Dear Northern Berkshire Community Members,

Our schools help shape the character and future of our towns, whether or not you have a child enrolled. That's why the North Berkshire Educational Sustainability Study (NBESS) wants to hear from everyone who cares about this region: taxpayers, business owners, families, students, alumni, local officials, educators, retirees, and neighbors. We are pleased to launch our community survey, which we welcome you to complete at nbess.org/survey from now through October 9.

NBESS brings together Hoosac Valley Regional School District, Mount Greylock Regional School District, North Adams Public Schools, and the Northern Berkshire School Union (Clarksburg, Florida, and Savoy) to examine how our districts are organized and operate today, and to identify possible opportunities for collaboration. This is Phase I: no decisions have been made, and understanding community perspectives is the top priority.

The survey takes about 7–10 minutes, is available in both English and Spanish, and asks for your views on:

• The strengths and challenges of our local districts
• How our schools compare regionally, statewide, and nationally
• What you'd most want to protect in the years ahead
• Which future possibilities, if any, deserve a closer look

Did you graduate from a North Berkshire public high school in the last 10 years? There's a special section about your experience and how well school prepared you for what came next.

Responses are anonymous, and comments will not be attributed to individuals.

You can find the survey at nbess.org/survey. Please complete it by Friday, October 9, 2026.

The more voices we hear, the better this study will reflect our communities, so please share this with friends, neighbors, and coworkers. At the end of the survey, you can also volunteer for a focus group or sign up for project email updates; these responses will not be linked to your survey answers.

Learn more at nbess.org, follow us at facebook.com/NBESSorg, or reach out to BERK12 Project Facilitator Brendan Sheran at [email protected].

Thank you for caring about the future of our schools.