The Berkshire Bank Foundation - Legacy Region recently awarded Hillcrest Educational Centers $10,000 to establish a Specialized Learning Program within the Pittsfield public school system.

The goal of the Specialized Learning Program is to establish a collaborative relationship with local school districts to provide learning opportunities and professional support to district staff and students families through a Specialized Learning Program.  This program will help minimize the necessity for Berkshire County school districts to place students in specialized programs or out of district placements that have significant behavioral and educational needs.

Through the support of the Berkshire Bank Foundation - Legacy Region, the implementation of the Specialized Learning Program in local schools will benefit school personnel, student caretakers and special education students throughout Berkshire County.

Hillcrest's Director of Workforce Learning, Michele Morin, said, "While we recognize that students with the most intensive needs may require an out of district placement, our goal would be that students receive educational and support services within a public school setting, in their own community. We look forward to this opportunity and feel that it will serve as a strong foundation for future collaborations between Hillcrest Educational Centers and the Pittsfield Public Schools.

We are grateful to Legacy Bank for their support and for recognizing the value of this partnership."

The Legacy Bank/Berkshire Bank - Legacy Region Foundation has supported Hillcrest Educational Centers since 2006 with $18,000 in donations.