News

 December 14, 2012

Amherst Police Chief Scott P. Livingstone and Superintendent of Schools Maria Geryk would like to remind drivers of the importance of stopping for school buses with red flashing lights. The Amherst Police Department participates annually in programs designed to promote pedestrian safety such as Operation Yellow Blitz, National Walk and Bike to School Day and Safe Routes to School. The police department also works together with the Amherst School Department and local bus companies following up on reports of drivers not stopping for school buses.

Maria Geryk, Superintendent of the Amherst, Pelham, and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Districts, was informed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education of an upcoming Coordinated Program Review that will be taking place this school year. As part of this Coordinated Program Review, Department staff will visit the district on February 4-8 2013 for the Amherst Public Schools, January 22, 2013 for the Pelham Public Schools and January 8-11, 2013 for the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools.

An Appeal from Superintendent Maria Geryk:

I am excited to announce the restructured Amherst Afterschool Program in collaborative partnership with the Amherst Public Schools, Town of Amherst and two non-profit organizations: Capacidad and Marks Meadow Afterschool. This program is designed to meet the needs of all elementary students to ensure equity and accessibility. As you may know, research provides evidence that youth who spend more time in afterschool programs may derive greater academic benefits than youth who spend less time. Perhaps most importantly, evidence shows that academically at risk youth may benefit more from participation in afterschool programs than their higher achieving peers.

The Office of the Superintendent would like to thank our community partners and many individuals who contributed so generously to Project Backpack and Safe Seats for Kids.  

Nearly 400 backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies were collected through this community outreach initiative.  On August 16 and 17, over 268 backpacks were distributed to income-eligible students.  In addition, 40 car seats were installed by officers from Amherst Police Department, UMASS Police Department, Holyoke Fire Department and Springfield Safe Seats.

Superintendent Maria Geryk and Town Manager John P. Musante are pleased to announce that, through the new Out-of-School Time partnership between the Amherst Public Schools and the Town of Amherst, the Amherst After School Programs are poised to serve more children with activities and enrichment opportunities that are well-aligned across all program sites beginning with the 2012-2013 school year. These opportunities will include visual and performing arts, instrumental lessons, cultural and language activities, outdoor education, health and wellness programs, and academic intervention and enrichment through the Five-Colleges Partnership.

The Amherst, Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional Public Schools in collaboration with community partners Amherst Club, Amherst College, Amherst Education Foundation, Amherst Lions Club, Amherst Police Department, Amherst Rotary Club, DeMaio Orthodontics, Hampshire College, Interfaith Opportunities Network (ION), Jones Library, Starbucks of Amherst, United Way of Hamp

Khalila Lord-Arond recently received an award for achievement on the First in Math web site after earning points through completing a variety of difficult mathematical tasks. The program combines work and fun to help students with many aspects of math, ranging from single-step addition to complex algebra. First in Math is extraordinary due to its positive reinforcement for correct responses and its lack of penalties for incorrect ones. This alleviates typical anxiety regarding ‘wrong versus right’ and puts the emphasis on the process and patterns, encouraging students to take an interest in mathematics as a subject.

Maria Geryk, Superintendent of the Amherst, Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools, is pleased to announce that Dr. Ronald Ferguson will visit Amherst for a full day of events on Wednesday, March 28, 2012.  Based at Harvard University since 1983, Dr. Ferguson is a nationally renowned expert on the racial achievement gap.

In addition to working with district teachers, administrators and students throughout the day, Dr. Ferguson will be the featured speaker at a public forum from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on March 28 in the Amherst Regional High School Auditorium at 21 Mattoon Street, Amherst. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Parents, guardians, students, faculty and community members are encouraged to attend this free event.

Crocker Farm Elementary School has spent the last year working on developing PBIS, an approach to education that focuses on cooperation, accountability, respect, and empathy (CARE). These core values, which will play a major role in lesson plans, were chosen by a school-wide leadership group after surveying second to sixth grade students, teachers, and families.

In addition to developing this framework, constituents authored an Educators Handbook that allows them to zero in on challenging behavior and develop appropriate intervention strategies.

“Some call this approach old-fashioned,” said Assistant Principal Derek Shea. “I see it as common sense at work.”