Success and Failure: All students need to be successful if they are to build the confidence and capacity to take risks and meet increasingly difficult challenges. But it is also important for students to learn from their failures, to persevere when things are hard, and to learn to turn disabilities into opportunities.
~from the EL Education Design Principles
Message from Head of School and Principal
As I write this, I am still carrying the joy and pride of this past weekend’s graduation ceremony. It was a beautiful celebration of the Class of 2026 and a powerful reminder of what it means to educate for lives of learning and service.
The journey to graduation at Four Rivers includes one final and significant milestone: the Graduation Passage. During their Passage presentations, seniors shared the process and products of their Senior Expeditions while reflecting on our Schoolwide Learning Outcomes and the Three Dimensions of Student Achievement—Mastery of Knowledge and Skills, Character and Culture, and High Quality Work—which together make up our Portrait of a Graduate.
What stood out most was the depth with which our students know these targets and outcomes. Their reflections demonstrated not only personal growth and self-awareness, but also the intentional and consistent guidance they have received from teachers, crew advisors, learning specialists, counselors, and support staff throughout their years at Four Rivers.
Passage presentations are not only a senior experience. Two additional Passage milestones lie ahead for our students as they progress through their Four Rivers journey.
On June 11 and 12, our 8th grade students will present their reflections on middle school and share how they believe they are prepared to step into the challenges and opportunities of high school. Then, on June 15 and 16, our 10th grade students will reflect on their first two years of high school and explain why and how they are ready for all that Division III has to offer.
These presentations invite students to tell the story of their learning. They celebrate successes, acknowledge challenges, and reflect honestly on moments when things did not go as planned. At Four Rivers, we believe that some of our most important learning comes from learning to fail forward—to reflect, adapt, persevere, and grow.
We hope many of you will join us as authentic audience members for these important milestones. Your presence helps honor the courage, reflection, and hard work that these presentations represent.
One final schoolwide celebration remains before we close the year: our Stepping Up Ceremony on June 17. We hope you will join us in the courtyard as we celebrate our students collectively through crew banners, stories from crew advisors, special recognitions, and the ceremonial meeting of next year’s crew groups and advisors. It is one of the most meaningful traditions of the year and a beautiful reflection of our belief that we are crew, not passengers.
Thank you for all the ways you contribute to the stories our students tell during Passages, Stepping In and Stepping Up ceremonies, Celebrations of Learning, and graduation. These moments belong not only to our students, but to the entire community that has supported, challenged, encouraged, and believed in them along the way.
In celebration of all we have accomplished this year,
Jenni
Upcoming Events
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Please refer to the online School Events Calendar for the most current information.
Thurs. 6/4 – MCAS: 10th grade Biology makeup
– 9th Grade Wellness Class to Poet’s Seat Tower/Highland Park
– New Families Picnic 6-7:30pm – this event is for families of students that are newly accepted for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Sun. 6/7 – BMS Ultimate State Tournament
Wed. 6/10 – Sun. 6/14 – GV and BV Ultimate to the High School Nationals Invitational in Salem, Oregon
Wed. 6/10 – 10th Grade to the Clark Art Museum
Thurs. 6/11 – 9th Grade Science – Greenfield Floodplain Work
– Juniors to MASS MoCA
Thurs. 6/11 & Fri. 6/12 – 8th Grade Passage Presentations
Fri. 6/12 – Juniors to French King Bowling Center
Sat. 6/13 – Franklin County Pride (more info below)
Mon. 6/15 – 8th Grade Cardboard Boats (rain date 6/16)
– 9th Grade to Laurel Lake
Mon. 6/15 & Tues. 6/16 – 10th Grade Passage Presentations
Tues. 6/16 – Interim Lottery
– 7th Grade to Rowe Beach
– Early Dismissal at 12:30 – lunch served, one bus route
Wed. 6/17 – Stepping Up Ceremony – Families Invited (10:45-12pm) more info below
– Last Day of School – Early Dismissal at 12:00 – no lunch served, one bus route
End of Year Activities: Arriving Late and Dismissing Early
As we approach these last weeks of school we have a few more special activities planned with our students, many of which take place off campus. If you have a need to bring your student in late, or release them early, it is really important to be aware of their schedule for the day. Please check in with them directly and also refer to our School Events Calendar. Please note that events may change due to weather.
FRANKLIN COUNTY PRIDE
Join the Four Rivers contingent in the Franklin County Pride Parade on Saturday, June 13th. We start the day with a potluck brunch at 10am at the school. We line up for the parade at 11:30. Parade starts at noon at the middle school. All are welcome!
STEPPING UP CEREMONY – Wednesday, June 17th, 10:45am – 12pm
We celebrate the journey and accomplishments of the year and so much more in our end of year rite of passage called the Stepping Up Ceremony. We invite caregivers, parents, families and supporters to come help us celebrate a full year and to mark the stepping up of our students into the next part of their journey.
Please join us for the Stepping Up Ceremony on the lawn under the silver maples in the quad at 10:45 am on Wednesday, June 17th. There will be some chairs available, though most are set up to accommodate the students as they sit by grade/crew. Bring your lawn chairs, cameras and smiles.
In Otter News…
2026-2027 ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Our Academic Calendar for 2026 – 2027 has been finalized. Please let us know if you would like a printed copy sent home.
LINK: 2026-2027 ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Four Rivers Otter Open – POSTPONED to 9/26/26
We are postponing the Otter Open to the fall. There are several competing community-related events (both within and outside of Four Rivers). Stay tuned for more details.
SENIOR DOCUMENTARY
12th graders recently finished their documentary film, Living Through Fear: The Resilience of Immigrants in the United States. The premiere, on 5/7 at the Garden Cinema in Greenfield, was a huge success: the first theater sold out and a second theater was opened up to accommodate audience members! See below for a description of the students’ film and a link to view it.
Living Through Fear: The Resilience of Immigrants in the United States
Through the experiences of immigrants, activists, lawyers, and politicians, this Four Rivers high school Senior Documentary explores the policies and enforcement of immigration, as well as its historical context. This film centers the experiences of immigrants under the presence of ICE with a focus on New England. Living Through Fear highlights the strength and actions of those fighting for immigrants’ rights, finding hope inside a world of fear.
Content Warnings: Mentions of suicide, human rights violations, footage of 9/11, imagery of guns, violent imagery of ICE actions, and photosensitivity.
Consider making a donation to an organization that support the Immigrants in our communities!:
Franklin County People’s Fund
Neighbor to Neighbor
LUCE
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Entre los experiencias de inmigrantes, activistas, abogados, y políticos, este documental de último año de Four Rivers explora las políticas y la aplicación de las leyes de inmigración, así como su contexto histórico. La película se centra en las experiencias de los inmigrantes que viven bajo la presencia de ICE, con un enfoque en Nueva Inglaterra. Viviendo a través del miedo destaca la fortaleza y las acciones de quienes luchan por los derechos de los inmigrantes, encontrando esperanza dentro de un mundo de miedo.
Advertencias de Contenido: menciones de suicidio, violaciones de los derechos humanos, imágenes del 11 de septiembre, imágenes de armas, imágenes violentas de acciones de ICE y sensibilidad a la luz.
¡Considera hacer una donación a una organización que apoye a los inmigrantes en nuestras comunidades!:
Franklin County People’s Fund
Neighbor to Neighbor
LUCE
INTERIM LOTTERY FOR 10th & 12th – June 15, 2026
5-16-2026 – LEGAL NOTICE APPLICATION INTERIM LOTTERIES
Our annual lottery in February was very successful, with nearly every grade level generating a waitlist. As we move through the spring and learn more about students’ plans for next year, we continue working to maintain full enrollment and balanced class sizes across our small school community.
To support this effort, we will hold an interim lottery on June 16 and are currently focusing recruitment on students entering 10th and 12th grades next year.Please help us spread the word. If you know a student or family who may be interested in Four Rivers, encourage them to learn more and apply. Please share this link where they can access our online application and learn more about our interim lottery process: www.fourriverscharter.org/admissions.php.
Word of mouth remains one of our most effective recruitment tools, and we are grateful for all the ways our community helps share the story of our school.
YEARBOOK ORDERS
It’s really never too late to order a Four Rivers yearbook!
Ordering now will incur an individual shipping cost and it may not arrive prior to the last day of classes.
LINK: 2025-2026 YEARBOOK ORDERS
PASSCODE: 1014835510242095
Our yearbook team worked really hard to represent as much we could from this school year, which was chock full of experiences across grades!
Here’s a sneak peek from our Clubs and Intensives section…
LOST & FOUND!
Please remember to check the Common Room and front office for anything you may not realize you are leaving behind. We will send photos out next week.
Current Employment Opportunities
- Substitute Teacher
Full job description - Substitute Nurse
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
What is the Family Council? The FRCPS Family Council is a parent, caregiver and Four Rivers community organization that builds community!
Serving on Family Council is a wonderful opportunity to work closely with school leadership, connect with other families, and help shape the community-building events that make Four Rivers so special.
Family Council is currently in a leadership transition, as several dedicated parents and caregivers are stepping down from their roles. We are looking for one or two new co-chairs, as well as additional members who would like to help out in big or small ways.
Your involvement can help ensure beloved traditions like the Variety Show and other community events continue to thrive at Four Rivers
We sponsor and host fun gatherings during the school year and run an annual raffle fundraiser that supports school enrichment activities.
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
Athletics
Our Athletics Director, Erin Klett, will be sending out an update on all of our fantastic Ultimate teams and their seasons soon!
Currently both Varsity teams along with Erin, our coaches, and our incredible family community have been hard at work helping to get the teams out to Salem, Oregon for the High School Nationals Invitational!
LINK: Four Rivers on WHAI!
Our 11th graders, Quinten and Bowie stopped by the WHAI studios recently to share the exciting news — that BOTH the boys and girls teams have earned spots at Nationals!
Let’s rally behind these hardworking athletes as they represent Four Rivers — and all of Franklin County — on the national stage!
RETURNING 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
KEYCARDS NEED TO BE REPLACED IF LOST
All students in grades 7-11 should be sure to have their keycard on them at all times. We have heard some students say that they aren’t going to replace lost ones because it is so close to the end of the year. This places a burden on others when keycards are not brought to school.
Please report lost keycards to Kati Josephs in the front office and they will be replaced. We will collect keycards on the last day of school and return them to students next school year.
Students that are not returning will have the option to keep their disabled keycard.
We cover the cost of the first replacement and then have to charge $5 for every additional replacement.
ALL OUTSTANDING FEES MUST BE PAID IN FULL PRIOR TO THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
Please log into MySchoolBucks to check for outstanding fees. Payments can be made by check or cash in the front office, or online via MySchoolBucks. Please email Robin at frontoffice@fourriverscharter.org if you have any questions.
Thank you for your attention to this!
Community Corner
FROM BOYS VARSITY ULTIMATE COACH, TERRY PLOTKIN..
There are lots of opportunities to continue playing ultimate this summer.
There are various pickup games in the area including one at Greenfield Community College every Wednesday at 5:30 and Sunday at 5. People of all ages come, usually they have some experience playing but it’s not necessary. Contact Marc G. at solarmarc@gmail.com if you want to be on the email list
There is another family friendly pickup game every Friday night at 5:30 at Montague Center. Contact is Ashley S. at
For those athletes looking for a summer day program to improve their skills, have fun and make friends from all over the valley there is the Summer Ultimate Intensive (summerultimateintensive.weebly.com) This program is open for players ages 12 – 17, boys and girls, experienced and beginners.
This program is held at GCC from June 22 – 26 from 9 – 3 each day and run by Terry Plotkin terryplotkin@gmail.com
Valley Ultimate (valleyultimate.net) is running a weekly summer program for youth at the Oxbow.
