Student safety, at drop-off and pick-up, is of utmost importance. While these times of day can feel a bit like the Indy 500, please remember there’s no prize for speed on our campus. Consider letting your student take the bus! Doing so fosters amazing independence at all age levels and saves families a round trip each day. If driving is your best option, consider arriving a little earlier to ease the rush. Let’s all be especially mindful at the pedestrian crossing between Du Bois Middle School and Muddy Brook Elementary where the speed limit is 20 MPH. Stop, stay alert, and give pedestrians the right of way. Thanks for helping us make arrival and dismissal safer for students, families, and staff. Have an idea for making the process smoother? We’d love to hear it!

Thanks to restorative pruning by high school horticulture students, the campus apple trees are heavy with fruit, creating a delicious (and pressing) opportunity for students throughout the District. Thanks to a cider press—secured through a USDA Farm to School Grant—horticulture teacher April Hoskeer has been harvesting apples with students and pressing them into cider, a project spanning students of all ages, creating continuity and connection across our schools. Last week, early kindergarten students visited the greenhouse for a hands-on lesson in how apples become cider. Every student had a turn dropping apples into the press and turning the wheel, then watching with excitement as fresh cider dripped into the jug. Students from Kaitlin Scarbro’s classes are pictured here doing the hard work and taking pride in the tasty results.

William “Chuck” Brown is a staple at Du Bois Middle School. When students face a challenge during the school day, his is often the first face they see. Appreciation for the Directed Study Supervisor runs deep, not to mention the many directions in which he is often pulled. Colleagues who pay attention understand the key to Mr. Brown’s success: “[Chuck] invests time into building relationships with students, which makes them feel seen and supported every day.” Whether helping a student navigate a difficult moment, providing a steady presence during the school day, or simply taking the time to listen, Chuck has become someone students know they can turn to. His willingness to meet students where they are, day after day, helps create a school environment where they feel known, supported, and valued. Thank you, Chuck, for showing up and making relationships a priority. Your steady presence and commitment to our school community do not go unnoticed!

Last week, middle school students got the chance to Explore! their environment during an after-hours, off- campus field trip to the Green River which flows through parts of western Massachusetts and New York. The excursion, led by special guest Sheela Clary, got the Greenagers’ after-school group thinking about the river's water quality and overall health, including where pollutants come from and how they impact the local waterway. "Sheela helped students understand the issue of trash in and around the river, including how it gets there and the impact it has on the environment,” says Greenagers’ Education Coordinator Molly Urbain. The ten-week program aimed at providing students a lifelong appreciation for local ecosystems and land stewardship, while building a strong connection to their local community and the rich history of Berkshire County, builds confidence, problem-solving skills, and teamwork while developing a deeper connection to the place they call home. 

Massachusetts requires students to be up to date on certain immunizations at specific grade levels. While Muddy Brook is in great shape, we still have some catching up to do at Du Bois (particularly among 7th graders) and at Monument Mountain (where students need a meningococcal booster after age 16). Not sure whether your child is up to date? Please reach out to your school nurse to confirm their status and determine whether anything is needed. We’ll also share information about upcoming immunization clinics in the coming weeks.

Cameron Pease ’12 knows that careers rarely follow a straight line. He developed a love for teamwork and the fast-paced energy of food service while in high school, working as a dishwasher then prep cook at Gedney Farm in New Marlborough. His love for basketball (which he played at MMRHS) taught Pease the value of working together toward a common goal, pushing through uncomfortable moments, and trusting one another to do the same—even when you fall short—lessons that have shaped his leadership style and career. Today, Pease serves as General Manager at Guido’s Fresh Marketplace in Great Barrington where he finds fulfillment mentoring motivated individuals as they pursue their own goals. That said, no professional accomplishment has taught Pease more about leadership, patience, humility, and listening than his 5-year-old son. His advice to young people thinking about the future? “Put yourself in uncomfortable situations and grow from them. Some of the best opportunities in life come from taking risks, embracing challenges, and learning from our mistakes. Growth rarely happens inside your comfort zone.”

Tired of nightly homework battles? Feel like your teen needs a thousand reminders? Join us Wednesday, October 14, at 6 p.m. in the MMRHS auditorium for Confident, Capable Teens, a practical workshop with Caitlin Greer Meister designed to help parents navigate common challenges around learning, motivation, and responsibility. Drawing on strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming approaches, Meister will share low-lift, high-impact strategies to help combat daily friction at home and in the classroom. Learn how to reduce conflict, support your teen’s strengths, and create routines that encourage greater ownership of schoolwork and daily responsibilities.