By Cathy Terwedow
Becket Washington Elementary School (BWS) welcomed five new staff members over the summer: Principal April West, Administrative Assistant Michelle Raymer, and teachers Faith Battistone (grade K-1), Stephen Mercier (grade 2-3), and Becket resident Lauren Dolan (grade 5).
A professional educator, West brings nearly twenty years of experience, enthusiasm, and innovative ideas to the job, and Raymer brings a decades-long commitment to BWS, having sent both her kids to the school. Battistone is new to the district, while Mercier and Dolan are district veterans from Craneville Elementary in Dalton. Mercier also served at Nessacus.
West knows the challenges of small schools. Having attended a four-room K-through-eighth-grade school and a 150-student high school herself, she is very familiar with small class sizes and mixed-age classrooms. For West it’s critical that school be a stable and safe environment where relationships matter, teachers know kids deeply, and kids feel valued.
West received her bachelor’s degree from Bennington College and a master’s degree in cultural studies from Ohio State University. Realizing she wanted to pay it forward, West returned to school and earned a second master’s degree in education.
Most recently, West worked at Berkshire Arts & Technology (BART) charter school, where she served seven years as a teacher and five as principal. “By bringing in new programs and improved discipline practices we kept more students in school, stabilized enrollment, improved the sense of belonging students felt, and significantly increased student and parent satisfaction with the school program.” She is determined to do the same at BWS.
Faced with concerns over declining enrollment (Becket Beat, Volume 5, Issue 1), West came right to the point. “I have a very clear task at BWS — to do things that will increase enrollment. With just five classrooms, we need to rethink all aspects of students’ learning experiences, from the educational blocks and enrichment opportunities to the social-emotional health and well-being of students and teachers.”
Planned innovations include the introduction of “WIN” blocks, in which every student receives “What I Need” (e.g. acceleration, extra practice, interventions) without the stigma of being pulled out of class. There will also be new enrichment opportunities, such as a school garden and outdoor learning space and, potentially, book clubs, woodworking, a Lego® room, Snap Circuits®, robotics, and fiber arts.
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of small schools, West is already adjusting the BWS curriculum so that students learn together, without being in the same eight-person class cohort for their entire elementary experience.
West is also looking for new ways to strengthen the school/family connection, improve school communications, and build strong developmental partners in the community. Over the summer she met with the Becket Arts Center, the Becket Athenaeum, Jacob’s Pillow, and others, brainstorming new (and old) ways to increase the sense of community and bring new opportunities to Becket kids.
These partnerships are intended to help students explore their own interests, thereby increasing family and community pride in BWS. When students feel like they are heard and seen, they demonstrate better behavior and more attentiveness in class, thus improving student outcomes, explained West.
According to Central Berkshire Regional School District (CBRSD) Superintendent Mike Henault, “With West’s arrival we have the real opportunity to show families just how special BWS is. We’d love to welcome home-schooled children back to BWS and entice school-choice students in other towns to consider BWS, not only on its own merits but also as a “free pass” to Nessacus Middle School, where kids from other schools often face a waiting list.”
Henault is also creating an ad hoc committee to make recommendations to the school board about specialized programming, future grade configurations, and similar topics for BWS. The committee will be composed of Asstistant Superintendent Aaron Robb (chair), West, and staff, parents, and one to two community stakeholders.
With Senator Paul Mark’s support, CBRSD recently directed an additional $250,000 in its Rural Aid funding to BWS. The funds will offset debt and curriculum purchases and support enrollment growth. Longer, mixed-grade science blocks and STEM-related partnerships (such as with the Wild and Scenic Westfield River Committee, Mass Audubon, Flying Cloud, and the Hitchcock Center) could become a specialty of BWS. Increased Rural Aid funds will also help fund gaps in the FY27 district budget.
In closing West said, “We have an amazing opportunity to build something special together. We’re committed to the children of the central Berkshires, and we look forward to welcoming yours.”
