PCTV Welcomes New Digital Navigator To Empower Community

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) announced the hiring of Samuel Pascual, who will serve as the organization's new Digital Navigator.

His role is a one-year, grant-funded position designed to promote digital equity through community media centers. In this role, Pascual will help bridge the digital divide in the Pittsfield area by providing hands-on assistance and education to community members seeking to enhance their digital literacy and access vital online resources.

Funding to hire the Digital Navigator position at PCTV was provided by the Alliance for Digital Equity, which serves four western Massachusetts counties, facilitating solutions to ensure everyone has equal access to digital equity.  Having digital equity means that all people have access to the skills, computer equipment, and reliable high-speed internet needed to operate in the digital world.  

As the Digital Navigator, Pascual will work closely with individuals and organizations throughout Pittsfield and Berkshire County to address digital inequities in these areas. Through workshops, one-on-one consultations, and community outreach, PCTV plans to empower residents to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape confidently and effectively.

Pascual will also broaden the reach of digital equity by hosting 'train the trainer' programs and workshops, whereby staff in key non-profit organizations throughout the Berkshires are provided resources and skills to reach their affected communities.

"We are excited to welcome Samuel to the PCTV team," said Shawn Serre, Executive Director of Pittsfield Community Television. "Digital literacy is more important than ever, and having a dedicated Digital Navigator ensures we can support our community in accessing the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in today's digital world." 

Serre added that the new Digital Navigator position aligns well with the nonprofit's mission of empowering residents through technology. 

"We are grateful to the Alliance for Digital Equity for this funding and for partnering with PCTV to reach even more people in our community with these services," he said.   

Pittsfield Community Television has long provided a platform for local voices and stories to be shared. The addition of the Digital Navigator role underscores PCTV's commitment to evolving with the needs of its audience and ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age, noted a press release.

Pascual brings a background in cyber-security and cyber-hygiene training and town planning with contractors for Spectrum and Cox Internet throughout the New England area. Their passion for community engagement and technology makes them an ideal fit for this role.

"I'm excited to join PCTV as the new Digital Navigator," said Pascual. "I look forward to working with the Pittsfield and greater Berkshire community to ensure everyone has the tools and confidence to access opportunities and resources online."

An hour-long interview with Samuel Pascual hosted by Shawn Serre on WTBR's 'Morning Drive' radio show can be watched on PCTV Select and at https://pittsfieldtv.org/program/?id=51943

Community members interested in learning more about digital literacy resources or scheduling a consultation with the Digital Navigator can contact PCTV at navigator@pittsfieldtv.org or 413-445-4234 ext.0121 for those uncomfortable with email.

Further information on Digital Navigation services provided by PCTV, as well as other organizations, can be found at: https://www.413cares.org/digital-equity.

Community Meeting Addresses Prejudice in Pittsfield Schools

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:49PM / Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Johanna Lenski, a special education surrogate parent and advocate, says there's a 'deeply troubling' professional culture at Herberg that lets discriminatory actions and language slip by.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Around 60 community members gathered at Conte Community School on Monday night to discuss issues with prejudice in the district. 

The event was hosted by the Pittsfield Public Schools in partnership with the Berkshire NAACP and the Westside Legends. It began with breaking bread in the school's cafeteria, and caregivers then expressed fears about children's safety due to bullying, a lack of support for children who need it the most, and teachers using discriminatory and racist language. 

"One thing I've learned is that as we try to improve, things look really bad because we're being open about ways that we're trying to improve, and I think it's really important that we acknowledge that," interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips said, reflecting on her work in several other districts before coming to PPS last summer.  

"It is very easy to stay at the surface and try to look really good, and it may look like others are better than us, when they're really just doing a better job of just kind of maintaining the status quo and sweeping things under the carpet."

Brett Random, the executive director of Berkshire County Head Start, wrote on her personal Facebook page that her daughter reported her math teacher, "used extremely offensive language including both a racial slur (n-word) and a homophobic slur (f-word) and then reportedly tried to push other students to repeat those words later in the day when students were questioning her on her behavior."

The school department confirmed that an eighth-grade teacher at the middle school was placed on leave.  

The Berkshire Eagle, which first reported on the incident, identified the teacher as Rebecca Nitsche, and the teacher told the paper over the phone, "All I can tell you is it's not how it appears." Nitsche told the paper she repeated the words a student used while reporting the incident to another teacher because officials needed to know it happened. 

Johanna Lenski, speaking as a special education surrogate parent and parent advocate, on Monday said there is a "deeply troubling" professional culture at Herberg that has allowed discriminatory, racist, non-inclusive, and ableist treatment of students.

She said a Black transgender student was called a "piss poor, punk, puke of a kid," and repeatedly and intentionally misgendered by one of the school's teachers, and then wrongfully accused of physically assaulting that teacher, which resulted in a 10-day suspension. 

Another Herberg student with disabilities said the same staff member disclosed to an entire classroom that they lived in a group home and were in state Department of Children and Families' custody. When the teacher was asked to come to an individualized education program meeting for that student, Lenski said he "spent approximately 20 minutes attacking this child's character and portraying her as a problem, rather than a student in need of services and protection and support."