The CES Newsroom

rural schools

Driving Through Mud: How Rural Mass. Schools Are Coping With Rising Transportation Costs

Posted on Friday, April 12th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Carrie Jung, WBUR
Date: 3/12/2019
Link: Complete Article

It’s hard for rural schools in Massachusetts to get kids to and from class every day — especially now, in muddy season, when the snow has melted and the rain begins. “This is mud and ruts and a mess,” says bus driver Joanne Deady as she points to the narrow, unpaved road on her route… [Read More]

Pioneer to close Pearl Rhodes

Posted on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Max Marcus, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 3/28/2019
Link: Complete Article

NORTHFIELD — Leyden’s Pearl Rhodes Elementary School is closing at the end of June, the Pioneer Valley Regional School Committee decided last night. Warwick Community School, which the committee has also been thinking about closing, gets another year, for now. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you,” said Warwick Selectboard Chairman Doc Pruyne, on his way out… [Read More]

Orange pushing ahead for more state school aid

Posted on Saturday, March 16th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Dvid McLellan, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 3/15/2019
Link: Complete Article

ORANGE — With talks of a potential property tax override, underfunded special education and high school costs, Orange is making a plea to the state for more money. The Orange Selectboard, Finance Committee and Elementary School Committee have now all endorsed an effort, headed by Finance Committee member Kathy Reinig, to pressure the state to give… [Read More]

Stretched too thin: Rural school districts go on the offensive for legislative help

Posted on Sunday, March 3rd, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Greta Jochem, Hampshire Gazette
Date: 3/2/2019
Link: Complete Article

CHESTERFIELD — As the state eyes changing the way it funds public education, rural schools are asking that the law take into account the unique challenges their districts face and establish rural school aid. The Massachusetts Rural Schools Coalition, led by Michael Buoniconti, the superintendent of the Mohawk Trail and Hawlemont Regional School districts, went… [Read More]

Students to ask state for more education funds

Posted on Tuesday, February 12th, 2019 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Grace Bird, Max Marcus, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 2/11/2019
Link: Complete Article

Students and educators from seven Pioneer Valley school districts are going to Boston on Feb. 28 to ask state lawmakers to increase funding for rural schools. The students were supposed to go this week, but the trip was postponed due to inclement weather. The group has one main request: that legislators add a “rurality factor” to… [Read More]

State Senate OKs rural school aid for county districts

Posted on Friday, May 25th, 2018 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Diane Broncaccio, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 5/24/2018
Link: Complete Article

After years of state, school and town officials beating the drum for rural school aid, rural districts, including Mohawk, Frontier, Pioneer Valley, and the 19 member-town Franklin County Technical School District, could see $100 per student in rural school aid from the state. Sen. Adam G. Hinds, D-Pittsfield, said Wednesday that the state Senate adopted… [Read More]

Rural schools to push for millions more in state aid

Posted on Thursday, January 25th, 2018 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Diane Broncaccio, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 1/24/2018
Link: Complete Article

BUCKLAND — Hoping to boost state money to rural school districts by about $9.5 million, educators at the Massachusetts Rural Schools Coalition voted unanimously Wednesday to back a proposal for aid in the coming budget. They also directed Coalition Chairman Michael Buoniconti to work with state Sen. Stan Rosenberg to put the school aid request… [Read More]

Combined school district management proposed

Posted on Friday, December 29th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Domenic Poli, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 12/29/2017
Link: Complete Article

ORANGE — The superintendent of schools for Ralph C. Mahar Regional School and Union 73 has proposed an agreement between the three school districts she oversees and the Pioneer Valley Regional School District to share administrative services as a way to save money. The four districts would share a superintendent and director of finance, under… [Read More]

Pioneer begins looking outside the box with supt. search

Posted on Tuesday, October 24th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Shelby Ashline, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 10/20/2017
Link: Complete Article

NORTHFIELD — In their first meeting to discuss replacing Superintendent Ruth Miller, Pioneer Valley Regional School District’s Superintendent Search Committee decided to scope out the possibility of sharing administrators with another school district. The search committee was formed as a result of Miller’s June announcement that she won’t be looking to negotiate a new contract… [Read More]

Northfield Elementary sees uptick in enrollment, adds teacher

Posted on Friday, September 8th, 2017 by Collaborative for Educational Services

Source: Shelby Ashline, Greenfield Recorder
Date: 9/7/2017
Link: Complete Article

NORTHFIELD — When preparing this school year’s budget, Northfield Elementary School Principal Megan Desmarais was anticipating another year with declining enrollment, a steady trend for more than a decade. But as enrollment numbers took shape in August, Desmarais was surprised to see the slightest increase. The school currently has 188 students in pre-K through sixth… [Read More]