Lenox Seeking New School Committee Member

Print Story | Email Story
LENOX, Mass. — The Lenox School Committee are seeking a resident to fill a now vacant seat on the school committee.
 
The Committee has the responsibility of implementing statutory requirements pertaining to public education while furthering the interests of citizens regarding the education of the community's youth.
 
Duties of School Committee Members include:
  • Review and approval of annual budgets
  • Hiring of the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent and Director of Student Services, and evaluation of the Superintendent
  • Engagement of citizens and the wider community on topics of importance to education of youth
  • Monitoring of district progress relative to the five-year strategic plan
  • Participation in the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements with employees
  • Review, revision, and creation of school district policy
  • Approval of payment warrants for goods, services, and payroll
The term of this position will expire in May of 2025.
 
To apply, provide an introductory letter as well as a current resume or summary of any relevant experience and qualifications. The letter should describe reasons for interest in serving on the Committee, your knowledge of and interest in PK-12 educational issues, relevant skills and potential contributions to working groups and subcommittees, and any other information that will describe your ability to collaboratively fulfill the responsibilities above. 
 
Voter registration in Lenox is required.
 
Direct applications, correspondence, and questions by 4:00 pm on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024 to:
Oren Cass
Chair, Lenox School Committee
6 Walker Street
Lenox, MA 01240
 
Selection will take place per state regulations, by vote in a joint meeting of the Lenox Board of Selectmen and Lenox School Committee on a date to be determined, in the Selectmen's Conference Room located at Town Hall, 6 Walker Street, Lenox.

Tags: school committee,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Morris Elementary's Odyssey of the Mind Team Earns Spot at World Finals

LENOX, Mass. — Superintendent Dr. William Collins and Principal Brenda Kelley shared that Morris Elementary School's Odyssey of the Mind team recently competed in regional competition, securing first place in their division and a spot in the World Finals.

Grade 5 students at Morris Elementary School are using their minds to solve complex, open-ended problems through Odyssey of the Mind.

Odyssey of the Mind is an educational program that challenges students to solve open-ended problems imaginatively and theatrically while working as a team. 

Students who participate in Odyssey of the Mind begin preparing for the workforce early, developing their skills in engineering, innovation and creative problem-solving. 

The team is comprised of Grade 5 students Les Freeman, Johnson Green, Anna Kennedy, Raquel Levin, Zachary Streeter, Levi Stern and Ethan Winger and is coached by Josh Levin, Kim Winger and Seth Lipkin.

They traveled to Edward Little High School in Auburn, Maine, on Saturday, April 5, for the regional competition, where they competed against 99 teams.

The Morris team solved the problem "AstronOMical Odyssey," in which teams were tasked to create a humorous performance set in a team-created "historical" civilization that explains constellations and presents original stories. The performance also included a humorous astronomer character with a "stellar" costume, a lighting effect and a shooting star.

The team's performance can be viewed here.

"These students have put in countless hours designing their own solution, building their own props, and bringing their ideas to life," said Coach Josh Levin. "What’s amazing is that the work these kids are doing will set them up to be successful at problem-solving using both engineering and creative skills. This is what it’s all about! They did absolutely everything themselves. That’s the really amazing thing. No parent help, just encouragement."

Their win at the regional competition earned them an invite to attend the World Finals at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI, from May 20-24, where they will compete against more than 800 teams from around the world. 

The PTO is seeking donations to help send the small but mighty team of students to the World Finals. To contribute to the PTO's fundraising efforts, contact Ashley Turczak at ashley.turczak@gmail.com.

"Our Odyssey of the Mind team is a perfect example of the creativity and persistence that our student body possesses," said Principal Kelley. "These students worked incredibly hard to come out on top at the regional competition, and we hope to see them move on to display their innovative talents at the World Finals. Congratulations, and good luck!"

View Full Story

More Lenox Stories