Meet Teachers at Berkshire Waldorf School

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Berkshire Waldorf School (formerly Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School) announced the appointment of Andrew Gilligan as First Grade teacher for the 2022-23 school year. 
 
Families whose children will be six by Sept. 1, 2022 and interested community members are invited to meet Mr. Gilligan, along with First Grade subject teachers, at the school's Meet the First Grade Teachers event Saturday, Jan. 29 at 10:30am via Zoom. 
 
Parents and caregivers can register for this live, virtual, free event at berkshirewaldorfschool.org, or by contacting Admissions Director Robyn Coe at  admissions@berkshirewaldorfschool.org.
 
Andrew Gilligan has taught children across the Elementary and Middle School grades as well as Early Childhood for the past twelve years. He is currently a class teacher at the Seattle Waldorf School, where he has taught First and Second Grades for the past two years. Mr. Gilligan was a Class Teacher for First through Fourth Grades and Sixth through Eighth Grades at Meadowbrook Waldorf School in Richmond, RI, where he was also a member of the Board of Trustees and the Core Group of Teachers, leaders of the fiscal and pedagogical decision-making for the school. Mr. Gilligan earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Vermont, and completed both his Elementary Education and Waldorf Education Certificates, as well as his Masters of Education degree, from Antioch University New England. 
 
At Berkshire Waldorf School, as in most Waldorf schools worldwide, Elementary School class teachers start with their class in First Grade and move through the Elementary School curriculum with their class, to build strong, long-term relationships, for up to eight years. Berkshire Waldorf School is accepting applications for the Class of 2030 for Fall 2022. The application deadline is Feb. 1.
 
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Greenagers Founder Will Conklin Honored as Business Person of the Year

By Breanna Steele

Casey Pease of state Sen. Paul Mark's office presents William Conklin, right, with a state Senate proclamation.
EGREMONT, Mass. — The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce honored a local businessman and nonprofit leader on Sept. 24 at Catamount Mountain Resort.
 
William Conklin was this year's Business Person of the Year, recognizing his work as founder and executive director of Greenagers, a nonprofit that helps youth and children engage in work in environmental conservation, sustainable farming, natural resource management, and vocational skills building. 
 
Conklin and his family also run Sky View Farm and he is a managing partner of Konkapot Tree and Timber, a small-scale forest products business.
 
"If you spent any amount of time in Southern Berkshire, chances are you've heard his name, whether you realize the connection at the time or not," said board member Sierra King Watson, who emceed the event. "You might be having a conversation about farming, a new barn or structure that was built, students learning hands-on skills in sustainable agriculture, or a family that receives donated firewood to help keep their home warm through a cold Berkshire winter, or maybe you're simply talking about one of those community leaders who somehow manages to show up, support everyone, and seemingly be everywhere all at once.
 
"Well, one name has a way of continuously popping up, and that is Will Conklin."
 
Board President Mark Rulison said the region has more than 1,200 nonprofits. One in four jobs in the county is in the nonprofit sector, which ranks 27th nationally for nonprofit employment. He said the economic impact on the community is huge, thanking those who help.
 
For the event on Thursday, Conklin requested that as much of the food as possible was sourced locally. Most of it came from Greenagers, Sky View Farm, Indian Line Farm and Fancy Feast Supper Club, creative dinner series. 
 
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