McCandless Staying as DuBois Middle School Principal

08:01AM / Monday, January 20, 2025Print Story | Email Story

Jake McCandless previously served as superintendent in Mount Greylock, Pittsfield, and Lee.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Jake McCandless, who left his post as superintendent of Mount Greylock Regional School District last spring, will continue as a middle school principal in the Berkshire Hills Regional School District

Superintendent Peter Dillon told the School Committee on Jan. 16 that McCandless, principal of W.E.B. Du Bois Middle School, has extended his contract for an additional three years.

McCandless began his role in July 2024, succeeding Miles Wheat, who was hired as principal at Chatham (N.Y.) High School

With more than 30 years of experience in education, McCandless also previously served as superintendent in Pittsfield and Lee, where he was also a principal, as well as an assistant principal and teacher in Virginia.

Superintendent Dillon shared his praise.

"It's great to have a steady hand on the tiller," he said. "I'm so impressed with the relationships Jake has built, the time he's taken to listen, and his capacity to support sustained growth in the building. We're very lucky to have Jake as our principal and to extend his time on our team."

McCandless expressed his gratitude.

"I am very honored and very grateful for this gift of getting to serve long-term as the principal of a truly remarkable school in a truly remarkable district," he said. "Being an educator in the Berkshires for the past 22 years has been a joy, and being able to continue to serve with a focus on middle-level students and the professionals dedicated to caring for and educating them is a tremendous privilege."

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Free Pet Food Drive-Thru in Becket

10:43AM / Friday, February 06, 2026

BECKET, Mass. — Berkshire Humane Society will give out bags of cat and dog food to pet owners in need during a drive-thru event this Saturday, Feb. 7 from 9:00 – 11:00 am, at the Becket Washington School Parking Lot, 12 Maple Street in Becket.

The drive-thru is in conjunction with the Becket Food Pantry.

Cat and dog owners can drive up to the distribution point and remain in their vehicle while someone takes their order and loads it into their vehicle. Cat owners will get a 6-pound bag of food and dog owners will get a 20-pound bag, no questions asked. The event is open to all, regardless of enrollment in Berkshire Humane Society's Pet Food Bank or participation in the Becket Food Pantry and is made possible by donations from Wendy and James Martin of the Martin Family Donor Advised Fund, the Eichenbaum/Archer Family Foundation and an anonymous private foundation.

"We gave out nearly 7,200 pounds of pet food in our holiday drive-thrus in Great Barrington, North Adams and Pittsfield," said John Perreault, Berkshire Humane Society's Executive Director. "People not only drove, but walked up to those events. I can't tell you how many of them told us how thankful they were for help feeding their cats or dogs," he said. "With the cold weather lately, we don't want people choosing between staying warm and feeding themselves or their cats their pets. With this event, we're hoping to reach more folks in the hilltowns. Thanks to our generous donors, we have more than 7,500 pounds of pet food to do just that! Thank you to the Becket Food Pantry for making the event possible."

Berkshire Humane Society's Food Pantry events are part of the nonprofit's efforts to keep families together and prevent people from feeling they must surrender their pet to the shelter. Other programs include the shelter's monthly Pet Food Bank, to which drive-thru recipients may enroll; low-cost spay and neuter and other veterinary services at the Society's Wellness Clinic; and dog obedience classes at Family Dog School.

Berkshire Humane Society also accepts donations to provide pet food for more families in need. Monetary donations are preferred because the shelter has agreements with pet food companies to buy nutritious food at a bulk rate, feeding more animals per donor dollar. For more information about the drive-thru event or making a donation, call 413-447-7878, extension 127.

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