North Adams Educator Receives Distinguished Arts Educator Advocate Award

08:17AM / Thursday, October 17, 2024Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — North Adams Public Schools art teacher, Kyle Strack, has been awarded the Distinguished Arts Educator Advocate Award for Visual Art from Arts|Learning, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing arts education in Massachusetts.

According to a press release, the award honors exceptional arts educators who advocate for the arts and arts education in their school and community.

Strack, now teaching at Drury High School, was selected for his consistent efforts towards increasing access to high-quality visual arts opportunities for students in his previous role as the art teacher at Greylock Elementary School, where he was teaching when his nomination was made.

Strack was nominated by Anne-Mary Riello, principal of the former Greylock Elementary School.

"Our A|L Awards Committee agrees with Anne-Mary that you must be an outstanding educator," Arts|Learning Executive Director Nancy Moses wrote in her notification about the award.

"We're thrilled to see Kyle's efforts recognized," said District Arts & Communications Coordinator Leslie Appleget. "His work shows the most sustained type of advocacy there can be: dedication to students, creating opportunities for their success, and being present to honor the commitments made to their learning."

At the end of the 2023-2024 school year, Strack organized a school art show, which featured artwork created by each of the school's K-6 students. This successful event brought out more than 100 families for one of the last events in the building before its closure. Additionally, Strack worked in partnership with Berkshire Museum last school year to integrate three of the Museum's science- and social studies-themed MoMUs (mobile museum units) into his art classes with grades 2 and 5. This arts integration effort brought museum objects into the classroom that students might otherwise not have had access to, and elegantly tied the content with standards-based visual arts learning.

Strack will be formally recognized at Arts Learning's 37th Annual Champions of Arts Education Advocacy Awards on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Worcester Art Museum in Worcester.

Tags: NAPS,

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

Save & Earn with Greylock

3.30% APY 6-month certificate. Click to learn more! Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

North Adams Housing Authority Director Steps Down

Staff Reports09:16AM / Friday, October 09, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Jennifer Hohn, the longtime executive director of the North Adams Housing Authority (NAHA), has stepped down after 24 years with the agency.

The Berkshire Eagle reported that Hohn resigned from her position on Thursday. The NAHA Board of Commissioners is currently developing a transition plan.

Her resignation follows rising tension between Hohn and the tenants association. Residents—particularly at the Spring and Ashland Park apartments—have raised specific concerns regarding building security, drug activity, and trespassers.

This summer, Tenants Association President Corey Fortin posted a video on social media demonstrating that door alarms in some of the buildings were not functioning.

Shortly after the video was posted, the tenants association's office was locked. Members alleged Hohn locked the space in retaliation, while Hohn maintained it was a matter of tenant safety. Hohn also stated that NAHA does not officially recognize the association because it has yet to go through official channels for certification—a claim the tenants association disputes.

The dispute culminated in plans for a formal grievance hearing between Hohn and the association. Both sides agreed to hold a meeting on Oct. 3, but the hearing had not yet been scheduled at the time of her resignation.
During her tenure as director, Hohn oversaw significant changes at NAHA, including expansion and the dissolution of Housing Opportunities Incorporated, a program founded over 30 years ago to assist first-time homebuyers. Most recently, she led efforts to transition NAHA properties from traditional public housing models to the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. She also directed the rebuilding of a Greylock Valley Apartments building after it was severely damaged by a fire.

The NAHA Board of Commissioners meets monthly, typically on Mondays.

View Full Story