“There are three constants in life – change, choice, and principles.” – Stephen Covey

This week’s quote captures the dynamic nature of public education. I have been thinking a lot about change and how for some, change brings discomfort. However, as I reflect on that, I know that from that discomfort, often comes tremendous growth, both as a person and as a leader. Change is inevitable as new technologies, policies, and the needs of society shape the ever-changing landscape of education. Choice is pivotal to empowering students and educators, allowing for diverse pathways in teaching and learning methods. Principles serve as the foundation, guiding ethical decision-making and ensuring that educational values remain steadfast amidst evolving challenges. Together, these constants drive the progress and resilience of public education.

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a conference where Stephen Covey's son spoke about leadership and shared his insights from his book Trust and Inspire. His message focused on the importance of fostering trust and empowering others to lead, which aligns closely with the goals of our District. By emphasizing choice and voice, we are creating an environment where both educators and students can take ownership of their learning and development. This approach not only nurtures leadership but also encourages innovation and personal growth, reinforcing the values of trust and inspiration throughout our schools.

Please find below this week’s updates & events happening in our District ~

Project 211 is still the most pressing issue facing our communities right now, and there is still time for you to listen, learn, and share your ideas or advocate on behalf of our school community. The ask is for the establishment of a commission to reset the state’s funding formula.

Per the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools: There will a Zoom meeting on October 8, 2024, at 6:30 PM for the officials of the school districts and municipalities of the 211 school districts in hold harmless status to discuss in detail how you got to this point and what is needed to establish this commission to make the education funding formula equitable for all school districts. You can register to join the Zoom meeting by following this link: Project 211: Uniting to Raise Awareness of Financial Challenges Faced by Districts in Hold Harmless Status Once you have registered, you will receive an email with a link to join the meeting.”

Please consider signing up to learn more about this issue. I have registered to attend, and as promised, i have shared this opportunity with the School Committee and the members of my Superintendent’s Roundtable. Let’s see if we can garner the support and attention needed for our students!

Here are some other important items to highlight:

Solar Project Update ~

On August 23, 2024, our solar project went live, and the system was energized and officially began producing electricity that day. The goal is to offset our costs as a result! SBRSD will share the public link showing our solar production and system effectiveness on our website, and we hope to use this information as a teaching tool in our classrooms as well.

https://monitoringpublic.solaredge.com/solaredge-web/p/site/public?name=SBRSD%20Southern%20Berkshire%20HS#/dashboard

Task Force Initiatives ~ There is still time to lend your voice to either one!

• Cell Phone Policy Task Force – (Facilitators: Jesse Carpenter and Charles Miller, with support from Julie Dolan.) First Meeting: Tuesday, October 1st from 5:30 to 6:30 pm in the Mt. Everett Library.

• Improving Attendance Task Force – (Facilitators: Julie Steuernagle and Paul Sullivan, with support from Sandi Hubbard.) First Meeting: Thursday, September 26th from 4:30 to 5:30 pm in the Eagle’s Loft.

If you are interested in participating on either one of these Task Force Teams please send my Executive Assistant, Michelle Castellano, at mcastellano@sbrsd.org, a message expressing which group you would like to join or feel free to attend the first meetings listed above.

School Committee Candidate Forum ~

• We will be hosting a Candidate Forum to introduce and get to know those community members running for a seat on the SBRSD School Committee this November. This forum will be held on Wednesday, October 16th at 7:00 pm in the TACPAC. We are excited to share that our students will be hosting and facilitating this meeting for our school community – please join us!

Vaccination Clinic at SBRSD ~

• On October 16th—We will also be hosting a Flu and COVID vaccine clinic in the Mount Everett cafeteria from 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Pre-registration required. home.color.com/vaccine/register/tritown

To review the 2024-2025 Budget Information, please see the District website at https://www.sbrsd.org/documents/district/budgets/fy25-budget/567699 .

We had two students who attended the Early College Conference hosted by our partner, Bard College at Simon’s Rock with the Massachusetts Alliance for Early College, on behalf of the District.

Leslye Bautista-Cruz and Kai Florez Silvernail joined Lindy Marcel, SBRSD’s Early College Coordinator, and Ken Knox, Director of Early College Partnerships and Associate Dean of Studies at Simon’s Rock, on a panel to share about their Early College experiences and their college plans. This presentation was described as a “real highlight of the show”! We could not be more proud of this program, our students, and our Faculty and Staff who make this experience what it is for all!

Coming soon! We are actively populating this year’s Superintendent's Advisory Councils with the hope of a first meeting before the end of September.

Our partners and coaches from Transcend will be in District on Thursday and Friday for their first site visit of the year. They will also be presenting at the School Committee Meeting Thursday evening and providing introductions of the new team, and to talk about how, in year two of this partnership, we are transitioning to the implementation phase of our project, as well as how they will support us through this next part of our journey.

The first Community Team meeting of the year is on Tuesday, October 8th, from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm - more details to follow!

To learn or become a part of this incredible community focused initiative please find the link here at https://www.sbrsd.org/page/transcend-partnership.

This time of year, there are fabulous things happening in our schools and we would like nothing more than to have you here to support our students alongside us!

Just a reminder that there is a half day on Thursday, September 26th for students as there is Professional Development for Faculty and Staff that afternoon. This week’s events include Drama Rehearsals, Vex Robotics Gr 6-12, SES Field Trip to Windy Hill Orchard, Mt. Everett Animal & Agricultural Science Field Trip to Greenagers, Girl Scouts, Attendance Task Force Meeting and a School Committee meeting on Thursday evening- just to name a few!

Please check the event calendar regularly as it will keep you up to date as will the weekly notes from the Principals.

As always, feel free to reach out with questions or concerns as I welcome the opportunity to hear from you.

Take a look at our Early College course offerings below! Do you see a class that interests you? Talk with our Early College Coordinator, Lindy Marcel, and enroll now!

Interested in learning more about our Early College program? Visit our website!

We are so proud of our students who attended Bard College at Simon's Rock last week to talk about their Early College experiences and their plans for the future!

Innovation Pathways offers opportunities for students to explore cutting-edge technology and in-demand fields! The program emphasizes real-world skills through career-focused experiential learning. Participants connect with industry mentors, go on field trips, get set up with internships in their areas of interest, and more!

Mount Everett currently offers two technical pathways in Advanced Manufacturing and Information Technology.

To learn more about our Innovation Career Pathways please use the links below! To express interest in learning more about Innovation Pathways please use our form - Expression of Interest Form

Please feel free to reach out with questions or concerns as I welcome the opportunity to hear from you.

Best,

~ Dr. Beth Regulbuto, Superintendent of Schools