FAQs

Our 1968 high school has outlived its useful life, including:

• Obsolete facility does not meet current state education facility requirements

• The building no longer complies with state/local building codes.

• Inadequate school safety, fire suppression, and poor accessibility

• Academic, science, and vocational/career training facilities are obsolete/inadequate

• Failing electrical; inefficient, aged HVAC systems

Residents in the Berkshire Hills Regional School District towns (Great Barrington, Stockbridge, and West Stockbridge) can vote.

Polls will be open in Great Barrington, Stockbridge, and West Stockbridge from 11am-7pm. There will be two questions on the ballot. Please vote yes on both:

·      #1: Should we build a new high school for $152 million ($89 million from taxpayers and $61 million from the state)? YES!

·      #2: Should we protect the town budget by exempting the project from the 2.5% tax cap? YES!

If you are registered to vote but won't be able to vote in person on 11/4, you can request an absentee ballot. 

A family member can request an absentee ballot on behalf of a child, spouse, or sibling. Parents of young voters, please consider requesting an absentee ballot for your child.

The last day to request one is October 28th. But the sooner you request one, the better. The whole process (requesting, receiving, mailing back in) takes a while.

Here's how to get an absentee ballot:

1. Download the application here.

2. Fill out Sections 1 & 2 (in Section 2, check "A special election" and write "November 4, 2025" 

3. Skip Section 3 and sign the form.

4. Email your completed form to your Town Clerk

• Great Barrington: JRisen@townofgbma.gov 

• Stockbridge: clerk@stockbridge-ma.gov

• West Stockbridge: clerk@weststockbridge-ma.gov 

A detailed tax impact calculator is available here, so you can evaluable your individual tax impact. We urge district taxpayers to focus on their individual tax contribution — instead of the overall construction cost.

Voting no will bring future untenable tax burdens to our three district towns’ residents. Why?

We’d lose ~$59 million in state funds, and taxpayers will then be burdened with nearly $90 million for essential repairs with no state support. And we will still need a new school in the future — and this is precisely what happened more than 10 years ago, when earlier plans were rejected.

We’ve repaired, and repaired again. A code-upgrade of the current school will cost roughly the same as the proposed new construction, with no state funding support.

We believe that piecemeal repairs — with no state support — would pose an even greater burden on our taxpayers, students and educators.

When our aged elementary and middle schools were no longer adequate, we supported building new (2004, 2005). Let’s now ‘level up’ MMRHS!

With state aid, borrowing, and your support! The current cost summary for ‘Option 3E New Construction’ is:

• Taxpayer Contribution: $89 million via long-term bond

• State Contribution (MSBA): ~$59 million

• Total Project Cost: $154.4 million

A YES vote on Nov. 4, 2025 is required to secure $59M in state funding. There is NO state funding for repairing the school. 

*Current cost projections are based on the December 19, 2025, Preferred Schematic Report cost estimate. The final budget, local share, and state contribution will be finalized at the end of August 2025, and is subject to change.

Many!

• Modern, efficient, and accessible learning spaces

• Code compliance, improved fire safety and building security, environmentally healthy spaces with natural light, ventilation and nearly ‘net zero’ energy use

• Improved teaching spaces for academics, science, arts and music

• Expanded space, resources and capacity for much needed vocational/career/technical teaching and learning

• Space for a new electrical tech training program, plus expanded auto, carpentry & early childhood education

• Improved appeal for incoming school choice and tuition students

• Faster construction period (2 years), with minimal disruption for students and staff

A recent 2-year study and merger initiative was rejected by our most promising neighbor district. In addition:

• We have too many students to outsource to other districts; our school operating budget would soar.

• Loss of K-12 continuity/control over educational quality, curriculum and teaching standards

• Loss of successful vocational programs unique to MMRHS

• Loss of our district’s educational identity, learning culture, small classes, and inclusive school community

• Loss of our high school as a community resource for public safety, town government, arts and entertainment, sports and community

• Negative impact on property values

YES! The design includes:

• All-electric infrastructure, with high-efficiency geothermal and solar-ready

• Improved indoor air quality & healthier natural lighting

• Eligibility for an additional 4% MSBA reimbursement for green features