Ellis, Montepare Ready for School Year
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Superintendent Rose Ellis
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"There is always a level of excitement as well as anxiety about the many things that need to be accomplished," said Superintendent of North Adams Schools James Montepare, whose office is in the building that housed Conte Middle School until 2009.
Montepare implied that things were going well with the grades formerly served by Conte; the sixth- and seventh-graders being placed in the appropriate elementary schools and eighth-graders enrolled in the high school.
A feasibility study through the Massachusetts School Building Authority is on Montepare's agenda over the next year. Building a new school, adding on to an existing school or renovating the middle school are options being examined in the wake of Conte's closure. Declining enrollment, costs and the condition of the old Drury High School played into the decision to shutter its doors a year ago.
"We also will be addressing some major new projects and initiatives brought to us via state and federal funding, such as Race to the Top and the Educational Jobs Initiative," said Montepare, adding that this brings much-needed relief to an already strained financial situation.
After seven years as superintendent, Montepare said he is well aware that change is constant. "I am also aware that North Adams has always risen to the challenges of new opportunities that may come our way," he added.
In Williamstown, Rose Ellis is enthusiastically embracing the changes in her professional life as she assumes the new position of superintendent of Lanesborough, Williamstown and Mount Greylock Regional schools.
In July, she moved out of her office at Williamstown Elementary School, where she was based while holding the post of superintendent of Williamstown Elementary for eight years and then of School Union 71 after the two school elementary districts joined together two years ago. In the spring, the regional high school district which serves both towns agreed to a partnership to share key administrators with the elementary schools.
"I'm happy to be here in my new home," said Ellis as she sat behind her desk in her office at Mount Greylock Regional High School during an interview recently.
"It has been my experience as well as what exists today [in school districts] that the superintendent is usually affiliated with the high school," said Ellis, adding that she intends to spend the "lion's share of time" at Mount Greylock. "The high school is the flagship,and the elementary schools are the feeder."
Glancing at a list of incoming e-mails on her computer, Ellis mentioned that she likes to be busy. And busy she will be as she undertakes the responsibilities and duties that, in the past, had been shared by three superintendents.
"It is something that has been talked about for many years," she said referring to three school districts being under the leadership of one superintendent.
 North Adams closed Conte Middle School last year. |
Several years ago, Ellis was on a committee discussing the matter again, including regionalization. Under those conditions, towns cannot have separate school districts; they lose autonomy, so they can be under one school committee.
A good opportunity to create the new partnership came when both William Ballen, superintendent of Lanesborough Elementary School's former school union, and William Travers, superintendent of Mount Greylock, decided to retire.
Ellis met with the three school committees to ensure their support for the job's increased responsibilities, and found that they were "on board."
"They understood it would require more of my time. As a professional I want to remain effective and continue to operate successfully."
Now Ellis' goal is to create continuity and connections between the three schools. "At times, there was a sense at both Williamstown Elementary and Lanesborough Elementary schools that Mount Greylock was the distant school on the hill."
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With her sights set on "building bridges" between the three schools, and providing a wonderful education for the approximately 1,300 students attending them, Ellis anticipates aligning curriculum, and attaining student achievement, and community and relationship building.
"I will be able to see greater cohesion and coordination than before through the schools," she said.
In June, Ellis hosted an informal reception at Mount Greylock to meet the staff. "My leadership style is collaborative. I reach out to staff – their opinion is important to me. Though they may not always be put into action, they inform my decision making," said Ellis.
Ellis set aside time in August to meet parents, students, and anyone else who wanted to come. Some brought flowers, and one day Ellis found on her desk a large basket of vegetables with a card that read "Warm Welcome, Dr. Ellis." The basket was from YES, the Youth Environment Squad. They had put in a garden at Mount Greylock in the spring and had e-mailed Ellis to tell her so. "I was delighted," Ellis recalled.
In a more serious vein, Ellis spoke of challenges, particularly the economic situation.
Once she has a deeper understanding of the Mount Greylock budget, she will meet with the School Committee and the community to discuss priorities. "I believe in long-range planning and establishing priorities. In Williamstown and Lanesborough it helped us keep our eyes on the prize," Ellis said.
There have been reductions in some programming at Mount Greylock and fees for participating in certain programs will continue. "We will be making do," said Ellis. She was glad to report that the boilers have been replaced, and the repairs in both the girls' and boys' locker rooms will be completed in October.
Too, a sign is being crafted for Ellis' office, at small cost. It will not read "Williamstown and Lanesborough School Districts Office," but will identify those districts as one entity: the Tri-District Office.
