AMS as Committed as Ever to Quality Education

To the Editor: 

The Amherst Middle School opened its doors in September 1974 as a Model Middle School and a source of pride for the Amherst community. I have been privileged to be a part of its remarkable journey, and as we near our school’s 40th anniversary I would like to assure the communities of Amherst and Mont Vernon of our commitment to move forward to meet the ever-increasing needs of the 21st Century learner. 

AMS is a great place for children to grow, thrive, and learn! We are very proud of the many wonderful things happening here. We have been selected as the only Middle School in the State of New Hampshire to earn the distinction as a Response to Instruction (RtI) Demonstration School by the NH Department of Education. Schools from all over the state will visit and learn how to implement this process from our leadership team. Reading scores on the New England Comprehensive Assessment Program (NECAP) tests have been at or near the top of the State for the last several years and our new Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics programs have been fully implemented. 

It is an honor to serve the families of Amherst and Mont Vernon. Our staff is committed to understanding the developmental needs of the middle school student. They work hard every day to “challenge and engage all learners.” There is a sense of excitement about our work with SAU 39 Strategic Planning, the Common Core State Standards, Math In Focus, and our work with Teacher and Administrator Evaluation and Supervision. 

Children are the future and our most precious resource, and we must challenge them to meet and exceed the academic and social demands required of today’s learner. To provide input and help to guide us, we ask parents to become involved with the AMS Parent Partnership Team this fall.  Our parents completed a brief survey early this summer, and if you have had a child attend the Middle School in recent years, we would love to hear from you at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/92NP3G5. Please look for more messages from me every other month, informing you of our student’s accomplishments and our teaching practices. We welcome you to stop by the Middle School and visit if you get a chance, and enjoy the rest of the summer with your wonderful children.
 
PORTER DODGE
Amherst Middle School Principal