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Adams will wait until early next year to begin the search for a new library director. Holli Jayko was appointed interim director.

New Adams Library Director to Be Selected in Spring

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — Children's Librarian Holli Jayko will take on the role of interim library director until the town can hire a new director this spring.

Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco told the library's board of trustees last week that the town should begin the new director selection process to replace longtime Library Director Deborah Bruneau after the holidays.

"We don't want to stretch it out but with two library directors in half a century, there is no need to rush the process, and I think we need to take our time and go through our screening process," Mazzucco said. "Hopefully, we can get another director who be with us for a long period of time."

The trustees officially voted to appoint Jayko as interim director even though she has been acting director since Bruneau's Nov. 1 retirement. Jayko is next in charge and automatically took the helm.

Mazzucco said she will be paid the director's salary but at step one. There will be money left in the budget to bring Bruneau in a few hours a week to work as a consultant to help through the transition. The town will also hire a part-time library aide to help Jayko with the extra work load until a new director is hired.

Mazzucco said this temporary aide should be a former library worker to bypass any training process.

"You almost have to take somebody that has worked for the library before, and I think there are a few former employees that might be interested for a three- or four-month period," Mazzucco said. "To hire someone from the outside would just not make sense."

Mazzucco said the town should take 30 to 60 days after the job is posted to collect applications and perform interviews. This will push the timeline out to spring which allows a new director to come in after the budget process.


"I don't think it is beneficial to bring someone in in the middle of the budget process especially when we know next year is going to be a tough budget process," he said. "I rather have someone start fresh."

He added that extra time can be added if applicants come from out of state.

"Library positions are very competitive and you would be surprised where people draw from for even an entry-level position," he said. "I probably got a better applicant pool for the part-time librarian position here then I had for every position I have hired in the last year."

Mazzucco said he will sort through all of the applicants and select the five most qualified. A five-person panel, including the town administrator, two trustees, and two town department heads, will narrow the field down to one candidate through a series of interviews.

Mazzucco said hewould like to include outside department heads because they can be objective and have a good sense of the community.

"You might pick someone like the town accountant or maybe the assessor or the police chief," Mazzucco said. "They are people who know the community, and they are people that know the town and what it's like to work in the management world in the town."

After the panel has made its selection, the candidate will go before the board of trustees to get its blessings. After this, the Selectmen will vote to hire the new director.

Trustees James Loughman and Karen Kettles volunteered to serve on the interview panel.


Tags: adams library,   librarian,   library trustees,   retirement,   

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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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