Berkshire County Historical Society Genealogy Workshop

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire County Historical Society begins 2025 with a genealogy workshop led by Lisa Swigert.
 
Swigert has over forty years of experience in genealogical research and has been an instructor for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) for four years. The six-session workshop begins on Jan. 25 at the Berkshire Athenaeum from 2 - 3:30 pm and continues via Zoom on five consecutive Saturdays. 
 
Cost for the workshop is $100 for BCHS members, $125 for non-members; registration can be made by using the BOOK NOW button at berkshirehistory.org.
 
Swigert will cover topics from getting started and organizing your research to finding the resources you need to answer your research questions. The workshop is appropriate for the beginning genealogist as well as those getting back into their family history research. The workshop is part of Berkshires250, On The Road to Revolution program.
 
About Berkshires250, On The Road to Revolution
 
Leading up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 2026), communities throughout the nation are looking back at the people and events that led to the Revolutionary War and considering what American democracy means to all people today and in the future. In Berkshire County, a growing number of organizations have come together to commemorate the unique role our region played during this historic period.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Central Berkshire Eyes 4.13% Increase for FY26

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School District is anticipating a 4.13 percent increase to its gross initial budget for fiscal 2026, translating to an increase of $1,473,826. 
 
This year's gross budget was $35,679,791, and next year's is forecast at $37,153,617. 
 
Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis emphasized that these initial projections may change because there are still a lot of unknowns surrounding it, such as Chapter 70 funding and insurance rates. 
 
The budget was developed through a collaborative process involving principals, teachers, the union, and the Finance Subcommittee, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said.
 
The district relies heavily on its principles to provide the administration with the information needed to develop the budget. This year, part of that process was requesting the principals fill out a form. 
 
On the form, the principals were asked to prioritize their requests, justify them with data, show how they aligned to district plans, explain the student impact, and identify funding sources. 
 
"One other thing to know also is that we do ask principals to talk to their teachers and to talk to staff about this budget, so that it's not just principals that have input into the budget, but it's also teachers that have input into this budget," Blake-Davis said. 
 
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