Berkshire Schools Awarded CPPI Grants | 10:45AM / Tuesday, October 08, 2024 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that 30 school districts in partnership with community-based preschool programs are receiving $20.3 million in Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) grants to support their continued efforts to expand access to high-quality affordable preschool. In Berkshire County: Pittsfield Public Schools was awarded $250,000 North Adams Public Schools was awarded $316,000 Hoosac Valley Regional School District was awarded $1,000,000 Universal access to preschool is part of Governor Maura Healey's Gateway to Pre-k agenda to make early education and child care more affordable and >> Read More |
BCC Nursing Graduates Achieve Perfect Pass Rate for Licensure Exam | 08:07AM / Tuesday, October 08, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. Berkshire Community College (BCC) reports that all 28 of its May 2024 Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) graduates had a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) exam. NCLEX uses computerized adaptive testing (CAT) technology to deliver the exam, ensuring a valid and reliable measurement of nursing competence. The passing standard for the NCLEX is the cut point at which the minimum ability is determined to require safe and effective practice nursing at the entry level. BCC's Practical Nurse (PN) program was recently ranked number one in Massachusetts and number one in the United States for its >> Read More |
Pittsfield Schools See Fewer Cell Phone ViolationsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Monday, October 07, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The updated cell phone regulations continue to show progress at Pittsfield schools. There were 416 log entries for violations towards the end of September while in September 2023, there were almost 1,000. This is attributed to a recently updated policy that imposes clear consequences for unauthorized cell phone use.
"Unless something really bad happens in the next four days with cell phone Armageddon, we're probably going to be well under, in terms of log entries, where we were last year at this time," Matthew Bishop, interim assistant superintendent of instruction, assessment, education, and engagement, said.
"Which is just
>> Read More |
Pittsfield High Boiler Replacement UnderwayBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:07AM / Thursday, October 03, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield High School's boiler project is underway and the school will have heating upgrades for the winter season. The effort will replace three inefficient, original-to-the-building boilers that are past their useful life.
"That school is going to operate a whole lot different," Building Maintenance Director Brian Filiault told the School Building Needs Commission on Tuesday.
"There's not going to be fluctuations in there anymore."
A temporary boiler arrived at the school last week and will be connected to the building in the coming weeks. The replacement boilers arrive next week and will go online in December.
The project,
>> Read More |
Williams Elementary Receives National DesignationBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:26PM / Wednesday, October 02, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Williams Elementary School has received national recognition for its performance.
It has been designated as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The award program honors high-performing schools and institutions making great strides in closing achievement gaps.
"There are very high expectations at Williams and a belief that all children can succeed but that is also matched by the families at that school," Superintendent Joseph Curtis told the School Committee last week.
Only eight other schools in the state have received the designation this year, 356 nationally. According to state assessments, Williams scored in the top
>> Read More |
PHS Graduate Departs to Colombia With Peace CorpsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:37PM / Sunday, September 29, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A 2018 Pittsfield High School graduate is dedicating her next couple of years to service in the Peace Corps. Earlier this month, 24-year-old Kennedy Merriam departed to Colombia where she will serve as a co-English teacher for two years. She found her voice while studying Spanish in Pittsfield Public Schools and has made a career of it. "I feel like right now, there is no better time than for me to give back and to learn from others, to work with others, and I think my biggest reason to serve would be to be able to grow myself with helping others but also having others help me grow and expand my knowledge, my beliefs," she >> Read More |
Pittsfield Police Arrest Maine Murder SuspectBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
01:09PM / Friday, September 27, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police arrested a man on a warrant for murder in Maine after a pursuit Friday that prompted Pittsfield schools to enact a brief lockdown. Keith Thorpe, 42, of Bangor is wanted in the homicide of 39-year-old Virginia Cookson, who was found dead in her home Wednesday. Police posted on social media that officers were actively tracking a stolen vehicle from in a neighboring state earlier in the morning. Thorpe was caught near Euclid Avenue after making contact with a cruiser. Thorpe is also being charged with numerous motor vehicle offenses and is expected to be arraigned at Pittsfield District Court and to extradited to Maine. "As a precaution during the >> Read More |
BCC to Hold Community Tag Sale | 08:05AM / Wednesday, September 25, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will hold a community tag sale of surplus inventory on Sunday, Sept. 29 from 11 am to 3 pm. The sale will take place in the North parking lot on the main campus, located at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield. In accordance with policies set forth by the Commonwealth, property considered no longer relevant or needed by the College may be declared surplus by the State Surplus Property Office (SSPO). Surplus property typically includes used equipment and furniture, such as desks, chairs and file cabinets. Only cash will be accepted. All items must be picked up by 3:00 p.m. on the day of the tag >> Read More |
Wahconah High Mold Remediation Complete; Investigation OngoingBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:21AM / Monday, September 23, 2024 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The mold remediation in the Wahconah High School auditorium is complete, and the air levels are safe and meet the state standard. During last month's School Committee meeting, it was announced that penicillium, a type of mold, was growing on the auditorium's walls. The mold was "in different places" in the auditorium, but anyone would have to have been "pretty observant" to see it," said Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis during last month’s meeting. "It's not something that, if you just walked in, you would see right away." Now that the mold has been remediated, the >> Read More |
Free community college a boon for students, workforce and local economyLinda Clairmont & Lori Moon , Guest Column
02:31PM / Friday, September 20, 2024 | |
 It's no secret that the rising cost of college tuition, together with unprecedented increases in the cost of living, creates a barrier for many people seeking to better themselves through higher education. It's also no secret that this barrier can be even harder to overcome for historically marginalized people. At Berkshire Community College (BCC), we strive every day to break barriers and make quality education accessible to all. Thanks to two programs launched by the Commonwealth, MassReconnect and MassEducate, getting an associate degree or certificate at BCC is more accessible than ever. The programs can provide free tuition and fees, and even an allowance for books, to >> Read More |
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