The UMASS Theatre Guild is performing "Curtains," the musical comedy murder-mystery this Fri. & Sat.- ARHS Auditorium. Tickets available at half price to ARHS students & faculty: $4.00 for students & $6.00 faculty, available at the door. Show times are Fri. & Sat. March 29th & 30th at 8 pm, with 2 pm matinee on Sat.

The Guild is excited to welcome new-comer Jake Dodson, who will be directing the production. Dan Squizzero will once again be taking on the amazing role of Musical Producer.

SPLASH is happening at Amherst College on April 27th from 9am-4pm. In its third year, SPLASH offers a unique variety of classes taught by Amherst College students for students in grades 6-12. Courses include comic books, Chinese, Arabic, friendship bracelets, a cappella singing, logic games, nitrogen ice cream, Rubik's Cube and MORE! Students have the opportunity to take 5 SPLASH classes of their choice. For a full list of courses and registration info, please visit https://amherstsplash.learningu.org/learn/Splash/2013_Spring/catalog
There is a $10 registration fee which covers all five classes, course materials and lunch! All classes are 55 minutes in length. The online registration will be open on Friday, March 15th 2013.

Amherst BID presents: "Play Out Amherst" In the warm weather months (mid-April - October), the BID wants to get more performers on the streets downtown. To do so, this program will give selected performers a small stipend to do their thing downtown. They’re thinking mostly of music, but also other types of performance like juggling and other circus things.

Here’s How It Works:
1. Send in two links to audio or video of yourself performing (email below)2. If they like what they hear/see, they’ll admit you into the program! 3. Together they figure out a date, time, and location you can perform outside for (at least) two hours in downtown Amherst 4. You do your thang. 5. They pay you $25 on top of what you make on the street! All music genres welcome! Ready to apply right now? Send it to: info@amherstdowntown.com or 413-345-2945

An Evening at the Mead on Thursday, April 4 from 8-9 pm. Join the Mead student docents for An Evening at the Mead Art Museum, Amherst College, lighthearted combinations of gallery talks and musical performances with the lively participation of Amherst College's student musicians. This semester’s Evenings at the Mead will be held at 8pm. This is a free event.

Check it out! Amherstma.gov/sustaining - A single place for you to find information on all of the green efforts happening in Amherst. To find out about upcoming community events related to sustainability, or to post your own, visit the Community Calendar. For more information about Sustaining Amherst contact Sustainability Coordinator Stephanie Ciccarello at ciccarellos@amherstma.gov.

Due to the Snow Day this week, the MCAS Composition Test will occur on Monday, March 25, beginning at 7:45 a.m during a long, first period C block. The MCAS Reading Comprehensive Test is still scheduled for today, March 22nd. 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. 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. 

Term 2 report cards will be distributed to all students in homeroom on Tuesday, March 26th. Powerschool Portal access will be restored that same day.

Annie Baker's ('99) critically praised new play "The Flick" has been awarded the Susan Smith Blackburn Award, an international prize for exceptional literary works written by women. You can read more about it here. Congrats, Annie!

Leslie Field, senior at ARHS, just won the 2013 National Interscholastic Polo Championship with wins over Hawaii and then Maryland last weekend. Yes, that’s polo with horses! With no local team, Leslie has played for the past 4 years with the University of Connecticut High School Polo team. Congrats Leslie!

Are leaders born or made? The new “Teen Leadership Workshop,” offered by the Amherst LSSE Department, guides high schools students in forming a leadership identity. The students will learn what strong leadership takes in order to supervise and manage others. Through class activities and discussion, students will learn how to use these skills to help their school and the larger community. The skills will enable them to take action in their everyday lives and beyond.

The class, taught by Kim Bornstein, will be held Mondays April 1 through May 27 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Bangs Center. There is no class April 15. For information or to register call 259-3065 or visit: www.lsse.org.

K-12 students are invited to enter the American Chemical Society's Chemists Celebrate Earth Day illustrated poem contest. Students submit their entries to the Connecticut Valley Local Section of the ACS, and winners proceed to ACS National. Entries must be received by March 29. For details and entry materials, please contact Sharon Palmer (the local section CCED coordinator), at palmers@arps.org.

An afternoon filled with the magic of music & dance! Stephen Clapp, Bill Shontz, Nadine Shank, Kyle Ray, Kailey Shepardson, Roger Ticknell, Kaitlyn Shepardson, Anastasia Christie & German Colon, Rob Stahley, The Amherst Area Gospel Choir, Tawdry, Donna Lee, and Hampshire Young People's Chorus! This fundraiser is sponsored by the Friends of the Amherst Seniors Center and the monies are used to keep our programs going at current levels in spite of years of budget cuts. Mar. 24, 2-4 PM in the Buckley Recital Hall, 53 College St. Tickets: Adults $15, Children $7 in advance, $17/8 at the door. For information call 259-3060

Dance party this coming Saturday! Yes, tomorrow! The 5th Annual Full-Belly Benefit Dance Party is Saturday. March 23rd at 8:00pm at the JCA Social Hall, 742 Main St in Amherst. ARHS Parent Dan Kaplan's band The No Nos will be rocking all night (plus ARHS' Eli & Emma Ayres' new band June & The Bee are opening). All to benefit Amherst Survival Center, Noho Survival Center, and The Kestral Trust! Along with local farm hors d'houvres and brews. Only $10. Ticket available at Hastings and also online at www.ajhastings.com

Please join us for our 6th annual fundraiser extravaganza! New this year is a silent and live auction of local art, meals, specialty services, unique gifts and more, from local stores, artists and vendors. Help support local youth artists and change-makers in our region. We'd love to see you there!
Sunday, March 24 from 2:30-5:00pm at the Apollo Grill Eastworks, 116 Pleasant Street in Easthampton.  Tickets are availabe at http://youthaction.brownpapertickets.com/

All parents/guardians of Special Education high school students are invited to attend a free Transitions Resource Fair on Tuesday, March 26 at Hopkins Academy from 5:00 ‐7:00 pm– Exhibitor Displays and Resource Tables & from 7:15‐8:45 pm a presentation by the Institute for Community Inclusion. Where: HOPKINS ACADEMY CAFETERIA, 131 Russell St. (Rte 9) in HadleyQuestions? Contact Family Empowerment at (413) 585‐8010 EXT. 104 or 105

THE INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY INCLUSION, ICI, now based at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and Children's Hospital is a leader not only in Massachusetts, but also nationally and internationally, offering training, clinical, and employment services, conducts research, and provides assistance to organizations to promote inclusion of people with disabilities in school, work, and community activities. Their presentation will focus on what to consider when planning for post-secondary options and employment.

Interested in a career in nursing? Achieving Diversity Inititive invites anyone interested in nursing to a day long conference at UMass on April 25th. This is for students of all grades, particularly minorities and males. If you are interested in attending, please contact the Guidance Office by TODAY, March 22nd.