BCC Welcomes Applicants for Para Educator Training

11:12AM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is accepting applications for its Para Educator Training course.

Classes are held four days per week from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. beginning Monday, Jan. 5 and concluding Thursday, Feb. 12.

This is an entry-level course with no prerequisites. Registrants must be 18 years or older and have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent. To view more information, including specific course hours and days, and to fill out an interest form, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/paraeducator.

Para educators play a vital role in supporting teachers in the classroom. The para educator certificate can also serve as an excellent first step toward a career in the field of education.

The BCC Para Educator program covers areas such as instructional techniques, classroom management, child development, special education and effective communication strategies. Participants 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. Upon completion, graduates earn the industry-recognized ParaPro credential and are prepared to work as effective, compassionate paraeducators, contributing to a positive and inclusive learning atmosphere.

For questions, email workforce@berkshirecc.edu or call (413) 236-2115.

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Berkshire Museum Explores Ancient Egypt With ‘Soulful Creatures’

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
11:33AM / Friday, October 09, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Following its multimillion-dollar renovation, the Berkshire Museum is welcoming an exhibition unlike any it has been able to host before.

Marking the museum's first major exhibition since its renovation, "Soulful Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt," opening Saturday, Oct. 10, thins the veil between the ever-evolving history of Egyptian culture and society and modern day people.

"The most important thing about history is recognizing people from the past as actual people. Ancient Egyptians are no different than us," said William Dore, the museum's chief curator. "They have different cultures and beliefs and different viewpoints, but you can say the same thing about people today."

When audiences experience the exhibit, they will see the humanity in the people of the past, which in turn helps them connect with different views and perspectives around the world today, he said.

Combining archeology with modern scientific imaging, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Museum curators Yekaterina Barbash and Edward Bleiberg designed an exhibit that works to uncover the mysteries behind these objects and the beliefs and rituals that surround them.

"I think something that people kind of misunderstand about history is none of it's ever settled. ... History is a science that is constantly questioned,” Dore said. "It only works if everyone's constantly rethinking things, learning new things ... which is for me super exciting because as much as we know a lot about the ancient Egyptians, there's a lot we don't know.”

The installation features dozens of artifacts on loan from the Brooklyn Museum that explores the practice of animal mummification and the role animals played in ancient Egyptian religion.

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