Friday, October 13, 2017

PLEASE REMEMBER 
NO NUTS ALLOWED IN TREATS HANDED OUT AT THE EVENT!!

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Please donate by clicking below: 

https://connect.clickandpledge.com/w/Form/cb4a3c78-5694-4324-bead-42c8ad94c1bf



Support Frontline Puerto Rican Communities in the Recovery from Hurricane Maria

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

The Honorable Stan Rosenberg
24 Beacon Street, Room 332
Boston, MA 02133

July 17, 2017

Dear Senator Rosenberg,

On behalf of the Parent Teacher Organization at Pelham Elementary School, we are seeking your support today.

As you know, Pelham is a small town in the Pioneer Valley. The state department of education recently informed the school committee in Pelham that it owed the local Chinese Immersion Charter School $67,000. That represents 4% of its budget. It has only one teacher per grade.

The state was supposed to let the district know long before the budget was completed but failed to do so. Now, our highly rated public elementary school is trying to figure out how to find $67,000. How did this happen, one might ask? Normally, Pelham would have received notice of the two students attending the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School after the charter school submitted residency information to the state in October. However, that October data, contained an error that was corrected in a subsequent February filing.

In recent years’ state lawmakers have not fully funded charter school reimbursements for sending districts. Since 2012 lawmakers have failed to appropriate full funding for charter reimbursements, which were underfunded by $35.3 million in fiscal 2015 and $47.1 million in fiscal 2016, according to the nonprofit Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.

There is a reason that the majority of Massachusetts voters cast ballots against the expansion of charter schools in the state this past November. The current system is not working for our students, or our educators. We respectfully ask that you look into this matter and see what you can do to help fill this funding gap which is a major hit to this exceptional school.

Sincerely,

The Pelham Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization.


Hampshire Gazette News Article 
Pelham Elementary Budget: http://www.gazettenet.com/Pelham-schools-facing-sudden-budget-shortfall-11264067

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Spring Fair Thank You!

Spring Fair 2017 Thank You

Many thanks to the businesses and people who contributed to the fair:

Black Sheep, Big Y, Henion Bakery, La Veracruzana Noho, La Veracruzana Amherst, Roadhouse Café, Stop & Shop, Target,
TJ’s Taylor Rental, Trader Joe’s
 
Jess Hanson
Jim Hanson
Heather Edwards
Todd Jansen
Matt Wolaver  
Crystal Wolaver
Vince Hohreiter
Aline Gubrium
Emily Marriott
Marie Hall  
Steven Lawler
Erin Lawler
SarahBess Kenney
Josh Kenney
Mike Hayes
Joseph Black
Jack Paradis
Kate Paradis
Keith Frazier
Olivia Frazier
Jennie Bergeron
Jen Jackowitz
Lennie Ware
Ms. Desjarlais
Amy VanOudenhove
Ms. Quinlan
Ms. Gonzalez
Mrs. Gallagher
Tara Luce
Trevor Baptiste
Jodi Levine
Lee Halasz
Natane Halasz
Cara Castenson
Eric Castenson
Chris Gould
Debbie Gould
Lisa Zephyr
Patrick Zephyr
Kristin Balboni
Leanne Hunt
Bridget Hunt
Sage Scott
Tracy Walker
Jenny Franz
Nate Franz
Kelsey Niziolek
Jerry Hayes
Cara Rigali
Katja Hrones
Kirsten Modestow
Darius Modestow
Ms. Malcolm
All the class “reps”
Sarah Frenette
Bea Gould
Jacob Furtaw
Skylar Thompson
Dr. Gerber of UMASS
Mr. Graiff
Hampshire College engineering students
Chief Murphy and Pelham Firefighters
Ben at the Forest Park Zoo
 

If we have inadvertently left your name out, we are sorry!   Many thanks to all of the people came to the fair, contributed to the raffle baskets, and bought tickets.The raffle baskets raised more than $750!  

Congratulations to the Raffle Basket winners:  Carole Robinson, Jenny Franz, Ms. Beall, Nora Klotz, Debbie Gould, Leanne Hunt, and Karen Riberio.

We will use these funds in the next 6 months to pay in part for college scholarships, class snacks, community projects, and teacher support.

All of these events (and volunteers) help make Pelham Elementary School a special place!      Thank you! -Pelham PTO