North Adams School Committee Seeks New Members

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams School Committee will holding of a joint convention to elect two new members to fill current vacancies. The convention will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, in the library at Brayton Elementary School.
 
Legislative authority for this joint election is provided under the City Charter and applicable special acts: when a vacancy occurs on the School Committee, the City Council and the remaining School Committee members meet in joint convention to elect a person to serve until the first Monday in January following the next regular municipal election. The mayor, as chair of the School Committee, if present, will preside.
 
The School Committee is the governing board of the city's public school system. Its primary responsibilities are to establish the purposes, programs, and procedures that promote student achievement and to ensure prudent stewardship of school resources. The committee acts as a legislative body to set policy, selects an executive officer to implement policy, and evaluates outcomes — all in an open process that seeks input from the public, students, and staff; as outlined in North Adams School Committee Policy Reference Manual, policies BA and BB.
 
Call for Nominations:
Residents of North Adams who are registered voters and who wish to be considered for appointment to the School Committee are invited to submit a statement of interest. Nominations will be accepted by email to btassone@napsk12.org through 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026.
 
Timeline:
  • Tuesday, Aug. 25: School Committee to review process.
  • Monday, Aug. 31: Call for statements of interest issued; pre-convention meeting notice distributed.
  • Thursday, Sept. 24: Statements of interest accepted until 2 p.m.
  • Monday, Sept. 28: Nominations/statements of interest provided to all School Committee and City Council members.
  • Monday, Oct. 5: Joint convention to elect new School Committee member.
 
Convention Process:
 
The joint convention will be held in person in the Brayton Elementary School Library. Each qualified candidate may deliver a statement of up to three minutes. After each statement, up to 10 minutes will be reserved for questions from convention members.
 
Election requires a motion and second to initiate discussion; absent a second, the motion fails and the candidate is no longer considered, and another motion will be requested.
 
A roll call vote requiring a simple majority of convention members will decide the election. If a candidate does not receive a simple majority, they are removed from consideration and the process continues until a candidate attains a simple majority.
 
For more information about the process, eligibility, or to submit a statement of interest,  contact Bobbi Tassone at btassone@napsk12.org.

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North Adams UNO Art Club Extends Into Year-Round Community Program

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown is expanding the summer program UNO Drop-In Art Club into a weekly, 50-week program for local youth ages 8 to 19, thanks to a new two-year grant from the W.L.S. Spencer Foundation.

Starting Wednesday, Oct. 7, the club reopens its doors at the UNO Community Center (157 River St., North Adams) with extended hours every week from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The UNO Art Club first took root in 2022, founded by local volunteers and supported by the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition as a safe, welcoming space for kids to explore their creativity. In 2024, NBCC sought new partners to keep the program running and joined forces with the Clark and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

Over the past two summers, staff from all three organizations have guided kids through hands-on projects — from clay sculpture and origami to collage and self-portraiture — often inspired by ongoing exhibitions at the museums. 

Now, with leadership from the Clark, this grant will allow the program to grow, not only with expanded hours and a year-round schedule, but also to support a paid intern to lead the weekly activities.

Additional benefits of the grant: The Clark will provide rides directly from the UNO Community Center so participants can attend major community events, including First Sundays Free and the annual Community Day. Youth will also take field trips to the Clark, Mass MoCA, and neighboring arts venues across the region.

Learn more about the program or get involved here or contact nbCC at 413-663-7588.

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