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Town officials are proposing to list the renovation of Russell Field on its annual Community Development Block Grant application.

Adams Seeks Funds For Russell Field Renovation

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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A public informational meeting for the Russell Field Renovation Project set for Feb. 12 has been rescheduled to Monday, Feb. 25, at 6 p.m.
 
ADAMS, Mass. — Russell Field is being eyed for the town's fiscal 2019 Community Development Block Grant application. 
 
Town officials will hold a public hearing next week to go over possible projects to contain in the annual CDBG application and, this year, the Community Development Office will propose including the long-discussed Russell Field renovation project.
 
"As you know, it is a highly-used facility," Donna Cesan, community development director and interim town administrator, said on Monday. "If we can demonstrate a strong level of community support and document the critical need there is for the park renovations, I believe we will have a solid application and a good chance at funding the project."
 
Russell Field has been on the Parks Commission's agenda for at least five years now and its condition has been a concern among coaches who believe it to be a danger to their players.
 
The project has since been in a design phase, which was nearing its end in 2018. 
 
"The project has been around for a while but I believe that was necessary and important to fully understand the needs at the park and what elements were absolute priorities," Cesan said.   
 
The project would include drainage and playing field improvements as well as handicapped accessibility, enhanced pedestrian access, and other exterior improvements.
 
The town can apply for up to $800,000 total and Cesan expects the project will cost between $430,000 and $480,000.
 
She said the town may also look into applying for Green Community funds to retrofit the field lights and may solicit the help of McCann Technical School students to help renovate the field's building.
 
The town could also look toward the budget or ask town meeting for potential funding.
 
In the interim, officials have tried to address some of the maintenance concerns at the field such as flooding and the compromised backstop. 
 
Cesan said the town would continue to do this if it cannot capture funding.
 
"If we are not successful this year, I expect we would apply again," she said. "And yes, we would likely have DPW to additional in-kind work and make other minor improvements as stop-gap measures."
 
The town cannot receive more than $1.35 million in two successive years from the grant. In 2017, it received the full $800,000, most of which toward the revamping of the parking lot at the Visitors Center; in 2018, the application for about a half-million was largely toward improvements at the Memorial School. 
 
The application will also include housing rehabilitation money to make improvements to six to eight low- to moderate-income housing units. 
 
The public hearing will take place Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 7:10 at Town Hall.

Tags: CDBG,   parks & rec,   public parks,   sports fields,   

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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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