SOUTH HADLEY — The South Hadley Elementary School Building Committee is holding an input session Monday, Oct. 21, at which community members can weigh in on goals and ideas for a new Mosier Elementary School.
The workshop will take place virtually at 6 p.m. via Zoom. The link can be found on the project website.
Superintendent Jennifer Voyik said the session will allow teachers, parents and residents to identify key spaces to community and educational programs, define educational priorities and suggest how the new school can benefit all of South Hadley.
“We look forward to hearing from residents and ensuring that this project reflects the values and priorities of our town,” said Diane Mulvaney, chair of the building committee, said in a statement. “It will be important for our committee to blend the educational needs of our students with care, compassion, and fiscal responsibility, delivering a solution that serves our needs now and into the future.”
South Hadley School District has proposed a new elementary school building for grades 1 through 5 to replace the current 54-year-old Mosier building.The Massachusetts School Building Authority accepted South Hadley into its grant program in October 2024 and agreed to partially fund a building for 590 students.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority accepted South Hadley into its grant program in October 2024. Since then, SKANSKA signed on as the operating project manager, and Mount Vernon Group Architects from Wakefield was chosen as the project’s designer.
The committee is now moving into the preliminary design phase, which includes a feasibility study of the current property and several iterations of school designs. As part of this phase, the Elementary School Building Committee has hosted a series of community workshops over the past few weeks. These sessions culminate in Monday’s workshop.
Haunted happenings coming to Belchertown
As Halloween approaches, Clapp Memorial Library in Belchertown will offer a selection of spooky events for monster, mystery and mischief lovers.
On Sunday, Oct. 19, and Tuesday, Oct. 28, Halloween Spook-Tacular comes alive at the decorated Chestnut Hill Community School Pollinator Garden. The night begins at 5 with an interactive skit from the Recreational Department’s theater program and a Halloween-themed story told by Children’s Librarian Jennifer Whitehead. After the sun goes down, kids will click on their flashlights and search the garden in an after-dark scavenger hunt. Cookies, candy and cider will provide sweet treats. Registration can be found on Clapp’s website.
The following day, residents can turn to the skies for stargazing in Foley Field for an “Astral Evening” that begins at 7 on Monday, Oct. 20. A representative of Springfield STARS will set up telescopes in the field for a tour of the night sky. Participants should bring comfortable footwear and clothing to stand for long periods.
Then on Friday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m., chills and thrills creep in with Halloween Harvest: Ghost Stories with Davis Bates. The award-winning storyteller will tell ghost stories and sing festive songs, followed by a workshop on crafting ghost stories.
Finally, as Halloween draws near, The Gravestone Girls will take a tour of tombstones in Belchertown’s cemeteries. “Welcome to the Graveyard” on Tuesday, Oct. 28, is a 90-minute presentation of symbolism, art and history found on the gravestones of Belchertown residents past. Brenda Sullivan, one of the three Gravestone Girls, will explain the significance of cemeteries and the evolution of styles and art seen from the 1600s to the 21st century. The program begins at 7 p.m.
South Hadley looks to increase liquor licenses
The South Hadley Select Board will petition the state Legislature for 15 more liquor licenses to fill current demand and create opportunities for new businesses.
The town has issued all 19 of its on-premise alcohol licenses and nine of its off-premise liquor licenses to existing businesses. Four of those off-premise licenses are for all-alcohol, and five off-premise licenses for beer, wine and malt.
Town Administrator Lisa Wong told the board on Oct. 7 that within the last year, two businesses have expressed interest in an on-premise liquor license, and another is interested in an off-premise license.
“Especially if we are looking to attract people in the Falls, if we are looking to rezone [Routes] 202 and 33, this is a huge incentive,” Wong said. “If we don’t have any available, they might just [pass us].”
Select Board Chair Jeff Cyr suggested the board submit a home rule petition for 10 on-premise liquor licenses and five off-premise liquor licenses. This way, the board argued, there would be enough for new and current South Hadley businesses to apply.
Town Meeting members will vote on the petition at a special Town Meeting on Nov. 4. If it passes, it will go to the state for approval. In the last five years, the state approved more than 80 home rule petitions for for 256 liquor licenses.
Farm Institute to hold tractor training
BELCHERTOWN — The New England Small Farm Institute will host a tractor safety workshop on Saturday, Oct. 25, that will satisfy the Occupational Safety and Health Administration annual tractor safety requirements and is aimed at preventing fatal tractor rollovers.
The training covers basic tractor operations, including overturn prevention and rollover protective structures, how to conduct operation checks and the different safety features on new and old tractors.
Jim Carrabba, agricultural safety specialist with the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety, will lead the program from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The program costs $30 to attend. Register by emailing info@smallfarm.org or calling 413.323.4531.
