Pittsfield Councilor Moon To Be Honored By MWPC

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BOSTON — The Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus will honor Pittsfield City Councilor Helen Moon as an elected woman of color.
 
This year MWPC will honor and award Public Service Awards to Mayor Yvonne Spicer of Framingham, Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards, and Pittsfield City Councilor Helen Moon.
 
MWPC, an advocate for equal representation for women in all areas of society, presents these awards to recognize that their goal of attaining equality can only be reached through the concerted efforts of both men and women in all areas of professional and political life. The MWPC wants to specifically recognize the achievements of women of color as they have historically been un- and/or under-represented in public policy spaces.
 
Mayor Spicer took office in 2018, officially becoming one of the eight Black female mayors in the country. She has a Doctorate of Education and is a former advisor to the National Governors Association. As "The People's Mayor," she is committed to forming a fair and transparent government that values full community participation. 
 
City Councilor Moon is one of Pittsfield's 11 councilors; she is one of two Asian-Americans and one of three women who currently sits on the Council. Her key policy issues are the environment, education, and health care and she is a tireless advocate for youth. 
 
City Councilor Edwards built her career as an activist and advocate for the City of Boston's most vulnerable populations. As a public interest attorney, she focused on labor issues and as a councilor, she is committed to fighting for homeless and tenants' rights, ensuring all students have access to a quality education and supporting small and local businesses, among other key issues.
 
The celebration will be held via zoom on Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 6 to 7 pm.
 
Proceeds from the Celebration will benefit the MWPC Education Fund, a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to increasing the number of qualified women elected to public office and appointed to public policy positions in the Commonwealth by providing resources these candidates need for effective participation in the political process and public policy, while also supporting MWPC's internship program and educational programs throughout the year.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Pittsfield School Committee Votes to Close Morningside

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There were tears as the School Committee on Wednesday voted to close Morningside Community School at the end of the school year. 

Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips said the purpose of considering the closure is to fulfill the district's obligation to ensure every student has access to a learning environment that best supports academic growth and achievement, school climate, equitable access to resources, and long-term success. 

"While fiscal implications are included, the7 closure of the school is fundamentally driven by the student performance, their learning conditions, the building inadequacy, and equitable student access, rather than the district's budget," she said. 

"…The goal is not to save money. The goal is to reinvest that money to make change, specifically for our Morningside students, and then for the whole school building, as a whole." 

Over the last month or so, the district has considered whether to retire the open concept, community school at the end of the school year. 

Morningside, built in the 1970s, currently serves 374 students in grades prekindergarten through Grade 5, including a student population with 88.2 percent high-needs, 80.5 percent low-income, and 24.3 percent English learners.  Its students will be reassigned to Allendale, Capeless, Egremont, and Williams elementary schools.

The school is designated as "Requiring Assistance or Intervention," with a 2025 accountability percentile of seventh, despite moderate progress over the past three years, and benchmark data continues to show urgent literacy concerns in several grades. 

School Committee member and former Morningside student Sarah Muil, through tears, made the motion to approve the school's retirement at the end of this school year.  

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