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Superintendent Aaron Dean stands with principal Erin Beaulac.
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The former CT Plunkett School was renamed Hoosac Valley Elementary School.
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Hoosac Valley Elementary Unveils New Sign

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The school community gathered Friday morning on the school's front lawn.

ADAMS, Mass. — On Friday morning the Hoosac Valley Elementary School community gathered on the school's lawn to welcome the school's first sign.

Nearly seven years ago, Cheshire Elementary School and CT Plunkett Elementary School joined together to become Hoosac Valley Elementary School. After the closing of Cheshire Elementary School, the school district voted to rename CT Plunkett as Hoosac Valley Elementary School. 

"At HVES, we share the importance of identity and belonging in every classroom as part of our Responsive Classroom approach," Principal Erin Beaulac said in a statement Friday. "Every student is called by their name and everyone is a part of our community. With that being said, we felt it was very important for our school's exterior to match our school's interior. There hasn't been a sign of the school's name on the outside of the building. This morning, all of that changed."


 

 

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Adams Couple Found Guilty in Foster Child's Death

Staff Reports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An Adams couple have been found guilty in the 2020 death of their 10-month-old foster child.
 
Matthew Tucker and Cassandra Barlow-Tucker were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and reckless child endangerment in the death of Kristoff Zenopolous on Feb. 18, 2020.
 
A Berkshire County Superior Court jury returned the verdict on Monday. Assistant District Attorneys Andrew Covington and Stephanie Jimenez prosecuted the case as special prosecutors from the Northwestern District Attorney's Office because of a conflict of interest with the Berkshire DA's Office. 
 
Evidence presented at trial showed that the child died after the defendants failed to seek medical treatment despite clear and obvious signs that he required care, according to the DA. The medical examiner determined that the child died from complications of a strep infection, bronchopneumonia, and empyema, a condition in which pus accumulates in the lungs and chest wall. 
 
Medical experts testified at trial that these conditions are routinely treatable with timely medical care. The six-day trial included testimony from 14 witnesses. After approximately 2 1/2 hours of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts against both defendants on charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless child endangerment. 
 
Kellie Beaulieu served as the victim-witness advocate. 
 
The Tuckers were indicted by then District Attorney Andrea Harrington in 2021 but the charges were dismissed the following year by Superior Court Judge John Agostini, who found the evidence too circumstantial. His findings were overruled by the Supreme Judicial Court in 2023. Current Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue recused himself because he had consulted with the Tuckers as a defense attorney. 
 
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