Letter: Vote Yes for New Greylock

To the Editor:

Following years of hard work by the North Adams School Building Committee, voters in North Adams will decide on Oct. 8 whether to vote "Yes" and have the city move further forward into the 21st century by building a new state-of-the-art Greylock Elementary School, or to vote "No" and keep using the aging and deteriorating Brayton Elementary School.

The state has agreed to fund 80 percent of the project's $65 million cost by ponying up $42.2 million. The federal government will kick in another $3.6 million for energy incentives, leaving North Adams' share at just under $20 million. A YES vote means we get a brand-new school which will be designed to last at least 50 years. It will have brand-new everything (under warranty) saving money in maintenance costs

A No vote means our students will be educated in Brayton School which is already over 30 years old and in need of major renovations including the roof, outdated electrical systems and a need for a new boiler among other issues. Some of the classrooms will be in the subterranean level which is subject to ongoing mold and mildew issues. That school also has no sprinkler system in case of fire.

The costs to keep maintaining Brayton are estimated at $45 million, about the same amount the state and federal government are willing to give us for a brand-new school. Those estimates are likely to increase if maintenance is done on a project-by-project basis over time because costs increase over time. To me, it's a no-brainer. Either we spend $45 million, if not more, to keep Brayton going or we take that same amount from the state and federal government and put it towards a new school.

Those of us who have lived here most of our lives have often felt we're ignored by Boston because we don't get the state aid for things we want to accomplish. Now it's being offered and all we have to do is say Yes.

Join me on Oct. 8 by voting Yes for a new Greylock School. Remember, we can't expect anyone to invest in us unless we first invest in ourselves.

Paul J. Moriarty
North Adams, Mass. 

North Adams School Committee Applauds Award Winner, Hears Budget

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
02:42PM / Wednesday, April 08, 2026

Superintendent Timothy Callahan presents his first Superintendent's Award to Brayden Canales. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee on Tuesday voted to send a recommending fiscal 2027 budget to a public hearing and congratulated the newest recipient of the Superintendent's Award. 

 

Drury High School senior Brayden Canales is graduating at the top of his class with 33 college credits and a grade-point average of 4.3.

 

"In addition to his impressive list of college courses, he has rounded out his transcript with several Advanced Placement and project based learning courses," said Superintendent Timothy Callahan, adding, "I had the honor to be Brayden's principal when he began a Drury."

 

Canales is a member of both the Nu Sigma and Pro Merito honor societies and received the Principal's Award for having the top five average in his class all four years and the Rensselaer (N.Y.) Institute of Technology award for science and math as a junior outside of the classroom.

 

He's also been a member of the soccer, hockey and baseball teams and this year was presented the Berkshire County Ice Hockey Officials Association's Sportsmanship Award for his leadership. Canales has also been a peer mediator, student ambassador, among other activities.  

 

He plans to pursue a major in architecture but has not yet selected a college. 

 

The Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Certificate of Academic Excellence is awarded to students who have achieved not only academically but in leadership and community service.