CHESHIRE, Mass. — Hoosac Valley Regional School District started the school year with nearly two dozen new staff and faculty changes, a new School Committee member and an assistant superintendent. 

 

Tracey Tierney was voted in as the third representative of the town of Cheshire on the committee. That seat has been open since Michael Henault stepped down earlier this year and no one stepped forward to run in the town election. 

 

Tierney is the principal of Emma Miller Elementary School in Savoy and has been a resident of Cheshire for 20 years. All four of her children have graduated from Hoosac Valley High. 

 

"I have some time and look forward to serving the community in this way," she said, adding she is interested in the regional study the district is participating in and would like to see the district better communicate on what is happening in the schools and how and why decisions are being made.  "Education, I think, is the hallmark of any community."

 

Kristen Palatt has been the director of curriculum, instruction and professional development for the past five years. Last week, the School Committee voted to change her title to assistant superintendent.

 

Superintendent Aaron Dean said he was recommending Palatt for the title because she deserves it for all the work that she has done and is doing.

 

"It really is more in line with the work that she's doing, because she she's supervising the administrators. She's supervising the teachers and really making sure everybody has what they need, and writing grants and making decisions on the grants," he said. "And I think that's important for her personally — this will open up professional development opportunities through my organization, because currently as a director, there's no organization for curriculum directors."