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New Tuition Agreement to Bring More Savoy Students to Hoosac Valley

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
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CHESHIRE, Mass. — A new tuition agreement will bring all Savoy seventh- and eighth-grade students to the Hoosac Valley Regional School District 

 

"There probably will be a couple of logistics with the seventh-graders to work out. But beyond that, it's a pure win-win situation," said Superintendent Aaron Dean. 

 

The School Committee approved the new agreement on Monday, and Dean said the addition of seventh and eighth grade Savoy students should bring a handful of students per year. 

 

One reason Savoy made the decision, Dean said, was transportation costs to Gabriel Abbott Memorial School in Florida. Emma Miller Elementary School in Savoy is a preK-6 school. Both Florida and Savoy are members of the Northern Berkshire School Union.

 

"[The students] were going to Florida in the past and the transportation actually became really cost prohibitive," he said. "So they made the decision to enter into discussions with us about expanding the agreements." 

 

Dean said there should not be any additional transportation costs associated with the change, noting many of Savoy's seventh- and eighth-graders already come to Hoosac Valley. 

 

"Savoy handles the transportation. They already have a bus that comes here," he said. 

 

In other business, the committee re-elected Michael Mucci to continue as chair and assistant treasurer. The committee also voted Adam Emerson to be vice chair and Dean to be the committee secretary. 

 

"I look forward to working with this board for another year," Mucci said. 

 

Monday was the first School Committee meeting since town elections in Adams and Cheshire. Voters elected John F. Duval and Erin Milne as the district's Adams representatives and Michael Henault as the Cheshire representative. 

 

The committee decided to hold off on assigning subcommittee members. Mucci said he would like to give subcommittee assignments that play to each member's strengths. 

 

"I know, typically, we like to kind of refresh, regroup and put together a list of who's been on last subcommittees. And Aaron and I will take a strategic-first approach at recommending a little bit of shuffling," he said. 

 

The committee also discussed a potential new three-year contract for Dean. Mucci said he plans to meet with district counsel and hopes to have a finalized contract ready for committee approval at the next meeting. 

 

"I think Aaron has done an exemplary job in his three years here," Mucci said, noting the Audit and Evaluation subcommittee recommended a three-year contract for Dean. "And I think putting forth another three-year contract is a good faith effort on our part to retain and have continuity in the position."


Tags: HVRSD,   tuition,   

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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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