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The Burlington Store opens this Friday in Berkshire Crossing.

Burlington Store Debuts in Pittsfield on Friday

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The new Burlington store will open in Berkshire Crossing later this week.  

During the morning ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Aug. 22, the store will present a $5,000 donation to teachers at Craneville Elementary for much-needed back-to-school supplies. Following the grand opening, the first 100 shoppers over the age of 18 will receive a $10 Bonus Card on Friday and Saturday. 

The discount retailer touts discounts of up to 60 percent off brand-name merchandise and regular new arrivals. 

News came that a new retail store was coming to the city earlier this year when the Zoning Board of Appeals approved a sign exemption for Burlington Stores, formerly Burlington Coat Factory. The space at 55 Hubbard Ave. was vacated by Staples in December after 30 years in business. 

"To celebrate the grand opening of their new store location and highlight their ongoing commitment to education, the retailer will be donating $5,000 to a nearby high-needs school through their long-standing partnership with the national non-profit organization AdoptAClassroom.org," a press release from Burlington Stores Inc. reads. 

"Funds will be used to provide students with classroom materials they need to learn and succeed.?The presentation of the donation to the local school community will take place at the ribbon-cutting ceremony." 

AdoptAClassroom helps offset the financial burden that teachers incur, often about $860 per year, to equip classrooms with the supplies needed for student success. The nonprofit has raised $73 million since 1998, and 90 percent of the funded classrooms are considered "high needs." 


"As a company who cares about their customers and associates, Burlington is dedicated to adding value to the communities in which they live and work. Throughout the year, Burlington supports a variety of philanthropic initiatives that empower those locally to live better lives and build brighter futures," the company wrote. 

Craneville Elementary, located in Dalton, has more than 450 students enrolled in Grades kindergarten through 5 from Dalton, Windsor and Cummington. It is part of the Central Berkshire Regional School District.

"With class sizes of approximately 20, we provide a variety of services including remedial reading, Title I, special education, speech and language, occupational therapy, and physical therapy," the school's website reads. 

"In our pursuit to develop well-rounded citizens, students enjoy art, music, PE, and library weekly.  Our children are taught by a highly-qualified staff in a nurturing environment." 

The Pittsfield store will bring the total number of Burlington locations in Massachusetts to 26; there are 1,115 stores nationwide with the closest in Holyoke and in Latham, N.Y. It will carry ladies' apparel, including petites and plus sizes, menswear with big and tall sizing options, kids' and juniors' apparel, baby items, footwear, beauty and fragrance, home decor, and pet care and toys. 

According to the company's website, four part-time positions are open for the Pittsfield location, offering a base pay of $15 per hour: retail stocking associate, retail shortage control, cashier associate, and retail sales associate. 

The Pittsfield location is said to feature a "reimagined" store layout that features "refreshed format, featuring thoughtfully organized aisles and bold signage making it easier than ever to navigate the store and get inspiration for the latest must-have trends." 

The store will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.  The grand opening on Friday will begin at 8:45 a.m. 


Tags: new business,   big box retailer,   grand opening,   

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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.  

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