Overview:
The Mohawk Trail and Hawlemont Regional school districts are seeking community volunteers to participate in educational visioning action groups as they pursue changes to the regional agreement amid plans to consolidate. The districts are forming two action groups: one focusing on elementary school consolidation and student experience, and another on integrating sixth grade into Mohawk Trail Regional School, as well as high school experience and required graduation skills.
COLRAIN — The Two Districts, Eight Towns (2D8T) Steering Committee is seeking community volunteers to participate in educational visioning action groups to look at what educational improvements could be made as the Mohawk Trail and Hawlemont Regional school districts pursue changes to the regional agreement amid plans to consolidate.
The districts, working with consultant Berkshire Educational Resources K-12 (BERK12), recently wrapped up a public outreach tour to give parents and community members updates on the project. During the last of the sessions, held at Colrain Central School on Thursday, Mohawk Trail Regional School District School Committee member Kate Barrows said that in preparation for a Special Town Meeting vote to change the regional agreement, potentially next November, the districts are forming two action groups: one that will look at elementary school consolidation and student experience, and another that will look at how the sixth grade could be integrated into Mohawk Trail Regional School, as well as the high school experience and the skills that students should be required to learn by the time they graduate.
“No matter what we do, we are still charged with providing education for all these kids, and the best education we can for the money we have,” Barrows said. “So how can we creatively do that? What are our options? … Your input is so important.”
Last spring, the Mohawk Trail and Hawlemont school committees accepted the 2D8T Steering Committee’s recommendation to pursue an “aspirational goal” of consolidating into a single campus. Since then, BERK12 has begun a more in-depth analysis of costs, transportation, and educational impacts and opportunities. Project Manager Jake Eberwein said the BERK12 team is currently conducting an address-by-address analysis of what each student’s bus ride would be if their local elementary school were to close and they needed to be transported to the Mohawk Trail Regional School campus in Buckland.
The districts are also expecting to learn later this week whether their initial statement of interest for design and technical support to either renovate the existing Mohawk Trail Regional School or construct a new school there supporting a single-campus model has been accepted by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), and if the project will move on to the MSBA’s eligibility phase.
In the meantime, Barrows said the districts need to continue planning and envisioning what a consolidated school district could look like. She added that while she understands residents’ hesitation to close elementary schools, when facing declining enrollment, stagnant state aid and increasing operational costs, the districts need to make changes.
“No one wants to see this school close. Everyone I’ve encountered has had a great experience here. People have really strong associations and memories with the school,” Barrows said during the public outreach session at Colrain Central School. “This isn’t really the first choice that any of us would want to make, but when we really think about how we can provide the best education for our kids moving forward, we have to consider doing something different than what we have been doing.”
Barrows said that any changes made to the regional agreement would need to be approved by voters in all eight member towns, so public input at this phase is essential to ensure any changes made to the regional agreement take into account concerns from community members. If the districts are accepted into the MSBA process and voters approve changes to the regional agreement, changes could begin going into effect in 2028, and a new single campus could open potentially as soon as 2030.
“We really want to emphasize that no decision has been made yet. The ultimate decision will be made by the voters from all eight towns,” Barrows said. “Change is not going to happen tomorrow; it’ll take time. But change is coming.”
Individuals interested in joining an action group can sign up by emailing rushjudy@gmail.com. Community members can find more information on the single-campus proposal at 2districts8towns.org.