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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for SOS Amherst
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250402T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250402T203000
DTSTAMP:20260420T005109
CREATED:20250328T111102Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250328T111129Z
UID:3140-1743620400-1743625800@www.arpsparents.com
SUMMARY:ARPS School Committee Challenges and Successes (virtual - free registration required)
DESCRIPTION:ARPS School Committee Challenges and Successes\n\nWednesday\, April 2\, 2025\nJoin in conversation with Amherst School Committee Chair Jennifer Shiao and Secretary Deb Leonard on the top issues facing local schools. How are diversity\, equity and inclusion programs being handled in Amherst\, given the new directives from Washington? \n\n\n\n\nEvent Details: \nWednesday\, April 2\n7:00 to 8:30 pm\nZoom \nRegister at lwvamherst.org to to hear directly from elected School leadership and ask questions about your concerns. \nSponsored by the League of Women Voters of Amherst Racial Justice Committee.
URL:https://www.arpsparents.com/event/arps-school-committee-challenges-and-successes-virtual-free-registration-required/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250407T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250407T090000
DTSTAMP:20260420T005109
CREATED:20250318T204700Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250318T204934Z
UID:2972-1744012800-1744016400@www.arpsparents.com
SUMMARY:Coffee with State Rep. Mindy Dombs - 1st Monday of the month
DESCRIPTION:Please advocate to Amherst’s state Rep Mindy Domb at her monthly coffee gatherings at The Works in downtown Amherst. \nMore info is here: https://www.arpsparents.com/advocate-to-your-state-reps-now/
URL:https://www.arpsparents.com/event/coffee-with-state-rep-mindy-dombs-1st-monday-of-the-month/
LOCATION:The Works\, 48 N. Pleasant St\, Amherst
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250407T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250407T203000
DTSTAMP:20260420T005109
CREATED:20250309T151610Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250404T120025Z
UID:2859-1744050600-1744057800@www.arpsparents.com
SUMMARY:Town Council Meeting (please show up!)
DESCRIPTION:What: Town Council Meeting \nWhen:  Monday April 7th\, 6:30 PM\nWhere/How: In person at Town Hall or via Zoom\nAnd/or email your Town Councilors\nWhat to ask: Change the budget guidelines to direct the Town Manager to include the amount requested by the schools in the FY26 budget and vote yes to the Regional Schools budget as passed by the School Committee. These budgets restore the most essential positions and still require deep cuts – they are a fraction of what our schools need and the Town can afford it.\n\nOn Monday April 7th\, Town Council will continue its discussion of Councilor Ana Devlin Gauthier’s proposal to increase the percentage for the schools for FY26 by amending the budget guidelines. As far as the Elementary School budget goes\, unless the Council amends the guidelines\, the Town Manager can give the schools a lower budget amount than requested\, and the Council can’t increase it. So\, this is important. Please see the awesome attached graphic Geneva made to illustrate our current situation and where we go from here.\n\nAlso on the agenda is the Regional Schools budget – it seems that this budget really should go directly to the Town Council as they\, and not the manager\, are the “appropriating authority”.  It looks like they are scheduling a public hearing on the Regional Budget for Monday April 28th – so please save that date!\n\nMany of us already showed up in person or via Zoom\, but it appears that we just have to keep reminding them that we still care – so if you are able\, please try to join Monday’s meeting in-person or via Zoom to make a comment and/or directly email your District Councilors (plus at large Councilors) before Monday. Find all the resources you need on the SOS Website. There is a public hearing about CPA funds at the beginning of the Council meeting\, so public comment could start closer to 7-7:30\, but please be alert as the Council President has been known to flip the agenda.\n\n\n\n\n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.arpsparents.com/event/town-council-meeting-advocacy-needed/
LOCATION:Amherst Town Hall\, 4 Boltwood Ave.\, Amherst
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250413T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250413T160000
DTSTAMP:20260420T005109
CREATED:20250325T112625Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250413T142558Z
UID:3096-1744552800-1744560000@www.arpsparents.com
SUMMARY:Community Conversation on School Funding (in person)
DESCRIPTION:On Sunday April 13\, 2-4 pm at Crocker Farm Elementary School\, Support Our Schools (SOS) Amherst and the League of Women Voters will hold a Community Conversation on School Funding. \nThis is an opportunity for community members to come together to learn from one another about the current challenges around school funding in Amherst\, and to have an open\, collaborative conversation about how we can work together toward a shared goal of sustained\, equitable funding for our schools. Children’s activities and childcare will be available. \nOver the past year\, we have been told “NO” a lot\n\n\nNo – The schools can’t have more money\nNo – The Town can’t change anything about its budgeting process\nNo – You can’t say that you feel Councilors don’t care about our kids because that’s “uncivil”\nNo – You can’t say that education should be prioritized because that’s pitting one need against another\nNo – You can’t have more than two minutes to make a public comment\n\nOn Sunday\, we hope to move past some of these “NOs\,” to talk about why we bump up against so much resistance\, and how we can move forward!\n\n  \nSupport Our Schools (SOS) Amherst is a group of volunteers helping each other to understand issues and get involved in adequately funding our public schools. We aim to increase community knowledge of public school and municipal budgeting\, as well as state funding for public schools\, with the goal of ensuring more equitable funding for our schools. https://www.arpsparents.com \nThe League of Women Voters promotes political responsibility through its Voter Service and Citizen Education activities. Members register voters\, organize candidates’ forums\, publish voting guides and disseminate general information on the legislative process and the function of government on the local\, state\, and national levels. Voter Service and Citizen Education are designed to provide citizens with unbiased\, factual information as a basis for reaching their own decisions.  League Action is based on member study and agreement on selected issues and involves concerted efforts to achieve public policies consistent with League positions. The League neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office. The League is a political but nonpartisan 501c4. The League encourages members to participate fully in the party of their choice as individuals. To learn more go to https://www.lwvamherst.org/. \n  \nParking map:
URL:https://www.arpsparents.com/event/community-conversation-on-school-funding-in-person/
LOCATION:Crocker Farm Elementary School\, 280 West Street\, Amherst\, MA
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250428T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250428T203000
DTSTAMP:20260420T005109
CREATED:20250404T114713Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250428T111605Z
UID:3183-1745865000-1745872200@www.arpsparents.com
SUMMARY:Town Council Meeting (in person & virtual) -  regional school budget on agenda
DESCRIPTION:In person: Town Hall\, Town Room. 4 Boltwood Ave. Amherst\, MA 01002 \nZoom:  https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/89889190786 \nPhone: (646) 876-9923; enter webinar ID 898 8919 0786 \n\nCall to Order\nAnnouncements\nHearings – None\nGeneral Public Comment\nConsent Agenda\nResolutions and Proclamations – Consent Agenda\n\n2025 Jewish American Heritage Month Proclamation\n\n\nPresentations and Discussion – None\nAction Items\n\nAmherst-Pelham Regional Schools FY26 Debt Authorization \nAmherst Black Reparations Committee Charge\nFY26 Water and Sewer Rates and Amendments to Water and Sewer Regulations – Consent Agenda\nProposed Fiscal Stabilization and Planning Task Force – Carried over from March 24 and April 7\nMemo and Proposed Four Towns Fiscal Sustainability Task Force\nLong-Term Public Way Request: Mobile Market – Consent Agenda\n\n\nAppointments – None \nCommittee and Liaison Reports\n\nBudget Coordinating Group\nCommunity Resources Committee\nElementary School Building Committee\nFinance Committee\nGovernance\, Organization\, and Legislation Committee\nJoint Capital Planning Committee\nJones Library Building Committee\nTown Services and Outreach Committee\nLiaison Reports: Amherst Affordable Housing Trust\, Board of Health\, Commission for Persons with Disabilities\, Community Preservation Act Committee\, Community Safety and Social Justice Committee\, Conservation Commission\, Council on Aging\, Energy and Climate Action Committee\, Human Rights Commission\, Transportation Advisory Committee\n\n\nApproval of Minutes – Consent Agenda\n\nApril 7\, 2025 Regular Meeting\n\n\nTown Manager Report\nTown Council Comments\n\nPresident Report\nFuture Agenda Items\nCouncilor Comments\n\n\nTopics Not Reasonably Anticipated by the Chair 48 Hours in Advance of the Meeting\nExecutive Session – None\nAdjourn\n\nMeeting materials are posted here https://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentCenter/Index/7275; materials may be added or changed up through and after the meeting date.
URL:https://www.arpsparents.com/event/public-hearing-on-the-regional-budget/
LOCATION:Amherst Town Hall\, 4 Boltwood Ave.\, Amherst
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