Superintendent: Schools off to a strong start; district wins Prism and BAR grants, committee approves donations and a new job description

Superintendent Cynthia told the Berkshire Hills School Committee that the school year began smoothly, staff used two professional-development days to prepare, and early student and family events were well-attended.

"So today was our second day with students. It was wonderful," Superintendent Cynthia said, describing low levels of disruption and staff collaboration on student data and supports. She said staff had time before students arrived to collaborate with special-education teachers and interventionists and to review student data to improve classroom placement and support.

The superintendent announced two grant developments the committee described as significant. She said the district secured a Prism grant to support selection and adoption of a new English-language-arts curriculum; the team that wrote the proposal returned roughly $164,000 after a prior budget reduction of $75,000. "They came back and got a grant for $164,000," Superintendent Cynthia said, describing the award as enabling a landscape analysis, consultant support, purchase of an approved curriculum and professional development toward adoption.

Separately, administrators reported a two-year renewal of a BAR grant worth $300,000. Committee members said the BAR funding will underwrite leadership stipends, social-emotional supports, restorative-justice coordination, student-activities advising and professional development; formal acceptance of the BAR award was placed on the meeting agenda and was discussed for later approval.

Personnel and operational updates included a change to lunch schedules (reducing four lunch shifts to two to recover instructional minutes), several new hires and vacancies to be filled at the high school (a biology teacher and an administrative assistant), and ongoing work to finalize district websites. The superintendent also highlighted district participation in a one-school, one-book community read (Mona Lisa Vanishes) with a partnership with the Clark Art Institute and area libraries.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes (Aug. 7 and Aug. 14): motion approved by unanimous roll call. - Acceptance of a $1,000 donation from J. Frank Russell to the district food-box program: motion moved, seconded and passed by unanimous roll call (Sarah Kennedy: yes; Alison Reed: yes; Jason St. Peter: yes; Bill Field: yes; Diane: yes; Rich: yes; chair: yes). - Motion to accept the President Grant as "package B": motion moved, seconded and passed by unanimous roll call. - Approval of a new job description for a program director for out-of-school time: motion moved, seconded and passed by unanimous roll call.

Committee members discussed interim coverage after JP Oaken, who has held the out-of-school-time role, said he is stepping away for a full-time teaching position; Molly Murray will take on some responsibilities while the committee develops a staffing plan. The committee agreed to a short interim "band-aid" plan and asked district staff to return with a more complete staffing proposal.

The meeting closed with announcements of recent appointments and hires, including recent graduates joining as teachers, and a note that the district will present formal grant documents for acceptance at a subsequent meeting. No public comment was offered.

Next steps: district staff will return with a staffing plan for out-of-school-time coverage, formal grant acceptance paperwork for the BAR award and continued outreach around curriculum selection work supported by the Prism award.