1Berkshire Welcomes Youth Leadership Program Class of 2026| 08:09AM / Thursday, September 25, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire welcomed its 14th Berkshire Youth Leadership Program class. This group of 31 high school juniors from across the Berkshires was selected through a competitive application process to begin a year-long leadership development program that kicked off in late May with a three-day, two-night retreat held at Camp Becket. The 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program is focused on helping students in our region develop and grow through career opportunity awareness, leadership skill development, and the design and completion of a 9-month-long collective-impact project focused on the betterment of the Berkshires. Selected students have shown a >> Read More |
Pittsfield Council Drops Mayor as School Chair ChangeBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:46AM / Thursday, September 25, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council supported some recommended changes to the City Charter, but left behind an ordinance that designates the mayor as chair of the School Committee.
On Tuesday, councilors approved ordinances that change the city clerk's term from two to four years, give the operating budget a safeguard from charter objections, and allow more time to debate the budget before the end of the fiscal year.
A proposed amendment to Article 4, Section 4-1 (a) that stipulates "The mayor shall serve, by virtue of the office, as a member and chairperson of the school committee and shall preside over all meetings of the school committee," was filed
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Pittsfield Panel Backs School Bus Stop-Arm CamerasBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:20AM / Wednesday, September 24, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City councilors are in favor of a theoretical system that flags vehicles that don't stop for school buses.
On Monday, the Ordinances and Rules subcommittee supported Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren's request to accept a new statute that gives the option to install a detection system for school bus traffic violations.
Warren explained that this doesn't mean it will get implemented, but it accepts state law (MGL Chapter 40, Section 71) so that the city can look into it. Earlier this year, Gov. Maura Healey signed a bill that allows municipalities to use school bus violation detection monitoring systems.
"We're talking
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Pittsfield Administrator Tapped for Berkshire Hills PositionBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:51AM / Monday, September 22, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Kristen Behnke will leave the school district after more than 20 years.
This was disclosed during Wednesday's School Committee meeting. Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips, who has been in the position for three months, said Behnke has been "such an asset" to her during that time.
"But I know to the district for over two decades, so it will be a tremendous loss to us, big shoes to fill, but really thankful for the time that we've had with you," Phillips said.
"And I wanted to share that before giving an update on replacing her, because it is a very
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Ellen Kennedy Reflects on Past, Future of BCC Before RetirementBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:17PM / Sunday, September 21, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — President Ellen Kennedy feels Berkshire Community College is in a good place to welcome new leadership.
She will retire at the end of the school year after more than 17 years with the college, 14 as president, and looks back on the students, faculty, and campus as a whole with pride.
"Our faculty is extraordinary. Our administrators and staff are just exceptional. Our students are so special, so committed to their own learning and their own growth as people and in pursuit of their own goals, it's just really exciting," she said recently.
"We have an excellent board of trustees. We have an excellent foundation. I mean,
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Stearns Not Currently Included in Pittsfield's Crosby/Conte ProposalBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:56AM / Friday, September 19, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Stearns Elementary School was not included in Crosby/Conte planning documents sent to the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
This was clarified on Wednesday, before the School Committee endorsed the district and MSBA’s examination of a three-zone, long-term option for reorganizing and consolidating the elementary level.
"MSBA is not moving forward at this time with a feasibility study that includes any consolidation except the possibility of merging Conte and Crosby at the new school," Chair William Cameron reported after a discussion with the funding authority.
"That said, MSBA is not averse to
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Pittsfield Public Schools Awarded CPPI Grant| 10:56AM / Thursday, September 18, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Public Schools has been awarded $250,000 through the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) to expand access to preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds across the city. A 2024–25 community-wide needs assessment revealed that about 25 percent of Pittsfield's preschool-aged children remain unserved and disconnected to pre-K education, despite over 1,100 available seats. More than half of incoming kindergarteners scored below readiness benchmarks and would benefit from early childhood programs. However, families cited cost, transportation, and limited full-day options as barriers to their child's enrollment in such >> Read More |
MCLA to Host Networking Session for Regional K-12 Educational Leaders | 07:42AM / Thursday, September 18, 2025 | |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) Division of Graduate & Continuing Education will host a networking and mentoring session for new K-12 leaders on Tuesday, Sept. 30, from 4-6 p.m. at the Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield. The event comes at a time of significant leadership transitions across local school districts and is designed to strengthen regional educational partnerships while providing support for newly appointed administrators. "With significant leadership transitions occurring across local school districts, this gathering provides an opportunity to build relationships, offer support, and strengthen the >> Read More |
BCC Invites All to 'Explore the Electrician Trade'| 08:14AM / Tuesday, September 16, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will hold a free, hands-on career awareness event called "Explore the Electrician Trade" on Tuesday, Sept. 23 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. The event will be held in the SBA Lounge on BCC's main campus, located at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield. The event will focus on the BCC Trades Academy's future electrician program. Attendees will include local electricians, young employees in the trade and facilities managers. Admission is free; registration is suggested but not required. To register, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/electrician. An overview of the program will be followed >> Read More |
Berkshire Athenaeum Hosts an Early Literacy Event | 12:49PM / Monday, September 15, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Athenaeum and Pittsfield Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE), based out of Berkshire County Head Start, invite children ages 6 and under and their families to a free early literacy event celebrating the children's book, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle. The event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, from 10:30 am to noon in the auditorium of the Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield's Public Library located at 1 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01201. This event aims to engage young learners and their families through a variety of fun, STEAM- based (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, >> Read More |
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