Search For A New School Superintendent Committee Considering MASC

The School Committee in Pittsfield will review its options for the upcoming superintendent search but is leaning toward using the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.

IBerkshires.com reports that the committee heard from Executive Director Glenn Koocher last week who outlined the free technical service offered to member districts undergoing a superintendent search.

The committee heard from MASC Executive Director Glenn Koocher last week who outlined the free technical service offered to member districts undergoing a superintendent search.

Current Superintendent Jason McCandless was hired away by the Mount Greylock Regional School District and is seeing out the remainder of his contract.

Mayor Linda Tyer said she wanted to undergo a "robust" search process and asked what services would come with the extra fee. She specifically wished for MASC to facilitate focus meetings as an independent third party. Koocher said the fee would allow this greater access but noted with COVID-19 much of what MASC would do would be through Zoom.

In other business, McCandless said the district continues to distribute Chromebooks and mobile hotspots to ensure that all students have a computer and an internet connection to accommodate remote learning.

The district has handed out more than 5,000 Chromebooks and 112 hotspots and has requests for 710 hotspots. Another 320 hotspots are ready to go and 700 cellular-enabled Chromebooks on their way, he said.