I have crossed paths with Brian MacKay-Lyons over a period of more than 40 years. His award-winning work has consistently been of the highest quality and especially responsive to its setting. I have complete confidence that the Porches is doing North Adams a great service.
Sincerely,
Howard Itzkowitz North Adams, Mass.
Architect (retired), Professor Emeritus, Southern Polytechnic State University
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McCann OKs FY27 Budget, Assistant Principal Post
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The McCann School Committee on Thursday approved a level-service "vanilla" budget for fiscal 2027.
The total spending plan for the Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational District is $13,218,090, up $564,753 or 3.69 percent over this year. The budget includes a second assistant principal, a special education teacher and interest on the building repair project.
"We frequently refer to our budget as a vanilla budget, and it sort of is this year, with some exceptions," said Finance Committee Chair Daniel Maloney. "The capital part of it is something different than the operating budget, but there will be an impact from that as well. But again, trying to be sensitive to what our communities can afford."
Maloney and Superintendent of Schools James Brosnan stressed the need for an assistant principal, noting how lean the administrative staff was but how much the work has increased.
"I've only got three people from my left that are responsible for this entire school," Brosnan told the School Committee. "There is no school in Massachusetts that only has a principal, assistant principal, director of students. Nothing, zero."
Maloney said it was a matter of "right-sizing" the organization that is running two schools. He pointed to the update from Prinicipal Justin Kratz that covered sports, enrollment, Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System testing, teacher retention and recruitment, student services, reporting to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the state's ongoing debate over graduation requirements.
"You just see by the presentation tonight, by Justin, how much work goes into these things," Maloney said. "And even with our teaching staff, I often wonder how they have time to do their jobs when they've got all this data and all these things put together to feed the state, keep them happy. ...
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Commission welcomed bread-baking appliance designers Brod & Taylor to the campus on Monday. click for more
He explained his plans to the License Commission on Tuesday as he applied for an all-alcohol license for Zio Roberto Ristorante and Taverna, which is expected to open in late May.
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Qwanell Bradley scored 33 points, and Adan Wicks added 29 as the Hoosac Valley boys basketball team won a Division 5 State Championship on Sunday. click for more
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