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The current playground is far from the school building and has varied elements that are set apart from one another.

Williams PTO Plans $330K Playground Improvement

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Williams Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) has launched a $330,000 initiative to revamp its playground

"The current playground, there's a lot of issues with it. The equipment is out of date, a lot of safety concerns with play surfaces, age of equipment, accessibility, and kind of inclusion of play with the current setup that they have," PTO member Joseph Simon explained.

"So the new playground looks to kind of address a lot of those issues with modern, new equipment, looking to try to have an inclusion area that will be accessible from the school so that way we can accommodate all students and there would also be some opportunities for interactive play and imaginative play in those areas."

On Tuesday, the Parks Commission gave a positive recommendation for the project's request of $100,000 in Community Preservation Act funding.  The CPA committee approved an eligibility application for the project with the caveat of Parks Commission support.

The school's PTO has been working on the effort for about two years and would like to see it completed this fall.  Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resource Manager James McGrath has been tuned into the conversation.

Simon explained that funding for these types of projects is "lacking."  The PTO has raised about $10,000 internally with a goal of $20,000 and will also be looking at private grants and sponsorships.

"The other two paths will be through the City of Pittsfield, I have a tentative meeting with the mayor to talk to him about that," he said.

"And the third was through the CPA fund."

In its CPA application, the PTO commitment is $20,000, there is a $110,000 CapEx request to the city, a $100,000 CPA request, and $100,000 in grants, sponsorships, and corporate donations.


The PTO has looked at a couple of different proposals from the city's vendor for playground equipment that range from $150,000 to $200,000. Simon reported that another city elementary school recently completed a project half the size for about $86,000.  Simon is projecting around $180,000 for the equipment.

Other proposed upgrades include an accessible pathway, a playing surface, sun screening, and benches.  The PTO is also looking to offer areas of different age-appropriate equipment.

The current playground is far from the school building and has varied elements that are set apart from one another.

"All in all, we're looking around ($330,000,) which we know is an aggressive target but we're open to the opportunity to phase if we need to," Simon said.

"But we'd like to try to do it all at once."

He reported that the school and superintendent are on board with the project.

The CPA committee will decide on funding applications in the spring and the City Council will vote on them in May or June.

"I know that it's definitely due for an upgrade because I know exactly when those were installed," Commissioner Anthony DeMartino said.

In October, Williams was designated as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The award program honors high-performing schools and institutions making great strides in closing achievement gaps.

Only eight other schools in the state have received the designation this year, 356 nationally. According to state assessments, Williams scored in the top 15 percent in English and mathematics.

 


Tags: parks & rec,   playgrounds,   

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District Moving On From Allegations Against PHS Administrator

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The district is "moving on" from unsubstantiated allegations against two Pittsfield High School administrators, saying there is no threat.

Dean of Students Molly West returned to work last week after being put on leave in December. The Department of Children and Families has cleared West and Vice Principal Alison Shepard of misconduct claims that surfaced after another PHS dean was arrested and charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for allegedly conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine.

School Committee Chair William Cameron on Wednesday emphasized that when such an investigation finds no evidence of wrongdoing, fundamental fairness and due process prohibits taking punitive action simply because of allegations. Reportedly, West was also investigated and cleared in the past.

"The circumstances of Mrs. West being placed on administrative leave don't need to be recited here," he said.

"Social media allegations made against her in December, which then regrettably were widely publicized, were not new. They had been heard, investigated, and found meritless by other school districts many years ago, nevertheless, they were disinterred recently by someone providing neither evidence nor a credible source and then reinvestigated twice in the last three months."

Senior Emma Goetze said she was "appalled, deeply disappointed, and frustrated that an administrator who has been placed on leave, someone who has caused significant discomfort and distress to so many students, has been allowed to return to our building."

"I understand that there is an investigation and acknowledge that this individual was cleared but it feels incredibly unjust to me and to many of my peers that despite everything, this person is being given the opportunity to come back," she said. "It's important to recognize that even though an investigation may have found no wrongdoing, that doesn't change the reality of how this individual's presence makes many students feel."

Investigations led by DCF and retired Superior Court Judge Mary-Lou Rup concluded that there is no evidence to substantiate the accusations.

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