Community Wellness Program Berkshire 150 Returns

Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD,  Mass. — The Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) Wellness Program wants area residents to spring into the new season and improve their health and well-being through the fourth year of Berkshire 150.

Berkshire 150 is a community wellness program promoting exercise over a 5-week period, with the goal of exercising at least 150 minutes a week. That’s the number of minutes recommended by the Centers for Disease Control to help maintain a healthy lifestyle, in addition to eating the right foods.

Berkshire 150 runs from Sunday, April 13th to Saturday, May 17 and registration opens on April 1, 2025. Individuals can register at any time, even after the program starts, while teams must be registered by Sunday, April 13.

To register, visit the Berkshire Health Systems website at www.berkshirehealthsystems.org/berkshire150.

Individuals and teams can begin submitting their minutes on April 19 using a form that can be found on the BHS website. The final day for submitting minutes exercised is Tuesday, May 20.

Participants can join Berkshire 150 as an individual or form a team. Participants can keep track of the number of minutes exercised daily on their phone, a calendar, or by using a fitness tracking app. Each week, participants submit the total number of minutes they exercised using the Berkshire 150 online submission form. They will also be able to submit minutes for any previous weeks they may have missed at any point during the duration of the program.

"Our Wellness team is here to support all of the participants throughout the program, whether they need assistance registering, have questions about exercises, or want to learn more about healthy living," said Maureen Daniels, BHS Director of Wellness and Community Health. "Remember to stay hydrated, have fun, and work within your fitness level while exploring new activities. As always, please speak with your primary care provider before starting a new exercise program."

For more information, visit the BHS website or contact the Wellness Team at wellnessatwork@bhs1.org.


Tags: BHS,   BMC,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield School Committee Votes to Close Morningside

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There were tears as the School Committee on Wednesday voted to close Morningside Community School at the end of the school year. 

Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips said the purpose of considering the closure is to fulfill the district's obligation to ensure every student has access to a learning environment that best supports academic growth and achievement, school climate, equitable access to resources, and long-term success. 

"While fiscal implications are included, the7 closure of the school is fundamentally driven by the student performance, their learning conditions, the building inadequacy, and equitable student access, rather than the district's budget," she said. 

"…The goal is not to save money. The goal is to reinvest that money to make change, specifically for our Morningside students, and then for the whole school building, as a whole." 

Over the last month or so, the district has considered whether to retire the open concept, community school at the end of the school year. 

Morningside, built in the 1970s, currently serves 374 students in grades prekindergarten through Grade 5, including a student population with 88.2 percent high-needs, 80.5 percent low-income, and 24.3 percent English learners.  Its students will be reassigned to Allendale, Capeless, Egremont, and Williams elementary schools.

The school is designated as "Requiring Assistance or Intervention," with a 2025 accountability percentile of seventh, despite moderate progress over the past three years, and benchmark data continues to show urgent literacy concerns in several grades. 

School Committee member and former Morningside student Sarah Muil, through tears, made the motion to approve the school's retirement at the end of this school year.  

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories