BCC Offers Full Suite of Online Language Classes

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) offers many non-credit career training courses and workshops designed for both workforce development and continuing education.
 
BCC currently offers 12 language courses, plus a sign language series that bundles two classes, via the online platform ed2go. Students may choose from four Wednesday start dates: Oct. 13, Nov. 17, Dec. 17 and Jan 12. Some courses also offer self-paced options, allowing students to start and finish at their own pace. To register, visit www.ed2go.com/ebcc.
 
The courses are:
 
Spanish for Law Enforcement: Communicate more effectively with Spanish-speakers while adding a valuable skill to your resume. This course helps students master basic Spanish and gain more power handling situations that involve Spanish-speaking victims, witnesses or criminals. (24 course hours, $115)
 
Spanish in the Classroom: Designed for teachers, this course helps bridge the communication gap among the teacher, Spanish-speaking students and parents. Learn essential Spanish phrases and pronunciation. (24 course hours, $115)
 
Speed Spanish: Learn six easy recipes to glue Spanish words together into sentences and engage in conversational Spanish in no time. (24 course hours, $115)
 
Speed Spanish II: Become more conversational and comfortable in Spanish-speaking situations. This course will immediately improve Spanish fluency by covering a variety of important words and teaching proper pronunciation. (24 course hours, $115)
 
Speed Spanish III: Master the ability to speak, understand, and read Spanish by taking this final installment in Speed Spanish. Learn the final six recipes that serve as templates for creating any Spanish sentence. (24 course hours, $115)
 
Beginning Conversational French: Master the basics of conversational French. This course emphasizes proper pronunciation as well as cultural tips, including appropriate gestures and body language. (24 course hours, $100)
 
Conversational Japanese: Whether you want to learn to speak Japanese for travel or just for fun, this course makes it easy for beginners to master the essentials. The course includes drills, interactive exercises and dialogues. (24 course hours, $100)
 
Instant Italian: Learn how to express yourself comfortably in Italian with practical, everyday words and phrases. Students read, hear and practice dialogues used in a wide variety of settings. (24 course hours, $100)
 
Discover Sign Language: This course immerses students in silence to help provide an understanding of the perspective of the hearing impaired. Learn basic signing and facial communication skills. (24 course hours, $100; self-paced option available)
 
Discover Sign Language II: Take your sign language skills to the next level with additional vocabulary, grammar lessons and cultural information. (24 course hours, $100; self-paced option available)
 
Discover Sign Language Series: Gain skills and confidence signing with the Deaf community. This course bundle helps students understand the perspective of the hearing impaired through use of videos demonstrating how to make signs and communicate by facial expression. (48 course hours, $199; self-paced option available)
 
Writing for ESL: Learn to write in English more effectively to help achieve personal and professional goals. This course teaches how to achieve clear, logical and cohesive writing in any academic or work setting. (24 course hours, $115)
 
Grammar for ESL: Prepare for mainstream English classes as a non-native speaker. This course is designed as an in-depth analysis of English grammar for intermediate to advanced ESL college students. (24 course hours, $115)
 
All courses and programs earn an achievement certificate issued by BCC.

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Friday Front Porch Feature: This Luxury Home Has Plenty of Amenities

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LENOX, Mass. — Are you looking for a big house to enjoy your days with a big movie theater, a sauna, and more? Then this is the house for you.

Built in 2004, this seven-bedroom, and nine-bathroom home is 7,073 square feet on more than an acre. The home comes with an elevator to the lower level to access a theater, sauna, gym, wine cellar, massage room, and its very own soda fountain. 

The home also has a guest house with a saltwater pool. A multi-car garage greets you with heated floors.

The this home is listed for $4,950,000 and is located in the 125-acre, gated Pinecroft compound.

We spoke to Leslie Chesloff, the listing agent with William Pitt Sotheby's.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Chesloff: This gated Berkshire stone estate truly redefines luxury living in the Berkshires. What sets it apart is the rare combination of resort-style amenities and complete privacy. The property offers Canyon Ranch-level wellness living with a full spa experience at home — including a sauna, massage room, and gym — plus an eight-seat hi-def theater with wine cellar for entertaining. The heated, gunite saltwater pool and spa are complemented by a fully equipped pool house with a guest suite and complete kitchen, perfect for extended family or guests.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

The moment you step inside, you're struck by the quality and craftsmanship — those 300-year-old reclaimed timber floors set an immediate tone of authenticity and warmth. The scale is impressive but never overwhelming; this is a home designed for gracious living, not just show. The natural light, cathedral ceilings, and thoughtful flow between spaces create an inviting atmosphere that balances grandeur with genuine comfort.

How would you describe the feel or atmosphere of this home?

This home feels like a private wellness retreat meets sophisticated family estate. There's a serene, spa-like quality throughout — enhanced by features like the sauna, steam shower, and massage room — but it never feels clinical or cold. The Berkshire stone exterior and reclaimed timber floors ground the home in a sense of place and permanence. It's designed for people who appreciate the finer things but want to actually live well — whether that's screening a film in the eight-seat theater with wine from your own cellar, hosting poolside gatherings, or simply unwinding in your own spa sanctuary.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

This is perfect for the discerning buyer who values wellness, privacy, and culture in equal measure. I envision someone who spends their days hiking or exploring the Berkshires, then comes home to unwind in the sauna or pool. They might entertain guests in the theater wine room, host multi-generational gatherings with family staying in the pool house guest suite (which has a full kitchen), and appreciate being minutes from Tanglewood, world-class dining, and Berkshire arts.

This could be an executive looking for a primary residence with work-from-home flexibility (there's an office/bedroom suite), a wellness-focused family, or empty nesters who want to host adult children and grandchildren in style and comfort.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

Picture Saturday morning: you're sipping coffee on the terrace overlooking your heated saltwater pool, planning a day at Tanglewood. Your guests are making breakfast in the pool house kitchen — they have their own private retreat but are steps away when you're ready to gather. Evening arrives, and you screen a favorite film in your eight-seat theater, selecting a perfect bottle from your wine cellar. This isn't just a home; it's a lifestyle that brings resort-level wellness, entertainment, and hospitality to your doorstep — all within a secure, maintenance-free compound where nature meets luxury.

Are there any standout design features or recent renovations?

Absolutely. The home includes an elevator for multilevel accessibility, which is both practical and forward-thinking. The lower level is exceptionally well-conceived — a true entertainment and wellness wing featuring the eight-seat hi-def theater, wine cellar, sauna, gym, massage room, and even a charming soda fountain. The gourmet kitchen has been recently updated, customized wet bar, while outdoor living is elevated with the heated gunite saltwater pool/spa, firepit, and that incredible pool house with guest suite and full kitchen. Also, new HVAC system and heated driveway.

Thoughtful details like cedar closets, steam showers, central vacuum, and backup generator show this home was built to the highest standards.

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

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