Pittsfield Deputy Superintendent Earns Doctorate

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Barbara Malka
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Barbara Malkas, deputy superintendent of the Pittsfield Public Schools, was awarded the degree of doctorate in educational leadership from the Sage Colleges of Albany at a commencement ceremony held on Saturday, May 12, at the RPI Field House in Troy, N.Y.

Malkas will be leaving her current position to become the superintendent of the Webster Public Schools in Central Massachusetts, effective July 1, 2012.

She began her educational career as a science teacher in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1982 after receiving her bachelor's in chemistry from St. Joseph's College in Brooklyn. She then received her master's in education from St. John's University in Queens, N.Y., in 1986.

Upon relocating to the Berkshires, Malkas has served public education in a variety of positions, ranging from chairman of Taconic High School's science department (1998-2002) to coaching the implementation of an integrated curriculum of technology and engineering with science in the Northern Berkshire Vocational School District (2002-2004). In 2004, she became assistant principal of C.H. McCann Technical School in North Adams.

In 2006, Dr. Malkas returned to Pittsfield to become the coordinator of mathematics, science, health and physical education for the Pittsfield Public Schools.

She was appointed assistant superintendent of personnel and negotiations in the Pittsfield Public Schools in 2007 and was promoted to her current position of deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction in 2008.

Malkas resides in Clarksburg with her husband, John Euchler, and has two grown children. Her son, Eric Euchler, is studying electronic game design and Chaplain College in Burlington, Vt., and her daughter,
Kristin Euchler, is a cadet at U.S. Coast Guard Academy, majoring in mechanical engineering.

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Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.

Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.

The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.

Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.

"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.

"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."

Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly.  A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.

It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.

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