Search Results

Keyword search: education

By MAX BOWEN AND MARY BYRNE

The state’s K-12 education department is encouraging districts to restrict or ban students’ cellphone use in schools, possibly moving toward a statewide mandate in the future.Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Jeffrey...

By MAX BOWEN

From curriculum updates to staff retention to facility upgrades, a lot of needs were identified through Superintendent Matthew Ehrenworth’s entry plan.Ehrenworth presented the plan earlier this year. At the AARD School Committee meeting on May 17, he...

By Sam Drysdale

BOSTON — As the House and Senate prepare for budget negotiations to get underway in a few weeks, a coalition advocating for “debt-free” public higher education is making a final push for historic investments into the sector with the advent of newly...

By CHRIS LARABEE

NORTHFIELD — In the Pioneer Valley Regional School library and on the trails behind the building, Massachusetts Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler got a lesson in rural education.Tutwiler, along with two assistant secretaries and his...

By DOMENIC POLI

ORANGE – Construction is coming along on what will be the new playgrounds at Fisher Hill Elementary School, and the local superintendent said students can look forward to the recreation areas opening in late August or early...

By SAM DRYSDALE

BOSTON — Going into a week where students across Massachusetts will sit for state-required standardized tests, a newly formed coalition of education organizations will step into the arena and throw its support behind the controversial exams against a...

By MARY BYRNE

ORANGE — Chronic absenteeism of the district’s youngest pupils has resulted in a higher number of kindergarten students than usual being recommended for retention, according to school administrators.Superintendent Elizabeth Teahan-Zielinski recently...

By MARY BYRNE

ORANGE — Parents and teachers are urging town and school officials to consider factoring at least one additional teacher and paraprofessional, but ideally several, into the proposed elementary school budget to help accommodate growing class sizes. “We...

By JULIAN MENDOZA

ERVING — With the Finance Committee and Selectboard unable to find an alternate route to a balanced budget, Erving Elementary School is facing staffing cuts as its proposed $3.5 million budget heads to the Annual Town Meeting floor.Following a March...

By SAM DRYSDALE

BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey said this week that she is looking forward to working with the Legislature on ways to fund free community college for Massachusetts residents over 25, after a representative questioned if the $20 million she earmarked for...

By MARY BYRNE

GREENFIELD — With school districts across Massachusetts grappling with the reality of state funding falling short of expenses, local education advocates are hoping to raise awareness around the issue while also advocating for a better funding formula....

By GREG VINE

ATHOL – From increased parent liaisons to improved handling of bullying, local businessman Frank Visco II has a number of goals as a potential member of the Athol Royalston Regional School CommitteeVisco is among the four candidates seeking to fill...

By GREG VINE

ATHOL – In his campaign for one of two Athol seats on the Athol Royalston Regional School Committee, Charles Larkin hopes to utilize his teaching skillset to benefit the students.After graduating from Marlboro High School in 1993, Larkin entered...

By GREG VINE

ATHOL – Eric Jack has a busy life, and if his latest endeavor is successful, it will get even busier.Jack, captain in the Athol Fire Department and chief of the Royalston Fire Department, is one of four candidates to fill two open seats on the Athol...

By MAX BOWEN

Tari Thomas believes her new role as interim lead administrator/coach at Athol Royalston Middle School is to take care of both students and staff as they begin the transition to a new leader.Thomas was chosen for this position a week ago, following...

By MAX BOWEN

ATHOL — Starting later this year, Athol High School students can get a head start on their college education.Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education granted the Early College designation to Athol High...

By JULIAN MENDOZA

WARWICK — Three candidates for Warwick’s school committee shared a unified vision for the new independent school district while meeting with residents at the former Warwick Community School on Sunday.The candidates — Adam Holloway, Alan Genovese and...

By Greg Vine

ATHOL – While none have submitted papers to run for Selectboard, voters will have four candidates to choose from when it comes to two seats on the Athol Royalston Regional School Committee.Among them is Emily White, a 2006 graduate of Mahar Regional...

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

AMHERST — Clare Higgins, the executive director of Community Action Pioneer Valley, was blunt when describing the current crisis in retaining and finding early education staff.“They can’t pay the rent or feed their families with gift cards and...

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

AMHERST — Educational issues pertaining to schools across western Massachusetts — including transportation, rural inequities and a lack of sufficient state aid — peppered the discussion of a Joint Ways and Means Committee hearing at the University of...