State Rep. William ‘Smitty’ Pignatelli also urged the task force to increase the breadth of its representation: “We don’t need retired school superintendents making decisions about schools and towns … It’s time for new faces, and we need to engage everyone.”
Attracting young people and families with children in far greater numbers to the Berkshires is complicated — perhaps even impossible. So we are left with making our schools more viable with fewer resources.
In her letter to the editor, Sharon Gregory writes: “Consolidation would enable the larger entity to negotiate for enhanced vocational-technical training programs, enriched academic curricula options, larger state transportation reimbursements and more effective special education.”
“The real question is whether thoughtful creative educators are thinking creatively about the consolidation and how to make the most of this [potential] change.”
— Susan Engel, director of the Program in Teaching at Williams College, and a former member ot the Southern Berkshire Regional School Committee
In her letter to the editor, Sharon Gregory of Great Barrington writes: “Town officials and school committee members should open discussions with other towns in order to create an expanded regional high school district.”
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