Region One school board approves high school graduation venue change

FALLS VILLAGE — The 2025 graduation ceremony at Housatonic Valley Regional High School will be held on the front steps of the school, not in a tent on the lawn.

The Region One Board of Education approved the change at its regular monthly meeting Monday, Nov. 4.

The newly-renovated and refurbished auditorium will host the end of the year awards activities and serve as a backup location in case of rain.

The board also approved an allocation of up to $5,000 for the purchase of stage skirting, bunting, and a pole/rail system for the backdrop curtain, to be funded from the graduation budget line.

The board approved the hiring of Brittany Bertola as a counselor at the high school. Bertola has a BA in Psychology from Mount Saint Mary’s University, and both a MA in Elementary Education and a sixth year degree in school counseling from Southern Connecticut State University.

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Charlie Castellanos, left, and Allegra Ferri, right, sitting in the HVRHS library to talk about their experiences in the U.S.

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Every year, Housatonic Valley Regional High School welcomes foreign exchange students to attend classes through the AFS Intercultural Programs. This school year, two students traveled to Northwest Connecticut to immerse themselves in American life and culture. Allegra Ferri, a 17-year-old from Italy, and 16-year-old Charlie Castellanos from Colombia sat down to reflect on their experience at HVRHS. As the academic year is coming to an end, they shared a few highlights of their time in the U.S. and offered advice to prospective exchange students.

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