In late March, English faculty Mike Rosenthal and Jolyn Unruh welcomed Ian Sullivan—a Shakespeare Performance Specialist from Long Island—into three of their English 12 classrooms. Sullivan led interactive workshops on the Prince of Denmark's psychological journey through Hamlet that focused on several of his famous soliloquies as "skeleton keys" into understanding Hamlet's mercurial mind and heart. According to Rosenthal, students were “grateful and impressed by Sullivan's redoubtable knowledge and galvanic passion for the Bard.” In a post-workshop survey, students shared their own thoughts:  “[Sullivan’s] explanations of scenes stood out and helped me [to better] understand [the title character]; another said, [I could] see [Hamlet’s] internal conflict.” Huzzah!

Getting up close and personal with the natural world has been a given for this year’s third graders, thanks to an ongoing collaboration with Mass Audubon. The nonprofit partner visited Muddy Brook six times over the course of the year to facilitate hands-on learning spanning the study of local habitats and adaptations, vernal pool observation, and nature journaling. Classroom teacher Stephanie Kluka called the collaboration, “a vital bridge between our classroom science standards [on life cycles] and the natural world around us, like exploring nature and journaling about it.” Before the end of the year, a field trip to Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Pittsfield is planned for the District’s lucky young explorers.

A combined middle- and high-school Unified Track and Field Team had its final home meet of the season on Monday, concluding the team’s inaugural season. Part of the Special Olympics movement, the goal is to create inclusive environments where everyone's contributions are valued. Since early spring, students with and without intellectual disabilities have trained and competed together–effectively shifting the focus from winning to participation and teamwork. At a recent school committee meeting, student representative Mirabelle Meyers deemed the endeavor, “one of the most joyful and inclusive offerings at the school.” 

Students in the high school horticulture program have been hard at work in anticipation of spring! Add stopping by the MMRHS greenhouse to your seasonal to-do list and enjoy a stunning array of hanging baskets (just in time for Mother’s Day) starting May 7th from 8AM-3PM; annuals go on sale May 12th. Fun fact: At least half of the annuals grown each year are started from seed by students; the rest are grown from plugs which are transplanted and cared for by students while the snow still flies. Both sales continue through the month of May and beyond, depending on stock.

‘Tis the season for annual town meetings. Please attend and share your voices! This 300-year tradition is the purest form of democracy around, one that allows for discussion of important issues like the school budget—among the single largest line items on any small-town budget. The 2026 Annual Town Meetings for BHRSD member towns are as follows:

Great Barrington: Saturday, May 2; 2:00PM @ MMRHS

West Stockbridge: Monday, May 4; 6:00PM @ Town Hall

Stockbridge: Monday, May 18; 6:30PM @ Town Offices