Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School

Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, also known as Monty Tech, is a grade 9 (age 14–15) to grade 12 (age 17–18) public, secondary, vocational, open enrollment school[5] in Fitchburg and Westminster, Massachusetts, United States. It provides training in 21 different trades and is the second largest vocational technical school in Massachusetts.[6]

Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School
Performing Arts Center
Address
1050 Westminster Street

Fitchburg
,
Massachusetts
01420

United States
Coordinates42°33′38″N 71°51′38″W
Information
Other nameMonty Tech
TypePublic, secondary, vocational, open enrollment
Established1965 (1965)
School districtMontachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District
SuperintendentSheila M. Harrity
NCES School ID250805002279[1]
PrincipalThomas Browne
Teaching staff113.5 (on a FTE basis)[2]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,429[3] (2016–2017)
Student to teacher ratio12.5[2]
Color(s)Purple and gold   
MascotBulldog
NicknameMonty Tech
AccreditationNew England Association of Schools and Colleges
Budget$27,451,009 total; $18,591 per pupil (2017)[4]
Websitewww.montytech.net

The school is operated by the Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District, consisting of 18 towns, mainly in Worcester County. The school includes a child care center. It also includes a performing arts center named after former Superintendent-Director Stratos G. Dukakis.[7]

History

On November 2, 1965, voters in ten Massachusetts communities approved a referendum to form the Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District,[8][9] including the cities of Fitchburg and Gardner,as well as the towns of Royalston, Winchendon, Ashburnham, Ashby, Barre, Phillipston, Hubbardston, and Lunenburg.[10] By the end of November, voters in Sterling and Westminster had also voted to join the regional school.[11]


On July 18, 1966, the architecture firm of Korslund, LeNormand and Quann of Norwood was selected to design the new school's facilities.[12] School construction was approved by Gov. Francis Sargent in 1969, authorizing a bond issue.[8] Six years in planning and construction, the Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School was approved for occupancy and opened its doors to about 600 students in September 1971.[8] By October 1974, enrollment had increased to 990 students, with 26% female students.[8]

In 1988 the Business Education Enrichment Fund was formed, which later became The Monty Tech Foundation. That year, the Fund held the first gala Superintendent's Dinner, a major fundraising event.[8]

The School Committee approved a bond issue in 1996 for major renovation and modernization. On May 17, 2000, the school dedicated the $17 million state-of-the-art addition, including the performing arts center, new gym and new classrooms.[8]

Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School was last evaluated in April 2016, and the Committee's report is posted on the school's website.[13]

Curriculum

Monty Tech offers 21 programs that meet the definition of vocational technical education contained in Massachusetts General Law Chapter 74[14] that also are approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Animal Science, Automotive Collision Repair and Refinishing, Automotive Technology, Building/Property Maintenance, Business Technology, Cabinetmaking, Carpentry, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Dental Assisting, Drafting, Early Education and Care, Electricity, Engineering Technology, Graphic Communications, Health Assisting, Machine Tool Technology, Masonry and Tile Setting, Metal Fabrication and Joining Technologies, Plumbing, and Programming and Web Development.[15]

The school also emphasizes coursework in academic subjects. From 2007 to 2014, student performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System rose in English language arts from 65% to 95%, and in mathematics, from 62% to 74%.[16] The school had developed data teams of instructors who analyzed the results and made changes in educational strategies, also promoting collaboration between academic and vocational courses. In addition to hiring more tutors and expanding tutoring hours, the school has also hired teaching coaches who help with lesson plans, building curriculum.[16] The average student/teacher ratio is 12.5, slightly lower than the statewide average of 13.5.[2]

Monty Tech maintains articulation agreements with 9 post-secondary institution partners: Ben Franklin Institute of Technology, Johnson and Wales University, Newbury College, Vermont Technical College, Massachusetts Community Colleges, University of Northwestern Ohio, and New England Institute of Technology.[13]

Extra-curricular projects

Robotics team

Monty Tech is home to multiple VEX robotics teams: teams 562A, 562B, 562C, known as S.P.A.R.K. The team consists of about 17 Monty Tech students and one instructor. The team regularly attends and has competed in robotics competitions since 2001.[17][18]

NASA Mission 1

In 2004, students from Monty Tech became the only vocational-technical participants in NASA's Student Spaceflight Experiment Program, and designed experiments to be conducted on the International Space Station.[8][19]

MCJROTC

In 2002 Monty Tech established a Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer's Corps (MCJROTC) Unit. In 2019 enrollment was over 190 students in grades 9 through 12. Monty Tech's MCJROTC unit's Cyber Security team has won national recognition at the Air Force Association's national youth challenge competition Cyber Patriot.

Athletics

Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School is a member of the Colonial Athletic Conference, which is in District E of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). The school offers the following MIAA-sanctioned Varsity sports during their respective seasons, as well as Freshman and Junior Varsity teams in multiple sports:[20]

  • Football
  • Cheerleading
  • Soccer (boys and girls)
  • Cross country (boys and girls)
  • Field hockey
  • Golf
  • Volleyball (boys and girls)
  • Basketball (boys and girls)
  • Ice hockey (boys and girls)
  • Indoor track (boys and girls)
  • Wrestling
  • Swimming (boys and girls)
  • Baseball
  • Softball
  • Track and field
  • Lacrosse (boys and girls)
  • Tennis

References
  1. "Search for Public Schools - Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical (250805002279)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. "Teacher Data (2013-14) - Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical (08320000)". profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  3. "Enrollment Data (2016-17) - Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical (08320000)". profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  4. "Massachusetts Department Of Elementary And Secondary Education - Per Pupil Expenditures Statewide Report". profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  5. "School Choice Receiving District Status" (PDF). doe.mass.edu. March 25, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 12, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  6. "New England Serves: Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School". NBC10 Boston. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  7. Mills, Robert (May 7, 2001). "Olympia Dukakis brings her muse to Monty Tech". newspaperarchive.com. Retrieved 2019-01-12 – via Fitchburg Sentinel And Enterprise Archives.
  8. "Significant Dates in Monty Tech's History". www.sentinelandenterprise.com. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  9. "Scanning the Elections". Fitchburg Sentinel. 1965-11-03. p. 6. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  10. "Go - Go for Vocational School". Fitchburg Sentinel. 1965-11-23. p. 6. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  11. "Sterling Makes It 12-to-3". Fitchburg Sentinel. 1965-11-30. p. 6. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  12. "Architect Firm Chosen for Vocational School". Fitchburg Sentinel. 1966-07-18. p. 7. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  13. "NEASC Decennial Report 2016" (PDF). www.montytech.net. April 28, 2016. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  14. "General Law - Part I, Title XII, Chapter 74, Section 1". malegislature.gov. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  15. "Additional Information - Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical (08320000)". profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  16. Jasinski, Peter. "Academics a strong presence in Monty Tech curriculum". www.sentinelandenterprise.com. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  17. "Student Clubs / Robotics Club". ma02212741.schoolwires.net. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  18. "SPARK - Students Pursuing Applied Robotics Knowledge - Team 562". The Blue Alliance. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  19. MSFC, Jennifer Wall. "NASA - Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, Fitchburg, Mass". www.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  20. "School profile: Montachusett RVT High School". MIAA. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
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