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State and local police were at the charter school for hours on Thursday responding to a threat.

Police Investigating Threat Made at BArT Charter School

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ADAMS, Mass. — Staff and students at Berkshire Arts & Technology Public Charter School were instructed to shelter in place on Thursday after a student received a threat via cellphone that was later determined to be "unsubstantiated."
 
The Adams Police Department posted on its Facebook page late Thursday that the "after a extensive initial investigation, the threat level was unsubstantiated. The threat itself is still being investigated by this department. ... Our initial priority, before anything else, is the safety of our children while at school."
 
There was a heavy state police presence at the school at One Commercial St. as well as local officers for several hours. Adams Police Chief K. Scott Kelley was also at the school. 
 
The school's Executive Director Jay White sent out a message to the BArT community stating that "a student reported receiving a threat of harm towards our School community. We immediately notified state and local police who arrived at the School to inspect the premises and determine the plausibility of the threat."
 
White said the school activated its shelter-in-place protocols and that more information would be provided. Parents were also notified by text that "students are safe and secure."
 
About 2:44 p.m., parents were texted that the threat was deemed "non-credible."
 
According to posts by parents on Facebook, the threat came over the AirDrop app. This was confirmed by Adams Police.
 
A social media post by a parent stated their child had sent them a picture of the threat, which stated the sender had a gun in their back pack and was going to shoot up the school at 11:40. 
 
"Please hide and take cover  this is no joke," the sender wrote. 
 
AirDrop allows users of Apple products such as iPhones and iPads to send messages and images to other Apple products within Wi-Fi or Bluetooth range. The app can be set to send/receive only from contacts or receive from everyone. 
 
The ability to AirDrop uninvited and anonymously has been related to a number of incidents over the past year. A teen in Arizona was charged in sending violent and pornographic material this month and a Delta flight was panicked during the summer when someone AirDropped that the plane would be hijacked.
 
Hoosac Valley Elementary School across the street was in a "hold in place" for a short time as a precaution, according to school officials there.
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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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