Tuesday, May 06
PITTSFIELD — The committee that examined the future of high school education in Pittsfield will release its findings on May 19 at a joint meeting of the School Committee and the School Building Needs Commission.

The upcoming report is expected to include a vision for the education system and its infrastructure, which includes the possible consolidation of Taconic and Pittsfield high schools.

The meeting will take place at 7 p.m., Monday, May 19, in the Pittsfield High School auditorium. A question-and-answer session will follow, and written comments will also be solicited.

"This is the release of the final report," said Deputy Superintendent of Schools Howard J. Eberwein III. "They've developed a sense of what this group of individuals thought were the best options for developing future high school options the kids in Pittsfield would need.

"We looked at programming, educational trends ... the most efficient way to provide the high school educational experience," he continued.

'Bricks and mortar plan'

The committee also developed a "bricks and mortar plan," building designs to support ideas for the way education should be delivered, Eberwein

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said.

The committee of 35 community members and educators was formed last fall to assess Pittsfield's current high school educational environment. Since then, it has held 30 hours of workshops, meeting twice in October, twice in November, and once in December. Education consultant Frank Locker, in collaboration with the architectural firm of Dore & Whittier, hosted the workshops.

The city hired Dore & Whittier last year to examine the consolidation scenarios for the city's two high schools.

"We are excited to present our findings to the community at large," Locker said in a written statement.

Mayor James M. Ruberto, a member of both the School Committee and the School Buildings Needs Commission, listed devising a plan for a new high school as the top priority for his third term during his inauguration ceremony in January.

During last fall's mayoral campaign, Ruberto said that having one or two high schools was not as important as the manner in which education is delivered to students in the future. Ruberto said he could envision three or four types of schools operating out of the same facility.

"I'm expecting to see the benefit of 30 hours of workshops of how we can best educate our children going forward in a learning environment," Ruberto said.

Referring to the consolidation issue, former City Councilor Tricia Farley-Bouvier, a member of the School Building Needs Commission, called it "a step in a larger process."

Ruberto said he expects the presentation to provide a framework for conversations regarding consolidation to go forward.

"I don't see this as the be-all and the end-all of the conversation," Ruberto added. "I don't expect when we meet on the 19th that the committee will bring a final resolution to this issue. I expect this to be a point of departure."

No questions unanswered

When the School Committee hired Dore & Whittier last year, vice chairman Daniel C. Elias said he wanted to make sure that the architectural firm's final report left no questions regarding consolidation unanswered. Elias repeated that statement on Friday when asked what he would like to see in this presentation.

Elias said he would like the report to determine the financial impact that a consolidation would have on the city of Pittsfield, how it would effect extracurricular activities such as merged athletic and arts programs, and the effects consolidations have had on other school districts.

To reach Tony Dobrowolski: tdobrowolski@berkshireeagle.com, (413) 496-6224.