Wireless Initiative Reaches $1M Goal

Staff reports10:30AM / Wednesday, February 27, 2008Print Story | Email Story

Conte student Stephanie Sacco shows Sen. John Kerry her math assignment using a wireless laptop last fall.

PITTSFIELD - Three years after its inception, the Berkshire Wireless Learning Initiative has reached its private sector fundraising goal of $1 million.

With a final donation of $100,000 from Burger, run by Spice restaurant owners Joyce Bernstein and Lawrence Rosenthal, the initiative has raised $1,040,650 in total since January 2005. BWLI is also funded with state dollars and money from each participating school district.

"The local business community has provided very generous support to the Berkshire Wireless Learning Initiative," said Perri Petricca, co-chairman of BWLI's fundraising committee and president and CEO of Petricca Industries, in a statement released Tuesday. "They recognize the value of giving our students the tools they need to solve problems, conduct research and communicate effectively. These are skills that will serve students well throughout their education and as members of the work force."

The initiative has distributed laptops to more than 2,300 students at Reid, Herberg, St. Mark middle schools and St. Joseph's High School in Pittsfield and Conte Middle School in North Adams as part of a pilot program that "tests a 1:1 approach (one laptop for every student and teacher) of using laptop computers and wireless communication to transform teaching and learning."

Born from a collaboration of Berkshire Connect Inc., Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, BWLI aimes to improve students' academic and research skills, help them learn to work more effectively in groups and enhance their creativity.

Announced on Tuesday night at a ceremony at Spice restaurant, reaching the fundraising goal allows BWLI to complete its pilot program.

Following this school year, after the pilot program has concluded, the participating schools plan to continue using laptops on a 1:1 basis in the middle schools, according to the statement. High schools are also being considered for future laptop initiatives.

BWLI utilizes Boston College's Technology and Assessment Study Collaborative, part of the Lynch School of Education, to evaluate the pilot program in the following areas:

Enhanced student achievement as shown through test scores, grades, and assessments;

Increased student engagement as shown through attendance, disciplinary data, and classroom participation;

Fundamental changes in teaching strategies, curriculum delivery methods, and classroom management;

Enhanced capabilities among students to conduct independent research and collaborate with peers.

According to a news release, to date, BWLI evaluation results show that middle school students regularly use technology to take notes in class, complete practice tests, write and edit papers, create spreadsheets and find information on the Internet. The release further states that teachers report that the increased access to technology has resulted in improved student engagement and enthusiasm, a willingness of students to write more frequently, and an overall improvement in students' work across all major subject areas.

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Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action.

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature."

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures.

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis.

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.

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