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Superintendent Robert Putnam, left, School Committee Chairman Paul Butler and Business Manager Erika Snyder present the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District budget to the Selectmen on Tuesday.

Cheshire Sees Adams-Cheshire Draft Budget for Fiscal 2019

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Adams-Cheshire Regional School District is proposing a $19,557,372 budget that represents a 1.46 percent increase over this year.

The district unveiled its proposed budget Tuesday at the Cheshire Selectmen's meeting and said the town's allocation will increase 3.340 percent to continue the current trajectory of the district.

"An effective district budget is based on a vision of what the stakeholders hope to see in that district in the future," Superintendent of Schools Robert Putnam told the board. "The fiscal year 2019 budget is a continuation of that vision first set out by the fiscal year 2018 budget."

Putnam said no positions that were added last year will be cut and that by repurposing funds, the school district plans to hire a high school STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) teacher to expand programming and a school psychologist.

"I don't know when the last time the district had a school psychologist, but it is an essential position," he said.

Business Manager Erika Snyder said the foundation budget has increased 1.3 percent to $17,673,956 and the transportation budget increased 2.8 percent to $922,329.

Cheshire's projected assessment is $2,811,124. Snyder said Cheshire's minimum foundation assessment increased 19.971 percent to $2,380,847. She said this $396,330 increase is calculated by the state because Cheshire is considered the wealthier community.

Snyder said the over-minimum foundation assessment has decreased 93.050 percent, bringing the total foundation assessment to $240,2589, which is a 4.582 increase.

Although Chapter 70 education aid stayed mostly flat, health insurance costs will also remain flat. She added that transportation reimbursement should also increase because more students are being bused because of the consolidation of the schools.

Snyder also pointed to the 4.1 percent capital line item increase bringing the proposed amount to $961,087.

She said this amount is needed to continue to pay debt and to fix a leak in the Hoosac Valley High School roof.

Putnam said the roof has been surveyed and he wanted to have funds available if a repair needed to be made that was not covered under the warranty.

Snyder said the budget is still subject to change and the School Committee has yet to vote on it.


Tags: ACRSD_budget,   fiscal 2019,   

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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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