Former Washington Post Executive Editor to Speak at OLLI at BCC| 11:41AM / Saturday, November 01, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Berkshire Community College welcomes Marty Baron for a special virtual Q&A on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Baron will share a behind-the-scenes look at journalism under fire, reflect on the role of the press in a divided nation, and offer an exploration of power in the 21st century, according to a press release. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. To register, visit https://berkshireolli.org/events; a Zoom link will be emailed upon registration. Baron took the helm of The Washington Post in January 2013, just months >> Read More |
Flying Cloud STEAM Challenge Night Brings Science to SchoolchildrenBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
06:11PM / Thursday, October 30, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Children and their families were able to learn from a range of science experiments last week night from Flying Clouds annual STEAM Challenge Night. Flying Cloud, an organization that offers programs in the arts and science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) to schools and children in the area, brought together about 20 organizations at the Berkshire Innovation Center to demonstrate science-based projects. "We believe in creative expression, as well as being an integral piece of learning science. And so we call it our STEAM Challenge. And then all the people that we get to work with all through the year, all of these different organizations and
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Berkshire County Regional Employment Board Awarded State Grant| 10:38AM / Thursday, October 30, 2025 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced more than $8.5 million in career-connected learning grants to support school districts and workforce partners in expanding high-quality career pathways and work-based learning opportunities for students across Massachusetts. In Berkshire County, the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board was awarded a $334,438 Connected Activities Grant. Funding will expand work-based learning immersion experiences, strengthen partnerships with local employers, and build a regional system of support for high schools to connect students with career experiences. "Every student deserves the >> Read More |
BCC Sees Dramatic Increase in Enrollment, Thanks to Free Tuition Programs| 02:36PM / Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | |
 When the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed legislation creating programs that provide free tuition for community college students — MassReconnect in 2023 and MassEducate in 2024 — administrators at Berkshire Community College knew it would be life-changing for so many of its students. Now that data is available, the boon it created is even greater than anticipated. In 2022, amid the pandemic when enrollment was at a historic low, there were just 1,380 students enrolled at BCC for a total of 11,091 credits. Those numbers have risen rapidly in just three years, with 2025 data showing 2,085 students enrolled (a 51.1 percent increase) for a total of 16,868 credits (a 52.1 percent >> Read More |
Pittsfield School Candidates Debate PHS Investigation, District NeedsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:30AM / Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Candidates for the School Committee weighed in on transparency, district restructuring, and other issues during the Oct. 16 debate hosted by Pittsfield Community Television and iBerkshires.
Nine community members are running to fill the committee's six seats: Ciara Batory, Sarah Muil, Daniel Elias, Katherine Yon, Jacob Klein, Geoffrey Buerger, Heather McNiece, Vicky Smith, and Carolyn Barry. The debate, moderated by iBerkshires Bureau Chief Brittany Polito, was held at Berkshire Community College's Boland Theater. (See coverage of their opening statements here.)
The Pittsfield High School staffing scandal, which began to unfold at the
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Pittsfield Schools Plan Special Meeting Before Middle Restructuring VoteBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:25PM / Monday, October 27, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The school district is approaching its progress point that will determine if the middle schools will restructure next school year.
A Committee of the Whole meeting is planned the week after Thanksgiving so that city officials and community members are up to date when a decision is made on Dec. 10, the last School Committee meeting of the year.
"The intent here is not to drop the program without any prior discussion on Dec. 10, but rather also to give the School Committee and the community at large more information about where the work stands at that point, and also to enable the School Committee to have any input or ask any pointed
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School Committee Candidates Debate at BCCBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:26PM / Sunday, October 26, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Candidates for the School Committee covered pressing city issues during a recent debate hosted by Pittsfield Community Television and iBerkshires.
Nine people are running to fill the committee's six seats: Ciara Batory, Sarah Muil, Daniel Elias, Katherine Yon, Jacob Klein, Geoffrey Buerger, Heather McNiece, Vicky Smith, and Carolyn Barry.
The debate held on Oct. 16 at Berkshire Community College's Boland Theatre was moderated by Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Pittsfield Bureau Chief. Candidates answered enveloped questions from a bulletin board in threes.
Topics ranged from the middle school restructuring and proposed new school in
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Reid Middle School Students Learning at Berkshire Humane SocietyBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
12:07PM / Sunday, October 26, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Students at Reid Middle School are attending classes at the Berkshire Humane Society for alternative learning sessions to help accommodate their needs. "This is the first of a series of classes that our alternative education program for middle school students, the [Berkshire] Innovation Center participates in. The Berkshire Humane Society, had won a wonderful grant and awarded it to our students to come to do some social, emotional learning based in working with animals," said Meghan Gagnon, dropout prevention liaison for the Pittsfield Public Schools. The Berkshire Humane Society applied for a $5,000 grant from the Charles H. Hall
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OLLI Hosts Book Talk, Signing with Barbara Viniar| 03:37PM / Saturday, October 25, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Berkshire Community College (BCC) invites the public to join a special Book Talk with Barbara Viniar on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 2:00 p.m., offered both in person at BCC and online via Zoom. The event is free and open to all. Viniar will discuss her debut novel, "Little Bird," a historical narrative set in early 20th-century New York City. The story follows a young Russian girl who is betrothed to a wealthy American cousin as a means for her family's escape from anti-Jewish violence. As she navigates immigration, love, loss, and the pressures of tradition, she ultimately battles for >> Read More |
BRPC Awarded Grant to Launch Mental Health Program at PHS| 10:31AM / Tuesday, October 21, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) announced it has been awarded a $10,000 Community Impact Grant from Fallon Health. This one-time award will fund the pilot of the Active Minds Curriculum at Pittsfield High School. "We're pleased to award grant funding to Berkshire Regional Planning and the SPARK initiative to help support early intervention programs for children and youth,” said Cheryl Schmaltz, Community Engagement Manager. “By focusing on teen mental health and substance use prevention, we can eliminate barriers to health care for this important population and enhance outcomes."" The >> Read More |
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