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Nine graduates were pinned Wednesday night.
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Superintendent James Brosnan opened the ceremony Wednesday.
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Ashley Witto is awarded the Fay Ellen Fosser Memorial Scholarship and the Clinical Excellence Award.
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Ashley Witto and past LPN graduate Lynn Pinsonneault read the nurses pledge.
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Erika Munson was awarded the Fay Ellen Fosser Memorial Scholarship and the Highest Academic Award.
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Joyce Forth, BSN and Rn who has been a clinical instructor in the program since its inception in 2007 was the featured speaker.
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McCann Pins Nine LPN Graduates

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Susan Watson, coordinator of the practical nursing program, asked the graduates to be 'change agent' in the field.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — McCann Technical School graduated nine practical nursing students during Wednesday's pinning ceremony.

"Last January I told them it would be a very difficult year and they would have to band together and they would have to work together as a team," Superintendent James Brosnan said Wednesday as he opened the ceremony.

"All of that has come true and you earned this, and we are very proud of you."

Practical Nursing Coordinator Susan Watson asked the graduate's families to stand and be recognized for the support they have given to the graduates.

Watson told the graduates they have many different career options now but asked them to change what they see as weaknesses in their field.

"I know each of you have the ability to become a change agent in the world of health care…a person that can transform an organization focusing on matters such effectiveness, improvement, and development," she said. "I know each one of you is capable of doing this."

Watson introduced the keynote speaker Joyce Forth, who has been a clinical instructor in the program since its inception in 2007.

Forth, who is retiring from clinical instruction, told the graduates of her time as a student at St. Luke's Hospital in the 1950's where she and her fellow students were "pioneers" and actually staffed the hospital.

"I love nursing as much today as I did then, and it has been a wonderful career and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did and still do," she said.

She said although back in her day there were fewer options for nurses, in today's health care world there are many opportunities and she told the students to follow whatever career path they see fit.

She said no matter what field in health care they choose after graduation there will be a point where they "become a nurse."

"We had studied the art and science of nursing but there is a step between graduating and becoming fully confident in your own skin with patients," she said.

"I call it becoming a nurse. In a year you will know exactly what I am talking about and it will hit you. You will be on your way and you won't be afraid of anything."

Both Erika Munson, of Adams, and Ashley Witto, of Pittsfield, received the Fay Ellen Fosser Memorial Scholarship.

The Fay Ellen Fosser Memorial Scholarship is given in memory of Fosser who graduated from the LPN program, went on to earn her registered nursing degree, and worked as a nurse locally. Fosser died in 1984, at the age of 29.

Munson also received the Highest Academic Award.

Witto was awarded the Clinical Excellence Award.

Katelynn Ruusukallio, of Pittsfield, was awarded the perfect attendance award. However, she was unable to attend graduation. 

The graduates are:

Erika Munson, Adams

Paige Howland, North Adams

Audrey Johnson, North Adams

Ashley Rancourt, North Adams

Kristina Geranios, Pittsfield

Peter Geranios, Pittsfield

Katelin Henault, Pittsfield

Katelynn Ruusukallio, Pittsfield

Ashley Witto, Pittsfield


Tags: graduation 2017,   LPN,   McCann,   

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Clarksburg Gets 3 Years of Free Cash Certified

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town officials have heaved a sigh of relief with the state's certification of free cash for the first time in more than three years.
 
The town's parade of employees through its financial offices the past few years put it behind on closing out its fiscal years between 2021 and 2023. A new treasurer and two part-time accountants have been working the past year in closing the books and filing with the state.
 
The result is the town will have $571,000 in free cash on hand as it begins budget deliberations. However, town meeting last year voted that any free cash be used to replenish the stabilization account
 
Some $231,000 in stabilization was used last year to reduce the tax rate — draining the account. The town's had minimal reserves for the past nine months.
 
Chairman Robert Norcross said he didn't want residents to think the town was suddenly flush with cash. 
 
"We have to keep in mind that we have no money in the stabilization fund and we now have a free cash, so we have now got to replenish that account," he said. "So it's not like we have this money to spend ... most of it will go into the stabilization fund." 
 
The account's been hit several times over the past few fiscal years in place of free cash, which has normally been used for capital spending, to offset the budget and to refill stabilization. Free cash was last used in fiscal 2020.
 
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