Currents 01/28/25 – Four Rivers Charter Public School

The Primacy of Self-Discovery
Learning happens best with emotion, challenge, and the requisite support. People discover their abilities, values, passions, and responsibilities in situations that offer adventure and the unexpected. In EL Education schools, students undertake tasks that require perseverance, fitness, craftsmanship, imagination, self-discipline, and significant achievement. A teacher’s primary task is to help students overcome their fears and discover they can do more than they think they can.
~EL Education Design Principle

Table of Contents

Message from the Head of School and Principal

Dear Four Rivers Community,

As we close the first semester, I want to take a moment to celebrate the hard work and growth of our students. Yesterday, we emailed narrative report cards, which offer a detailed look at each student’s progress so far. I encourage families to take this opportunity to sit with your students and engage in an at-home, student-led conference-style conversation. These reports are more than just a summary—they’re an invitation to reflect, celebrate successes, and set meaningful goals for the months ahead.

Our vibrant community has much to look forward to in the coming weeks. Mark your calendars for the annual Variety Show, taking place on Friday, February 7th at the Shea Theater, a beloved event that showcases the many gifts of our students and staff. The Family Council will also host a raffle that evening, and we are so grateful for their dedication and support in bringing this fun and important fundraiser to life.

Another highlight is the premiere of our senior class documentary, Rethinking Recovery, on Thursday, February 13th at the Greenfield Garden Cinema. This student-driven project represents the culmination of months of thoughtful research, collaboration, and storytelling—don’t miss it!

We’re also welcoming prospective families to learn more about Four Rivers during our final information sessions on January 29th and February 1st. These sessions are supported by our dedicated staff and enthusiastic student ambassadors, who bring our school’s mission to life. If you know someone who might be interested in joining our community, please share your story of Four Rivers and invite them to attend.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we are building a community that celebrates learning, connection, and growth.

Warmly,
Jenni Manfredi

Upcoming Events

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Please refer to the online School Events Calendar for the most current information.

Wed. 1/29 – Admissions Tour (8:30-9:30am) – full
– Dave Bradt’s Crew Outing
– Ski & Snowboard Club Week #2
– High School Info Session for current 8th grade families – more info below
– Admissions Info Session for New Families for AY 25-26 (6- 7:30pm)
Thurs. 1/30 – Madeline Leue’s Crew to Franklin Community Meals Service Work
– Dow/Morse Crew – Service at The Arbors
Fri. 1/31 – School Lunch is Big Y Pizza (Greenfield Public Schools are closed)
Sat. 2/1 – Admissions Info Session for New Families for AY 25-26 (10-11:30am)
Tues. 2/4-Thurs. 2/6 – Variety Show Rehearsal – please refer to email sent 1/26
Wed. 2/5 – Admissions Tour (8:30-9:30am) – full
– Bruce Ridge’s Crew Outing
– Ski & Snowboard Club Week #3
Thurs. 2/6 – Sage Campbell’s Crew Outing
Fri. 2/7 – Crew Council – WMASC Bluebonnet Roundtable
– Variety Show at the Shea Theater, 7pm – more info below, including ways to donate to the concessions stand and help raise money for this year’s Prom!
Tues. 2/11 – College Admissions Information Session (6-7:15, Common Room) – more info below, mainly for current sophomore and junior families, but all are welcome
Wed. 2/12 – Ski & Snowboard Club Week #4
Thurs. 2/13 – 12th Grade Documentary Film, Rethinking Recovery, at the Garden Theater in Greenfield, 7:30pm

SAVE THE DATES:
Treasure Island: A Four Rivers Drama Club Production
Friday, February 28th at 7pm and Saturday, March 1st at 2 and 7pm

In Otter News…

SUPPORT THE PROM! VARIETY SHOW CONCESSION DONATIONS
The prom committee is so excited to be helping run concessions for this year’s variety show on February 7th at the Shea theater in Turners Falls. The proceeds that are made from concessions go directly to funding our Junior and Senior prom this May. If you are interested in contributing snacks or drinks to this year’s concession stand, please feel free to fill out this Concession sign ups form. There will also be printed copies around the middle and high school.

We ask that it is easy to serve, in a durable container and should already be pre cut and with a serving utensil if needed. Preferably nothing too messy, but we are looking for a great variety this year! Those bringing food can either bring it directly to the Shea theater by 6:00 pm, or drop it off during the school day at the front office. We gratefully appreciate all those contributing!

We would also love to have high school students volunteering at the concession stand! This will be considered service hours for Div 3. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out this form. There will also be printed copies posted around the school. Those who are wanting to volunteer should be able to arrive at the Shea Theater by 6 pm.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS INFORMATION SESSION
We’re excited to be hosting an information session about the college admissions process. This session will be led by Christina Quimby, admissions rep for Mount Holyoke college, and supported by Leah Plath, Four Rivers College and Career Coach. Learn how college admissions reps evaluate applications, especially from schools like Four Rivers, and get questions answered about how to best support students in the college application process. We’ll be holding this session on Tuesday, February 11 from 6-7:15ish in the Common Room. Students and caregivers are all invited to attend. Pizza and snacks will be provided. This event is targeted toward families of current juniors and sophomores, but all Four Rivers families are welcome.

Please RSVP to help us accommodate everyone.

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS PRODUCE DOCUMENTARY RETHINKING RECOVERY
Thursday 2/13/25, 7:30 pm, Greenfield Garden Cinema

Our Class of 2025 has just completed a documentary film, Rethinking Recovery. Through the lens of experts at addiction treatment centers and individuals in recovery, this film shares what makes community and connection essential support systems for recovery. Throughout this documentary, interviewees discuss how societal factors and challenges influence their process of recovery. Rethinking Recovery highlights hope within recovery communities and what we can do to support those in the midst of their recovery journeys.

The film will be showing for one night only at the Greenfield Garden Cinema, Thursday, February 13th. Events begin at 7:30pm with a showing of the film and a behind-the-scenes look at the process of student filmmaking. The show will be open to the public. Tickets are $11.50 for adults and proceeds will go towards connecting Four Rivers students, staff, and families with local experts on addiction support.

This documentary has been five months in the making. The students of the Class of 2025 were responsible for all stages of the documentary from initial creative planning to filming to post-production. In December, groups conducted interviews in the Boston area, Springfield, Conway, Northampton, and here in Greenfield for the documentary.

TREASURE ISLAND: Tickets Now on Sale!
Get your tickets now for the Four Rivers Drama Club’s production of Treasure Island, a thrilling new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic pirate adventure. The show will be held at the Shea Theater on Friday, February 28th at 7pm and Saturday, March 1st at 2 and 7pm. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, and children under 5 are free. Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/FRDrama25. Thank you for supporting the Four Rivers Drama Club!

Families wishing to come to all 3 performances can contact Leah Plath at Lplath@frcps.org for a special rate.

TREASURE ISLAND: Props Wanted!
The Drama Club is looking for some props for this year’s show. Do you have some old wooden tankards or a ship’s wheel lying around the house? Let us know! The full list is here. If you’re able to help with an item, list your name and contact information in the space provided, and Leah Plath will be in touch. Thank you for your help!

10th GRADE DO SOMETHING PROJECT LOOKING FOR INTERVIEWEES
Can you help a 10th grader by connecting them with an expert or otherwise knowledgeable individual? Sophomores are currently working on the Do Something project, and students will be asked to supplement their research by interviewing someone. Please take a few minutes to read through these topics and research questions, then if you know of a good interview candidate (maybe it’s you!), please provide their name, a brief description of what they do, and their preferred contact information in the far right column. Many thanks!
LINK: Do Something Experts – sign up

A LIVABLE FRANKLIN COUNTY FOR ALL
Next month the 8th grade will be embarking on a new learning expedition: Livable Franklin County. The purpose of this expedition is to explore some of the needs present in our community, and engage with community members who are working to meet these needs. We are hoping to help students answer the question: “What does it mean to be an engaged community member?” This expedition will be a mix of exploration inside the classroom, fieldwork out in the community, and guest speakers with various experiences with these issues. The expedition will culminate with a presentation at the Greenfield Public Library at the beginning of April. We hope you will join us!

From Family Council
(Variety Show & Raffle Info)

Save the Date! Our annual Variety Show & Raffle is coming up! Friday February 7th, at 7pm at the Shea Theatre in Turners Falls. Raffle pre-sales will begin this week, stay tuned!

Important – Variety Show performers and stage crew: be sure to check your email daily for any updates regarding the show.

Raffle – Variety Show Advance Raffle Tickets are also on Sale through Wednesday January 5th!

Click here for the Online Raffle Form whether you are attending the Variety Show or not.

The Family Council is excited to announce the opening of the ADVANCE-RAFFLE ticket sales for the 2025 Variety Show. We have some AMAZING donations this year! We received so many generous and wonderful donations from local businesses and our Four Rivers community.

*Contact Marc Guillaume (solarmarc@gmail.com) to get on the Family Council email listserv and keep up to date on the happenings!

From the Health Office

For important information about health forms, Covid-19 updates, immunizations and physical exams, and medications at Four Rivers, please view the letter sent by school nurse Jazmin Miller to families/caregivers through Alma on Friday, August 23th.

Covid Tests

Free Covid tests can be ordered and delivered to your house. They do have a limit for how many can be ordered per household.
The Covid tests ordered for school have come in. There are 5 tests per box. Please contact the health office or front office if you would like a box.

Screenings:

Screenings for 10th grade will start on Friday, 1/24/25. This will happen during English class. The screenings that will happen are height, weight, vision, and hearing. If I received an opt out form or an updated physical where providers have done the screenings already, I will not do screenings for those students. If I received an adjustment for certain screenings, I will do so for those students. Students do have the option to refuse screenings. If this happens a note will be sent home for their provider to do the screenings. If a student shows outside of normal findings for vision and hearing, a reattempt will be done at another date. If there are still findings outside the norm, a referral will be sent home. These referrals will need to be filled out by their provider and returned to me, especially if there are accommodations. Please let me know if you have any questions. jmiller@fourriverscharter.org or (413) 775-4577.

Dental program:

The dental program will be happening on Thursday, March 6th. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like a registration form, jmiller@fourriverscharter.org or (413) 775-4577 ext. 3.

Reminders

Please submit your student’s Annual Health History and Permissions Form if you have not done so already. There are still a lot that I am missing.
Covid and Flu vaccines can be done at various pharmacies . As of right now there is not a vaccine clinic happening at Four Rivers. You can always go to the website to stay updated on where you can receive Covid and Flu vaccines in the area. https://frcog.org/project/vaccine-information/

Athletics

Basketball
It’s been a whirlwind, but our basketball season is already more than half over. Our undefeated Varsity team is starting to gear up for playoffs in February, and they have their eyes set on the championship prize! It’s been a busy couple of weeks, with wins against Mohawk, Putney, Charlemont, St. Michaels, Valley View, and Eagle Hill. Eagle Hill defeated our team in the finals last year, and it was standout performances from our seniors (blocks from Meir Dragon, and 3-pointers from Eliot Sanborn) that made sure that it wouldn’t happen again. Another player playing well recently is Riley Stanclift who made a big impact with his defense in the Charlemont and the St. Michael’s games. Russell Herbert led the way in the most recent win against Mohawk with 11 points and 5 rebounds.

Our Middle School is still seeking a win, but they are getting closer as they lost close games to PVCICS and Mohawk.

Basketball Games Coming Up

Tuesday, 1/28, Home – BV v BART at 5:30

Wednesday, 1/29, Away – BV @ Putney at 3:00

Thursday, 1/30, Away – MS @ Bement at 7:15

Friday, 1/31, Away – MS @ Hopkins at 3:30

The full schedule is available on the school website Sports Schedule

Intramural Ultimate and Volleyball
Registration for Intramural Ultimate (Session 2) and Volleyball is coming soon! Be on the lookout for an email. Intramural Ultimate has a limited number, so it is first-come, first served. Volleyball is only for high school students. Please note that the days of these two sports do not conflict, so you can do both if you so choose.

Athletics YouTube Account
Are you interested in watching some videos of our sports teams? There is a limited selection, but you can find some games on our Athletics YouTube Account. The link is also posted on our website. YouTube Account

New Discs
Our new discs are here! The Boosters will be selling them at events like the basketball game on Tuesday. They can also be purchased in the front office.

BOOSTERS CLUB: The Boosters have held three fundraising concessions stands this winter at home basketball games to raise money for the senior basketball banners. Please come support us at the next Varsity basketball game on Tuesday, January 28th at 5:30 at Stoneleigh-Burnham School.

Reminders

CURRENT 8TH GRADE FAMILIES – HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION SESSION

When: January 29, 2025, 5:00–6:00 pm
Where: High School Common Room

PLEASE RSVP FOR THIS EVENT BY FILLING OUT THIS BRIEF FORM: High School Program Info Session – RSVP

BLACK EXCELLENCE MONTH SYMPOSIUM – CALL FOR FACILITATORS
The Black Excellence Month planning committee (composed of students and staff) is seeking 10-12 passionate and engaging workshop facilitators for our upcoming Black Excellence Month Symposium, scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, 2025. This day-long event will be dedicated to celebrating the achievements, impact, and influence of Black culture while fostering meaningful dialogue and personal connections with our students. Our intent is to educate and empower students to listen, grow, and actively combat racism and other forms of oppression. We aim to explore critical questions such as, “What does White allyship look like—historically and into the future?” If you are interested in facilitating a workshop or have questions, please fill out this simple interest form.

ADMISSIONS SEASON
We welcome and appreciate your support with student recruitment! Your help spreading the word and sharing your family’s experience at Four Rivers is truly invaluable. Below are a couple of easy ways you can contribute.

Post About the Online Application

Share and repost our posts on Facebook and Instagram to your social media accounts to inform friends and family about the opportunity to join our school community.
Post about the application in relevant Facebook or other online groups (local and parenting-focused) of which you are a member. Copy and paste the post below or edit it to reflect your voice.
- Our family is a part of the Four Rivers Charter Public School community, and the school is now accepting applications for students in grades 7-12 for next school year. You can learn more and apply at https://fourriverscharter.org/how-to-apply/. Be sure to submit your application by Monday, Feb. 24th, 2025, at 3pm. Feel free to message me to learn more about my family’s experience!

Share Your Family’s Experience Online

Help other families understand what makes our school so special. Share your family’s positive experience at Four Rivers by leaving a review on any or all of the sites below!
- Niche
- Google
- Facebook

Tours
School and classroom tours are on Wednesdays from 8:30-9:30am on 1/8 (full), 1/15 (full), 1/29 (full), 2/5 (full) and 2/12

Space is limited. Families can pre-register by emailing frontoffice@fourriverscharter.org, or calling 413-775-4577.

Upcoming Open Admissions Information Sessions for prospective students and families – pre-registration not required. All information sessions will start with an opening presentation in the High School Common Room followed by tours led by our student ambassadors.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025: 6-7:30pm

Saturday, February 1, 2025: 10-11:30am

LINKS: ADMISSIONS FLYER #1, ADMISSIONS FLYER #2

CHILLY WEATHER – Reminder for all
That chilly time of year is upon us again! While maybe not the wintery wonderland many students are dreaming of, Winter is here. At Four Rivers, time outside is a part of our approach. That’s why during the winter we continue to do things like outdoor recess, walks around campus, and more.

Our policy for when we stay in or go out is based on temperature and conditions. If it is 20 degrees or below (including windchill!) we will always offer an indoor recess and break options. Otherwise, students should come to school prepared for time outside. If a student forgets their coat or does not have a warm enough layer, we are lucky enough to have not just one, but two free coat closets! All they need to do is ask a staff member and any of us will be more than happy to help them out. If they just need to borrow the coat for the day, we can do that! If they want to keep the coat, they can!

Community Corner

GREENFIELD’S 103rd ANNUAL WINTER CARNIVAL
DATE: JAN. 31st, FEB. 1st-2nd, 2025
LOCATION: Events all over the city, all weekend long!
Schedule of Events Brochure (Large file – could take a few moments to download)

Ice Sculpture Contests, Fireworks, Parade of Lights, Glow Party, Family Activities, Cookies with Olaf, Magic of Science Show, Jigsaw Puzzle Contest, Cribbage Tournament, Cardboard Sled Race, K9 Keg Pull, Chili Cook Off, Vintage Snowmobiles, Sledding, Ice Skating, and so much more!

ANNUAL POET’S SEAT POETRY CONTEST
The 34th Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest is open to all Franklin County residents and to students ages 12-18 who attend school in Franklin County. Each entrant may submit a maximum of three poems.

LINK: https://www.friendsofgpl.org/poet-seat-poetry-contest.html
Four Rivers Alumni are among some of the previous winners!

Don’t miss this local production of the Broadway musical Newsies! Directed by Four Rivers parent Megan Healey!