image description — Michael Peters is cheers as he takes his retirement ride through the 'car wash' on Thursday.

Clarksburg Custodian Gets Royal Retirement Sendoff

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
11:59AM / Friday, September 11, 2026Print Story | Email Story

Retiring head custodian Michael Peters with School Committee member Mary Giron, a former longtime employee at the school.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Custodian Michael Peters happily went through the "car wash" on his last day at Clarksburg School on Thursday.

It's a tradition at the school to send off their retiring personnel with a hand-waving gauntlet of children and a drive around town in a classy vehicle.

Decked out in a crown and a sash declaring "The Legend Has Retired," Peters stepped into Kevin Gamache's 1966 Chevrolet Impala SS 427 to ride by a line of cheering children.

They stood waving and cheering on both sides of the long driveway to the back of the school, with first-graders holding signs saying "Thank you," "Happy Retirement, and "We Love" Mr. Peters. An older student declared, "I'm going to miss him."

Peters,of North Adams, worked for the school for 19 years, the last 16 as the head custodian, and said he felt pretty but also a "little anxious" as he pondered his next chapter.

"It's been fun. It's been really good. Everybody's been really great," said the Clarksburg native. "I've never had a problem with anybody, and it's been fun. It's been a really good, good time here."

His last two principals paid him high compliments not only on his work but the extra efforts he's put in over the years.

Oh, I think I think he's been amazing," said Principal Kimberly Rougeau. "He stuck out an extra year for me when I became principal last year, knowing that one more change might be a little tricky.

"He's willing to help out. He sees us working on something, and finds where he can jump in. So he's going to be missed."

Tara Barnes, now assistant superintendent, said, "Michael Peters was way more than a custodian for Clarksburg School. He's part of our family. He was reliable, always there for us, and we're going to miss him a lot."

Peters wasn't sure what he would be doing next, but would be taking it day by day.

"We'll find out. Yeah, we'll find out," he said. "We'll keep busy though. We got to keep busy."

Tags: Clarksburg School, retirement,

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North Adams Water Line Break Shuts Off Service on Ashland; McCann Dismisses Classes Early

Staff Reports iBerkshires
10:52AM / Friday, October 30, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A water main that broke Friday morning has affected water service south of Main Street along Ashland and Church streets and caused McCann Technical School to close early.

The break occurred shortly before 9 a.m. near the Roots Teen Center; Ashland Street between Summer Street and American Legion Drive was closed to traffic to allow crews to work on repairs.

"The way it was coming out, we were hoping it was a sprinkler line for the old Nassif's, but there's no sprinkler line in there, so it's a main line," said Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau. "We're trying to get it isolated. Once we get isolated, everything's coming back."

This break is causing areas of the city to have little to no water pressure.

McCann Technical posted that its Tea Room would be closed and then announced early dismissal for 11:15 a.m. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has cancelled all classes.

The Water Department was opening connections around the affected area to close off the gates and redirect the flow until the line could be repaired. Water was flowing out of a hydrant past the post office and streaming down American Legion Drive.

American Legion Drive is open but the work crews are now in the intersection of Ashland and Summer Street and traffic will be disrupted. The city is asking that motorists and pedestrians avoid the affected area whenever possible "to allow our crews to work safely and efficiently."

For questions or concerns, contact the Water Department at 413-662-3157. In the event of an emergency, contact the Dispatch Center at 413-664-4944, Ext. 1.

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