AEEC News

Students at the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District had the opportunity to experience something more than a guest speaker visit: the early promise of a new district-wide initiative designed to strengthen relationships, expand opportunity, and build trust across each school within the three districts.

On Thursday, February 12, the Honorable Judge Bruce S. Melikian visited both Summit Academy and Amherst Regional Middle School as part of the new ARPS CONNECT District Mentoring Program. CONNECT, which stands for Creating Opportunities through Nurturing Networking, Engagement, Care, and Trust, was established this year to provide meaningful and positive mentoring experiences for students. The initiative focuses on building caring relationships that nurture individual strengths, expand positive peer and adult networks, engage families and the broader community, and cultivate trust.

In February 2026, the Amherst, Pelham, and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Districts came together to honor Black History Month with a series of thoughtful, dynamic, and deeply engaging experiences for students across all grade levels. What unfolded throughout the month was not a single program or event, but a districtwide commitment to honoring Black voices, examining history with honesty, and celebrating the ongoing influence of Black leaders, artists, scholars, and changemakers.

This winter, every sixth-grade student in Amherst and Pelham took part in a hands-on learning experience that brought years of garden-based education to fruition. Through a partnership with Wheelhouse Farm Catering, students from Wildwood Elementary School, Fort River Elementary School, Crocker Farm Elementary School, and Pelham Elementary School visited the Wheelhouse kitchen in downtown Amherst to prepare food rooted in their own long-term learning.

Educators across the Amherst, Pelham, and Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools recently participated in a professional development session focused on using Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) to support multilingual learners. The training reinforced a shared belief that language instruction is not simply a requirement, but a crucial part of ensuring every student has equitable access to learning. Throughout the day, staff engaged in practical strategies designed to strengthen language development alongside academic success.

On November 4, staff across the Amherst, Pelham, and Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools took part in the Welcoming Schools professional development workshop, an important step in deepening the district’s commitment to creating schools where every student feels fully valued. The two-hour session centered on strengthening staff understanding of gender identity, exploring best practices for inclusive language, and learning strategies that disrupt gender stereotyping in school communities.