BArT Seniors Recognized with John and Abigail Adams Scholarship

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ADAMS, Mass. — Berkshire Arts & Technology (BArT) Charter Public School is proud to announce that 13 of the 35 members of the BArT Class of 2026 have been awarded the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship, a  merit-based scholarship that recognizes academic achievement on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam.
 
This year's recipients are:
  • Joy Bristol
  • Bishop Casey
  • Lilianna Choque
  • Dareen Hage
  • Nyx Hall
  • Tucker Legrand
  • Raif Madole
  • Emerson Maloney
  • Brooke Mckeon
  • Vincent Miksic
  • Zachary Tetreault
  • Kaden Toomey
  • Madison Walker
"We are incredibly proud of these students for their hard work, persistence, and academic excellence," said Director of Counseling Stephanie Maselli.
 
The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship provides a tuition credit for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education at any Massachusetts state college or university. Scholarship eligibility is determined by MCAS performance, recognizing students who score in the Advanced category on at least one high school MCAS test, score Proficient or Advanced on the remaining tests, and rank in the top 25 percent of their school district based on combined scores.
 
The scholarship's purpose is threefold:
  • To reward and inspire academic excellence;
  • To encourage high-performing students to pursue higher education within Massachusetts; and
  • To provide financial support to college-bound families.
"This recognition reflects the deep commitment our students and teachers share to rigorous learning and achievement," said Dr. Joe Huston, Principal
 
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Cheshire Speed Limits Reduced, Code of Conduct Mulled

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Some streets will soon be slower for cars with the Department of Public Works replacing the speed limit signs in response to community concerns.

The town adopted Chapter 90, Section 17C to reduce some local road speed limits to 25 mph. Twenty-three streets are approved by the state; signs are ordered from the state Department of Transportation and should arrive within a couple weeks.

DPW Director Corey McGrath told the Selectmen at last Tuesday's meeting that the department had received concerns from residents wanting people to be slower on the following streets:

  • Church Street 
  • East Main Street 
  • portions of Wells Road 
  • Main Street 
  • Furnace Hill Road
  • Flaherty Road
  • Pit Road
  • Prospect Street 
  • Dean Street 
  • Richmond Street 
  • School Street 
  • Railroad Street 
  • Depot Street 
  • Richardson Street 
  • 5th Avenue
  • Meadowview Drive 
  • Wood Lane
  • Dean Street Extension 
  • portions of Ingalls Road 
  • Devonshire Drive 
  • Yorkshire Drive
  • Berkshire Drive 
  • Wilshire Drive 

Chair Michelle Francesconi asked McGrath to look into the signs solar-powered "slow down" signs. She also spoke about increasing problems with electric bicycles and similar devices.

Young people are going 30 to 40 mph, often on sidewalks, weaving between cars, cutting through private property and town property and riding in the road, she said, and brought up how other towns are creating bylaws to address these problems. Francesconi thought the board should look into it as well as a matter of public safety.

The state is currently revising related laws, so the board will see what the Legislature passes and then model bylaws on other communities.

Francesconi also said that since there is limited police coverage at night during most of the behavior, she suggested shifting some patrol hours to evenings to address youth riding behavior.

Later in the meeting, Francesconi also brought up code of conduct for town employees as she has been receiving numerous reports regarding professionalism, boundaries, confidentiality, and internal relationships and communication among town hall staff, department heads, and with the public.

She said town counsel has recommended adopting a code of conduct as well as providing training. After some discussion, the board decided to get a catalog of training options and identify mandatory and optional trainings. Members are also thinking of doing them in-person.

In other news, the Fire Department's rescue boat missing from the water because motor is broken and is in the process of being replaced.

There are two applicants in the running for the police chief position who will be doing the assessment center on Aug. 17. The Selectmen will get their resumes afterward and decide on interviews.

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