Morningside Community Defends School at Hearing for Possible Closure

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Members of the Morningside community defended their school on Thursday during a hearing for its possible closure. 

Resident Kamaar Taliaferro asked attendees to raise their hands if they attended public school, and from the Pittsfield Community Television recording, it appeared that many people did. 

"So if we don't have that in the Morningside community, then we have to redefine how we're going to relate to that community as elected officials because there will not be that institution there any longer," he said.

"That isn't a question that I think should fall to the schools alone, and right now it's falling to the schools alone, and that's why this room is filled with people who, it feels like to me, are here to say, 'No thank you. We don't want this.'"

Morningside Community School was built in the mid-1970s with an open classroom concept. The district says the No. 1 reason for proposing to close the school is to give students better learning opportunities away from this layout. 

Retiring the school in the fall would cut more than $2.5 million from the FY27 budget, and about $947,000 would be allocated to schools receiving students: Allendale, Capeless, Egremont, and Williams elementary schools. For fiscal year 2027, the district has budgeted about $5.2 million for the Morningside if operating.

The proposed budget for Pittsfield Public Schools in fiscal year 2027 is $86,855,061, with $68,886,061 in Chapter 70 funding and $18 million from the city. It is a modest, $404,500 increase over FY26, and the administration needed to reduce nearly $4.4 million to achieve a level service-funded budget. 

Around 300 students would be redistributed, and the district says that supports such as English language services would follow them. Vacancies and reassignments are expected to cover most Morningside employees; overall, five teachers and five paraprofessionals would be reinstated, and 18 new positions would be allocated. 

Twenty-five percent of Morningside's student population is identified as English language learners. 

A mother, through a translator, noted the school's personnel and teachers who help children such as her own learn a different language, and begged the district not to close the school; instead, use those resources to create classrooms. 

"I am begging you one more time to please not close the school and give support to all the families, the whole community, and all our kids," she said. 

Parents, neighbors, and a recent Morningside graduate shared concerns about traumatic transitions for students, the impact of an empty school on the neighborhood, and the loss of a long-time community hub. 

Colleen Nixon explained that she lives a "stone's throw" from the school and moved there purposefully. 

"I wanted to be a part of that community. It's a beautiful space to be, and that school is the hub. Every single morning and every afternoon, we see the kids coming and going in all directions, coming from the school, happy and ready to go. We clear our sidewalks every single day in the winter and in the fall so that they can have a clear path to go and get their education," she said. 

"When you take away the education from a community, especially one like Morningside, when it's so difficult for our residents to get to any other school, you're taking away the lifeline, not just for today, but also for their futures. Knowing that they can get their education in their community and walk to school is everything." 

Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips has emphasized that this difficult conversation is centered on student successes and outcomes. The hearing was held at Reid Middle School, and PPS provided a shuttle from Morningside to Reid to support attendance. 

School officials did not respond to community members at this hearing, as it was meant for listening.  The potential closure will be addressed at the School Committee's meeting on Wednesday. 

In a communication to the Pittsfield Public Schools community, Phillips said that through the community feedback process, it is clear that Morningside has held deep meaning for the neighborhood and generations of families since opening its doors in 1974.

"Following our community and staff forums, one consistent finding is that Morningside is far more than a school building. It is a place of belonging, relationships, memories, and stability. It has served as an anchor of this community, helping shape the neighborhood's identity and supporting generations of children and families. I deeply respect the love, pride, and history that so many of you carry for this school, and we will approach tomorrow's conversation with that understanding at the forefront," she wrote to the PPS community on Wednesday. 

"At the same time, our responsibility as a district is to ensure that every child learns in an environment that provides the strongest opportunity for success."

The district reviewed student achievement data, behavioral trends, staffing patterns, and educational research on open-concept schools over the past several weeks.  She reported that research consistently shows that while open-concept spaces were designed to encourage collaboration and flexibility, they often create barriers for learning and may unintentionally amplify inequities due to the lack of noise control and physical boundaries. 

"Despite these barriers, educators and staff have worked extraordinarily hard to support Morningside students in this learning environment. While their dedication is evident, our students deserve learning conditions intentionally designed to meet their needs and support their growth," Phillips wrote. 

"This conversation is not being driven simply by budget pressures, but by our core responsibility to identify and remove barriers that stand in the way of student success. If the decision is ultimately made to close Morningside, we are committed to developing and implementing a thoughtful transition plan." 

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