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Multiple officers attended the meeting to support their new colleagues on being sworn in.
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Town Clerk Haley Meczywor swears in Alexander Morse on Wednesday.
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Meczywor swears in Nicholas Sorrell.

Adams Brings on Two New Police Officers

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — The Police Department has welcomed two new full-time Police Officers Alexander Morse and Nicholas Sorrell.
 
The Selectmen unanimously ratified Wednesday the hiring of the two men. Police Chief Richard Tarsa said they will be an asset to the force.
 
"I think you will agree with me when I say we have two very good choices before us this evening," he said.
 
Morse was brought on as a reserve officer in August of last year and Tarsa said he took it upon himself to learn every street in town. Tarsa added Morse always puts in the extra effort.
 
"We have seen Alex grow considerably in his ability and his knowledge. He is a very quick learner and very quick to grasp things," he said. "When you ask something of him he always takes the extra step."
 
Tarsa said Sorrell was brought on in February and comes from a long line of police officers. 
 
"He is from four generations of law enforcement," the chief said. "Even his godfather is in law enforcement so he comes from a long line of police officers." 
 
Tarsa said both officers had great interviews and will benefit the department.
 
"The answers from both gentlemen were very well thought out and well phrased," he said. "They both showed good leadership, knowledge, and confidence and they both will bring many, many things to the town of Adams."
 
Chairman John Duval said he has only heard good things about the officers.
 
"I have heard more compliments about these two gentlemen than any other officers that you have brought forward," Duval said. "I am very happy that they are becoming members of the force and I take great pride in the officers that we have."
 
The town had had a hard time in recent years attracting and retaining officers because of limitations set by Civil Service. In 2017, the town dissolved its agreement with Civil Service and since then has regularly brought on new permanent and reserve officers.
 
Tarsa added that these two officers will not expand the department's numbers, but replace two officers set to retire this year.
 
"The idea behind hiring two officers right now is to prepare our department for two retirements coming this calendar year," he said. "We want to be proactive and get them into the academy as soon as we can so when they graduate, we have two officers ready to go."
 
Tarsa added after the vote that he is proud of all of the officers on the Adams Police Department.
 
"I am very very proud of every member of this organization and they go above and beyond," he said. "I have been on this job a long time and I can tell you we have a very good bunch of officers ... the town of Adams can sleep well at night knowing they are out there."

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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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