Pittsfield Public Schools See 37 Student COVID-19 Cases

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There are currently about 37 student cases of COVID-19 in the Pittsfield Public Schools and Superintendent Joseph Curtis is stressing the importance of mitigation practices.

This case number is even higher than the district's rate during this time last year.

"We have an extremely high number of cases with our students and I would just indicate and stress that even more cases than we had during the pandemic at this time last year,"  Curtis said the School Committee on Wednesday night.

"And so, I want to emphasize that all of our health and safety practices are in place, sanitization that has occurred throughout the pandemic is still in place, but I will be providing a message to our families on Friday, as I do each Friday, but really stressing and encouraging that those safety practices also take place outside of the school in their own personal life."

He added that the district was expecting a rise in positives because of the surge that occurred last year after Halloween and stressed that the pandemic is not over.

"We were expecting this rise in cases but just to bring awareness that the pandemic is not over," Curtis cautioned. "And those health and safety practices are critical, not only in school as we have continued to do throughout, but outside of school."

On Nov. 8, 2020, the average case rate was 20.2 per 100,000 residents; that rose until it hit a peak of 78 cases per 100,000 at the beginning of December.

The city is currently in an upward trend with around 43.8 cases per 100,000 but has lower hospitalization rates.  

Pediatric Vaccine Info Sheet by iBerkshires.com on Scribd

Pittsfield Takes 'Big Step' With Supportive Housing

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:49PM / Tuesday, December 03, 2024

Housing Secretary Ed Augustus says supportive services are critical to moving people into permanent housing. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Those experiencing homelessness often need more than four walls and a roof.  

On Tuesday, Hearthway Inc. hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for 37 new units of supportive housing, 28 on vacant land on West Housatonic Street and nine at Zion Lutheran Church on First Street.

"Today is a good day. It's a day we celebrate our community's commitment and responsibility to our neighbors, especially those who are unhoused, living in shelter, or outside," President and CEO Eileen Peltier said.

"Today, Pittsfield is taking a big step toward our responsibility to make our community stronger for all of us."

The approximately $16 million project offers tenants a variety of services from partner organizations such as The Brien Center and ServiceNet. It also includes a 6,500-square-foot housing resource center in the church's basement, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, with bathrooms, showers, laundry, offices for service providers to meet with clients, and more.

"We know that providing four walls and a roof is often not enough to ensure individuals are safely and continuously housed," Peltier said.

"Permanent supportive housing like these homes is the best way to ensure individuals thrive."

Hearthway, formerly Berkshire Housing Development Corp., is developing the units on donated land on West Housatonic and at Zion Lutheran Church through a lease agreement. The church will remain open during construction. 

The Rev. Joel Bergeland explained that the Zion community is bound by a commitment to treat each neighbor with reverence and see them as "gifts sent from God." While others may not share that faith, he pointed out that they are bound by a charge to seek the welfare of the community.