Local News

Frontier, elementary school committees approve early release schedule

Posted on Saturday, April 11th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Tom Relihan, The Recorder
Date: 4/11/15
Link: Complete Article

SOUTH DEERFIELD, MA — Students in the Frontier Regional and Union 38 School District will be going home a bit earlier on Fridays next year. The regional and elementary school committees approved an early release schedule at a joint meeting Thursday night that would provide more time for professional development among the staff. The plan… [Read More]

Pioneer picks Miller as new superintendent

Posted on Thursday, April 9th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: David Rainville, The Recorder
Date: 4/9/15
Link: Complete Article

NORTHFIELD, MA — The Pioneer Valley Regional School District has picked a new superintendent. The School Committee will soon begin to work out a contract with Ruth Miller, the current superintendent of the Narragansett Regional School District. Miller has 21 years in education. She’s been superintendent of Narragansett for three years, and was associate superintendent… [Read More]

Leominster schools take initiative on teaching techniques

Posted on Wednesday, April 8th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Cliff Clark, Fitchburg Sentinel and Enterprise
Date: 4/8/15
Link: Complete Article

LEOMINSTER, MA — In an effort to gain a better understanding of how to better prepare its students for success in college and beyond, the city’s public schools are taking part in an initiative to evaluate the effectiveness of new teaching techniques. “We are constantly developing innovative strategies to prepare students for college and career,… [Read More]

Bernardston Elementary students learn computer programming

Posted on Monday, April 6th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: David Rainville, The Recorder
Date: 4/6/15
Link: Complete Article

BERNARDSTON, MA — For the past five weeks, local students have been staying after school to learn a new language. It’s not French, Spanish or Swahili. The 32 fourth- through sixth-graders are learning “Blockly,” a user-friendly computer programming language. It’s provided for free from www.code.org, a nonprofit dedicated to giving children the opportunity to learn… [Read More]

With 4-3 vote, Michael Richard chosen as West Springfield superintendent of schools

Posted on Friday, April 3rd, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Brian Steele, The Republican
Date: 4/3/15
Link: Complete Article

WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA – The School Committee has chosen Michael J. Richard as the next superintendent of schools following a months-long search. The two finalists were Richard, the interim superintendent, and Jennifer C. Willard, director of human resources for the Westfield school department. A third finalist, Medway High School Principal Dr. Douglas Dias, withdrew from… [Read More]

Dias Selects Williamstown-Lanesborough; Contract Signing Set

Posted on Thursday, April 2nd, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Stephen Dravis, www.iberkshires.com
Date: 4/2/15
Link: Complete Article

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA — It appears the Lanesborough-Williamstown schools’ new superintendent will be current Medway High School Principal Douglas Dias. On Thursday, Dias withdrew his name from consideration for the superintendent position in West Springfield, West Springfield Mayor Edward Sullivan said on Thursday afternoon. The West Springfield School Committee, which Sullivan chairs, reportedly offered its job… [Read More]

PraacticalAAC Blog Post by Jeanne Tuthill

Posted on Thursday, April 2nd, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Jeanne Tuthill for Carole Zangari, www.practicalACC.org
Date: 4/2/15
Link: Complete Article

Jeanne Tuthill, an assistive technology specialist at the CCATT Center, has prepared a post for Carole Zangari’s PracticalAAC Blog, and we are pleased to share the blog with you: If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night sweating over one of your AAC clients who doesn’t have a back-up communication tool, then… [Read More]

Special education initiatives at Ware public schools draw praise

Posted on Thursday, March 26th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Jim Russell, Springfield Republican
Date: 3/26/15
Link: Complete Article

WARE, MA – Initiatives initiated by the Special Education Director Heather Bish, that include a weekly newsletter and monthly “brainstorming” session with neighboring districts, were praised by the school committee at Wednesday’s meeting. Board Chairman Aaron Sawabi said he hopes the newsletter would become available on the schools’ website.

Editorial: Healthy Hampshire shines welcome light on challenges

Posted on Friday, March 20th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Editorial Staff, Hampshire Gazette
Date: 3/19/15
Link: Complete Article

People living in the residential East Hadley Road neighborhood off Route 116 south of downtown Amherst face challenges in their daily routines that are not part of the lives of many other residents. Because of inconvenient bus schedules and tricky access to the nearby Norwottuck Rail Trail, a seemingly simple task like getting to stores… [Read More]

Hampshire Regional eighth-graders explore intersection of art and science during Smith College field trip

Posted on Thursday, March 19th, 2015 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Chris Lindahl, Hampshire Gazette
Date: 3/19/15
Link: Complete Article

NORTHAMPTON, MA — Nearly 60 eighth-graders from Hampshire Regional Middle School descended on the Smith College campus Wednesday to spill water, melt plastic and spin on office chairs until dizzy — all in the name of science. The field trip was just one step in the students’ exploration of the intersection of science and art… [Read More]