S.T.E.A.M. Story Time

The Ashland Public Library is offering a S.T.E.A.M. Story Time program for the Early Release Day on Thursday, March 30 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Kids in Kindergarten-Grade 3 can listen to stories and turn a potato into a battery clock. You will be able to take your clock home with you. This event is sponsored by The Friends of the Ashland Public Library. Call 508-881-0134 for more information.

Talent Show

Ashland High School's National Honor Society is hosting a Talent Show to celebrate Ashland's diverse talents. Join us on Thursday, March 23 at 7 p.m. in the AHS Auditorium to enjoy singing, music, dancing and more! Tickets are $8 in advance for AHS Students and $10 at the door. All proceeds will be donated to Heading Home, a Boston-based organization that provides housing, food and financial literacy training to the homeless. Please email nhs@ashland.k12.ma.us with any questions. 

Spring Clean Out Fundraiser

The Spring Clean Out Fundraiser is a chance for the community to get rid of unwanted items and raise money for the Ashland High School boys lacrosse team. Fill your vehicle, and bring it to the AHS starting at 10 a.m. on April 1 where we will unload your items into dumpsters. $30 for cars, $50 for SUVs and $75 for trucks. Come early as the dumpsters fill up fast!

Clockers Soccer Skills & Drills

Coached by Ashland High School Varsity Soccer Head Coach, Mike Schena, this optional, 8-week program acts as an additional training component to players’ regularly scheduled team practices. Players will learn essential skills and ball techniques as well as footwork exercises in a positive, fun and safe environment. Sessions begin on April 24 and will be held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4-5 p.m. Players can pick the training day that works best for their schedule! Cost is $80 and includes a Skills & Drills training jersey. Register for Clockers Soccer Skills & Drills here. For more information, email aysintowndirector@gmail.com.

Once Upon a Book Fest: Children's Book Festival

The Ashland Public Library is hosting its 2nd Annual "Once Upon A Book Fest," a Children's Book Festival sponsored by The Friends of the Ashland Public Library, featuring 12 authors and illustrators. The BookFest will take place on Saturday, March 25 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The full schedule includes workshops, small discussion groups and book signings. Aesop's Fables Book Shop will be selling books. Families and kids of all ages are welcome. For details and registration, visit bit.ly/apl-bookfest2023. 

Kid's Test Kitchen

Kid's Test Kitchen and ARC are on a mission to get eaters of all ages and abilities to cook, taste and think about healthy ingredients! We present grade K-5 students with the opportunity to explore new or familiar foods in their raw, unmanipulated state. Then, working as a team, they’ll slice, dice, peel, measure and cook until they’ve prepared the finished dish. Class closes with an opportunity to taste the result of their hard work. Students receive a printed recipe card and the focal ingredient - or a sample of the finished dish - so they can show off what they learned. Kids with allergies are welcome, as we can work around them. Classes will be held at the Ashland Community Center on Thursdays from 5-6 p.m. from March 9-April 13. Cost is $175. Register online at Register.CommunityPass.net.

Ashland Education Foundation Casino Night Benefit 2023 

The Ashland Education Foundation will host an in-person Casino Night on Saturday, March 25 from 7-11 p.m. at the Warren Conference Center to raise money for innovative projects in our schools! Tickets are $55 per person and will include access to various food stations, a live DJ, dancing and $1,000 in "Funny Money" to help kick off your luck at the casino! A silent auction and full premium bar will also be available. Cash and credit cards accepted. Come dressed in whatever you would wear for a night on the town with your friends. Purchase your tickets today at ashlandeducation.org.

ARC Home Alone Safety Training

An In Home Alone Safety training will be held on March 29 from 1:15-2:45 p.m. at the Ashland Recreation Center. Children will learn telephone and door answering techniques, internet safety, accident and fire protection, first aid techniques and how children should manage their time when home alone for short periods. The class, open to anyone aged 8-11, includes a variety of teaching methods, including video and role-playing. Cost is $70. Register online at Register.CommunityPass.net.

Crayon Day Contest

Ashland Town Hall will host a contest for National Crayon Day, celebrated on March 31. Entries are due by April 21, and two winners will be chosen by April 28, Drawings should made with crayons and inspired by the Town of Ashland. Ashland residents in grades K-5 can submit their drawing:

• by mail: Put the submission in an envelope and send it to the Economic Development Office, 2nd Floor, 101 Main St., Ashalnd, MA 01721.
•  in person: Drop it off at the Economic Development Office on the second floor of Ashland Town Hall.
• by email: Email your drawing to mhayes@ashlandmass.com.

Enter to win a Town of Ashland prize and a chance to have your artwork displayed at the Corner Spot!

"Fossils" with Seed, Inc.

The Ashland Public Library will host an Early Release Day program about "Fossils" with Seed, Inc. (Science and Engineering Education Development, Inc.) on Wednesday, March 29 at 2:30 p.m. This program is designed to instill a passion for the STEM fields in young minds with fun, hands-on activities where kids will dig out a fossil, learn how they form and examine fossils that are millions of years old. The program, suitable for children in kindergarten through grade 5, is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and the Ashland Cultural Council. Call 508-881-0134 for more information.

Welcome Night for Grade 2 Families

Parents and caregivers of grade 2 students are invited for a Welcome Night at Mindess Elementary School on April 25 at 6 p.m. We will be providing an overview of the Mindess Experience. This is a care giver event only.

Putts4Pages

Putts4Pages is a fundraiser for the Ashland Public Library sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library. An 18-hole Mini Golf course will be set up inside the library on April 1 and 2. The April 1 event is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for adults and features Mocktails and Munchies. Tickets are $20 per person. The April 2 event is for families from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tickets are $5 per person with a $25 family maximum. Tickets are available beginning March 15 at friendsoftheapl.org. For more information, email president@friendsoftheapl.org.

Summer 2023 Program

Dream Station Early Learning Center is now enrolling children entering first grade through sixth grade in their summer program. For more information, visit www.dsmwm.org, call 508-881-7670 or cbishop@dsmwm.org.

Chestnut Hill Farm Camp

Registration is now open for Chestnut Hill Farm camp! Weekly camp sessions will be held from June 26 to August 18 for ages 5-10. For details or to signup, visit thetrustees.org/chfcamp.

Cards for a Cause fundraiser

The Ashland Preschool PTO is hosting a Cards for a Cause fundraiser and will be selling greeting card boxes through an order form. Email ashlandpreschoolpto@gmail.com for more information.

Glee Club

Join us for a musical adventure through your favorite hit songs! Learn vocal warm-ups and choreography, and develop your ear while singing top hits from Disney, Broadway and more! Together we will soar through a fun vocal experience while we move and groove to the beat! Classes are open to grades 1-5 students and will be held at the Ashland Recreation Center on Tuesdays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Spring 1 classes run Feb. 28-April 25; no class will be held on March 28 or April 18. Spring 2 classes will be held from May 2-June 13. Register online at Register.CommunityPass.net.

AED & CPR Training

It is never too early to be prepared for the unexpected. On March 29 from 3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the Ashland Recreation Center, learn how to recognize cardiac arrest, activate emergency medical services, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use an automated external defibrillator until additional assistance arrives. The course will also cover how to respond to urgent choking situations. Participants will receive a two-year certificate upon successful completion. Open to anyone in Grade 5+. Register online at Register.CommunityPass.net.

Driver's Education Course

Beginning in October, Teacher’s Driving Academy LLC will offer several sessions of its driver's education course in the Ashland Middle School Activity Room. The course covers the required 30 hours of in-class instruction and costs $122, which includes new RMV fees. Students must be 15 yrs. and 9 mos. by the first class to register. Visit teachersdrivingacademy.com for more information or contact Jeannie Young at jyoung@ashland.k12.ma.us or 508-881-0143.

Musical Theater Classes

Let your character thrive as we soar into the themes and scenes of theater! Bring out those creative minds as we put together a small production with singing, acting and movement with scenes from famous broadway shows. Open to students in grades 1-5. Classes will be held Fridays from 4:15-5:15 p.m. from March 3 until April 28, except on March 17, April 7 and April 21. Register online at Register.CommunityPass.net.

Square 1 Art fundraiser

It's time to celebrate our young artists with the Square 1 Art fundraiser! This annual tradition allows you to purchase high-quality keepsakes featuring your student's own artwork to enjoy for years to come. Customized catalogs are being sent home with students at Mindess and Warren with all the instructions you need to place your order. All orders will be shipped directly to you and proceeds will benefit both the PTO and the Art Department. Place orders by March 31.

After School Story & Craft Program 

The Ashland Public Library is offering an After School Story & Craft program for ages 4-8 twice weekly. Kids can come either Mondays at 4:30 p.m. or Fridays at 4 p.m. Each week the librarians will read several stories and the kids will make a related craft project. All library programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library. Call 508-881-0134 to find out what craft will be offered this week.