BCC Announces Second Cohort of Paraprofessional Educators Class

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announces that the second cohort of its Paraprofessional Educators class begins Monday, Feb. 24.

The six-week session is held Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The class is an entry-level course with no prerequisites. Students must be 18 years or older and have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent. To register, email workforce@berkshirecc.edu or call (413) 236-2115.

Paraprofessional or "para" educators, which are in demand in the Berkshires, play a vital role in supporting teachers in the classroom. The BCC program covers areas such as instructional techniques, classroom management, child development, special education, and effective communication strategies.

With support from experienced mentors, students learn how to assist in the delivery of educational content, provide one-on-one or small-group support to students, and help manage classroom behavior. They receive career preparation and job placement support, and with the successful completion of a certification exam, they may earn the industry-recognized ParaPro credential.

Upon completion of the course, graduates are prepared to work in a public or private K-12 education setting as effective, compassionate paraeducators, contributing to a positive and inclusive learning atmosphere.


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CBRSD Makes Cuts to Lower Town Assessments

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — School officials say reductions in the Central Berkshire Regional School District's budget will be felt, but remain optimistic that it will not prevent them from being "the best regional district in the state."
 
Throughout the budgeting season, officials said they strived to keep the seven member towns informed amid contractual increases outside their control and concerns with a state aid funding formula described as "remarkably wrong."
 
The initial budget was about a 9 percent increase, but with "strategic reductions" the district was able to cut that down to 2.99 percent, bringing the total budget to $37,740,005. 
 
"This was no small feat," said Paul Farella, district's Finance Committee chair.
 
In earlier budget drafts, towns voiced concerns over significantly higher assessments, which ranged from approximately 7 to 15 percent, compared to prior years, when it was about 2 to 7 percent. 
 
With the revised budget, projected net town assessments are: 
  • Becket for $2,859,205, an increase of 5.49 percent
  • Cummington for $670,246, an increase of 5.11 percent 
  • Dalton for $10,106,445, an increase of 5.86 percent
  • Hinsdale for $3,277,495, an increase of 10.54 percent 
  • Peru for $1,083,751, an increase of 6.11 percent 
  • Washington for $826,774, an increase of 6.64 percent
  • Windsor for $995,438, an increase of 9.37 percent
"[The cuts] will be felt, but we believe that it is what is necessary for the time being to not overburden our towns while still being able to provide a quality education to our community," Farella said. 
 
Delivering high-quality education while responsibly managing public funds in a district, which like many rural areas, faces financial constraints is a duty Superintendent Michael Henault said he takes very seriously.
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