Mill Town Foundation Announces 2025 Core Impact Award Honorees for Pittsfield Educators

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Mill Town Foundation, in partnership with Pittsfield Public Schools and with support from the Feigenbaum Foundation, has announced the honorees of the 2025 Core Impact Awards.

This initiative recognizes educators within the Pittsfield Public School District for their contributions to student learning, classroom innovation, and community involvement.

The Core Impact Awards annually select one full-time teacher or school staff member from each of Pittsfield's 14 public schools.

The nomination process involved an open community call for submissions from students, families, colleagues, and residents. A volunteer, independent Selection Committee, comprising professionals from education and youth-serving organizations in Berkshire County, reviewed the nominations and chose the awardees based on their demonstrated impact, innovation, and community engagement.

The 2025 Core Impact Award recipients are:

• Allendale Elementary – Morgan Zukowski
• Capeless Elementary – Lindsay Sayers
• Conte Community School – Senta Brodeur
• Crosby Elementary – Heather Topolski
• Crosby Academy – Tracy Kelleher
• Eagle Academy – Colleen Oleskiewicz
• Egremont Elementary – Gwynneth Featherstone
• Morningside Community School – Olivia Oberle
• Stearns Elementary – Brianna Sabato
• Williams Elementary – Samantha Farella
• Herberg Middle School – Mallory D'Aniello
• Reid Middle School – Pam Garwood
• Pittsfield High School – Ann Marie Mutz
• Taconic High School – Brittany Gardner

"These incredible educators are the backbone of our schools and a source of inspiration for our entire community," said Andy Wrba, Program Director at Mill Town Foundation. "The Core Impact Awards aim to elevate their stories and recognize the meaningful and lasting difference they make every day."

Among this year's recipients is Senta Brodeur, a music teacher with 26 years of experience in the classroom, who reflected on the honor by saying:

"I feel so honored to receive the first Core Impact Award for the Pittsfield Public Schools and have such admiration for so many other teachers, paraprofessionals and staff that work throughout the district and equally deserve this award. I started my career at Conte in 1999 as a young and terrified new classroom music teacher for grades k – 5 and special education and the diversity of my students and the dedication of my band families is what keeps me going year after year. If I can make a difference in a child's education and make them believe in themselves, I feel alive and successful.

I want to dedicate my Core Impact Award to all the teachers and staff that have to travel between multiple schools because while it's a bumpy journey the students and families need you. Be proud of the impact that you have made. Teaching in a vestibule or using your car as an office may be a reality, but together we all make a difference in Pittsfield Public Schools."

An awards celebration for the 2025 recipients is scheduled for May 27, 2025, in downtown Pittsfield.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.