Private company

Berkshire School

Boarding school in Sheffield, Massachusetts, US

Berkshire School is a private, co-educational boarding school located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, USA.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1907Founded1
  • HeadquartersSheffield, United States1
  • Websitewww.berkshireschool.org
  • Legal formNon-Profit Corporation3
  • LEI549300RM2JB8POC136773
  • StatusActive3
  • LEI statusLapsed (not renewed)3
  • Registered address245 North Undermountain Road, 01257 Sheffield, United States3
  • Registered withCorporations Division (Secretary of the Commonwealth's Office), 6660000873
Web Buck Valley fall blue sky 2
Photo: James Harris, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

Berkshire School is a private, co-educational boarding school located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, USA.2

The story

Berkshire School (for boys) was established in 1907 at the foot of Mount Everett, one of the highest mountains in Massachusetts, by Seaver Burton Buck, who led the school until 1943. Buck was reportedly a "Victorian disciplinarian… sometimes subverted by a pixieish manner."

Berkshire became a coeducational school in 1969.

In 1991, Richard Unsworth, whose previous experience included being the headmaster at Northfield Mount Hermon School became headmaster. During Unsworth's headmastership, the school introduced co-curricular programs in Chinese and outdoor education though the school's "reputation for being lax about drugs" remained an issue. Whilst Unsworth incorporated drug-awareness and counseling programs after a series of drug-related incidents he resigned his post. The board of trustees turned to Paul Christopher (1996 - 2002), an ethicist and previous head of philosophy at West Point, New York, as the next headmaster to address the renewed public embarrassment around drugs. Drug and alcohol use "declined dramatically" under Christopher. In June 2002 Christopher resigned as headmaster "amidst sexual harassment allegations."

From Wikipedia’s article on Berkshire School, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Products and brands

The Allen Theatre (renovated 2011) seats all students and includes a main stage, a video, light, and sound control booth, and a green room for performers and guests.

The Arthur C. Chase Sugarhouse (2001) was named after a longtime Berkshire teacher and is home to the Berkshire Maple Syrup Corporation.

The Morgan/Bellas/Dixon Math and Science Center (2012) was named after three longtime Berkshire teachers (Amanda Morgan, Rick Bellas and Tom Dixon). The 48,000-square-foot building is dedicated to math and science classrooms as well as a teaching auditorium and laboratories. The facilities include an electron microscope and other advanced scientific equipment used by the students in the Advanced Math and Science Research Program.

Berkshire Hall (renovated 2006) is the school's main academic building. It houses academic classrooms and school administrative offices.

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Chevalier Senior Lodge (rebuilt 2018) is a tech-free space that is part of Berkshire's environmental science and sustainability efforts

The Dixon Observatory (opened 2000) offers the technology for students and teachers to make observe the Solar System and to conduct astro-imaging of faint galaxies and nebulae.

The Geier Library is a 5400 square foot building that provides books, online resources, and an art exhibition space. On its north side, at ground level, the library also features the Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program (RKMP) the library facilitates this program as a space to meet and plan trips, sign out RKMP gear and bikes, and gather information about the natural areas around the school through wilderness guides, natural history books, and area maps.

The Kennard Visual Arts Center (2013) features classrooms for ceramics, sculpture, studio art, digital art, digital photography, and digital music. The Kennard Center also houses the Warren Family Gallery that showcases artwork from students, alumni, and the local community. The Calderini Family Faculty Center is home to Berkshire's English, history, and language departments.

The Music Center (2011) features a classroom for jazz and another for choral and chamber music. The Center contains five practice rooms, a 24-channel recording studio, areas for instrument storage, and a student lounge.

The Rovensky Student Center includes the Benson Commons, which serves three meals per day and hosts special events. The student center is also home to Shawn's Place, a student lounge with a ping pong table, foosball, and snack bar. The School's Music Center, post office, bookstore and laundry services are also found within the student center.

The Solar Field is an 8-acre solar field located on the east side of campus. It provides up to 40% of the school's energy needs.

From Wikipedia’s article on Berkshire School, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1907Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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