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Local News

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $600,000 in Grants to High Schools to Support Innovation Pathways

Posted on Tuesday, April 12th, 2022 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: , Massachusetts Executive Office of Education
Date: 4/5/2022
Link: Complete Article

The Baker-Polito Administration awarded more than $600,000 to 22 school districts to help support Innovation Pathway programs, which provide high school students with opportunities to learn and gain experience in a particular industry through career exploration, technical courses and internships. Students are also able to enroll in post-secondary courses, at no cost to them, to… [Read More]

Wanted: Members for Hampshire County Food Policy Council

Posted on Thursday, February 24th, 2022 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Emily Thurlow, Daily Hampshire Gazette
Date: 2/22/22
Link: Complete Article

NORTHAMPTON — A food policy council for Hampshire County is seeking members to join its fledgling group, established two years ago as a means to address regional food insecurity and a systemic lack of access to healthy food. The goal of the Hampshire County Food Policy Council, funded by a state grant, is to give… [Read More]

First wave of students wowed by new Easthampton school

Posted on Sunday, January 9th, 2022 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Emily Thurlow, Hampshire Gazette
Date: 1/9/2022
Link: Complete Article

EASTHAMPTON — The morning announcement may have indicated that it was school day 75, but when middle school students returned from their holiday break on Wednesday morning, many admitted that it felt more like the first day of school. And students weren’t alone in that feeling. “It’s going to feel like the first day of… [Read More]

For the Hampshire County Food Policy Council (HCFPC), community leadership is at the heart of their work.

Posted on Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Kathryn Levesque, Collaborative for Educational Services
Date: 1/5/2022

The mission is to cultivate shared governance and a county-wide network that builds the power of community voice to make food policies more equitable, honor diverse cultures, and help local food economies to flourish. As a result, developing a new and very different approach to governance for the Council has been critically important work for… [Read More]

Staff shortages ‘adding a layer of stress’ at area school districts

Posted on Tuesday, December 7th, 2021 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Julian Mendoza, Mary Byrne, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 12/6/2021
Link: Complete Article

Schools across the region are experiencing staffing shortages with more severity than in past years, creating an additional layer of stress as staff and administrators try fill the gaps. The situation is dire in some cases, said Pioneer Valley Regional School District interim Superintendent Patricia Kinsella, with staff members in her district working well outside… [Read More]

School officials: Pandemic has lingering impact on students’ mental health

Posted on Friday, October 29th, 2021 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Mary Byrne, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 10/28/2021
Link: Complete Article

Despite the return to in-person learning this school year, education and health professionals say students are still dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think the hope was this school year would be ‘normal,’ and it’s not,” said Greenfield School Department Superintendent Christine DeBarge. “We’re dealing with the outcome of all of the… [Read More]

Rural Schools Roundtable emphasizes funding difficulties for area’s rural schools

Posted on Friday, September 24th, 2021 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Chris Larabee, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 9/23/2021
Link: Complete Article

BUCKLAND — State legislators, school administrators and town officials convened at Mohawk Trail Regional School Thursday morning for a Rural Schools Roundtable to discuss funding challenges Pioneer Valley schools are facing as enrollment dwindles. Superintendents and school committees from the Mohawk Trail, Hampshire, Athol-Royalston, Erving Union 28 and Gill-Montague school districts highlighted the reduction of… [Read More]

Northfield Elementary named National Blue Ribbon School

Posted on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Martha Maloney, Collaborative for Educational Services

Northfield Elementary School was one of 325 schools recognized by Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School. The award is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.   “This year’s cohort of honorees demonstrates what is possible when committed educators and school… [Read More]

Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School welcomes new vice principal

Posted on Tuesday, September 21st, 2021 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Staff Report, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 9/21/2021
Link: Complete Article

When students at Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School arrived for the start of the academic year this month, a new face was there to greet them. New Vice Principal Joseph Moynihan took over for Hayley Gilmore, who was promoted to principal following the retirement of Joanne Giguere. Moynihan, a U.S. Navy veteran and Westfield resident, joined the… [Read More]

CES Executive Director Gazda on WHMP Afternoon Buzz podcast with Sheryl Stanton and Buz Eisenberg.

Posted on Monday, August 30th, 2021 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Collaborative for Educational Services Executive Director Todd Gazda joined Sheryl Stanton,  Superintendent of Mohawk Trail/Hawlemont Regional School District, and Buz Eisenberg of WHMP for the Afternoon Buzz podcast on August 24th. You can listen to the podcast here at this link. Gazda and Stanton discussed the evolving academic year, school district budgets and ESSER funding… [Read More]