Pittsfield Middle School Restructuring Effort Nearing Checkpoint
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Action items are coming into focus as the middle school restructuring vote nears.
In December, the School Committee will decide whether to begin moving into an upper elementary and junior high model, with Grades 5-6 in one school and 7-8 in another, or to push it off another year. After running sandbox scenarios, the district transportation team found that the current two-tier transportation system would have to be changed to three tiers.
"It's looking like it would be high school and then middle school and then elementary, but they're running the scenarios to see what would the timetable look like," Superintendent Latifah Phillips recently reported.
"How much time would there be in between the high school start and the elementary start time? And where would the middle school drop off look like?"
Based on her experience with other school districts, Phillips said high schools are usually dropped off earlier to coordinate with sports and after-school programs.
Over the summer, the School Committee voted to create an upper elementary school for Grades 5-6 and a junior high school for Grades 7-8 by the 2026-2027 academic year. A stipulation was added that if goals in the Middle School Restructuring Committee's timeline are not met by the December meeting, it will be delayed one year.
The committee then decided that Herberg will house Grades 5-6 and Reid will be home to Grades 7-8 when the middle schools restructure.
The working group had site visits in Chelmsford and Westfield, where they observed the facilities, educational models, and culture of schools that have restructured in similar ways. It recommended not putting it off another year because "it's what's best for 5th-6th-grade students."
The Pittsfield Public Schools have held an introductory advisory group meeting with families, and are working to schedule school-based meetings, rebuild the middle school restructuring website, finalize a newsletter and FAQ sheet, and offer drop-in hours for staff.
"November really is the month for feedback communication, so that we can put our best recommendation forward next month," Phillips said.
Westfield shared that they rebranded the two middle-level schools as a part of creating unity and rebuilding culture, working together to select new names, colors, and mascots. Naming is in the purview of the School Committee, and some members weighed in.
Committee member Daniel Elias pointed out that John T. Reid Middle School and Theodore Herberg Middle School were named after individuals, "So I think it should go through a complete process."
Sara Hathaway said if there was a community consensus in favor of name changes, she would agree.
"I like the idea of a fresh start, and I think that's that goes along with what we're trying to achieve with the reorganization, and it also gives the students a chance to learn what is an appropriate name," she said, pointing to plants in the area that could offer good names.
She also suggested that the Stockbridge-Munsee Community be consulted to help choose a name that honors the area's heritage.
"I'm in favor of it, and I do agree that it should go through the full process with input from the community, and if people really like the old names, I'm not opposed to that," Hathaway said.
Working groups are coming to a conclusion on the instructional model recommendations, and Chair William Cameron emphasized the importance of having robust opportunities to attract and retain students.
"I'm not going to sit here and prescribe what those ought to be, but if we don't wind up with a curriculum that will challenge all students to work to the best of their abilities, students who need additional help and support, students who could be accelerated. If we don't have those programs, I don't think we're going to get very many people coming back," he said.
"So I say that not because I don't think we're making any progress on this, but it's something I really think needs to be in the forefront. We could reorganize, play 52 pick up with the school district, if we don't do something that's going to offer greater challenges and intellectual and social opportunities for students, this is not really going to be a very worthwhile exercise."
Tags: grade reconfiguration,
