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Adams Library Could Be Beneficiary of $300K Trust

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Jim Daunais is donating his handmade rocking horses to the children's room at the library.

ADAMS, Mass. — The library could possibly receive $300,000 in trusts from a couple in California.

Library Director Deborah Bruneau said she has been approached by the couple, who have connections to Adams.

"The interesting thing is he is a retired pastor, and I believe she is a retired librarian, but she grew up in this town so there is a connection," Bruneau told the board of trustees last week.

Also, Bruneau discussed the basement clean out project and the progress on possibly selling the antique periodicals. She said she found a possible buyer interested in the Craftsmen periodicals in the collection.

Rich West and Kayt Thompson of Periodyssey have showed interest in the 17 books. They specialize in buying and selling significant and unusual American periodicals published before 1950.

"I'm going to go down there and see if they can give me an estimate," Bruneau said. "They used to live in Adams and love this library."

The selling of these books would still leave more to be dealt with in the library basement. There are 700 books to sell or dispose of.

The main priority is to clean out the basement before the library renovation. The board is not sure what to do with the books and discussed disposing of them or giving them away for free if they cannot find a buyer.

In addition to this, the board of trustees approved the use of handmade toy rocking horses for the children’s room in the library. The horses are made by Jim Daunais. 


Tags: adams library,   periodicals,   

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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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