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William Bazyk, currently superintendent of a Vermont supervisory union, has also worked in Massachusetts. He is interviewed Thursday night by the School Committee, which will meeting with one more candidate before making a determination.

Superintendent Candidate Bazyk Familiar With Adams-Cheshire Challenges

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee held its third superintendent interview on Thursday night with William Bazyk, superintendent of the Battenkill Valley Supervisory Union.

Over the past few months, a superintendent screening committee has sorted through an applicant pool ultimately bringing four finalists in front of the full committee as potential replacements for Superintendent Robert Putnam, who is retiring at the end of the school year. The district is also in discussion with North Adams Public Schools about possibly sharing a superintendent.

Bazyk was interviewed Thursday night. Taconic High School Principal John Vosburgh and Maria Geryk, director of student services in Central Berkshire Regional School District, were interviewed Wednesday night. A fourth candidate, Ellen Retelle, director of teaching and learning at Connecticut's Capitol Region Education Council, is expected to be interviewed Monday night. 

Bazyk has educational experience on both sides of the border. Before taking the helm of the Arlington and Sandgate, Vt., school union, Bazyk was the director of pupil services in the Greenfield School District and a special education teacher in East Longmeadow, and was director of special education for the Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union in Vermont. 

Bazyk said he has looked over the Adams-Cheshire's turnaround plan and is familiar with many of the challenges it faces, especially the student population with high needs.

"I am not going to say that any superintendent's job is easy but I could certainly hit the ground running here," he said. "I think my skill set is a fit here and I think I can come here ready to start. There won't be a large learning curb."

Bazyk went on to discuss the tension between the two communities after closing Cheshire Elementary School and said he would reach out to both communities to see how they envision the future of the district and create a governance policy that would guide it.

"It kind of takes away the superintendent and the school board ... you can really engage the community and see what you want out of the school," Bazyk said. "You make a commitment to those policies and it doesn't matter if people come or go because you have this vision."

Regarding collaboration with other districts, Bazyk said he has experience in this, especially with the state of Vermont mandating that smaller school districts combine. He said his own school district is working through this process and decided to slow it down.

He was always hesitant to jump into an agreement with another district if the community did not support it, he said.

"I think it is really important to look at all of your options and then decide what you want to do," he said. "Whatever happens, I urge you to investigate fully because if you rush into it you may lose people and you need everyone on board to get the schools and the town moving in the right direction."

Bazyk said it may be best to look at other possible shared services before they look at combing superintendents or districts.

When asked what new programming he could implement to better prepare students for college and the workforce, Bazyk said he was just as focused on preparing students for high school.

"Unfortunately, we almost work backward in education and we won't be able to do anything with any of those programs if we don't get the turnaround plan in place," he said. "The kids need to be able to do the math and read to be able to fully participate."

He felt it was important for students to take "ownership" of their education before high school and touted an eighth-grade academy program implemented during his tenure in Greenfield that allowed students to explore different facets of their eventual high school and create their own learning plans.

Bazyk moved on to standardized testing and said although he didn't believe in strictly teaching to the test, in reality, students must be able to read, do math and write by the time they take it.

"If you have to use all of your resources to play catch up it is not working," he said. "MCAS is the measurement. It is not great but that's what the state uses, and you don't want to be at Level 3. That's just the name of the game."

He added that it is critical to reach out to families and explain the importance of standardized testing and developing critical skills.

Bazyk noted the district's high special-education rate of 26 percent and said this number can be lowered through early intervention and continuing to implement the turnaround plan.

"I think there is a lot of work that can be done there, and I do have experience in special education," he said. "I am not considered an expert superintendent by any means, but I certainly am an expert in special education. I think we can change these results, so you get more bang for your buck."

Bazyk closed by discussing the district's dropping enrollment and saying he has been in districts with a similar problem. He added that the real focus needs to be on making sure the students do not leave in the first place.

"It is very difficult to get a child back, you really have to stop them from leaving," he said. "We have to go back to that governance policy and say we are going to make our school so good that no child will want to leave, and you have an advantage because most kids want to be in the school where they live."

The School Committee will discuss the interviews on Tuesday and if they will offer the post to one of the candidates or continue talks with North Adams. 


Tags: ACRSD,   candidate interviews,   search committee,   superintendent,   

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Hoosac Valley High School to Stage 'Suessical'

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Hoosac Valley High School will showcase their rendition of "Suessical," a musical based on the tales of Dr. Seuss by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.
 
The performances are scheduled for Friday, March 15 at 7 pm, and Saturday, March 16 at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online via the provided link. Prices are $8 for students and $10 for adults.
 
Directed by Rebecca Koczela and Amanda Watroba, the production features around 50 students participating as actors, pit band musicians, and backstage and tech crews. Notably, this year's cast includes several middle school students who have joined the high school production, marking their first experience performing on stage.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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