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Northern Berkshire School Union Starting School Year With Masks

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire School Union voted to mandate the wearing of masks inside school buildings for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to start the school year.
 
These votes were taken in the Clarksburg, Florida, Rowe, and Savoy school districts during their respective August meetings.
 
These votes were prior to Tuesday morning's vote by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to authorize the education commissioner to mandate masks in light of rising COVID-19 cases in the past month.
 
The NBSU did make some changes from the 2020-21 school year in regard to COVID-19 precautions and although the schools will maintain the mask mandate, social distancing will not be required, masks will not be required outdoors, and previous travel restrictions have been rescinded.
 
All NBSU districts begin the new school year on Wednesday, Aug. 25.  It will be a half day in Clarksburg, Florida, and Rowe with an 11:30 a.m. student dismissal time in Clarksburg and Florida. Rowe dismisses at 12:30 p.m. Savoy has a full day of school on Wednesday.

Tags: COVID-19,   first day,   masks,   NBSU,   school openings,   


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Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.

Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.

The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.

Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.

"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.

"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."

Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly.  A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.

It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.

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