New Tuition Agreement to Bring More Savoy Students to Hoosac Valley

CHESHIRE, Mass. — A new tuition agreement will bring all Savoy seventh- and eighth-grade students to the Hoosac Valley Regional School District 

"There probably will be a couple of logistics with the seventh-graders to work out. But beyond that, it's a pure win-win situation," said Superintendent Aaron Dean. 

The School Committee approved the new agreement on Monday, and Dean said the addition of seventh and eighth grade Savoy students should bring a handful of students per year. 

One reason Savoy made the decision, Dean said, was transportation costs to Gabriel Abbott Memorial School in Florida. Emma Miller Elementary School in Savoy is a preK-6 school. Both Florida and Savoy are members of the Northern Berkshire School Union.

"[The students] were going to Florida in the past and the transportation actually became really cost prohibitive," he said. "So they made the decision to enter into discussions with us about expanding the agreements." 

Dean said there should not be any additional transportation costs associated with the change, noting many of Savoy's seventh- and eighth-graders already come to Hoosac Valley. 

"Savoy handles the transportation. They already have a bus that comes here," he said. 

In other business, the committee re-elected Michael Mucci to continue as chair and assistant treasurer. The committee also voted Adam Emerson to be vice chair and Dean to be the committee secretary. 

"I look forward to working with this board for another year," Mucci said. 

Monday was the first School Committee meeting since town elections in Adams and Cheshire. Voters elected John F. Duval and Erin Milne as the district's Adams representatives and Michael Henault as the Cheshire representative. 

The committee decided to hold off on assigning subcommittee members. Mucci said he would like to give subcommittee assignments that play to each member's strengths. 

"I know, typically, we like to kind of refresh, regroup and put together a list of who's been on last subcommittees. And Aaron and I will take a strategic-first approach at recommending a little bit of shuffling," he said. 

The committee also discussed a potential new three-year contract for Dean. Mucci said he plans to meet with district counsel and hopes to have a finalized contract ready for committee approval at the next meeting. 

"I think Aaron has done an exemplary job in his three years here," Mucci said, noting the Audit and Evaluation subcommittee recommended a three-year contract for Dean. "And I think putting forth another three-year contract is a good faith effort on our part to retain and have continuity in the position."

Hoosac Valley's $23M Budget Passes Districtwide Vote

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
08:33PM / Monday, September 30, 2024

Moderator Thomas Bernard calls the meeting to order. 

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Voters of the Hoosac Valley Regional School District passed a fiscal 2025 budget of $23 million on a vote of 218-160.

 

There was no discussion as the question was moved almost unanimously to a vote. 

 

The districtwide vote on Monday night was prompted by Cheshire's rejection of its assessment. The budget had passed town meeting but it had required a $150,000 Proposition 2 1/2 override that failed a month later on a ballot vote. 

 

Adams town meeting members had approved that town's assessment in June, however, there had been a push by some residents on Facebook to take the opportunity to vote the budget down. 

 

The district meeting started 33 minutes after its scheduled start time of 6:30 p.m. as the town clerks and their staff worked to sign in the 385 registered voters.

 

The school had set up for overflow in the cafeteria but the 500-seat auditorium easily held the gathering with 236 Adams voters attending and 149 from Cheshire. 

 

Chair Adam Emerson said the full School Committee "strongly endorses proposed fiscal year 2025 budget"