Pittsfield Releases Interactive Map for Morningside School Reassignments
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools have launched an interactive map to help inform families about their students' elementary placements for the fall.
Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips walked the School Committee through it last week. The map allows family members to input their address or click on a street cluster to see how they are affected by the closure of Morningside Community School in the fall.
Students will be reassigned to Allendale, Capeless, Egremont, and Williams elementary schools.
"Everyone got a letter, but this is just an additional tool," Phillips said.
"And especially as families are moving into Pittsfield, they would be able to go on to this, put in their address, and no matter where you live in the city, it will let you know."
She used the Mercer Administration Building at 269 First St. as an example; this address was assigned to Morningside this year and Williams next year.
Based on the interactive map, the attendance area bounded by Tyler Street, Woodlawn Avenue, Perrine Avenue, North Street, and Springside Park, where students previously attended Morningside, will be assigned to Allendale.
Morningside students who live between Tyler Street, North Street, and the railroad tracks next to East Street will attend Williams.
Students living between the train tracks and East Street will now attend Egremont, and the area from Reid Middle School to Springside Avenue, North Street, and Wahconah Street to the intersection of New Road will go to Capeless.
Letters have been sent home to families with information about their child’s new school, and they had until last Friday to submit a transfer request.
The intra-district transfer decision is really school by school, Phillips said, based on how many seats are available. She reminded the committee that the transfer process was on hold while awaiting the reassignment of Morningside students, and then allowing them an opportunity to submit a request for transfer.
She also provided an update on the West Side building project.
The district is seeking up to 80 percent reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority to rebuild and consolidate Crosby Elementary School and Conte Community School, and possibly Stearns Elementary School on West Street.
Three options are being considered through the MSBA: Just the Crosby school, a combined Crosby and Conte, and with the addition of Stearns.
The feasibility study will end in about one year, and at that point, one of the options will be chosen.
"Based on what [owner’s project manager] Skanska has shared with us, the new building would be open for the 2031-2032 school year," Phillips said.
One part of this is ensuring that Crosby students have sufficient learning space for the next five years. Less than half of the outdated and disrepaired building is currently being utilized.
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