ARHS Monthly Newsletter-- April 2008

From the Principal

Dear ARHS Parents and Guardians,

Since March, the performing arts at ARHS has earned significant recognition from the wider world on two counts:
- The ARHS Chorale, under the direction of Anita Cooper, won a Gold Medal Superior Rating at the MICCA (Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductor Association) Choral Festival the weekend of April 4-5th at Longmeadow High School. They participated with 85 other choral ensembles from all over the state. Each ensemble was judged on tone, phrasing, musicianship, diction, and repertoire. As a result, the Chorale has been invited to perform at Symphony Hall in Boston on May 3rd.
- As I mentioned last month, several ARHS students submitted plays they had written to The Boston Playwrights’ Theater, which was searching for original work from New England high school students. The work of three ARHS seniors - Sasha Rivera, Nate Mondschein and Lauren Wilfong -- was selected and, as a result, will be performed by this professional group. I’m told by our theatre director, John Bechtold, that this is a real coup. To have the work of one student selected is accomplishment enough; to have three is over the top.
As many of you know, Val Veneman , our well-regarded and long-time physics and AP Biology teacher, is retiring this year. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Val has mentored the ARHS JETS[Junior Engineering and Technical Society ] teams for many years. JETS is a national, non-profit organization that promotes engineering and technical careers among high school students. ARHS annually participates in their competitions and, over the years, has done exceedingly well. Given our long, successful history, JETS has chosen to feature Val in their March newsletter. The newsletter provides strong testimony to both the strength of her leadership as well as the performance of our students. Here’s the newsletter’s link: http://www.jets.org/newsletter/0308/arhs.cfm.
All important end of the year dates are included in this newsletter. As well, they can be found by clicking on the ’Calendar’ link on the High Schools web site, http://www.arps.org/hs/Calendar/. These dates include exam schedules, for both seniors and underclass students, as well as all senior week events. An important note: Senior Awards Night is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4. However, for now, we have discontinued underclass awards night. Budget cuts have left us with fewer faculty and staff and, as a result, we have needed to reduce the number of tasks we can deliver on. As the budget improves and staff is restored, underclass awards would be a priority to bring back.
Currently, on display in the Jones Library are the textbooks the science department is recommending for next year’s new 9th grade science course. Part of the display is feedback forms. We encourage you to review the texts and provide us with your thinking regarding their suitability for this course and grade level.
Lastly, two weeks ago, I met with the entire senior class and outlined my end of the year expectations for them. Specifically, I addressed the issue of senior pranks. While assuring them that I like to laugh as much as the next person, I wanted there to be no ambiguity about my sense of the parameters that should guide their creativity. Clarity, I said, was my early graduation gift to them. The parameters included no damage to the building, no harm to others, no extra clean up for the custodians and no disruption to the school routine. Consequences for failure to observe these parameters include loss of the right to attend the prom, and participate in senior week activities, including the graduation ceremony. More than anything, at this time of year, I want seniors to move on to the next phase of their lives with nothing but fond memories of high school. So, I’d ask senior parents and guardians to have a discussion with their child about these parameters.

Thank you.

Mark Jackson
Principal

Tutors Needed

The Amherst Pelham Schools’ English Language Education Program is urgently seeking bilingual language tutors who speak English and one or more of the following languages: Arabic, Chinese Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Pushtu, Tigrigna, Vietnamese, Spanish.

Tutorial positions supporting student access to learning pay $10 an hour. You can apply for a bilingual tutoring position on line at schoolspring.com or email Susan Kennedy Marx, ELE Coordinator at Student Services at marxs@arps.org with a c/c to Mildred Martinez at martinezm2@arps.org or call 362-1859.

Please contact us immediately to express your interest. We look forward to hearing from you at this time.

Academic Folders for Graduates

Academic Folders for Graduated Classes 2003-2007 can be picked up during regular business hours at the Registrar’s office. Academic folders not taken at the time of a student’s withdrawal or graduation from Amherst Regional High School are stored for five years and then destroyed. This does not include the transcript which is kept for a minimum of 60 years. The Class of 2003 academic folders will be destroyed on June 1, 2008.

ARHS Graduation 2008

Graduation Info

This is to share some information with you concerning seniors and graduation week. Hopefully, it will help to make this happy occasion a little less stressful for everyone. As you know, the graduation ceremony will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, June 6, 2008 at the Mullins Center on the University of Massachusetts Campus. Doors will open at 5:00 p.m.

Before Graduation Day:

Caps, gown and tickets will be given out on Friday, May 30th , during all lunch periods, at the High School. If seniors cannot pick up their caps and gowns that day, please call the main office to make arrangements. Each senior will receive 10 tickets with their cap and gown. If additional tickets are needed, please request them in writing, from Terry Ominsky in the main office before May 28th, so they will be ready for pick up on May 30th. PLEASE NOTE-- Caps and Gowns are kept by each graduate, so pictures can be taken at your leisure.

Seniors are strongly encouraged to settle all fines for overdue or lost books, college transcripts, or any other fee owed to ARHS, BEFORE PICKING UP CAPS AND GOWNS. Any outstanding fines to ARHS will result in the diploma being held until the fines are paid.

On Graduation Day:

Parking will be available in Lot 67, located behind the Mullins Center. Access to this lot is off route 116. Handicapped parking is provided in the metered lot on the N/E corner of the Mullins Center.

The Mullins Center staff reports that no balloons of any kind will be allowed in the building. This includes mylar and helium ones as they interfere with lighting and equipment.

In order to preserve the dignity and ceremony of the occasion, we ask that parents and guests remain in the seating area during the ceremony, and not climb down onto the floor of the stadium.

Graduation rehearsal will be held at 8 a.m. on June 6th at the Mullins Center. All graduating seniors should attend this rehearsal, which will last approximately two hours. Lot 67 is available for parking during rehearsal. Note -- University parking regulations will be in effect if you park in any other lot for rehearsal. Students have been issued tickets in the past.

After Graduation Day:

Beginning on Monday, June 9th, students may pick up their academic and guidance folders from the high school Registrar’s Office and Guidance Office respectively. If folders are not picked up, the school will retain them for five years, after which they will be destroyed. These files contain medical information as well as standardized test scores, which can be very helpful as students begin college.

Arbor and Earth Day Festivities

Come Downtown and Celebrate: Amherst Grows Green! Saturday, April 26TH.

Arbor Day Festivities at Amherst Common (Across from Town Hall) 9AM-1PM.

Earth Day Festivities on North Pleasant St.(Shopping Area) 11AM-3PM.

For details on all information, events and free tree seedlings, please see "In the News" link at : www.AMHERSTMA.gov

In case of rain, Arbor day events will take place at the Amherst Cinema building covered walkway.

Visit Japan From Your Own Home

Twelve students from Doshisha High School in Kyoto, Japan are coming to Amherst! The founder of Doshisha is a graduate of Amherst College, so the school sends a group to study English here each summer. PeopleLink, a non-profit agency, is looking for families to host a student - provide a bed, meals, and arrange transportation for the students to and from Amherst each day for English classes and activities, 9am - 4 pm. Last year many families worked out carpools.

As local coordinator, I also organize field trips for the students - Tanglewood, a hike, mini-golf, rollerskating, Six Flags - and host families are welcome to join the group for these events. Some families took it upon themselves to do weekend trips together, or to have gatherings at their homes. We met a great group of kids from Japan, but we also enjoyed a fantastic group of local families. Host families will be paid a stipend of $20 per night to help with expenses...

The dates are July 25 - Aug 15. If you can host for all OR part of that time, please call me, Laurie Boosahda, at (413) 665 - 3111.

ELL and International Students Clubs - End of Year Picnic

ARHS AND ARMS

English Language Education Programs

and International Students Clubs

invite you to our

POTLUCK FAMILY PICNIC

at the

PAVILION AT MILL RIVER PARK

North Amherst

Friday, May 30^TH at 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm