Chorus. See a list of the students receiving this honor.
Congratulations to ARHS staff members Momodou Sarr and Mary Custard, recipients of this year’s Norma Jean Anderson Civil Rights and Academic Achievement Award. See photos from the awards ceremony and read the letters of nomination.
Registration for AP Exams closes on Friday, March 8. See information about testing dates and fees.
Due to the forecast of inclement weather, all afterschool activities, sports and rehearsals are canceled.
See an exhibit of 16 works by ARHS Art Teacher Jeff Stauder at Hampden Gallery at UMass. The show, "Jeff Stauder: I, Pilgrim", runs from January 28th to February 21st, with a reception on Sunday, February 10th from 2 to 4 pm.
See the latest news from PRISM, our afterschool program.
Congratulations to the students who won awards at Pioneer Valley Classics Day. See a list of the students and a picture of the costume contest winners.
See the latest issue of our college newsletter from College Advisor Myra Ross.
Please see the school’s press release regarding an incident at the boys varsity basketball game against South Hadley. Questions or concerns should be directed to either Mr. Jackson or Mr. Ferro. Thank you
Congratulations to Ana Sofia Semedo and Regina East, recipients of this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarships. See a photo of the students at the awards ceremony held on January 19.
Congratulations to our student athletes named to the All Scholastic Honor Roll for the fall season of 2012.
There will be no school on Monday, January 21 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
The ARHS School Council is sponsoring a screening of "Flirting with Danger", a documentary of how young women experience the lines between consent and coercion in heterosexual relationships. Students will be admitted only if: they are accompanied by their own parent or guardian or they have a signed permission slip from their own parent or guardian. Permission slips can be picked up in the main office. See also this letter from Principal Mark Jackson.
Thursday, January 10 is a Late Arrival Day. We will follow a special schedule.
There will be no school from December 24 through January 1. Classes resume on Tuesday, January 2. Over the break, the main office will be open on Thursday, December 27 and on Friday, December28 from 7:30 am to 3 pm
Congratulations to our runners who made the Massachusetts State All-Academic Team for Cross Country: Mel Devoney, Emmy Zimmerman and Sara Vannah. In addition, Anna Kaplan, Emma Gonzalez, Lily Gould, Elizabeth Cullen, and Althea Schenck were named to the Western Mass All-Academic Team.
See the statement read to students on Monday, December 17 regarding the recent school shooting in Connecticut. See also Mr. Jackson’s letter from Friday, December 14 and the district statement about this incident.
Report cards for term 1 were issued on Friday, December 14. If you did not receive one, contact the appropriate guidance counselor.
Three ARHS music students have been selected to participate in the 2013 All-Eastern Honors Ensembles from the National Association for Music Education. This biennial festival is made up of top music students from Maryland and D.C. to Maine. Read more about this great honor for our musicians.
The PRISM After School program is currently enrolling students for Session II. The PRISM offerings for Session II include theree new classes: Keys to Keyboarding, VOICE and Chef for a Day. Session II will start January 2, 2013.
Congratulations to the ARHS As Schools Match Wits team for their decisive victory over St. Mary’s High School of Westfield on Saturday, December 8. The team includes Daniel Kamlarz, Morgan Anastasi, Franklin Kostas, and Jared Kannell. See a video of the exciting broadcast.
Watch ARHS compete on As Schools Match Wits, the high school quiz show. It airs on Saturday, December 8 at 7pm on WGBY, the local public television station
Congratulations to 9th grade student Tosh Foerster on his appointment to the Governor’s Statewide Youth Council. Only two students from each county were selected for this great honor.
The ARHS Theater Company and Symphonic Orchestra recently concluded their original production of What a Lovely Way to Burn, an immersive theater performance at ARHS based on the Capulet ball from Romeo and Juliet. Featuring a live orchestra, audience members were handed masks at the beginning of the evening and were explore over a dozen performance spaces as they followed actors and musicians throughout the performing arts wing. Curious? See photos of the event.
Term 2 starts on Tuesday, November 27. Students should report to homeroom at 7:45 to receive their schedules.
The PowerSchool portal will be closed to parents and students until report cards are issued on December 14. Students who need information about incompletes or missing assignments should contact their teachers or an office secretary.
The College Board has selected Amherst Regional Public Schools for the 3rd Annual AP District Honor Roll, in recognition of the district’s success in simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement course work while also increasing the achievement of students on the exam. Read more about this special recognition of our school district.
The College Board has selected Amherst Regional Public Schools for the 3rd Annual AP District Honor Roll, in recognition of the district’s success in simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement course work while also increasing the achievement of students on the exam. Read more about this special recognition of our school district.
Our Hurricanes will compete in the state championship for cross country on Saturday, November 17 at 11 am at Northfield Mountain. Read about the upcoming event on Mass Live.
Amherst Athletics and the FBLA will be conducting a food drive at the Thanksgiving Day Football Game. Please bring a box of cereal, healthy kids snacks, soups or pasta and receive $1 off admission to the game. All food will be donated to the Amherst Survival Center.
There will be no school on Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23, due to Thanksgiving Recess. Monday, November 26 is a teacher work day, with no classes for students.
Exam period for term 1 runs from Monday, November 19 to Wednesday, November 21. We will follow a special schedule, with a half day on Wednesday..
Boys soccer is now one step closer to the state title! They defeated Leominster 1-0 in the semi-final game on Wednesday, November 14. Read about the game in the Gazette. The team faces Needham in the title game on Friday night at Worcester State at 7:30 p.m. The fan bus leaves at 6 pm from ARHS. Go ’Canes!
Come cheer on boys soccer in the semi-final game for the state tournament at Nashoba High School in Bolton. Game time is 7pm. The fan bus leaves ARHS at 5 pm. Students should sign up at lunch today and pay $3. (To request a fee reduction, should visit the athletic office.)
Congratulations to our Western Mass Champions!
The Girls Cross Country team took first place in the meet on Saturday, November 10, led by Mel Devoney who captured the individual title. The team is coached by ARHS alum Eric Nazar. Read about their success in the Gazette.
Boys Soccer defeated Ludlow with penalty kicks in double overtime to win the title game on Sunday, November 11. This is the first Division I title for the team, coached by Mike Rudd. Read about the exciting game in the Gazette.
Congratulation also to Boys cross country who came in second with a very strong showing at the Western Mass meet.
Boys soccer faces Ludlow in the title game for the Western Mass championship. Come cheer on the Hurricanes on Sunday November 11th at 4:30 pm at Westfield State University.
ARHS Theater Company Director John Bechtold directs Crisscross, as part of the Double Take Fringe Festival in Greenfield on November 9 and 10. Read about the production in the Valley Advocate and go to double-take.org for tickets and more information.
Our perennial powerhouse boys and girls cross country teams will compete in the Western Mass championships on Saturday, November 10 at Northfield Mountain starting at 11 am. Read about the meets on MassLive.
There will be no school on Monday, November 12, in observance of Veterans Day.
Come support boys soccer as they go up against West Springfield in the semi-final for the Western Mass title. It’s today at 4:00 p.m. at Holyoke High School. Go ’Canes!
Thursday, November 8 is a Late Arrival Day. We will follow a special schedule with periods A, B and E.
There will be a Winter Sports Fair during all lunches this Thursday, November 8th. Come meet the coaches and learn about opportunities to play for the Hurricanes!
There will not be a Winter Sports Registration night this evening, November 5th, as noted on the 12-13 Academic Calendar which was mailed home at the start of school. Students should check the morning announcements for information about pre-season meetings with coaches.
Don’t forget to set your clocks back on Saturday night, as the time changes from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time. Get an extra hour’s sleep!
If someone in your family receives free or reduced price school lunches, you may qualify for Internet Essentials from Comcast. Learn more about this offer of low-cost computers and affordable internet access.
Congratulations to ARHS alum Keri Lambert, who recently won the NESCAC cross country championship running for Amherst College and is now competing at the national level. Read about Keri in the Gazette.
The ARHS Hurricane Singers recently performed at the dedication of an organ for South Congregational Church. Read more about the concert and see a picture of the singers.
Members of the community are invited to hear Paul Tough, author of How Children Succeed, on Wednesday, November 7 at 11:30 am in the auditorium. Learn more about this event and read an interview with Paul Tough.
ARHS alum Michelle Brooks-Thompson has advanced to the next round on NBC’s singing competition The Voice. See a clip of her winning performance. You can also follow Michelle on Twitter , read about her in the Amherst Bulletin and keep up with her progress on the show.
Congratulations to the 22 ARHS students selected by the National Merit Scholarship Program for recognition of academic promise and the 3 ARHS students honored by the National Achievement Scholarship Program. Read more about the awards and see pictures of the students.
Thursday, October 11 is a Late Arrival Day. We will follow a special schedule with periods C, B, and E.
There will be no school on Monday, October 8, in observance of Columbus Day.
See the presentation from Open House night.
Art teacher Jeff Stauder is featured in Amherst Biennial’s exhibition Painting Amherst with Art. The show runs through November 30. You can see Mr. Stauder’s work at the Frost Library of Amherst College, The Boltwood Gallery and The Freedom Trails Gallery. Read more about the exhibit in the Amherst Bulletin.
Elections for the parent/guardian representatives to School Council will be held at Open House Night on Thursday, October 4. Please read the statements from the candidates and don’t forget to vote at open house.
Congratulations to the girls’ cross country team for being recognized in the national rankings of MileSplit. The team, coached by Eric Nazar, was among 50 teams selected for Honorable Mention in the national survey.
All parent/guardians are invited to join us for Open House Night on Thursday, October 4 from 6:45pm to 8:45 pm. This is a great opportunity to meet your student’s teachers and learn about all the offerings at ARHS.
The Latinos Unidos Club will celebrate its first Soccer Festival on Saturday, October 13th from 11am to 3pm. Come enjoy Latin American food, music, and fun activities for children. See details about the festival and how to form a team to play in the tournament.
Congratulations to ARHS alum Michelle Brooks-Thompson, who has been selected to compete on NBC’s singing competition, The Voice, as part of Adam Levine’s team. See Michelle perform Proud Mary to win her spot on the show. You can also follow Michelle on Twitter and keep up with her progress on the show.
The 2012 MCAS scores for ARHS are now available. In English/Language Arts, 93% of students scored at the level of Proficient or Advanced. In Mathematics, 90% of students scored at that level, while in Science/Technology 91% of students achieved that designation. See aggregate scores as well as scores for subgroups.
Upcoming Social Norms Survey: On October 4th, ARHS students will be asked to participate in a survey. The survey will include questions about attitudes and behaviors relating to school climate. Read more about the survey.
Congratulations to the ARHS Future Business Leaders of America club. FBLA will be receiving an award as Outstanding Young Philanthropist/Fundraiser of Hampshire County. Read about this great honor for our students and their advisor Missy Shea.
Congratulations to the six ARHS seniors who have been named National Merit Semifinalists: Peter Yuanxi Chen, Jibben L. Hillen, Natalie S. Moss, Jonathan Park, Aliyah Sarro-Schwartz, and William A. Viederman. Read more about the honor and see a photo of the students.
See the informational presentation from September 10’s orientation for parent/guardians of 9th grade and new students.
Important News for Athletes: There has been a significant change in the valid dates of sports physicals. See details about this policy change.
The PRISM after school program is currently enrolling students for Session I. Registration information can be found in the guidance office. Contact Lisa Candito for more information
If you are interested in serving on the ARHS School Council please send your name, email address, and a 2-3 sentence statement of interest to: cmosten@gmail.com, or drop it off in the main office by September 26. Elections will be held at Open House Night on Oct. 4th.
Thursday, September 13 is a late arrival day. School begins at 10am and we will follow a special schedule.
The Hurricane Hall of Fame 2012 Induction Ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 29th at the UMass Student Union Ballroom. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. Read more about this event.
School starts soon! The first day of school is Thursday, August 30. We will follow a special schedule, starting at 7:45 am for students in grade 9 and students new to ARHS. All other students start at 10am. Bus route information is now available.
Placement tests for new students
Math: Thursday, August 16 and Wednesday, August 22.
World Language: Thursday, August 23 and Friday, August 24
ELL: Friday, August 24
All tests start at 9am. Students should report to the main office in order to take the test.
The deadline for fall sports registration is Friday, August 17. Register electronically at www.familyid.com.
Being a parent isn’t easy. But having a parent aide can help. A parent aide can help people find answers to important questions about their child, can listen, and can offer support when parents don’t know where to turn.Do you know someone who could benefit from having a parent aide? Please pass along this referral form so that folks can access this service. To learn more, please call Berkshire Children & Families at 413-584-5690 x114.
Senator Stan Rosenberg visited the MSAN Seminar class to discuss issues regarding the Achievement Gap and the role of government in supporting schools. See a photo of Senator Rosenberg with the MSAN students.
Learn about performing arts at ARHS on the latest episode of Voices from Our Schools.
The Class of 2012 would like to thank all of the organizations, families and businesses that provide generous support for the ARHS Scholarship/Awards Program.
Read the speeches from Commencement 2012 by teacher Elizabeth Haygood. and Principal Mark Jackson.
Read the latest news from PRISM, our after school program.
Sixteen ARHS art students recently participated in the Memory Project, where young artists create portraits of children from around the world and then send the portrait to the child. See pictures of the Ecuadorean children holding the portrait created by an ARHS student. Read more about the students’ participation in the project in this article from the Amherst Bulletin.
In an interview originally broadcast on WFCR, Principal Mark Jackson discussed the difficulty of financing school athletic programs with New England Public Radio’s Susan Kaplan. Listen to the interview.