BART Charter Public School
Adams, Massachusetts
Executive Director
Start Date: July 2026
bartcharter.org
Overview
Founded in 2004 as an alternative to the existing municipal and regional public school options in the region, BART provides a unique and vital educational choice for students from across Berkshire County, spanning backgrounds, languages, and experiences. BART is committed to the arts and technology as key parts of their students’ college preparatory and career pathway journey. BART blends rigorous academics with a focus on arts and technology, fostering creativity, innovation, and critical thinking.? As the only Charter public school option in the Berkshires, BART is committed to serving the whole student and cultivating a strong sense of community and collective purpose, empowering learners to see themselves and the world beyond their more limited local town’s views.?
BART embraced the arts and technology as important parts of a young person’s journey before other schools in the region and holds this insight as a point of pride. Not limited by the boundaries of a single town, BART provides an important choice for students in the area and gives students the opportunity to engage with others who share their desire for rich arts education as they explore new concepts.??
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BART is dedicated to ongoing growth and improvement, embracing data-informed decision-making and collaborative leadership. They strive to create an energizing environment where student voices are heard, faculty are supported, and all members of their community can thrive. BART is committed to fostering an inclusive environment, dedicated to equity as an important part of learning about the world.?
Mission
BART Charter Public School (BART) prepares students for college by promoting mastery of academic skills and content with a strong foundation in arts and technology. The school provides middle and high school students in Berkshire County with an educational community that regards everyone, including teachers and parents, as lifelong learners.
At a Glance
Established: 2004
Enrollment: 363
Students of color: 33%
Total faculty: ~70
Faculty of color: 9%
Student/teacher ratio: 9.4:1
Annual operating budget: $9M
Campus size: <3 acres
The Surrounding Area
Located in the westernmost county in Massachusetts, the Berkshires offer a stunning landscape of rolling hills, lush forests, and sparkling waterways, a testament to its enduring environmental beauty. This region boasts a rich artistic and cultural history, and is home to world-class museums, theaters, and music festivals. From storied organizations such as the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA), Tanglewood, Jacobs Pillow and the Clark Art Institute to an array of independent artists and artisans the region attracts visitors from neighboring VT, NH and NY, nationally, and worldwide. Anchored by the cities of North Adams and Pittsfield, Berkshire County is largely rural, characterized by deep socioeconomic disparities, and continuing to transform its economy from its largely industrial past to a future marked by creativity and innovation. The presence of colleges and universities provides a draw for studied professionals and offers beneficial educational opportunities and cultural enrichment to the region. This unique intersection of summer season recreation and a vibrant, year-round culture shape the character of the Berkshires.?
Opportunities and Challenges
As it continues its educational and organizational evolution, BART is at a critical point in its development. While the arts and technology have been and will remain central aspects of BART’s culture and identity, these commitments increasingly are part of a larger context of a strong core academic program is intensifying. A key focus for the next leader will be to drive strategic enrollment and outreach initiatives to attract and retain students, overcoming local demographic trends, specifically the overall decline in the school age population. Like educators in many schools, BART's dedicated faculty and staff are resourceful and innovative in a resource-constrained environment. BART’s board and school leadership are committed to using their strategic plan implementation to solidify BART’s ongoing quality and sustainability.?
Challenges:?
- Maintaining Academic Rigor:?Continuing to strengthen the college preparatory/college ready program and address gaps in foundational skills, while ensuring arts and technology remain integral to the curriculum.?
- Defining Identity:?Re-articulating BART's unique identity and mission in a changing educational landscape, ensuring it remains a distinct and compelling choice for students.?
- Meeting Diverse Needs:?Balancing the diverse academic and socio-emotional needs of diverse student population, including providing individualized support to students who enter with varied skill levels.?
- Enrollment: Engage in strategies to combat a declining school age population in the region and the array of options for students and families
Opportunities:?
- Innovating Instruction:?Leveraging project-based learning, arts integration, and technology to create engaging and relevant learning experiences that prepare students for college and career.?
- Empowering Faculty:?Investing in professional development and distributed leadership opportunities to further cultivate a talented and committed faculty who are empowered to shape the future of BART.
- Strengthening Community Partnerships:?Expanding collaborations with local organizations and colleges to provide enriching experiences and resources for BART’s students.?
Qualifications and Personal Attributes
Key Qualifications:?
- Experience working with diverse communities of young people:?Ability to navigate the gifts and challenges of working with students from a broad range of ethnic, socio-economic backgrounds. In addition, candidates should have experience in supporting students ranging from high-need special education to rigorous college-prep aspirations.?
- Educational Leadership Experience:?Must understand what it takes to be a faculty member, demonstrate strong academic background, and have experience supporting teaching. Experience in curriculum, and DEIB and its importance within an education organization is a plus.?
- Data Analysis and Strategic Thinking:?Ability to find, generate and use data to improve the school and as an important tool in seeing the big picture of the educational landscape. The ED will be able to distill the data and create concrete action steps to reach strategic goals.?
- Financial and Operational Acumen:?Experience managing budgets, overseeing operations, and making data-informed decisions that support the educational mission while also ensuring the financial health and sustainability of the school.?
- External Relations and Fundraising:?Ability to cultivate relationships with community partners, funders, and other stakeholders to secure resources and advance the mission of BART.?
- Compliance and Legal Understanding:?Ability to navigate the legal aspects of running a charter school.?
Key Qualities:?
- Vision:?Ability to co-create the vision for BART's future with community constituencies, articulate it clearly, and inspire others to work towards its aspirations.?
- Collaborative and Empathetic:?Approaches work with a partnership mindset and collaborates effectively with faculty, staff, students, and families.?
- Change Management and Adaptability:?History of thoughtful innovation moderated by a skillful and sensitive approach to change. Ability to manage complexity, in part through effective prioritization, delegation, and management of systems.?
- Communication and Interpersonal Skills:?Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences, listen actively, and build strong relationships.?
- Advocacy and Passion:?A genuine passion for the mission of BART and a commitment to advocating for the needs of its students and community.?
- Resilience and Perseverance:?Ability to navigate challenges, manage stress, and maintain a positive attitude in a demanding role.?
Important Considerations:?
- Alignment with BART Culture:?The Executive Director must be someone who can articulate, embrace and champion BART's unique culture and values.?
- Understanding of the Community:?An understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by the students and families BART serves is essential.?
- Commitment to DEIB:?A deep understanding of and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are crucial for creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all.?
