You are invited to attend A Public Forum with the Amherst Budget Coordinating Committee Monday, February 11, 2008, 7:30 p.m. Amherst Regional Middle School AuditoriumCommunity Voices and Budget Choices:
Planning for a Stronger Future and Looking at Ways to Fund It
Our Town--Our Schools--Our Libraries
We Need To Hear From You!
Dear Everyone Learning @ Amherst, Region, and Pelham Schools:
Did you know that this year's kindergarten class is the high school "Class of 2020!" (I know there should be a question mark there, but I am taking the liberty of email grammar to highlight 2020.)
Did you know that a teacher we hire next year, after a 30-year career, would retire in the year 2038? Did you know that if that a teacher teaches kindergarten, the children in his or her last kindergarten class will graduate in 2050? Talk about touching the future! 2020! 2050!
Can we even imagine the skills those children and teachers will learn in order to reach great achievements? Can we imagine the technology? On one level, I presume those future students will still be memorizing their times tables and, hopefully, reading great books. On another, I know we must be prepared with resources and skills to meet challenges that we can't even yet anticipate.
If that all sounds too "futuristic," then consider something a bit closer to home and today... 2011!
We can easily articulate the most practical desired features necessary for our students in 2011:
Every middle and high school student able to take a full schedule of courses without study halls.
High school core class sizes lower than 25.
High school students able to take two science, math, world language or other courses in the same year.
Elementary school libraries with full student research support from paraprofessionals.
Enhanced programs in elementary school art and music.
Increased enrichment opportunities for all students.
A comprehensive plan for professional development and evaluation.
Continued attention to infrastructure.
Up-to-date technology.
Whereas these are building blocks for the future, they are essentials for today. Of course, this begs this question: How can we insure the resources are available to achieve these means -- all
of which achieve the ends of student achievement, academic engagement, and school membership?
The January 11 meeting described above is designed to look at the various ways to fund town and school services and to allow the policy makers and administrators to hear your voices about these choices.
Join Us!
Sincerely,
Jere Hochman
Superintendent
The forum will be preceded at 7:00 p.m. by the League of Women Voters presentation;
"The Whys and Wherefores of Budgeting in Towns and Cities in the Commonwealth."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amherst Public School Committee Meeting, February 12th , 7 PM. High School Library.Among the topics being discussed will be the Public School Food Service Contracts and how changes may affect Marks Meadow Cafeteria workers and Amherst Public School’s Food Service community. Please come to support Mary and Donna and Save our Lunch Ladies.
Help Our Schools - Run to become a Town Meeting member! Deadline to put your name on the ballot, Tuesday Feb. 12th
The size of our Amherst schools budget is set by Town Meeting. We need more parents to represent our community in Town Meeting so that rational short and long term decisions can be made that will support our schools and a family-friendly Amherst.
I know, I know, who has the time? That's why families are not well represented in Town Meeting, we're busy with kids, families, jobs! But the commitment is not as large as you think - only about 14 nights per year from 7:30pm to 10pm. 14 nights per year - really not that much to help make Amherst a more sustainable town that continues to be friendly to families.
There are lots of good folks already there. We recruited and elected over 70 parents the last 2 years. And it showed - this year for the first time, Town Meeting passed a series of positive zoning changes that will enable the kind of economic development our town needs to fund the schools.
More information on Town Meeting here: http://www.amherstma.gov/town_meeting.asp
Amherst's families really need you. All you have to do is go down to the Town Clerk's office in Town Hall before Tuesday Feb. 12th and sign your papers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Save Our Students: MCAS Reform Now, Lobby Day On MCAS ReformWednesday, February 13, 10:30 am in Room A-1, State House, Boston We will be asking our legislators and Governor Patrick to ensure high quality education by reforming MCAS now. Our message to the Governor and to Legislators:
"State standardized tests should not be a barrier to graduation for students who can demonstrate they have met the state standards in other ways. Students are suffering from the unintended consequences of MCAS. We must reduce the weight of MCAS and use a range of evidence to determine graduation, as has been done successfully in other states."
Here are the ways you can participate in the Lobby Day if you can make it to the meeting:
1. Make appointments with your Representative and Senator to meet with them on February 13 (11:30 am or after). Appointments can be made now, and let us know if you would like assistance in making appointments..
2. Call and Email the Governor, your Representative and your Senator on February 13, or the week of February 11-18 and ask for their support of MCAS Reform.
* Governor’s Phone #: 617-725-4005 – State House Phone #: 617-722-2000.
* Governor’s email: Go to www.mass.gov. Click on "contact the Governor’s office" and you will be directed to an email form. Legislators’ email, go to: www.mass.gov/legis/ and click on House or Senate.
Sponsored by Citizens for Public Schools. For more information, contact Marilyn Segal at marilyn@citizensforpublicschools.org or 617-227-3000.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet Safety Workshop - Wednesday, February 13th, 7:00 PM High School Library Internet safety and savvy - get an important glimpse into the online lives of ARMS and ARHS students!
The ARHS Parent Center will be sponsoring a workshop for parents and guardians titled "Internet Safety and Savvy" teen's safety while surfing the Web, as well as posting to such sites as MySpace and UTube.
Cynthia Boyle, Director of Community Education and Outreach for the
Northwest District Attorney's Office, and an expert in this field, will conduct the workshop. Ms. Boyle is very up to date on the sites that are popular with ARHS students and other teens. This workshop will offer you an important glimpse into the online lives of ARMS and ARHS students.
Other topics covered will include: social networking sites, cyber bullying,
Internet lingo, online gaming, instant messaging, chat rooms, and bash boards.
Online safety tips and family contracts regarding Internet use will also be discussed as important tools for keeping our young people safe while online now and in the future.
