India Ward of COMPASS/The Allain Group offers a move-in-ready, 3-bedroom condo in a perfect location. The architectural design firm of Clark Green + Bek works with new owners to transform Doctor Sax House from a private home to a stunning boutique hotel. A year-end wrap-up of 2024 real estate sales has surprises. Plus, recent sales, a home-cooking recipe, and gardening columns.
The largest incentive (up to 6 additional percentage points) to increase state reimbursement lies in the formation of a new school district as part of the building project. That incentive might resonate with South County residents because of declining enrollments.
Sen. Adam Hinds, who was among those who signed the letter, said he is 'deeply disappointed that the Berkshires were not given a high enough priority to have a member on the commission.'
The driving force behind regional school reform is enrollments, which are dropping at an alarming pace. Berkshire County school districts saw enrollment losses of 22 percent between 2000 and 2015.
At its regular meeting Thursday night, the Southern Berkshire Regional School Committee voted to form a subcommittee whose title would be "The Future of Education in Southern Berkshire County."
Berkshire Hills Regional School Committee member Richard Dohoney said the school committee should be focusing on a realistic goal such as sharing services or merging with another nearby school district.
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.
"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
