Lenox School Committee accepts $2,500 scholarship gift from dealership

School Committee · Meeting of June 22, 2026

Lenox schools log falling absenteeism and suspensions as three principals prepare to change chairs. The School Committee voted unanimously to accept a $2,500 scholarship donation from newly opened dealership McGee BMW, Audi and Volkswagen, and unanimously entered executive session, 7-0, under state open-meeting law. An administrator identified as Dr.

Ames reported high school chronic absenteeism fell from 19.5% to 11.1% over two years, per state DESE data, while suspensions dropped from 21 to two and suspension days from 47.5 to three over three years, crediting a restorative-practices approach over "how we're choosing to address" behavior rather than fewer incidents. Ames said the gains partly reflect enforcement of a credit-recovery policy withholding class credit from students who miss more than 10% of sessions, "even if you pass the class with an A." Morris School's principal, identified only as Principal Kelly, announced a move to a new district curriculum role, with Assistant Principal Soles stepping up at Morris and an administrator identified as Kaminsky taking over at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School next year.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of June 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.