Overview

Williamstown Elementary School centered in the picturesque town of Williamstown is surrounded by the Berkshire Mountains. Its culturally rich neighbors include Williams College, Williams College Art Museum, the Williamstown Theater Festival, the Clark Art Institute and MASS MoCA nearby. WES is a one-school district of 545 students in grades Pre-K to 6 with four classes per grade and a staff of 100 employees. The professional teaching staff numbers approximately 50 classroom teachers, 6 special education teachers, 9 specialists including technology and library and five health professionals.

WES has a proud heritage of offering a quality education to its young students. Through highly engaged learning, in a state-of the art building, students use the community and its myriad of resources to explore mountains, forests, lakes and streams. Local classroom field "studies" challenge students to observe, hypothesize and ponder real-life problems in nature and in their town. Our highly skilled staff focuses on environmental science as exemplified by the community garden on school grounds tended by students and teachers. A wooden gazebo serves as an outdoor classroom. Museums and theaters inhabit Williamstown and students experience first-hand appreciation of art history, dance and theater. Artists-in residence from the Shakespeare Company annually supplement the fourth grade curriculum of performance art, theater and history. Learning is active. The sixth grade performs an adaptation of Broadway musicals every spring and A Little Night Music; a sixth grade recital showcases budding musicians. In 2002, the Music Support Group comprised of teachers, parents and community members through fundraising efforts purchased a Yamaha Grand Piano for the new auditorium. An annual Piano Concert has been added to the music program.

The Berkshires is home to writers, poets and authors. Parents work with teachers and students during the annual Words Are Wonderful celebration of language to promote writing, reading, and creative self-expression across all grades. Writing across the curriculum begins at our PK level with fine motor activities such as grasping and spans through sixth grade bookmaking, poetry and essay writing. Reading includes language, skill building and literature integrated with science and social studies themes.

WES is housed in a state-of-the-art green building that is environmentally responsible, energy efficient and uses recycled and natural products throughout. In the Spring of 2002,WES received the first Green School Grant awarded by the State Department of Education. This funding enabled the placement of photo voltaic tiles on the cafeteria roof and will provide for the construction of a greenhouse attached to the school. The school also has two well-equipped computer labs and a bank of three eMac computers in each of its 29 classrooms. A schooled focus of resources and financing through state grants on technology has greatly extended computer literacy at the school. Multimedia projects are integrated in teaching and learning.

WES is a future focused school equipped to meet and enrich the educational needs of its students in the 21st Century.