DESE Office of School Monitoring to Visit MGRSD

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — During the week of May 13, 2024, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Mount Greylock Regional School District. 
 
The Office of Public School Monitoring visits each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations. Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team process, and IEP development and implementation. Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint, and equal access to school programs for all students.
 
In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send all parents of students with disabilities an online survey that focuses on key areas of their child's special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a report. During the onsite review, the Office of Public School Monitoring will interview the chairperson(s) of the district's Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other onsite activities may include interviews of district staff and administrators, reviews of student records, and onsite observations.
 
Parents and other individuals may call Michelle Hennessey-Kowalchek, Public School Monitoring Chairperson, at (413) 314-6709 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements.
 
Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the district with a report with information about areas in which the district meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the district requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The public will be able to access the report at http://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/reports/.
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Steinerfilm to Close This Summer

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Simmonds Road metallized plastic film manufacturer will close this summer after more than 50 years of operation.
 
The Berkshire Eagle reported that Steinerfilm will close at the end of June, leaving 34 people unemployed. The company is working to connect employees with new jobs and resources, and will transition its customers to German sister company Steiner Film GmbH.
 
The Eagle reported that rising costs, supply chain issues, and tariffs made it difficult to operate in the U.S., and a planned sale of the company to a customer fell through.
 
After the closure, the property will go up for sale and the machines will be decommissioned.
 
Founded on the heels of Ernst Steiner’s 1951 breakthrough in downsizing electrical capacitors using metallized plastic film, Steinerfilm officially planted its roots in Williamstown in 1972 as a sales and distribution hub. The operation quickly moved from a satellite office to full-scale manufacturing, launching domestic metallizing production in 1978 with custom German equipment and anchoring its supply chain in 1981 by acquiring its own polypropylene film line.
 
The company underwent a final major facility expansion in 1990. In its prime, the faciltiy employed nearly 200 people.
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