Hurricane News

Amherst-Pelham Regional School District is proud to celebrate Crystal Cartwright, Transition Specialist for Amherst Regional Public Schools, who has received the Massachusetts Inclusive Postsecondary Education (MAIPSE) School Partner Excellence for Inclusive Higher Education Award.

Cartwright was honored at the 2026 Emerging Trends Conference, where she was recognized for her outstanding leadership and commitment to expanding inclusive higher education opportunities for students with disabilities.

The award is particularly noteworthy because Cartwright was nominated by all three of ARPS’s partner MAIPSE programs: Westfield State University, UMass Amherst, and Greenfield Community College. The statewide recognition highlights her exceptional work supporting students and families as they navigate transitions to higher education, employment, and community life.

Students in the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District’s Latin program have once again demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, earning impressive results on the 2026 National Latin Exam and outperforming national benchmarks.

The National Latin Exam is an internationally administered assessment that measures students' understanding of the Latin language, literature, vocabulary, mythology, and Roman culture. Each year, students from across the United States and around the world participate in the exam, making it one of the most respected assessments in classical language education.

This year, 60 ARPS students participated in the examination. Of those students, 42 scored at or above the national average; an impressive 70 percent of all district participants.

 

 

More than 90 Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Latin students joined peers from across the Pioneer Valley this spring for a day of academic competition, cultural exploration, and community at the annual Classics Day event hosted at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Held on April 8 at the UMass Campus Center, Classics Day brought together 36 Amherst Regional Middle School students and 55 Amherst Regional High School students for a full day of activities centered on the study of the ancient world. Students participated in academic competitions, artistic contests, performances, and collaborative learning experiences alongside Latin students from schools throughout the region.

 

Three Amherst Regional High School educators have been recognized for their dedication, compassion, and commitment to student success as recipients of the 2026 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards.

Jennifer Chylack, Krista Larsen, and Gerardo Zelaya were honored this spring through the prestigious regional program, which annually celebrates outstanding educators across Western Massachusetts. The awards, established by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, recognize teachers “who strive for excellence in the classroom and beyond.”

The Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards were created in 2003 to acknowledge educators who make a meaningful impact in their schools and communities. Since its inception, more than 2,000 teachers throughout Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties have been recognized for their work supporting students at every stage of their educational journeys.

Students from Amherst Regional High School made a strong impression at this year’s Massachusetts State Science Fair, earning recognition for both the quality of their research and the impact of their ideas.