IMPORTANT MCAS MATHEMATICS TESTING INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES OF ARHS 10TH GRADERS: The MCAS Mathematics test will be given to all 10th grade students on Monday and Tuesday, May 13 and 14, beginning at 7:45 a.m. at the high school. 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. Students they bring school work in any subject area, other than the one in which they are testing (i.e. no math on math test days), to work on after completing and handing in all testing materials.

This Wednesday, May 15 is a Dining for Dollars night at Bertucci’s in Amherst from 5pm -9 pm. Present the flyer found here and Bertucci’s will donate 15% of your bill to Project Graduation. Dine In, Delivery or Carry Out. Project Graduation (a.k.a. Senior Party) has been a tradition at ARHS for 30 years! The Senior Party is not a school-sponsored event. Although the administration is supportive of the event, they are not involved in the planning or financing in any way. The party is a gift to the seniors from the senior and junior parents and guardians who make it happen through donations and volunteering.

Hey Junior Parents/Guardians: You thought you could ignore the call for senior parents to volunteer for Project Graduation (formerly known as Senior Party), didn't you? No such luck! There are three reasons we need you to volunteer by clicking here. First, we can't do it without you because some shifts occur while senior parents are at graduation itself (so please sign up for shifts between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.). Second, your junior may be invited by a senior as a guest, and you may be curious to observe this legendary event with your own eyes!

Get Ready for ARHS Summer School 2013! It runs Monday, July 8th to Friday, August 2nd with two class sessions: one from 8:45 am – 10:45 am and one from 11 am - 1 pm. The Program of Studies is online and in front office, and registration is open now. Bus transportation is available to Session 1, students can attend either or both sessions, and there are tuition reductions available for qualifying students. There are 3 NEW COURSES and many others open to any interested student. Check out our link at http://www.arps.org/summerschool or contact Shari Abbott, the director, for more information at abbotts@arps.org.

Congrats to Taj-Amir Torres who was chosen as the Gazette Boys Indoor Track Player of the Year. Torres finished his 2012-13 indoor season with an 8th place finish in the 60 Meter dash at Nationals in New York. Many of his fellow teammates (boys & girls team) were also named to the Gazette Indoor Track team. Check out the Daily Hampshire Gazette Sports section for the complete story on the success of ARHS Indoor Track.

Congratulations also to Thomas Jeffries who was chosen for the Massachusetts Nordic Ski team as one of the top 20 skiers in the state. Thomas competed on the Massachusetts team in Eastern High School Championships in Presque Isle, Maine against New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and New York. Amherst High School has had a representative at Eastern High Schools all four years of its existence.

May 23-25 - Rotary Club of Amherst Town Fair : Town Common

May 27 - No School: Memorial Day

May 28 - Neighborhood Night at The Pub: (Project Graduation)

May 30 - Symphonic Orchestra & Combined Concert: 7:30 pm, ARHS Auditorium

May 31 - Last Day for Seniors/Prom!

Jun 4 & 5 - MCAS Science Testing

Jun 5 - Senior Awards Ceremony: 7 pm, ARHS Auditorium

Jun 6 - AR[T]HS Opening Reception: 5-8pm, Amherst College Eli Marsh Gallery

Jun 7 - Graduation!  Senior Party!

Stamp Out Hunger takes place tomorrow, Saturday, May 11! Leave a bag of non-perishible foods for your mail carrier, and he/she will drop them at your local food pantry. Join the fight to end hunger and help strengthen our emergency food network!

There is a great need for tuna, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, beans and soup.

On Saturday, May 11 a new organics recycling (composting) program will debut at the Amherst Transfer Station. Amend Organics, in collaboration with the Solid Waste Division of Department of Public Works, will pilot a pay-as-you-throw compostable food waste collection program. The program will accept all food waste, including material unsuitable for home composting such as meat, dairy, seafood, bones and greasy pizza boxes. It will be accessible only to Transfer Station sticker holders from Amherst, Pelham and Shutesbury. Residential Transfer Station stickers are valid for 12 months from July 1 to June 31 and are available at a prorated price through June. Stickers cost $75.

Starlight's Youth Theatre presents Disney's The Little Mermaid, Jr., the musical. Show are on May 17that 7:00 pm, May 18th at 2:00 & 7:00 pm, May 19th at 2:00 pm at the Academy of Music, Northampton. Tickets are $12 students/seniors and $16 adults and may be purchased from the Academy of Music box office: in person, or by phone at (413)584-9032, extension 105, or online at www.academyofmusictheatre.tix.com. For more information about the show and Starlight's Youth Theatre, please visit: www.starlights-youth-theatre.com.

Join Get Up Get Down for a community paint day on Tuesday, May 14 from 3:30-5:30pm! We are painting the mural for the red wall next to Rao's Cafe. We need your help! No experience, skill, or supplies needed. Just bring a hand to hold a paint brush! Meet us at South East Street School (the old building across from Fort River Elementary) For more info contact Allison, allison@youthactioncoalition.org, 413-253-2158 www.youthactioncoalition.org

Thanks to the efforts of the ARHS Guidance Department, there will be an ACT Prep Class for the June ACT on Tuesday and Thursday Nights, 5:30pm - 8:30pm, June 4 and June 6. The discounted cost is $125, all materials included.
REGISTER AT: www.brianleaf.com/arhs

It’s not too late to Spring Clean your bookshelves! As part of the summer Dive Into Reading program to encourage kids to read over the summer, the Fort River PGO is holding a Book Swap. Please send in gently used books that are age-appropriate for elementary school students. Books for upper elementary school grades are particularly welcome as are picture, beginner and early chapter books. We ask that you not send in magazines or adult books. And, please encourage your friends and neighbors to look over their shelves as well. Our goal is for each child to take home a big stack of books for summer reading fun.

A collection box will be in the ARHS office until Friday, May 24th.

The biggest fundraiser for Amherst Youth Lacrosse (AYL) is the Annual Car Wash and
WE WANT TO CLEAN YOUR CAR!
Our players work hard on the field and want to work hard for you. So, come and "Get er' done!"

Next Saturday, May 18 From 10am to 2pm. 200 Triangle street, Jones Group Realtors have generously donated their parking lot. Come support the Amherst Youth Lacrosse Teams

Boy Scout Troop 500 Amherst is having an Open House for prospective scouts and their families Tuesday, May 14 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at the South Congregational Church, 1066 Southeast Street, Amherst. Troop 500 has a 50+ year history in Amherst working with school-age boys (grades 6-12). Troop activities are organized and run by the boys, including weekly meetings, monthly camp-outs, and projects in the community. Our Scouts learn practical outdoor skills and develop leadership skills while having a lot of fun. Troop 500 does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, or sexual preference. For more information, contact Scoutmaster Peter Crowley at (413) 348-8052.

It's back! The 22nd Annual AMHERST INVITATIONAL ULTIMATE TOURNAMENT is tomorrow from 9:30am to 5pm & Sunday from 8:30am to 5pm. Come watch thirty teams from across the USA compete in the oldest and most prestigious high school ultimate tournament in the US. Located at ARHS/ARMS/UMass Ultimate Fields in Amherst. Free admission and awesome layouts! More information at http://www.facebook.com/amherstinvitational

And to celebrate The Ultimate Weekend in Amherst lots of our local businesses will be giving 10% OFF when you SHOW YOUR DISC (any frisbee disc) from today thru Sunday (May 3-5)! It'll be a great weekend to carry around your frisbee and eat and shop...Show any frisbee disc and get 10% off from these Ultimate Local Businesses: