greylocknews

For sale, one vintage convertible, to benefit Youth Center, auction ends Thursday, June 2; can you top "kilsbo's" $7,500?

Now here's a unique gift. Outgoing Williamstown Youth Center director Jonathan Igoe reports that the town's youth drop-in and activity center has been given a 1970s-era Chevrolet Impala two-door convertible. "Although tempted to keep it for official business, we thought it best to auction it on eBay to raise funds for the WYC," Igoe wrote in an email. "Having driven the Impala some this spring, I can say it's quite a ride." The youth center is using the online auction site eBay to sell off the car -- and the auction ends on Thursday.  As of Tuesday night, 13 bidders, lead by "kilsbo" had bid the car up to $7,500. Click HERE if you want to look at the auction and consider putting in a bid. The car was donated by Charlie Pardoe, a part-time Williamstown resident. Igoe says Pardoe had owned the car for a number of years and enjoyed driving it, but was ready to pass it on.  "Before donating it to the Youth Center, Charlie had new upholstery installed so the interior of the car looks beautiful," adds Igoe. "Over the winter I drove the car a number of times. I'd say it is in excellent condition, but I am no expert on vintage cars . . . One thing about this car that's amazing is how it feels like it is floating down the road at 60 or 70 miles an hour.  It's really an incredible ride, even in the winter." Concludes Igoe: "I can only imagine how much fun it would be to drive in the summer with the top down."

Poets' corner -- a sampling of eighth-grade rhyme from Mount Greylock

A remarkable set of poems by 8th-grade Mount Greylock Regional High School students has just been posted as part of this week's "Beacon" newsletter for the middle school. You can read them (and other news from The Beacon -- by clicking HERE.

Crew with two Williamstown teens takes best of class at Worcester regatta

WORCESTER - Anna Fuglestad and Elizabeth Martin of Williamstown, who row as juniors for Kent School in Connecticut, competed Saturday in qualifying and championship races on Lake Quinsigamond in the 59th Annual New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Championship Regatta.  The second varsity eight crew won both races, besting thirteen other schools to win their division.  Pictured from left to right are Kent coach Kat Sullivan and crew:
Emma Bast, Jessica Ungermann, Checka Propper, Megan Peterson, Samantha Chu, Lizzie Collins, Elizabeth Martin, Anna Fuglestad, and Jacqueline Regan. (CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE)

Ambiguity, atrocity of war highlighted in speech at Williamstown Memorial Day gathering

The ambiguity and atrocity of war were hightlighted in a keynote speech by Williamstown's veterans-services officer during Memorial Day ceremonies at Field Park, the town green.  Former police chief J. Michael Kennedy's speech was a departure from most of the talks at the annual event for its originality, plain-speaking language about the casualties of war, and specific honoring of individual veterans, who each rose as Kennedy described their military careers and consequencies. Wars are always started by the few, but fought by the many, Kennedy said. Taking the battle for Okinawa, near the end of World War II, as an example, Kennedy cited the thousands of veterans not counted as "casualties" who nevertheless were scarred for life by seeing thousands of civilian women and children killed, and tens-of-thousands of colleagues felled amid the stench and mud of a tropical island. More recently, said Kennedy, Vietnam conflict veterans suffering what Kennedy said are the lingering effects of the Agent Orange defoliant continue to suffer debilitating physical effects which are not always recognized for treatment by the Veterans Administration. Other speakers who preceeded Kennedy cited him for tireless efforts in behalf of the town's veterans.  Among the veterans cited by Kennedy in his speech was Earl L. Green, of Williamstown, an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II who served in England, Normandy and Belgium as a bomb-defuser and munitions handler, among other things. Green's extended family, including a son, Kevin, of Boyce, Va., were on hand for Monday's ceremonies. Kevin is making a documentary film of his father's war experiences. Monday's ceremony included the traditional laying of wreaths on the graves of fallen soldiers, playing of taps and the National Anthem. Between 200 and 300 people attended following a parade. (CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE -- at left -- Earl Green and son, Kevin.)

TO READ A FULL TEXT OF KENNEDY'S SPEECH, CLICK HERE.

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THE BEACON: All the goings on at Mount Greylock Regional (Middle) School

Starting this week, GreylockNews.COM will host an online version of the parent-authored Mount Greylock Beacon, the weekly news letter for the middle school at Mount Greylock Regional High School. Please send items for the next issue of The Beacon by 3:00pm Tues, 6/07/05 to [email protected] (or call 458-0168) or to [email protected]

Moving up and Crossing-Over -- 8th Graders Head into their Future

Submitted Amy Moore-Powers

  The 8th Grade Reception (moving-up day) will take place on June 7th this year.  This informal reception is held in the Japanese garden and is a great way for students to meet their high school teachers.  They will hopefully learn something about next year and become more comfortable with their ability to meet the demands of high school.

The 8th Grade Crossing-Over Ceremony will take place before the picnic on June 17th.  In this Ceremony students place their wishes for high school in the Mt. Greylock Wishing Well and then symbolically cross-over the bridge to the high school.

GOOD NEWS for Middle School Teams, Advisories, Small Class Size

Submitted by Mark Piechota

Staffing in the Middle School next year will include 3 teachers for each of the core subjects of English, Social Studies, Math and Science.  We're happy to say that translates into a (core) class size of 20 for the 7th grade and 22 students in the 8th grade.  There will be teams in the Middle School next year (the configuration is still to be determined) with core teachers teaching 4 classes (currently they are teaching 5); there will be team meeting time, and Middle School morning meeting will continue.  We hope to reinstitute advisories in the Middle School as well.

This means that teachers will get to know all of their students well, and they will be able to coordinate curriculum across their disciplines. They will be able to adapt curriculum and instruction to meet student needs, and in the process, help make your children's introduction to Mount Greylock into an exciting and enriching two years.

...and the Band Plays on . . . the Graduation Band

Submitted by Lyndon Moors

After we say goodbye to our senior band members on Memorial Day, we add approximately 32 Middles School musicians to form the Graduation Band. This groups rehearses the traditional Graduation ceremony music plus a different recessional each year.  All rehearsals are during the regular Band period during the day. 

Graduation Band members are asked to meet at school by 1:30, Sunday, June 5.  Please keep in mind that traffic and parking are usually issues on Graduation Day.  The ceremony will be finished by 3:00pm.  Dress for Graduation is the same as it would be for any indoor concert. Please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for supporting music at Mt. Greylock.

Word Street Wants Writers

Word Street is seeking submissions of fiction, poetry, personal essay, comics, black-and-white art and photography for its first literary magazine.  Students in Berkshire County between the ages of 8 and 18 are invited to submit original work on the theme "Growing Up in the World Today."  Deadline is Saturday, June 11. Students or their teachers may submit original work to Word Street, PO Box 782, Pittsfield, MA 01202 or by e-mail:  [email protected]  Include contact information.

  Word Street is a literary arts center providing free creative writing courses and workshops for young people ages 8 to 18.  The magazine will be edited and distributed by Word Street students. The editorial team will meet twice monthly in preparation for the magazine's release in September. Writers interested in joining the editorial team should contact Aaron Beatty: [email protected].  For more info: 997-3307 or www.wordstreet.org

FUN, FUN, FUN, CELEBRATE! -- Parent Help Needed

Submitted by Amy Moore-Powers

On Friday, June 17th the middle school students will travel to Windsor Lake in North Adams for an end of the year picnic.  This is a great opportunity for us to celebrate all of the success that they have had this year and to say goodbye to the class of 2010. 

Students will be able to swim, play Frisbee, touch football, sunbathe, and play waffle ball, etc.  They will eat hamburgers and hotdogs and hopefully have a glorious time.  The field trip will be free, but students will need to pay the regular $2.50 for their lunch.  We will arrive at Windsor Lake around 10:00 a.m. and return to school in time for the 2:30 p.m. bus.

We are looking for a few parents would like to come and share the day with us to help chaperone and/or lifeguard.  If you are interested in helping out, please contact Amy Moore-Powers at 458-9582 ext. 140 or email at [email protected].

Surviving Your Child's Adolescence

  Sign-up for this FREE 3-part series on "Surviving Your Child's Adolescence" with Nurit Berman, MSW. Child Care of the Berkshires is sponsoring this parenting partnership program at Haskins Community Center, 210 State St, North Adams.

Three Wednesdays: Jun 8, 15, & 22, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Pre-registration is required, call:  664-4725.

Pericles on WilliNet

Relive Mt. Greylock's fall performance of Pericles from the Shakespeare & Company's Fall
Festival.  Turn on Channel 17-WilliNet, Williamstown's Community Television TONIGHT, May 26 at 8:30 and enjoy an evening of Shakespeare.  Check-out local cable access listings for next week's air-times of Pericles.

SPORTS

U-14 Girls Soccer:

    Sat, June 4, 2:30 vs Lee, away
    Sun, June 5, 4:00 vs N. Adams, away

U-14 Boys Soccer:

   Sat, May 28, 4:00 vs Lenox, away

GOINGS On

Mon, May 30:  SCHOOL CLOSED
Sun, June 5: 1:30-3:00 Graduation Band plays at   Mt. Greylock Graduation
Fri & Sat, June 10 & 11: Treasure Island,  Middle   School Musical in auditorium
Fri, June 17: Middle School Trip to Windsor Lake
Wed, June 22: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

18 more days of school !!!

Only ONE more Beacon to be published this year!

Please send items for the next issue of The Beacon by 3:00pm Tues, 6/07/05 to [email protected] (or call 458-0168) or to [email protected]

About 40 party stalwarts hear Deval Patrick's rationale for electing him first Democratic governor Massachusetts in 16 years; he cites Berkshire connections in 20-minute talk

Corporate and civil-rights attorney Deval Patrick, calling himself an embodiment of an American dream which many people fear is being lost, opened his Democratic primary campaign for Massachusetts governor in Berkshire County today with an hour-long stop at the Steeples Restaurant in North Adams. He was greeted by a room full of about 40 people -- mostly regional party stalwarts.  Patrick, a former Clinton-administration civil-rights lawyer, has at least two Berkshire County connections. First, after law school, he was a clerk to Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the U.S. Court of Appeals in California. Reinhardt is the father of Mark Reinhardt, political-science professor at Williams College. And second, Patrick said his family is building a second home in Richmond.  Patrick, already endorsed by U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., faces Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly in next year's primary. For a full story on Patrick 's appearance in North Adams, click HERE.  To view a three-minute streaming QuickTime video interview with Duval, click on the link to the right ----> Download 100_1609.MOV

RELATED LINKS:
Deval Patrick campaign website
Cape Cod Times editorial: "A great orator."
WBZ-TV interview with Patrick re capital murder
Patrick's speech to the Democratic State Convention, May 14
U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. (Worcester), endorses Patrick
White House biography of Patrick from 1994

MGRHS budget adds one teaching position; enrollment down 12% over two years, Greylock Echo reports

A 12-percent enrollment decline to about 700 students projected for September has enabled Mount Greylock Regional High School to restore 20-student class sizes in grades 7-8 for fall, and there will be 60.9 teaching positions in the fall, up from 59.9 this year. That's the news in this month's edition of The Greylock Echo, the student newspaper at the regional high school. The May 20 Echo was distributed today and is viewable as a PDF file by  CLICKING HERE. Other stories in The Echo . . . a report on aging computers that are causing problems, but a $23,000 grant from Williams College which will put new software in place for scheduling, grades, attendance and homework . . . and the news that all 113 graduating seniors are expected to complete their "senior projects" successfully.  The Greylock Echo is published monthly during the school year. Besides in-school distribution, it is available at Wild Oats Community Market, the elementary school, library and town hall in Williamstown, and at the Lanesboro Super Market, the elementary school library and town hall in Lanesborough.

North Adams Garden Club plant sale Saturday May 21 near Mohawk Theater

Rod Bunt of the North Adams mayor's office says the North Adams Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale on Saturday, May 21,  from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at 107 Main St. in North Adams, near the Mohawk Theater.  There will be hundreds of plants to choose from, including impatiens, petunias, pansies, dahlias, geraniums, snapdragons, zinnias as well as perennials, herbs and hanging baskets.  Several kinds of vegetables will be for sale, including tomatoes and peppers.  The North Adams Garden Club will hold a raffle during the sale as well.  Profits from the sale will be used for Garden Club scholarships and in civic beautification projects around the city of North Adams. Call (413) 664-7568 with any questions.