CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Clarksburg School will hold its annual back to school evening event on Sept. 21, but it will be a little different than in years past.

Usually, teachers would give a presentation on that night and set up conferences for the parent night in December.

"The teachers didn't think seeing parents once a year in December was enough," Principal Tara Barnes told the School Committee last week.

Instead, they asked that two parent conference nights be set up, one on Oct. 20 and another on March 23.

"They felt it was more meaningful," Barnes said. "But I thought it was important to do a back-to-school event. ...

"I think there are a lot of things parents need to know. We're going to changing report cards, we're going to have an online portal."

So she's reaching out to the Clarksburg PTG to help host the evening, giving that group a chance to meet with parents (and potential members). Teachers will be asked if they would like to volunteer to attend.

Barnes is not sure what else will happen, but there definitely will be an event, she said. "I've been thinking creatively about this."

Her report last week also included the preparations for the school's opening, which occurred on Thursday.

Among the new staff greeting pupils this year is the new Spanish teacher Philip Bragdon, taking the place of Amy Sanchez, who left for a full-time position. Bragdon will work part time in Clarksburg and Rowe.

The new technology coordinator for the school union is Nicholas Fahey, a member of the North Adams School Committee who most recently was working as a social studies teacher at Stamford (Vt.) School. The former tech coordinator Graham Coterwas, who helped with the interview process for his replacement, joined a technology firm in the Springfield area.

"Having a technology coordinator has been difficult," said Superintendent Jon Lev. "My first three years, we had three different people ... the hardest thing for us in finding somebody who can not only take care of our systems in all of our buildings but can also work well with our students."

It also helps, he said, that the coordinator can work well with the adults who may not be as up to speed on new technology.

Fahey has the teaching experience and his going for his master's degree in technology at Marlboro College, which expects to receive next June.

"He has a very good way about him for teaching," Lev said. "We had a big webinar over a couple of days last week and just watching the way he worked with us, administrators, was very positive. ... he was very patient with us."

The school union also hired two people for speech-language assistance. It had been contracting with Berkshire Speech with good results but it was felt the schools would have more control over costs and hours by having a pathologist on staff.

Jamie Boucher of Clarksburg was hired as the speech language pathologist and Jordan Degrenier as the assistant. Both will be full time and will replace a part-time therapist and full-time assistant.

"We are really happy to have the two of them on board," Lev said.

Barnes also reported that every child from Grades 3 through 8 have a Chromebook to use the in the classroom.

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