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No COVID-19 Cases in Adams

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Health is happy to report that the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be slowing in town.
 
Board of Health member Peter Hoyt gave an update Wednesday on the novel coronavirus' impact on the county's third largest community and noted that at the moment, there are no active cases in Adams and, to his knowledge only one, in North County.
 
"I am holding my breath but things seem quiet," Board member David Rhoads said.
 
In other business, the board made some final changes to its new tobacco permit cap regulation.
 
"Sorry to make this painful, but I am happy," Rhoads said. 
 
Some months ago, the Board of Health agreed to implement a new regulation that would limit the amount of tobacco sales permits allowed in town. The new regulation would not affect those already selling tobacco.
 
Earlier this month, the board was held up by disagreement on which certification programs would be used for sales clerks.
 
And this was again the conversation point Wednesday 
 
Rhoads originally wanted these certifications to be exclusively conducted by Tri-Town Health's Tobacco Awareness Program (TAP) but the rest of the board felt this was too restrictive.
 
The members came to a compromise and decided the board would only allow programs that it approved, giving them more control over standards but not limiting them to one program.
 
But Wednesday, Rhoads wanted something more specific in the new regulations that pointed the applicant to approved certifications programs 
 
"Where does that vendor go because we have not approved a program via these regulations," he said. "This regulation specifically makes obsolete all previous regulations and our previous one names TAP so this supplants that then we have no approved certification program." 
 
The board came to another compromise and decided it will add acceptable certifications to a list as they come before the board. This would create a collection of approved training programs.
 
"So we approve TAP today that is number one and then other programs as we approve them," Rhoads said. "Perfect. I like that idea."
 
The board's other continuing issue was with the state fining structure that members felt was too harsh. Town Counsel Edmund St. John III clarified that both the clerk and the store owner are susceptible to fines starting at $1,000.
 
The board noted it had some say with the suspension of licenses. Otherwise, it has to live with the hefty fines.
 
The board will vote on the final draft next month.
 
The board also reorganized and members Rhoads and Hoyt flip-flopped. Rhoads will now serve as chairman and Hoyt will serve as vice chairman.   
 

Tags: board of health,   COVID-19,   


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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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