Fort River Highlights

• “We are all learners here” and “We all belong here” are the central themes of the weekly assemblies
started at Fort River last year. Students’ learning accomplishments, birthdays, and acts of kindness and
solidarity are celebrated. Classes present recent learning projects. We reinforce positive attitudes and
habits of mind for learning, and have fun singing together.
• Student leadership engaged the whole school in helping others, especially those in need, in many ways,
including collecting money for UNICEF, toys for Family Outreach of Amherst, and supplies and funds for
orphanages in Tibet and Zambia.
• Our annual Cambodian New Year celebration featured our Cambodian students, staff, and families with
dances, songs, and learning about the culture.
• The Fort River sixth grade math team took first place in the tri-county area in the New England Math
League contest. Several of our fourth graders won a regional contest with a PowerPoint presentation they
developed about recycling. One of our sixth graders wrote an acrostic that won an award in a state-wide
contest sponsored by the Savings Makes “Cents” program.
• Our Parent Council completed a major playground replacement project, raising funds and doing a volunteer
installation of safe, accessible, varied play elements that build different muscle groups and foster cooperation
and interaction.
• Visit the Fort River school website at www.arps.org/fr/ and check out “Events” and “Principles and Goals”
for photos of recent events and a look at our new “Guiding Principles” and the new goals
of our School Improvement Plan.

Spotlight on Exploratory Time and Reading

“Exploratory Time,” in which students spend time regularly learning about
topics of their own choosing and pursuing projects they have developed, is an important feature of
Fort River’s ongoing educational program. It nurtures students’ curiosity and develops life-long
learning skills. Reading, sometimes for information and often for pleasure, is part of every
student’s homework, every night, at Fort River. “Every student a reader, every night!”