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Stephen Hemman of MARS leads the Adams-Cheshire Regional Agreement Amendment Committee through the steps of reviewing and changing the 60-year-old document.

Adams-Cheshire Starts Agreement Amendment Process

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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CHESHIRE, Mass. — It's expected to take a year to review and make any changes to the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District agreement. 

The amendment committee held its first meeting on Monday night at Hoosac Valley High School with help from Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools' Assistant Director Stephen Hemman, who estimated that the amendments could be voted on in the fall.

"This is a contract between the two towns ... and you don't want ambiguity," Hemman said. "If you are happy with something we leave it I am just going to point things out to you. I am not trying to open Pandora's box I am just trying to make sure you clearly understand."

The antiquated agreement was created in the mid-1960s when the regional district formed. The towns hadn't paid too much attention to the document until this past year, when budgeting woes led to the closure of Cheshire Elementary School over the protestations of Cheshire officials and residents. The smaller town was outmatched by Adams in voting strength. 

Both towns, however, agreed that it was time to reopen the agreement, with Cheshire looking for more parity in the district's governance. 

The towns formed a committee to review the agreement comprised of selectmen, School Committee members, finance board members and residents from both towns.

Hemman said the amending process will likely take a year. He said the committee will go through the agreement as it stands and make sure it is compliant with state guidelines as well as make changes and additions.

This would include properly including amendments that the towns may have voted on but that never received state Department of Education approval.

"In your case, there are a couple of amendments ... that have not been signed off on, so we have to do some cleaning up," he said. "It is not unusual and sometimes people just forget with changes in personnel."

Hemman said the committee will likely meet four times during the winter and go completely through the agreement. When changes are made, they will be sent to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to ensure that those are compliant.

Once the draft agreement is complete, it will be sent to the School Committee for approval, then to the Department of Education for final approval.

Public meetings will be scheduled at that point and the selectmen in both towns will have give the OK to place the amended agreement on the annual town meeting warrants.

Committee member Edmund St. John IV, a Cheshire selectman, suggested pushing the town meeting vote out until the fall and holding a special town meeting.

"I don't want to run into a situation where we set a hard date," he said. "I'd rather take our time and do it right instead of rushing."

Hemman agreed and said they can wrap up the agreement in the spring and hold public meetings in preparation for a vote in September or October.

He added that it is recommended that districts go through the amendment process every five years and that a refined agreement will add clarity as to how the district operates.

"In 20 years, he [Superintendent Robert Putnam] is not going to be here and you all probably will no longer be affiliated with the district, but you want to have it written so when new people come in they know exactly what they are supposed to do," he said. 


Tags: ACRSD,   regional agreement,   

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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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