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School officials and police are investigating a student who brought a pellet gun to Hoosac Valley High School.
Updated November 16, 2015 08:41PM

Hoosac Valley Student Found With BB Gun on Campus

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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CHESHIRE, Mass. — A middle school student is facing consequences after bringing what administrators are calling a bb gun to Hoosac Valley Middle and High school on Monday.

Hoosac Valley Principal Jeremiah Ames on Monday afternoon said a student reported to a faculty member at about 10:40 a.m. that another student had brought a weapon to school. All students and faculty involved were immediately met with, and the Cheshire Police were contacted.

Ames said it was determined that a student had brought air-powered pellet gun to school; the pistol was not loaded.

Superintendent Kristen Gordon on Monday night said the student had no plans to use the weapon or threaten anyone with it.

"There was no malice behind the student taking the bb gun to school," she said. "The student was a middle school student, and he simply didn't think about why he shouldn't have brought it. It was not loaded but there certainly will be severe consequences for bringing it to school."

The principal said the school was in "soft lockdown" for 12 minutes while administration and police scanned the building for other possible weapons.

"After consulting with district administration and law enforcement and determining that the school was secure, there was no reason to dismiss students early," Ames said.

Ames added that the student who brought the pellet guns was dismissed from school. The consequences have not yet been determined but expulsion has not been ruled out.

Gordon said the gun and the boy were held during the lockdown and everything went smoothly.

"Bravo to the student who told the faculty about the bb gun," Gordon said. "They got it immediately with no issues."

He declined provide the name of the student or provide further detail.

An "all call" was sent out to parents and guardians at the end of the school day explaining the incident and an emergency faculty meeting to brief employees was to be held after school.

Ames said the school district administration continues to investigate and communicate with the families involved.

Gordon added that the district attorney's office will send representatives to the middle school specifically to explain to students what is not appropriate to bring to school.

Updated to include comments by the superintendent at 8:41 p.m.


Tags: firearms,   HVHS,   

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School Budget Has Cheshire Pondering Prop 2.5 Override

By Daniel MatziBerkshires correspondent
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen voted to schedule a Proposition 2.5 override vote, a move seen as a precaution to cover funding for the Hoosac Valley Regional School District if an agreement between the school and town cannot be reached.
 
The town's 2025 fiscal year budget is still being finalized, and while budget totals were not available as of Tuesday night, town leaders have already expressed concerns regarding the HVRSD's proposed $23 million budget, which would include a $3,097,123 assessment for Cheshire, reflecting a $148,661 increase.
 
The board did share that its early budget drafts maintain most town spending at current levels and defer several projects and purchases. Chairman Shawn McGrath said with a level-funded HVRSD budget, Cheshire would face a $165,838 budget gap. He believed this was an amount the town could safely pull from free cash and reserves.
 
However, with Hoosac's proposed budget increase, this budget gap is closer to $316,000, an amount member Jason Levesque did not want to drain from the town reserves. 
 
"I am not comfortable blowing through all of the stuff we have nitpicked over the last couple of years to save up for just to meet their budget," he said. "I am not OK with that. We have way too many other things that have been kicked down the road forever and every year they always get their check cashed."
 
The Selectmen agreed the only way to meet this increase would be for the town to pass an override that would permit it to increase property taxes beyond the state's 2.5 percent cap, an action requiring approval from Cheshire residents in a townwide vote as well as town meeting approval.
 
Selectwoman Michelle Francesconi said that without an override, the town would have to cut even deeper into the municipal budget, further derailing town projects and needs.
 
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