Buds, Twigs, and Bark: How to Identify Trees and Shrubs in Winter

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Join Chelsey Simmons of Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) for the February Berkshire Green Drinks virtual event to explore the buds, twigs, and bark of common trees seen in the New England landscape. 
 
It may be surprising, but winter is actually an excellent time to learn how to identify woody plant species. The absence of leaves allows for the opportunity to take a closer look at the characteristics that are often overlooked, like the subtle features of a twig, the arrangement of buds, and the overall form and structure of a tree. Chelsey will go over the steps to tree identification, break down twig morphology, and give helpful hints on remembering one species from another — all of which will aid in tree and shrub identification year-round.
 
The presentation will be live-streamed via Zoom at 6 PM on Wednesday, February 14. Registration is required to receive the meeting link. Register at: http://tinyurl.com/Feb2024-Berks-Green-Drinks
 
Chelsey Simmons is the programs director for Berkshire Environmental Action Team, a nonprofit based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. As part of her work for BEAT, she leads numerous naturalist walks throughout Berkshire County year-round. For the past few years, she's been working on an identification book of trees and shrubs found in western Massachusetts, meticulously drawing and painting each page by hand and sharing those pages with the public through BEAT's "Tree of the Month" series with the hope of getting people excited about trees and interested in the native species found in our region.
 
Berkshire Green Drinks (formerly Pittsfield Green Drinks) is an informal gathering that takes place once a month. A guest speaker talks for about 30 minutes beginning at 6 PM, and the presentation is followed by a discussion and Q&A. These nights are free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. 

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Pittsfield School Committee OKs Contracts, New Time-Out Regulations

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee held a special meeting last week to settle contracts for the new, institutionally different school year. 

During a virtual meeting, members approved a contract with the Pittsfield Federation of School Employees for fiscal years 2026 to 2028, and a memorandum of agreement with the United Educators of Pittsfield for the new bell schedule. 

The Pittsfield Federation of School Employees represents bus drivers and monitors, cafeteria and custodial staff, paraprofessionals, and secretaries. 

For Pittsfield Public Schools, staff returns on Aug. 26 and students' first day is Aug. 31; pre-kindergarten and kindergarten begin school on Sept. 2. The district will have one less elementary school, as the committee voted to retire Morningside Community School earlier this year and reassigned students to Allendale, Capeless, Egremont, and Williams elementary schools, and a different middle grade model. 

PPS now has an upper elementary and junior high school, with Grades 5 and 6 attending Herberg Middle School and Grades 7 and 8 attending Reid Middle School. This concept is also new to the 2026-2027 school year and has altered bell times, staffing, and transportation

An MOA with the Pittsfield Educational Administrators Association for school assignment changes after the contractual timeline was tabled.  It will be taken up at the next meeting with an executive session. 

The School Committee also updated the district's policies and procedures for physical restraint, time-out, and seclusion to align with revised state regulations.  It was adopted on the first reading. 

"We're not proposing any changes that haven't been suggested per the law," Superintendent Latifah Phillips reported. 

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