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Howard “Jake” Eberwein III, Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education at MCLA said the program will help unlock the creative potential in the county and further solidly the Berkshire creative economy.
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MCLA President James Birge thanked those involved for perusing the grant.
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The grant was announced at Gallery 51 on Thursday.
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Lisa Donovan, professor of Fine & Performing Arts at MCLA said the grant money will be dispersed through the four year program.

Federal Grant Awarded To Bolster Local Arts Education

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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North Adams Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Malkas said art education is critical to a student's overall success.  
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. —  The U.S. Department of Education is helping to strengthen ties between area educators and cultural institutions.
 
On Thursday, education leaders celebrated the reception of a $740,000 federal grant to support arts-integrated professional development for Berkshire County educators.
 
"Simply summarized, this grant moves us closer to unleashing the creative potential that I believe is contained in our region," Howard "Jake" Eberwein III, dean of graduate and continuing education at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts said.
 
"It recognizes that every child and every person is truly an artist."
 
Representatives from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, the North Adams Public Schools and Berkshire Compact for Education gathered at MCLA Gallery 51 Thursday to present plans to utilize a grant to fund arts-integrated professional development for Berkshire County educators by partnering them with local cultural institutions.
 
Lisa Donovan, professor of Fine & Performing Arts at MCLA said the program will be rolled out over four years with year one focused on planning and research, years two and three focused on a series of professional development training and collaborations with local cultural organizations where data will be collected from the classroom and year four will be focused on analysis.
 
Donovan said the program will allow educational and cultural organizations to align and collaborate throughout the county.
 
"Traveling all around the country and traveling internationally there is no place like this place," she said. "We have unparalleled resources here in terms of art and in terms of education but what is not happening is that we are not connecting the dots."
 
Arts and general classroom educators who integrate arts into lessons will receive 70 hours of professional development on arts-based strategies. The program is also eyed to build stronger relationships between the cultural institutions and the local schools.
 
North Adams Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Malkas added that infusing the arts into education as a whole enhances the experience for students and helps them develop stronger motor skills, critical thinking skills and cultural awareness among other benefits.
 
"We recognize that to really become a productive and inclusive participant in our community we need the arts. And that is coming from a former chemistry teacher," she said. "Arts and education provide us with the vehicle in which we are able to communicate, connect and really develop sympathy, empathy, and compassion."  
 
North Adams Public Schools Curriculum Director Kim Roberts-Morandi said the program will go far beyond art courses and will be integrated across the board at every grade level. She said it will deepen rigor and instruction throughout the schools.
 
MCLA President James Birge thanked those involved in writing the grant and noted that the program is one of 20 funded throughout the country.
 
"This grant allows us to enhance professional development in arts education through kindergarten through grade 12," he said.
 
"It will also help develop the next generation of creative, innovative and thoughtful people…the Department of Education has recognized MCLA and our partners as national leaders in providing expertise in arts education."
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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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