image description

Adams Council on Aging Hopes to Move to Memorial Building This Month

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story

ADAMS, Mass. — As the renovation of the former Memorial School Building nears completion, the Adams Council on Aging hopes to start moving its operations into it by the end of the month.

"Right now, it's more just clean up to get us over there. So we are hopeful to be there by the end of January," said Council on Aging Director Sarah Fontaine during Monday's board meeting.

Fontaine said work in the former Memorial School building is ongoing and nearing a point where the COA can operate there. Selectmen Chairman John Duval, Vice Chairwoman Christine and Town Administrator Jay Green were in attendance.

Fontaine visited the building the week before Christmas and said new flooring was in the process of installation, with ductwork fully complete. While there is not a set date currently, she said the goal is to have this work done begin moving in during the month.

One thing which will not be complete before moving in, according to Fontaine, is all of the bathrooms for the facility. While there are several bathrooms throughout the facility, there is only one handicap-accessible bathroom, with more to be made later.

"The goal is to make the locker room area several stalls of bathrooms," she said. "That won't be done for us to move in, but that will be an ongoing project, probably when we need it. There are other bathrooms throughout the building for us to be able to use, but just the one handicap accessible one at the front of the building."

Fontaine said they need to spend some money on new furnishings and equipment. Despite this, she said much of the furniture used in the current COA space, located in the Adams Visitor Center at 3 Hoosac St., can be kept and moved to the new facility.


"I think a lot of our office furniture is still in good condition," she said. "We're just going to move it over to the new space as long as it fits and can get through the doors."

Two significant needs, Fontaine said, are cabinets and kitchen equipment like silverware and plates. She said there is donation money that was set aside explicitly for cabinets.

"We don't have a lot of storage cabinets," she said. "So we're gonna need a lot of cabinets for storage in the event spaces and round tables for the space for lunches and events."

Green said one advantage of the move to the Memorial Building could allow the COA to expand to help service more communities in the county. The COA entered a one-year Council on Aging agreement with Savoy in November.

"We'd love to crack a few other communities," he said. "That's one of the reasons why we like Memorial, is we think we've got the ability to host there down the road. So that's kind of a future goal."

Fontaine said she is hopeful the council can expand its programming in the new building. She explained the extent of new programming depends on how they can use the space.

"The goal is to get us in there with our existing programming first, see what the space is like and how we can use it," she said. "And then Barbara [Proper] and I can work together on additional programming."


Tags: COA,   memorial building,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

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.
 
View Full Story

More Adams Stories