Jack Higgins, Grade 1, does arts and crafts during Global School Play Day. (Photo Courtesy Lenox Public Schools)
LENOX, Mass. — Morris Elementary School students participated in a day of unstructured play as part of Global School Play Day on Feb. 7.
Global School Play Day — celebrated on the first Wednesday of February every year — is a day of unstructured, self-directed playtime. Students may explore their creativity, problem-solving skills, and social interactions in a spontaneous environment.
Morris Elementary School students engaged in a day with no screens, no structure, and no interference from staff in how they chose to play. Students brought in their favorite board games from home, built Lego sculptures, took part in a Playful Engineers activity, played lawn games, and did arts and crafts.
Participating in Global School Play Day helps to foster various skills including:
Problem-solving
Negotiation
Practicing empathy
Developing creativity and innovation
Play also helps to boost feelings of joy and promotes relationship building among students.
Morris' day of play was organized by Lead Teacher Pam Codey and Principal Kelley.
"It has been scientifically proven that when young students engage in play, their performance in school improves," said Principal Kelley. "Not only does unstructured play have great benefits, but the students love it. It was wonderful to see the smiles on every face in our school."
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Neal, Markey Reflect on U.S. Political Climate
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
LEE, Mass. — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and U.S Sen. Edward Markey shared the reflections on the nation's political climate during separate swings through the Berkshires this week.
"I watched the whole thing and I've known Tim Walz for a long time and I thought that the debate showed the vigor of where we find ourselves," Neal said at Lee Town Hall after bringing news of a $1 million earmark for Lee's proposed public safety building. This was one day after the vice presidential debate.
"And I thought it was pretty interesting."
On Monday night, Democratic nominee Tim Walz and Republican nominee James David "JD" Vance debated at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York. The 90-minute program included foreign policy, reproductive rights, immigration, and more.
Neal observed that the candidates spent the evening talking about the respective presidential candidate of the other party. He did not identify a winner in this debate, which was not the case for the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in September.
"So in terms of outcome, I think media have a tendency to try to declare winners and losers and I thought last night, I don't think moves the needle much one way or another," the Springfield Democrat said.
"The presidential debate was entirely different. I thought even Republicans said they thought that the vice president won the debate."
"I think both candidates made the pitch for their presidential candidates very well," said Markey at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art on Thursday. "However, it's going to come down to Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and I'm very confident that the energy level on the Democratic side is so high that we're going to get out the vote. It's a very small percentage of all voters who are undecided right now across the country, it's only going to come down to seven states altogether.
Massachusetts and California have already decided, the Democrat said, and so has in Texas and Mississippi. "So we're down to just seven states."
Most of the last presidential elections have come down to the general election as ties, he said, so it will matter who gets out the vote. He was heading to Pennsylvania on Friday to speak to Democrats.
Neal was asked about his thoughts on immigration and if the Democratic Party's stance has drifted to the right over the past few years.
"I don't think I would say that it's drifted right," he said. "I think it's drifted to a reality. I think and have professed for a long period of time, you need a process."
He said the problem is you need to know who is in the country and how they arrive.
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and U.S Sen. Edward Markey shared the reflections on the nation's political climate during separate swings through the Berkshires this week. click for more
West Dews ran for 137 yards, Landon Corcoran made big plays down the stretch and the Wahconah defense made the biggest stop of the night to stymie a comeback drive in the closing minutes of a 22-18 win over rival Hoosac Valley on Friday night.
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Pignatelli said housing insecurity and shortages are paramount in Berkshire County and encouraged communities to develop shovel-ready plans because "we're not going to hand out money from concepts or ideas, we're going to fund projects."
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At just after 10:30 on Tuesday evening, with 97 percent of the votes counted, the Associated Press called the Democratic primary for Davis, a member of the Great Barrington Select Board.
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