Healey launches portrait essay contest for students

BOSTON — Gov. Maura T. Healey and Lt. Gov. Kimberley Driscoll are holding a portrait essay contest for Massachusetts students. It’s a tradition that each new governor and lieutenant governor select a portrait of a former Massachusetts governor to hang in their offices at the State House.

Healey and Driscoll are asking Massachusetts students to research and suggest a former governor who inspires them and should be featured in their offices. The winners will be invited to the State House for the unveiling of their chosen portraits.

The contest is open to all Massachusetts students. Essays should be less than 600 words and should answer this question: Which former Massachusetts governor inspires you the most, and why should their portrait hang in the governor or lieutenant governor’s office? Students should also include at least one or two sentences about how they researched their chosen governor.

Essays are due on Friday, Jan. 27, at 11:59 pm.

DESE to conduct onsite visit of Holyoke schools

HOLYOKE — During the week of Feb. 13, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring will conduct a tiered focused monitoring review of Holyoke Public Schools.

The Office of Public School Monitoring visits each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations. Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team process, and IEP development and implementation.

Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint, and equal access to school programs for all students.

In addition to the on-site visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send all parents of students with disabilities an online survey that focuses on key areas of their child’s special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a report. Parents and other individuals may call Alaena Podmore, public school monitoring chairperson, at 413-314-6706 to request a telephone interview.

Girl Scouts kick off cookie season

Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts has kicked off the 2023 Girl Scout Cookie season. Every box of cookies sold provides experiences for Girl Scouts such as service projects, troop travel, and summer camp for girls across the country.

Girls will sell and take orders in person, and can receive cookie orders via Digital Cookie, to personally deliver cookies to their local customers. Consumers can locate a booth near them and purchase cookies in-person from girls at the cookie booths. Enter your zip code at www.girlscoutcookies.org.

Beginning Feb. 27, consumers can order their favorite cookies for shipment, directly to their front door.

World War II presentation in Bernardston

“Liberty,” the story of Gaston Joyeux, a man who survived five years of confinement in several German stalags during World War II, will be presented Sunday, Jan. 22 at the Unitarian Church in Bernardston.

The presentation chronicles Joyeux’s wartime experiences and how he became a U.S. citizen.

Doors will open at 11 a.m., and the presentation will begin at 11:30 a.m. Attendees should park behind the church at 49 Church St., and enter the church from the rear entrance.

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