For parents teaching their children to garden, it is hard to compete with the apps on their tablets and phones, such as “Farmville” and “Grow A Garden,” that grow plants and communities seemingly overnight.
The devil, however, was in the details, as panelists debated the pros and cons of building a brand-new new school or stripping the old one down to its core, constructing an addition and adding sprinkler systems and new infrastructure.
If the Berkshire Hills Regional School District could increase the number of towns that are formally members of the district, it could be leveraged to have a significant effect on the reimbursement rate for a potential project from the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
Any new initiatives will build on the school’s strong pre-existing relationships with businesses and nonprofits, fostered in part through its longstanding internship program, which sends dozens of students into the community each year for a portion of the school day.
A common complaint among employees of the district and their families was that district officials did not adequately consult with faculty and staff about what was needed in terms of design and the accommodation of innovative curriculum, for example.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last week that e-cigarette use has increased almost 80 percent among high schoolers and 50 percent among middle schoolers since last year.
"If our goal is always to be the best school we possibly can be, we have to continue to ask questions and learn how to do things better."
-- Douglas Wine, MMRHS principal
“I was told that we need to become a more inclusive and understanding community, and this incident confirms we have work to do. I assure you we have already begun and will continue to educate our youth about the horrors of hate and prejudice."
-- MMRHS Principal Douglas Wine
Douglas Wine comes to Monument with 28 years of teaching and administrative experience and is currently principal at Bishop Dunne Catholic School in Dallas, Texas.
