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Police Chief K. Scott Kelley poses with his officers in front of Town Hall on Tuesday.
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Kelley is escorted by Town Administrator Jay Green.
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New Police Chief Takes Command in Adams

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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Chief K. Scott Kelley takes the oath from Town Clerk Haley Meczywor.  Kelley is the town's third police chief in a year.
ADAMS, Mass. — New Police Chief K. Scott Kelley says he "already feels at home" and is looking forward to spending time getting to know his officers. 
 
"The thing that I'm looking forward to the most is actually spending time with my officers," he said on Tuesday. "I can't say it enough, and I mean every word of it. I have learned throughout my years that the only way to succeed in leadership is to make sure that everyone under you has input. These officers know what is needed, what is wanted, where we need to go, what our goal should be."
 
Kelley was sworn in on Tuesday morning in front of Town Hall, the town's third police chief in less than year. He particularly thanked his immediate predecessor Troy Bacon, along with Town Administrator Jay Green and Selectmen Chairwoman Christine Hoyt, for ensuring a seamless transition in leadership. 
 
Bacon had been leading the force since July in an interim capacity following the retirement of Chief Richard Tarsa, a 36-year member of the Adams force. He had initially indicated interest in taking on the post permanently but declined late last year for personal reasons and returned to Indiana. 
 
Kelley took the oath from Town Clerk Haley Meczywor with several selectmen in attendance, town employees and police officers lined up on each side of the walkway. The weather was chilly and scattered snowflakes fell during the short ceremony, a bit of a change for the South Carolina native. 
 
He got a better perspective back on Dec. 18,  he said, when he and his family traveled to Adams for a meet and greet — just a day or two after nearly a foot of snow fell on the county. 
 
"I think we got a good dose of what the weather can offer, because it was only a day or two after the big snowfall," he grinned. "And we got to see the town, we got to kind of look at the area and get a foothold on the area around Adams and just really fell in love with it."
 
The new chief has more than 25 years of experience in law enforcement, including a 12-year stint in Anderson, S.C., during which he rose to the rank of sergeant and filled roles ranging from school resource officer to the special weapons and tactics team. He took on administrative and policy development roles in the Police Department at Folly Beach, S.C., and also worked at two higher-education institutions — Clemson University and Spartanburg Community College. At Spartanburg, he was chief of police for the sprawling campus with its nearly 7,000 students, faculty and staff. He holds a bachelor of science focused in criminal justice/law enforcement administration from Columbia Southern University. 
 
He arrived in Adams on Friday and began his three-year contract Tuesday. His wife and three children — ages 8,11 and 13 — will be joining him. 
 
Green said this has been a year of despair between the pandemic and acknowledgement of social ills that continue to plague the nation, but there appears to be a light ahead and that the day offered a reason to be positive and embrace optimism. 
 
"Yesterday, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day that we celebrate service, I was reminded that that solution starts right here with those of us that wear a uniform or provide public service in any capacity," he said. "It starts with us in Adams, in the Berkshires, and we have a reason as citizens to contribute and lead in our own communities because that is the very foundation of our democracy."
 
The tip of the sword is the town's police force, Green continued. "Law enforcement has been brought to the forefront in our national  and community dialogue and not always in a positive context. Although the demands and nature of policing has evolved over the years, I think it vital to remember the primary mission of a police department should always be to protect and to serve regardless of creed or race."
 
He lauded the departed Bacon for bringing the Adams force closer to fulfilling its 125-year mission to protect and serve its community, and to come closer to being the best-performing department in the county. Kelley, he said, had the leadership skills and empathy vital to being a chief of police and furthering the department's professionalism.
 
Kelley said he plans to listen to his officers and community members because it will take both groups working together for the town's betterment.
 
"I have felt extremely welcome. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else at this point, I already feel at home," Kelley said. "I look forward to the future for this department, I look forward to the future for this town and what we can do together — the Police Department and community — where we can go, where we can improve and all of this is with the help of the community and those officers right there."

Tags: Adams Police,   police chief,   

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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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