Summer has a way of flying by, but there's still plenty of time to enjoy everything our Berkshires community has to offer. While you're making memories with family and friends, our faculty and staff are hard at work preparing classrooms, campuses, and programs for another great school year. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on August 31. Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer! 

Fourteen members of the Class of 2026 earned the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy, including three students who earned the Seal with Distinction, the highest level of recognition. The Seal recognizes students who demonstrate proficiency in English and another language through state-approved assessments, while the Seal with Distinction honors students who demonstrate advanced proficiency in both languages. Three underclass students who have already qualified for the Seal will continue working toward earning the Seal with Distinction before graduation. The Seal of Biliteracy is one of a number of certificates, endorsements, and recognitions available to MMRHS students as they work to build skills, demonstrate core competencies, and prepare for success beyond high school.

An informal literary group took shape at Robbie’s Community Market in Great Barrington over five sessions this summer. The Bridge Project, led by English teacher Michael Rosenthal, gave students the chance to disconnect from the digital world and connect in real time via deep discussion of two novels by Albert Camus. “In a time where everything is so digitalized, it is unique, simulating, and even sort of endearing [to have a space] where I can speak my thoughts on the books I read… amidst a group of peers who love reading as much as I do,” said Kealy DeVergilio ‘28. Perhaps Georgia Jassy ‘29 sums it up best: “Literature, independent thought, and critical thinking are essential in an age of AI reliance and dehumanization. Connecting [literature] to modern society not only helps one to better understand the text, but also to make sense of the time[s] we are [living] in.” Another inspiring outcome? Students’ collective interest in further safe spaces to cultivate their creativity, from forming a literature appreciation club to publishing a literary journal in the coming school year—so stay tuned!

The hallways may be quieter than usual at Muddy Brook, but there has been plenty happening to prepare for a strong start to the school year. Principal Cynthia Carey shares a few highlights: Students participating in Extended School Year continued strengthening their reading and math skills, with plenty of fun and play along the way, culminating in a water-filled celebration for our youngest learners. Behind the scenes, our custodial team has been preparing the building from top to bottom, while new books and materials are arriving for our newly adopted PK–4 English Language Arts curriculum. Each of these efforts—from summer learning to preparing our spaces and resources—helps ensure our students and teachers have what they need to learn, grow, and thrive when September arrives.

Principal Seth Lewis Levin reports: At W.E.B. Du Bois, the real magic happens in our grade teams! We were absolutely delighted to have set aside money in the professional development budget this summer to bring teachers together to reconnect, reflect, and dive deep into planning for the year ahead. Having dedicated time to focus on Crew, targeted interventions, and instructional alignment allows us to bring a level of intentionality to our work that is so hard to capture once the building is bustling with students.

A massive thank you to our incredible Grade Team Leaders for their dedication, vision, and hard work in setting our teams up for success:

Because of their early leadership, our grade teams are recharged, aligned, and ready to make this school year our most powerful one yet. Please join us in celebrating their hard work! 

While summer offers time for rest and rejuvenation, there is also plenty of work underway to prepare for the year ahead—almost too much to mention, according to Principal Christopher Barnes. He and Mr. Lurgio attended the Massachusetts School Administrators Association Summer Institute, where they connected with colleagues from across the state to explore ideas around school culture and leadership. Ms. Boyko continues to refine and improve curricular resources to better support students who need additional help while providing greater challenge for those ready to go further. She is also working to strengthen consistency in grading across classes. Meanwhile, our instructional leads are using Atomic Habits by James Clear to explore ways to help students build stronger executive functioning skills while preparing professional learning resources and strategies for the year ahead. Other faculty, who spent time preparing to teach new classes and expand course materials, will be featured throughout the fall.

While selecting brick may seem like a small design decision, it marks one of the most significant visual milestones of the High School Building Project. Over the past several months, a collaborative process ensued in order to evaluate brick colors, textures, and mortar combinations through site visits, full-scale mockups, and design reviews—all with the goal of ensuring the selected materials complement the Berkshire landscape while creating a timeless appearance that reflects the character of the community. Fun fact: Mortar accounts for nearly 20 percent of a brick wall’s visible surface, meaning subtle changes in color can dramatically influence the warmth, depth, and character of the finished façade. The updated renderings shown here—featuring a complementary red mortar that enhances the bricks’ natural variation while maintaining a cohesive architectural appearance—offer the community its clearest look yet at the future Monument Mountain Regional High School. The updated renderings shown here—featuring complementary red mortar that enhances the bricks’ natural variation while maintaining a cohesive architectural appearance—offer the community its clearest look yet at the future Monument Mountain Regional High School.

The 2026–27 school year begins on Monday, August 31, with students in all three schools returning for a full week of classes. Because Labor Day falls on its latest possible date this year, the opening schedule differs from recent years' staggered start. Schools will be closed on Monday, September 7 in observance of Labor Day, and the first early-release day for professional development will be Wednesday, September 16. Please refer to the 2026–27 School Calendar for additional information about holidays, early-release days, and vacations.