Adams-Cheshire School Committee Halts Costa Rica Fundraising

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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The School Committee has stopped fundraising for a school trip because it has not yet been approved.

ADAMS, Mass. — The Adams-Cheshire Regional School District requested that all fundraising efforts for a high school trip stop.

Committee member Stephen Vigna requested Monday night that Superintendent Kristen Gordon ask that any fundraising for the proposed high school 2017 Costa Rica trip halt because it has not yet been approved.

"If they are planning on doing things because they have to raise money that is wrong because they are giving false hope to these parents because right now this trip has not been approved," Vigna said.

Teacher Tammie Shafer came before the board last week asking for official permission for the trip. Hoosac Valley Principal Jeremiah Ames said he had yet to review the trip and could not endorse it. Shafer said some of the 25 students interested have started payments and fundraising efforts have been planned.

On Monday, Chairman Paul Butler agreed and said policy was not followed; the principal should be the one who recommends the trip to the School Committee. He said they were only given permission to gauge interest to see if the trip was viable.

The committee members agreed that they liked the trip and do not plan on disapproving it, however, they need the proper protocol to be followed.  

Vigna said he feels bad for the students but funds cannot be raised for a trip not certified by the school committee.

"I feel bad because there are kids that want to go, that’s why I am torn, but I am at the point where I know there is a known process in place that was not followed to begin with," he said.

Gordon said trips were always approved in the past and teachers may have gotten into the habit of moving forward without official permission.  

The committee decided to table the vote until Ames could attend a meeting.

The committee also got an update on the literacy program by Plunkett literacy coach Dawn Bishop.

Bishop said, like any coach, her job is to act as a mentor, guide, model, supporter, and motivator as well as a resource for teachers.

Her team has been using data to better inform, strengthen, and deliver instruction.

"We are accessing our children on a daily basis, and we need to use that information so that it is actually beneficial in the classroom," Bishop said.

She said another aspect of her position is to find ways to best utilize what materials the school already has to get the most "bang for their buck."

Classroom evaluation is 60 percent of the job, but instead of evaluating educators, she looks to support them.

"Teaching is a difficult profession but also a highly rewarding one," she said. "By having a nonjudgmental person in the form of a literacy coach available to the instructional staff, it invites the staff to pull together and work through the difficulties."

She said her team is working on creating a more consistent homework format that involves a student's parents. The work shows the parents how to interact with their child when reading and also provides students with work they can do independently.  

Cheshire Elementary Principal Peter Bachli said the position may often go unseen but is critical to the schools.

"It is so vital. We talk a lot about what the public sees what happens in the school and this is a position I don’t think the public will see, but the benefits are amazing," Bachli said.

Plunkett Principal Michelle Colvin said all of the teachers are onboard and appreciate the support.

"I think having that person to bridge that gap, to be in the trenches with the practitioners, and actually making the difference with kids in the classroom where it counts has been huge," Colvin said.

In other business, the district will have to prepare for Business Manager David Hinkell’s retirement in March.

The Audit and Evaluation Subcommittee will decide when to post the position. Butler added the School Committee must then decide on what it will do moving forward.  


Tags: ACRSD,   literacy,   school trips,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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