The School Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a deal to subcontract with Berkshire Children & Families to provide program support that allows young mothers to continue taking classes.  

 

The new one-year contract with BCF will cost the district only $45,000, where previously this support was financed at a cost of $224,000, a sum cut from the district's recently approved FY16 budget.  However, school officials say the emerging collaboration with BCF will be a whole new program that is being developed.

 

"We're trying to remain open to lots of different things because we're not exactly sure how all of it is going to work out," said Superintendent of Schools Jason McCandless. "The good news is we've got a tried and true partner to do this work with."

 

BCF was the only respondent to an RFP put out by the school department, according to Deputy Superintendent for Business & Finance Kristin Behnke, who commended the thorough nature of the bid package received from the organization.

 

Berkshire Children & Families, originally founded in 1887 as the Union for Home Work, is the largest nonprofit agency working in social services for children and families in the county. It currently offers extensive services for young parents at its Redfield House facility in Pittsfield.

 

"The primary academic program will continue to be delivered by the primary academic delivery people in the city, our public school teachers," McCandless said, but through the partnership the school department hopes to expand the range of support that can be offered to students who may need more help.  

 

"This innovative collaboration came about because of our examination of our budget," noted Chair Katherine Yon. 

 

In other Pittsfield school business, the committee on Wednesday approved the appointment of longtime Pittsfield vocational faculty Richard Brady to assistant superintendent for career vocational/technical education, voting to waive an item of personnel policy that calls for a search process for the position.

 

McCandless said he saw no need for a search to replace Brady, who has been serving in the position on an interim basis since last year. A former electronics teacher and vocational department chair who has worked for the district since 1988, Brady also serves on the School Building Needs Committee.