McCann Tech Deems Social Media Threat 'Not Credible' After Police Investigation

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — McCann Technical School officials confirmed Thursday that a threatening social media post directed at the school was found to be a illagitaemt following an investigation by the North Adams Police Department (NAPD).

School administrators notified families that the NAPD determined the social media account responsible for the post was not legitimate and there is no credible threat to the campus.

"The post did contain threatening content to McCann Tech, but after investigation by NAPD it was found that the threat was NOT credible and that the social media account was NOT legitimate," the school stated in a message to the community.

Principal Justin Kratz noted in another communication that the fake social media threat started with an Artificial Intelligence hoax featuring a created picture of a post. 
 
"There is no evidence to suggest the hoax-post was ever actually posted on any social media or linked to a real social media account but instead it was an AI-generated image of a post that never really existed on social media," Kratz wrote.
 
He said NAPD identified the person responsible for creating the post.

While authorities have concluded that students and staff are not in any danger, McCann officials requested an increased police presence at the school on Thursday morning. The school emphasized that this measure is being taken out of an "extreme abundance of caution" to help students and families feel comfortable starting the day.

Following the internal notification from McCann, North Adams Public Schools (NAPS) issued an "all-call" to its own district families Thursday morning.

"North Adams Public Schools will continue to operate using its standard safety procedures," the NAPS statement read, echoing the police department's conclusion that there is no active threat to local students.

McCann is part of the Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical School District, not NAPS.

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North Adams Schools Reviewing Greenhouse Program

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — School officials plan to review the greenhouse program, which is being used for life skills education for older students.
 
The cost of the program was raised during review of the fiscal 2027 budget by the Finance and Facilities committee last week. Three or four students aged 18 to 22 are being served through the special education program at the greenhouse on South Church Street.
 
The discussion came up during the committee's final review and recommendation of a  fiscal 2027 budget of $22,396,047 that will be offset by the transfer of $1,448,692 in school choice funds for a total of $20,947,355.
 
The school district is responsible for educating students up to age 22. The current staffing is a greenhouse manager, a special education teacher and one or more teaching assistants. 
 
"The greenhouse manager is in charge of operations of the greenhouse itself, but not teaching the students, although the students can work with the greenhouse manager," said Superintendent Timothy Callahan. "Almost like an internship, even though these are students with significant disabilities."
 
Committee member David Sookey asked if the life skills program service these children at Drury High School as a "better utilization of resources we already have at the high school."
 
Callahan rsponded that it's a possible model for next year, describing the greenhouse as an adult version of the CASTLE (Collaboration for Autism Spectrum Teaching, Learning and Excelling) program, an individualized special education program for children with autism and communication disorders. 
 
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