January 25:   Community Supper - Lila's and Ishan's Team
February 1:   Community Supper - Sophia's and Avery's Team
February 8:   Community Supper - Isabel's and Leni's Team
February 9:   Winter Dance
February 15: Staff Day - No Classes for Students
February 22:  Community Supper - Liam's and Kayla's Team

Join tonight (5:15 - 7:00 PM) for the opening reception at  ArtSpace's celebration of the work of young artists from throughout Franklin County (located at 15 Mill Street in Greenfield). Academy students will be exhibiting alternative process photography and drawings in the show. Can't make it tonight? Be sure to check out the works, on display through February 17th.

As all manner of winter ickiness sets in, we encourage folks to keep their germs to themselves! Please be reminded (per The Scoop) that we ask that if any student (or staff member!) "seems unable to participate in the normal day-to-day events due to illness, or has had a fever over 100 degrees or vomiting within the previous 24 hours, please keep them at home." We also ask that everyone adhere to common hygiene standards of covering coughs and sneezes, engaging in frequent hand-washing, and not sharing water bottles, chapstick, etc., in order to minimize the spread of germs on campus. Thank you for your cooperation in this endeavor!

Once again, we’ll be organizing donations of bags of food to support the Women’s Way “Suppers for Six” initiative, a program of the United Way of Franklin County. Each team of students will fill a bag with items that a family of six can use to help make dinner. Students will be assigned an item to bring in before February 1. Please talk with your student about this project.

We're excited to announce that we'll have a visitor (through the Network of Complementary Schools) coming at the end of April. She will arrive the weekend of 4/20, and stay through the week. Ana, who currently attends Community High School of Arts and Academics in Roanoke, VA, is excited to come and visit. She has never been to Massachusetts, but loves to travel (Finland was a favorite recent destination). She loves history and social sciences in general, and environmental education.  Ana is also taking a documentary film class that is another area of great interest, and recently made her own podcast as part of that course. Please let Mrs. BZ know if you think you might be interested in hosting her.

As we have done for the past three years, The Academy Summer Internship Program seeks to place high school students in one- to two-week, unpaid internships in businesses around the area. This is a great opportunity for students to:

 - Explore possible career interests,
 - Gain some working experience,
 - Build networking skills with professionals

Possible fields of placement include: Local Politics, Artisans, Media, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Medicine, Animals, Speech/Language Pathology, Non-profit agencies, Law practice, Theater, Farming, Graphic Design, IT Work, Museums, Environmental Protection... and more!

Any students interested in pursuing an internship or parents interested in helping to find placement opportunities should contact Mrs. BZ.

We're excited to have Coaches Miller and Thompson back on the Ultimate sideline this spring, but we're still in need of another coach or two, March 25 - May 23rd. Please spread the word and have interested individuals contact John Schatz. 

Hosted by Baystate Franklin Medical Center and the Communities that Care Coalition and co-sponsored by Greenfield Safe Schools and the Safe Streets Coalition, this free presentation and open discussion will be led by Kat Allen, Coalition Coordinator at the Partnership for Youth; Dr. Kinan Hreib, Chief Medical Officer at Baystate Franklin Medical Center; and Cheryl Pascucci, Nurse Practitioner. Topics include local substance use rates, how to talk to teens about drugs, long term effects and impacts of use, and prevention.  

Registration is not required but seating is limited so pre-register to help ensure that there are enough seats and food (pizza will be served at 6:00 PM). 

Would you like to learn more information about how to support a young person who is experiencing a mental health challenge? Struggling with addiction? Or in crisis? If yes, then the Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership (BSEP) program would like to invite you to sign up to become certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is an 8 hour course designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders.

  Date: Saturday, March 2nd  
  Time: 8:00AM to 5:00PM
  Location: Chestnut Conference #1, 759 Chestnut St, Springfield, MA
  Cost: FREE!

For more information or to reserve a space please contact BSEP coordinator, Kelly Lamas. Please keep in mind that space is limited and on a first come, first serve basis.

All meals served with salad and/or fruit. Vegetarian and gluten free options will, as always, be available

Monday:        Cuban style poutine - pork, chicken, pickles and swiss
Tuesday:        Fried chicken with potatoes and mixed greens
Wednesday:  Bean or chicken and cheese quesadillas with rice

Thursday:      Macaroni and cheese
Friday:           Potato and carmelized onion soup and cornbread