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 |
Flying Cloud Brings Free Science and Art Event to the BIC| 03:42PM / Monday, October 20, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Flying Cloud Institute (FCI) will lead a free, hands-on science and art community event for students in grades K-8 and their families at the Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC) on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. This is the sixth STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Challenge Night led by FCI, with support from the Berkshire STEM Pipeline and the BIC. The event coincides with Massachusetts' 8th Annual STEM Week to boost students' interest in STEM fields and is part of the MA Lights On After School celebration. "Flying Cloud Institute invites local families to celebrate creativity and innovation with us. It will
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Pittsfield Schools Hire MCLA Administrator as Assistant Superintendent for Business and FinanceBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
11:18AM / Saturday, October 18, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The School Committee voted to appoint Bonnie Howland as the district's assistant superintendent for business and finance. "The work I have done has taught me about finding balance, about how financial responsibility and fairness can work together to open doors for students and strengthen institutions," Howland said during a special meeting on Thursday. She has worked in higher education and public service for over 20 years, as Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' (MCLA) director of student accounts since 2015, and the director of student financial services since 2018. Kristen Behnke, former assistant superintendent for business
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The OLLI Players to Present Two One-Act Readings| 02:52PM / Wednesday, October 15, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced a special theatrical event: a staged reading of two one-act plays, Mum Bett's Minute and The Loyalist, on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., at BCC. The event is free and open to the public. This presentation is part of OLLI's commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, exploring stories of identity, freedom, and loyalty during that formative period. Following the performances, a panel of scholars and community voices will engage the audience in a discussion. About the Performances Mum Bett's >> Read More |
Additional HR Staff, Streamlined Investigations Recommended for Pittsfield SchoolsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:01PM / Tuesday, October 14, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.—A consultant recommended that the Pittsfield Public Schools enhance its human resources supports after a year of several staff investigations.
On Wednesday, the School Committee received a presentation from the Collins Center for Public Management, which was contracted to review the district's HR, hiring, and retention processes.
"A report with this kind of detail is, I think, what was needed at the outset," Chair William Cameron said.
"And now we have to use the recommendations you're making and put them into effect on a schedule that we can accommodate and that will improve the way we operate."
Three
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BCC to Hold Annual Harvest Run| 10:30AM / Tuesday, October 14, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC)'s annual Harvest Run will be held Saturday, Nov. 1. The event, led by Integritus Healthcare, includes a 5K trail run. New this year is a high school cross country invitational, offering a chance for Berkshire County high school students to compete on their own level. Bib pickup begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Paterson Field House, located on BCC's main campus at 1350 West Street in Pittsfield. The 5K run begins at 8:30 a.m., and the high school invitational begins at 10:30 a.m. The event includes a costume contest with the theme of Boomerang cartoons. Prizes will be awarded for best costumes. In >> Read More |
BCC Names Two to Board of Trustees| 10:19AM / Monday, October 13, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announces the election of two members to its Board of Trustees. The board is composed of area residents appointed by the governor of Massachusetts. Julie Fallon Hughes of Dalton is president and chief executive officer of Adams Community Bank, a role she assumed in August 2024. With over 25 years of experience in the banking industry, Hughes has held senior leadership positions at First Indiana Bank, M&I Bank, BMO Harris Bank, Fifth Third Bank, and most recently at Northwest Bank. She is widely recognized for her strategic leadership and her ability to guide teams through complex organizational change. Her >> Read More |
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