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SPENCER/EAST BROOKFIELD – In April, the Spencer-East Brookfield school district received good news from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
DESE honored the district with recognition as a Green Ribbon School, along with Cohasset High School.
The designation recognizes districts in Massachusetts that reduce environmental impacts and costs, improve students’ and staff’s health and wellness and deliver effective environmental and sustainability education that incorporates STEM, civics and green career pathways.
According to the DESE website, Spencer-East Brookfield schools achieved this honor through the launch of a Master Energy Plan aimed at enhancing resource efficiency in areas such as lighting, controls, building envelope and energy management systems.
DESE also acknowledges STEAM initiatives for students in Grades 2-8 as well as through community events and local partnerships within its Environmental Sciences and Technology Career Technical Education (CTE) program in Grades 9-12.
Also by DESE, Wire Village School Principal Melanie Ethier and East Brookfield Elementary School Principal Christine Lavin were notified that those schools were awarded the Class of 2025 Purple Star Designation.
The award, established in the state during the 2023-2024 school year, shows support to schools with military-connected students and their families and staff.
The goal of the three-year designation is to close the educational gaps military-connected students may experience because of frequently moving while their parent or guardian is serving the country.
Superintendent Paul Haughey noted that the Purple Star School program supports students who not only relocate often, but also who may face the challenges of parental deployments.
He said the designation’s benefits include help with relocation, enrollment, registration and social and academic planning.
“To be clear, our entire regional school district – all four of our schools – are committed to providing the programming and services of Purple Star Designation in grades PreK-12, and will provide the necessary programming, services and supports to military-connected students and their families now and into the future,” Haughey said.
In other school news, the David Prouty High School community experienced the excitement of its band’s recent appearance at Disney World.
The group competed in the Disney World Concert Band competition, receiving a rating of “Excellence,” with a score of 89.5.
The Prouty band, under the direction of Kelsey Forfa, placed second and received positive feedback from renowned musicians regarding their emotion and connection to the music as well as their ability to tell a story with the performance.
The David Prouty High Band will next perform next on May 6 at 6:30 p.m., the last concert before the auditorium begins the renovation process.
