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State Rep. John Barrett III addresses the Board os Selectmen after Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito dialed in to announce the state was releasing $6.5 million for the Grelock Glen project.

State Commits Funds to Build Greylock Glen Outdoor Center

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — The state will commit $6.5 million to fund the construction of the Greylock Glen Outdoor Center, and construction is slated to begin in August.
 
The Selectmen were in for a bit of a surprise Wednesday and instead of discussing the wastewater treatment plant at a scheduled workshop meeting, they got a call from the lieutenant governor's office.
 
"I received a call from what has been long-awaited in Adams from Gov. Charlie Baker and he was kind enough to inform me that the Baker-Polito administration is happy to fund the development of the Adams Outdoor Center," Town Administrator Jay Green said. "That will finally realize a long-waited 60-year dream."   
 
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, who called into the workshop via Zoom, said she was happy to announce that the administration has committed funds that would mark the first development on the proposed 1,063-acre resort
 
"You are stewards of an amazing asset, and you have done a lot with the area," she said. "The trails the amenities have welcomed people from all over to see the beauty in the area of which you live and work. We know there is more we can do."
 
The story of the Greylock Glen's development goes back more than 50 years with many startups and letdowns along the way. 
 
Chairman John Duval actually pulled up a newspaper article from 1971 marking some of the first attempts to develop the Glen.
 
"It was a thought of many people who have never given up on this and what it means to the community," Duval said.
 
The Greylock Glen's recent history has had a tighter focus with the town more in control of a concept that includes a camping area, amphitheater, outdoor educational center, trail network, and lodge.
 
More recent developments include an overhauled trail network and completed designs of the outdoor center that would represent the first building on the complex. But the town has been in a holding pattern waiting for the state to release the construction funds needed to actually involve shovels in the shovel-ready project. 
 
State Rep. John Barrett III thanked the governor for realizing the project's importance for the community and its economy. He added that he felt it could be just as important as Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams. 
 
"This is just so special. I can't even tell you. I get emotional talking about it," Barrett said. "We have gone through some difficult times ... and it was a guy named Charlie Baker ... who has his fingerprints all over Mass MoCA and the governor has his fingerprints on this project that is as important to the area as Mass MoCA."
 
Polito thanked Barrett, members of the select board, and town employees who never gave up on the project. She said assets such as the Glen were important during the pandemic and will continue to be.
 
"People needed to go places with their families for well-being to just connect with nature and to escape the challenges associated with COVID-19," she said. "To be able to be in a beautiful place right here in your back yard. It was a real sense of relief and a real sense of support for a lot of people."
 
The projected opening of the outdoor center when it was first announced was fall 2020. This was obviously delayed and not at all hastened by the pandemic.
 
Director of Special Projects and former Community Development Director Donna Cesan, who Green said was pulled out of retirement to continue to work on the project, said the entire effort was collaborative and she looked forward to continuing to work on it.
 
"We are very proud of this project, and we have worked very hard on this," she said. "It does my heart good to see that we are all working together and that you can see our vision for this property and what it can do for the town and for the region ... we have worked hard for this and we are grateful."
 
Polito said she was excited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony with the governor.
 
Barrett took a moment to thank past board members who never got to see the project move as far as it has.
 
He then looked to Cesan and told her there is still quite a lot of work to do.
 
"This is going to get harder and you are stewards of this project and will make sure it gets done," he said. "The best words I can leave you with is 'never sell yourself cheap.' You didn't throughout this project and I tell you, you are going to build a fine project in this community."

 


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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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