St. Stan's Celebrates Catholic Schools Week

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Children and staff at St. Stan's arrived in their PJs this week, a fun event for Catholic Schools Week.

ADAMS, Mass. — St. Stanislaus School has been celebrating National Catholic Schools Week this week with activities and events.

This year's theme is "Catholic Schools Raise the Standards." The annual observance starts the last Sunday in January and runs all week, which in 2013 is Jan. 27 to Feb. 2. Schools typically celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Masses, open houses, and other activities for students, families, parishioners, and the community at large.

The 2013 theme supports the recent launch of the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools, designed to ensure the effective operation and responsible governance of Catholic schools across the country, thus promoting high academic standards and Catholic identity. The logo designed for the week illustrates a chart of steady growth culminating in the highest achievement of all, a cross representing the faith that underscores all Catholic education.

St. Stanislaus School started the week with a studen-driven Mass at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church. The church was full with students dressed in uniform, parents, faculty, staff, administration, and the community at large. The students participated fully in the Mass with readings, ushering, offertory gifts and handing out church bulletins at the end. The student body also sang "Peaceful" to the congregation. After Mass, refreshments and fellowship were shared in Kolbe Hall.


On Monday, the students and staff of the prekindergarten-through-Grade 8 school came to school in their pajamas. On Tuesday, all grades participated in a Mission Statement Contest. Not only did they each learn and recite the school's mission statement but they added a component that demonstrated what the school's mission meant to them both personally and as a class.  

The students tapped into their creative talents and came up with a variety of skits, posters, songs and readings that affirmed their understanding of quality Catholic education and how to live its teachings. 

Teachers enjoyed a luncheon on Wednesday.

Teacher Appreciation Day was held Wednesday. The faculty and staff were treated to a prepared lunch in the school and a little extra time to enjoy it.

Thursday was the school's Spell-A-Thon. Students in all grades solicited small donations per word, or letter, they can spell or identify correctly. All proceeds will be donated to the Bethlehem House of Western Massachusetts, which offers free pregnancy resources for women in crisis. On Friday, the school community will be allowed to eat lunch at the Pizza House across the street from the school.

"All in all, it has been a busy week of learning, fellowship. service, and fun," said Principal Janet Tremblay.


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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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