Berkshire County Regional Employment Board Awarded State Grant

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BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced more than $8.5 million in career-connected learning grants to support school districts and workforce partners in expanding high-quality career pathways and work-based learning opportunities for students across Massachusetts. 
 
In Berkshire County, the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board was awarded a $334,438 Connected Activities Grant.   
 
Funding will expand work-based learning immersion experiences, strengthen partnerships with local employers, and build a regional system of support for high schools to connect students with career experiences. 
 
"Every student deserves the opportunity to explore their interests and connect what they learn in the classroom to their future careers," said Governor Maura Healey. "These grants will help schools and communities give students meaningful experiences that open doors and build confidence in their next steps after high school." 
 
Massachusetts Career Connected Learning Frameworks,  MyCAP, a student-driven process that helps every student design a personalized plan for postsecondary success in college or a career, and
 
MEFA Pathways, a statewide portal for work-based learning plans. Further, the funding supports all 16 MassHire Workforce Boards to expand work-based learning immersion experiences and build a regional system of support for high schools to connect students with meaningful career experiences. 
 
The grants support several career-connected learning programs that advance the Healey-Driscoll Administration's Reimaging High School initiative and will help prepare students for success in college, career, and civic life by strengthening connections between classrooms and real-world experiences. The funding is administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and aligns with the
Massachusetts Career Connected Learning Hub and Career Pathway Strategies. 
 
The administration has been expanding access to career-connected education in a variety of ways through their Reimagining High School initiative. 
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Summer Wrapping Up for Pittsfield, Berkshire Students

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Students in Pittsfield and beyond are enjoying their last days of summer before classes begin. 

Most Berkshire County teachers return to work this month, and students follow in late August and early September. 

For Pittsfield Public Schools, staff returns on Aug. 26 and students' first day is Aug. 31; pre-kindergarten and kindergarten begin school on Sept. 2. 

Labor Day is on Monday, Sept. 7. 

"The summer is pretty much done, and we will be ready and excited to open the doors in about two and a half weeks,” Superintendent Latifah Phillips told the School Committee on Wednesday. 

Phillips is returning this year as the permanent superintendent.  She was appointed the interim superintendent last spring, and the School Committee voted to hire her permanently in June

This year also brings the middle school restructuring, moving fifth grade to the middle school level, and the retirement of Morningside Community School. 

Welcome night for Reid Middle School students new to the building is on Aug. 18 at 6 p.m.; Herberg will have a sixth-grade welcome night at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 25, and at the same time on Aug. 26 for fifth grade. 

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