Local News

Belchertown administrator to become South Hadley middle school principal

Posted on Wednesday, October 18th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Jim Russell, Masslive
Date: 10/17/2017
Link: Complete Article

SOUTH HADLEY — The superintendent of schools has chosen Douglas Daponde, assistant principal at Belchertown High School, to be principal at Michael E. Smith Middle School effective Nov. 6. Daponde succeeds Paul Plummer, whose death earlier this year created the vacancy. Daponde previously was Belchertown’s dean of students and athletic director and an assistant principal… [Read More]

Franklin Tech, Mahar receive state Capital Skills Grants

Posted on Sunday, October 15th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Your parent’s shop class at the Franklin Technical School will soon get a makeover. With a majority of the welding equipment dating back to the 1950s and ’60s, a $495,000 grant from the state will help the tech school to modernize its shop classes. “It was an honor to be able to be in a… [Read More]

Hands-on science for Sunderland children

Posted on Sunday, October 15th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Andy Castillo, The Greenfield Recorder
Date: 10/14/2017
Link: Complete Article

SUNDERLAND — When 11-year-old Sunderland Elementary School Student Tenzin Phelgay grows up, he wants to design a rocket capable of going to Mars. For now, he’s building marble rollercoasters in the Swampfield Drive school’s gymnasium as part of “Thinking Buddies,” an innovative science program, new in this year’s curriculum, that pairs older and younger students… [Read More]

Amherst-Pelham school district names Morris superintendent

Posted on Sunday, October 15th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Dusty Christensen, The Greenfield Recorder
Date: 10/11/2017
Link: Complete Article

AMHERST — Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools now has a permanent superintendent, though he’s by no means new. In a unanimous vote, the Union 26 and Regional school committees Tuesday evening appointed Michael Morris, who has been serving as interim superintendent since last August. The Union 26 committee — consisting of Amherst and Pelham School Committee members… [Read More]

North Berkshire Academy prepares for success in the Berkshires

Posted on Friday, October 13th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Collaborative for Educational Services
Date: October 13, 2017

North Adams, MA — Deciding on a perfect site for the new special education public day school at the Armory Building in North Adams was only the beginning. North Berkshire Academy Director Jodi Drury is now immersed in permits and applications, furniture and supplies, materials, technology and curriculum decisions. “You never know what may come… [Read More]

Interim GHS principal steps into permanent post

Posted on Thursday, September 21st, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Joshua Solomon, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 9/20/2017
Link: Complete Article

GREENFIELD — As she left college, Karin Patenaude wondered what to do with an English degree. She would try the field of law, working as a paralegal. Unfulfilled, she went back to school to get a degree so that she could become a teacher. Teaching high school English in Palmer, she developed a passion for… [Read More]

Franklin Tech’s frogs along the river

Posted on Thursday, September 21st, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Joshua Solomon, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 9/20/2017
Link: Complete Article

GREENFIELD — Back around March, a Franklin Technical School shop teacher was approached about an idea regarding a frog and a few words to accompany it. Greenfield Rights of Nature wanted to create signs to remind people to pick up after themselves and to care for the river. “It’s a lovely happy frog that’s meant… [Read More]

Gateway to host educational technology conference

Posted on Wednesday, September 20th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: The Gazette
Date: 9/20/2017
Link: Complete Article

HUNTINGTON — Gateway Regional will host a technology conference for staff in western Massachusetts schools Thursday, Sept. 28. Five educational technology vendors were selected to showcase products at the conference. Trinity 3 Technology is a major sponsor of this event. The company provides Chromebooks, laptops, tabets and desktop solutions to schools. LanSchool is also an… [Read More]

Smith Academy launches sign language class

Posted on Wednesday, September 20th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Dusty Christensen, The Gazette
Date: 9/19/2017
Link: Complete Article

HATFIELD — Anyone passing by Brittainy Simpson’s classroom last Friday might have mistakenly thought they were witnessing a small miracle: a class of high school students making not a peep, a kind of silence unheard of during the very last period on the last day of the week. However, although the students were audibly silent,… [Read More]

G-M schools have higher enrollment

Posted on Friday, September 15th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Miranda Davis, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 9/15/2017
Link: Complete Article

TURNERS FALLS — The Gill-Montague Regional School District has an increase in enrollment for the 2017-2018 school year. Superintendent Michael Sullivan said they are at 984 students total, which is an increase of 33 from last spring’s 2016-2017 enrollment. Last year, the district had 951 total students enrolled, and the previous year they had 947…. [Read More]