“Learning happens best with emotion, challenge and the requisite support.“
~from the EL Education Core Practices
Message from Head of School and Principal
Over the past several months, you have been hearing about a few of our core expeditions as they have unfolded. We are now approaching an exciting stretch where that work comes to life through our Celebrations of Learning. These events are a powerful reflection of the deep thinking, sustained effort, and high-quality work our students engage in over time. We look forward to the 8th grade Livable Franklin County for All presentations on April 9, the 10th grade Do Something workshops on April 13, and the senior documentary premiere on May 7 at the Greenfield Garden Cinemas.
At the same time, our 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students are preparing for their Passage Presentations. In these important milestones, students present their readiness to move forward to the next level of their educational journey, reflecting on their growth, challenges, and accomplishments.
We are also fast approaching our spring Intensives. All students in grades 7–12 will take part in on- and off-campus mini-courses designed and facilitated by staff and student leaders. From through-hiking and aquatic ecology to the Great Four Rivers Bake Off, Fishing the Four Rivers, and of course LARP, these experiences invite students to explore new interests and deepen existing passions.
Finally, I want to extend an invitation to our whole community for the Four Rivers Otter Open Disc Golf Tournament on June 6. This new signature event supports our Annual Fund, our fundraising and sustainability effort, which makes so much of our programming possible, while also welcoming people onto our campus to experience our course, our spaces, and our community. You can find more information in this edition, and I hope to see many of you there.
Thank you, as always, for the many ways you show up for our students. Your presence as authentic audiences for Passage Presentations and Celebrations of Learning, alongside your ongoing support and partnership, is essential to enriching student learning and celebrating all that our students accomplish.
Warmly,
Jenni
Quick Links
2025-2026 ACADEMIC CALENDAR• SCHOOL EVENTS CALENDAR
SPORTS CALENDAR
HEALTH INFO TO FAMILIES • MEDICATIONS AT SCHOOL
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL HEALTH RECORD Health Care Provider’s Examination
MEDICATION ORDER FORM – completed by healthcare provider
AY25-26 FOUR RIVERS AFTER SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES
ULTIMATE 2026 REGISTRATION • OTTER OPEN DISC GOLF TOURNAMENT
Upcoming Events
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Please refer to the online School Events Calendar for the most current information.
Tues. 3/31 – MCAS: 8th Grade ELA
– 9th Grade to GCC Library, I-Search Research
– Finance and Facilities Meeting via Zoom (7-8pm)
Wed. 4/1 – MCAS: 8th Grade ELA
– Bruce Ridge’s Crew Outing
Thurs. 4/2 – First Day of Quarter 4
– Boston Theater Performance – Middle School
– Connections Conference – Marlborough, MA (small group)
– Lea Chiara’s Crew Outing
– Sage Campbell’s Crew to The Arbors
Sat. 4/4 – Eagle Eye/Four Rivers Program at Wendell State Forest
Mon. 4/6 – Tues. 4/7 – Junior College Trip in Maine
Tues. 4/7 – MCAS: 7th Grade ELA
Wed. 4/8 – MCAS 7th ELA
– Jackie MacNeish’s Crew Outing
– FRCPS Board of Trustees Meeting (7-9pm)
Thurs. 4/9 – 9th Grade Science – Greenfield Floodplain Work
– 7th & 11th Grade to UMass for Tibetan Arts Event
– Livable Franklin Country for All – 8th Grade culminating event (6-7:30pm)
Fri. 4/10 – MCAS: 7th and 8th grade ELA makeup
– Div 2 Dance (6:30-8:30pm)
In Otter News…
YEARBOOK ORDERS
It is Yearbook Ordering Time!
Our Yearbook team has been busy capturing the story of our 2025-2026 school year at Four Rivers. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to keep these memories alive!
LINK: 2025-2026 YEARBOOK ORDERS
PASSCODE: 1014835510242095
Custom Pages – deadline May 1st
Your copy of the yearbook can include up to two, free custom pages which are personalized with your own added photos.
It takes about 10 minutes to add photos and complete the two free custom pages included with your yearbook.
Prom Tickets Now On Sale!
The Four Rivers prom committee is proud to invite Four Rivers juniors and seniors to the 2026 Prom, “Starry Night.” Prom will be held on May 8th from 6-10pm at Gloriosa & Co in Ashfield, MA.
Tickets are $50. (Reduced lunch price: $25; free lunch price: $13.) Students are welcome to bring an outside guest, and guest tickets are $50. Tickets must be purchased by Friday, April 24th, which is during April break. Tickets are available online through Humanitix at https://bit.ly/FRProm26 as well as through the front office.
All students must complete a Prom Pledge form, which also doubles as guest form. Questions? Email Leah Plath: Lplath@frcps.org.
Four Rivers Otter Open – Save the Date! Saturday, June 6th.
Join us for the first annual Otter Open, a disc golf fundraising tournament. Have fun with the whole family while supporting our school. Invite your friends!
Link to register: https/tinyurl.com/otteropen
Questions? Please email sedwards8760@gmail.com
Current Employment Opportunities
- Substitute Teacher
Full job description
Charter School Advocacy
Advocate for Four Rivers Charter and Massachusetts Charter Schools!
We are seeking parents and guardians to help us share the story of our school and the amazing work our students, alumni, and teachers do every day.
What makes you a good fit for the Family Ambassador role? This might be the perfect opportunity for you if you:
- Love Four Rivers Charter School.
- Enjoy talking with others and building new relationships.
- Are excited to share how Four Rivers has made a difference for you, your child, and your family.
Sign up to receive advocacy updates and announcements — we’ll share simple ways you can take action and make a difference for our students all year long.
Email elehan@fourriverscharter.org for more information.
From Family Council
FISHING FIRE & FUN!! Immense gratitude to Nikki Crosby and everyone who planned and participated in the Fishing, Fire, & Fun event at Barton’s Cove on March 1st! Fun was indeed had by all and it was lovely to have an ice event again!!
No meeting this month! See you in April! Keep your eye on your email for ways you can participate this Spring!
What is the Family Council? The FRCPS Family Council is a parent, caregiver and Four Rivers community organization that builds community!
We sponsor and host fun gatherings during the school year and run an annual raffle fundraiser that supports school enrichment activities.
Next meeting: Thursday April 30, 2026 at 7 PM via Zoom.
Join in, pitch in, or just check in—Family Council is for everyone*To get on the Family Council email listserv and keep up to date on the happenings fill out this form: LINK: Join the Family Council Mailing List
From the Health Office
Spring is here! – Allergies – Intensives – Excitement
There are lots of wonderful intensives happening. Our students will be participating in 5 overnight expeditions for which many need medications coordinated. Some take prescription drugs, while others are heading out to the woods with the pollen and bugs and may need a daily allergy medication. For your convenience here is a table of the forms and data I am collecting. A copy of the form is HERE. If your student needs medications and you would like the nurse to arrange the medication order directly with the prescribers office, you may complete this optional release form for each prescriber or the student’s primary care provider for over the counter medications.
Students who self-carry epipens or inhalers should bring those with them on their intensives. If their device has expired or is lost they should let the health office know as soon as possible so that we can make arrangements for their safe participation.
| Trip | Trip Date | Deadline for telling Nurse you need medication arrangements | Afternoon Drop Off | Morning Drop Off |
| 11th grade Maine College Tours | 4/6-4/7 | 3/27 | Wed. April 1st 1:30-4:00PM | Tues. March 31 7:30-8:00AM |
| Puerto Rico | 4/14-4/17 | 3/27 | Wed. April 8 2:30-4:30 | Friday 4/10 7:30-8:00 |
| Aquatics Intensive | 4/15-4/17 | 3/27 | ||
| Backpacking | 4/14-4/17 | 3/27 | ||
| 10th Grade DC Trip | 5/4-5/7 | 4/3 | Wed. April 29 1:30-4:00PM | Friday May 1 7:30-8:00 AM |
A person 18 or older must deliver any medication to be taken on the trip.
I will be inspecting the medication for the following things:
- The bottle is the original bottle with current pharmacy label or original over the counter label
- Matches the pills inside
- The medication, dosage, and route match the order.
- medication is not expired- this includes any epipens or inhalers to be carried by students
- Contains enough pills/ medication for the trip plus 1 extra day.
If all these are correct, I will accept the medication and you will leave it with me unless other arrangements have been made.
Helpful details:
If you need an extra bottle and label most pharmacies will provide that upon request.
If you are only taking an epipen or inhaler, you may reach out to me about verifying expiration dates and medication remotely.
You may contact me thru nurse@fourriverscharter.org or direct office line 413-633-6572
Athletics
VOLLEYBALL
We had a really fun Volleyball season! It was great to see so many students trying it out for the first time or returning again this season, and the skill levels and teamwork improved a lot!
Our volleyball season is intentionally short so it can fit between basketball and ultimate frisbee, and since the other River Valley Athletic League schools with volleyball teams start their seasons later, we’ve had to be flexible with scheduling. As a result, while practices concluded last week, we will still have a tournament on Saturday, April 4th, in Putney. VT!
ULTIMATE FRISBEE
Ultimate Frisbee has begun and the discs are flying! There is a team for everyone who wants to play ultimate at Four Rivers! We encourage players of all experience and skill levels. Registration will remain open for our Middle School and JV teams for the first few weeks of the season.
Click this link for more information or to sign up: Ultimate 2026 Registration
Reach out to Athletic Director Erin Klett with any questions!
RETURNING FALL AND WINTER SPORTS UNIFORMS
A lot of uniforms have been returned, but there are still more that need to come in. Please return all uniforms to the box by the front office in the Farmhouse. They should be clean and in a Ziploc bag with the player’s name on or in the bag. Don’t forget to return socks as well.
Reminders
FOUR RIVERS APPAREL
A friendly reminder that our school store is up and running 24/7 and carries a lot of options!
LINK: FOUR RIVERS APPAREL STORE
KEY CARDS
Students should bring their key card to school each day to avoid being locked out of buildings. If a key card is lost or not working please report it to katijosephs@fourriverscharter.org as soon as possible. Students who require more than two replacement cards will be billed $5 for each additional card. Clear protective sleeves are available in the front office.
PARKING LOT
– Use a parking spot if your drop-off or pick-up will take extra time (e.g., unloading, waiting for students) to keep the line moving.
– Pull forward as far as possible during drop-off to avoid backups. If your student is not ready, please exit and re-enter the pick-up line.
– Do not block the entrance by the blue barn or park along the entrance to the school, as this narrows the roadway for incoming and outgoing traffic.
Community Corner
Greenfield Public Library
LINKS: Greenfield Public Library Youth Programs for April 2026
Teen Program Calendar
PRIDE PROM
By Franklin County Pride
Join Us for Pride Prom!
Get ready for a night full of fun, friends, and fabulous vibes at our in-person Pride Prom! Whether you’re here to dance the night away or just soak in the good energy, this is the place to be. Bring your best outfit, your brightest smile, and let’s celebrate pride together in style. The Pride Prom is open to students in grades 8-12 . Snacks, pizza and dessert will be servedl See you on the dance floor!
THE ART GARDEN – ARTeens
ARTeens is an after-school program for teens who like to hang out and make art! Teens get to work on whatever they want to make. Materials, healthy snacks, and optional prompts are always provided.
ARTeens meets weekly on Tuesday OR Thursday, starting on April 14 and running until June 4th.
Teens arrive after school starting at 2:30. We end at 6.
ARTeens is a pay-what-you-can program. Families decide what they can afford to pay. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
More info: theartgarden.org/for-teens
ARTSPACE COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER IN GREENFIELD
ASAP is an all-access art studio for teens 13-18yo. Teens can hang out & create in a safe, laid back, welcoming space
Clay It Forward: A Fundraiser for Financial Aid
Over 30% of Artspace students receive financial aid, a benefit to the community of roughly $10,000 a year.
Please join us at Artspace Greenfield on Sunday, April 12th, 11- 4pm, for a day of clay activities and fundraising for our financial aid program! All funds raised during Clay It Forward go towards Artspace’s financial aid program.
Paint-a-Pot
Decorate a piece of handmade pottery made by volunteer potters in the community! Donation options range between $1 -$100.
Throw-a-Thon
Come see Artspace clay faculty and other local ceramic artists working at their craft.
…and the return of the beloved Pottery Seconds Sale!
Purchase wares from local ceramic artists for a STEAL! 40% of the proceeds will go towards Artspace’s Fundraiser; 60% will go to the artist.
Clay It Forward admission is free; numerous opportunities to donate await!
Learn more at www.artspacegreenfield.com/clay-it-forward
Please RSVP to our Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/share/1AjVjqccrp/
Online donations can be made at www.artspacegreenfield.org/about#donate
Shelburne Cultural Council Seeking New Members
The Shelburne Cultural Council (SCC) is looking for new members. We are seeking a younger generation’s perspective and experience, and so we invite and encourage high school students to apply. You must reside in Shelburne and be willing to attend evening meetings about once a month. The term of service is usually three years (a year is July 1 through June 30), but shorter terms can be accommodated.
The SCC is responsible for awarding grant money to applicants offering arts and cultural programs in Shelburne and the surrounding area. We are also looking to expand our profile in the community and hope to plan some public events in the coming year.
Think you might be interested? Send a letter of interest to Shelburne Town Administrator, Memorial Hall, 51 Bridge St, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370. Your letter will be passed along to the SCC Chair. If you have questions about the SCC, you are welcome to contact Leslie Taylor – ltaylorplakias@gmail.com.
