April West Named Principal of BArT

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April West
ADAMS, Mass. — Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School named April West as the school's principal. This decision is the conclusion of a rigorous four month process that included the input of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students and parents.
 
April West joined the BArT faculty in 2006 as a Humanities and English Language Arts teacher. While at BArT, she initiated an Advanced Placement program and taught AP Language and Composition and AP Literature. She has served in a number of teacher-leader roles and, in her tenure, has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the mission of BArT and to BArT's students.
 
West holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bennington College in Social Justice, a Master of Arts in Comparative Studies from Ohio State University, a Master of Arts in Teaching in social studies and is currently completing a Certificates Of Advanced Graduate Study in educational leadership from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
 
"Ms. West was an exceptional candidate who has already demonstrated commitment to our school community, a deep understanding of our student population, and an eagerness and ability to drive continued improvement to our curriculum and instruction," said Executive Director Julia Bowen. "I am confident that she will be able to lead our faculty and students to greater achievements."
 
West will start in her new role as principal on July 1. Outgoing principal Ben Klompus is leaving BArT to pursue a doctorate in education at Harvard University.
 
"I'm excited to build on the tremendous success that BArT has achieved over the past five years under the guidance of Principal Klompus," West said. "I know that we have a team in place that will continue to prepare 100 percent of our graduates for college and the workforce and I am honored to lead this effort."

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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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