BArT Opens 14th Year of School With a View Skyward
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ADAMS, Mass. — On Monday, Aug. 21, the Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School will open its doors once again to welcome incoming students.
A number of changes are in store for the 2017-18 school year. New teachers have been in the building since Aug. 2 and returning teachers since Aug. 9 preparing for the arrival of BArT's grade six through grade 12 students.
School bus routes can be found here.
This year, BArT will have a new executive director, Jay White. Arriving from 25 years of work in higher education as an astrophysics professor and senior administrator, White brings a wealth of enthusiasm for public education and for the important location of charter public schools in the national educational landscape. He plans to use his substantial experience in academic administration, fundraising, international development, and community-building to advance the already strong school built by founding Executive Director Julia Bowen and BArT's faculty, staff, Trustees, and families.
Students and their families will also find in the new school year:
* A newly structured school day that will officially begin at 8:20 a.m. and end at 3:40 p.m.;
* A group of renovated classrooms as well as new, additional space for college counseling and internship services; and
* A welcoming school-wide assembly on the Aug. 21 followed by an outdoor viewing of the solar eclipse by the entire school at 2:43 p.m.
"Families who choose BArT for their children expect strong and innovative approaches to their children's education," said White, who personally purchased several hundred sets of eclipse glasses for BART's students, faculty and staff. "Opening the new school year with a gathering of all of us who are BART is important for our school's community. That nature will provide us with a magnificent celestial event to mark the occasion makes it even more so."
In addition, BArT is accepting applications for students entering Grades 6 through 10. The college preparatory school currently has openings in Grades 6, 8 and 10 but is anticipating waitlists across all entry grades to begin shortly.
Parents and guardians concerned about enrolling a child in grades seven or nine in the 2018-2019 school year are advised to contact BArT Enrollment Counselor Monique Nottke in order to discuss the possibility of enrolling in this year's grade six or eight. Applications are available at the school or can be found on the school's website. Nottke can be reached at 413-743- 7311 ext.732 or by email.
The deadline for students to transfer into BArT in grades six through nine during the upcoming 17-2018 school year will be Thursday, Feb. 15. Deadline to transfer into grade 10 for the upcoming 2017-18 school year will be Friday, Sept. 29.
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