NHS band comes home from festival with gold

NORTHAMPTON - The NHS band took home a gold medal for its recent performance at the Heritage Festival in Annapolis, Md.

The 38-member band, one of 10 that competed at the May 2, 3 and 4 festival, played three numbers for the judges: "The Western One-Step" by Robert Russell Bennett, "Chorale and Shaker Dance" by John P. Zdechlik, and an adagio by Persichetti.

Amherst Jazz Festival tonight features young musicians

AMHERST - The Amherst Jazz Festival will be held tonight at 7 at the Amherst Regional High School auditorium. The program will feature the ARMS Jazz Band, the ARHS Jazz Workshop I and II and the ARHS Jazz Bands, conducted by Amherst regional band director Brian Messier.

Northampton school board eyes cuts of five teachers, eight staff

NORTHAMPTON - Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock presented recommendations to the School Committee Thursday to eliminate positions for three elementary school teachers, one each from the middle and high schools, two library aides, two school aides, a custodian and three cafeteria workers in order to address a budget shortfall for the coming fiscal year.

School lunch menus

Amherst

MONDAY: Baked chicken nuggets, potato wedges, mixed vegetables, peaches

TUESDAY: Toasted cheese sandwich, tomato soup, fruit cocktail

WEDNESDAY: Pasta w/meatballs, green peas, fresh apple

THURSDAY: Pancakes, potato rounds, egg or sausage patty, applesauce

FRIDAY: School made cheese pizza wedge, tossed green salad, fresh fruit or fruit cup

Two local men named finalists for top post at Smith Voke

NORTHAMPTON - Two local educators are finalists to replace Frank Llamas, outgoing superintendent of the Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School.

Northampton schools chief shapes plan to ease spending gap

NORTHAMPTON - The Northampton School Committee has gotten an earful from constituents, as hundreds of people flocked to recent meetings to voice concerns about who or what will be cut from the school budget. That spending plan includes a $800,000 deficit for the year that begins in July.

Comments upset Amherst school panel member

AMHERST - It's time the School Committee discussed what is appropriate for members to say at meetings and what is not, its newest member said this week.

Voke senior 'defies the stereotype'

NORTHAMPTON - Amanda Thomas spent much of her Easthampton childhood looking over her father Gene's shoulder while he hammered and sawed in his custom woodworking shop.

Athas signs contract to lead NHS

NORTHAMPTON - It's official: Northampton High School has a new principal.

Nancy Athas this week accepted the position as NHS principal, signing a three-year contract Tuesday with an annual salary of $91,900.

The Holyoke native will take the reins July 1, replacing Beth Singer, who retires at the end of June.

Frontier pay raises, health costs clarified

The Frontier Regional School District superintendent and business manager are not receiving double-digit payraises this year, Superintendent Regina Nash said Thursday.