SSVT Secures Another Competitive Grant for Vocational Equipment

Hello SSVT Community,

Today I attended a meeting at the DCU Center in Worcester, co-hosted by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.  At the meeting, the Patrick Administration announced its latest round of Vocational Opportunity Challenge (VOC) Grant recipients.  I am pleased to pass along that SSVT secured a competitive equipment grant for its Electrical program!

Vocational technical education cannot fulfill its mission without remaining current with its equipment and supplies.  Competing for grant funds is an excellent way to help us reach that goal.

Electrical instructor Eddie Carll wrote the grant and deserves our thanks for securing these funds.   As part of the grant application, Mr. Carll wrote an explanation of the use of the funds:

This equipment will be used to provide the knowledge and skills to develop student introduction, direct training and advanced programming of automated systems, touch screen technologies and programmable controls for 10, 11 and 12th Grade Electricity student. This program will introduce students to programming and wiring of advanced industrial controls and automation, to include industrial, commercial, and residential automation applications using Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)...

Here is the press release below:

Patrick Administration Announces $1.3 Million in Grants to Expand Vocational Programs

School Equipment Grant will provide more opportunities for hands-on learning and academic, career success for students

Worcester - May 30, 2014 - Massachusetts Secretary for Administration and Finance Glen Shor, Secretary of Education Matthew Malone and Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rachel Kaprielian today announced $1.3 million in grants to expand vocational programs to prepare students for modern workforce demands.  The announcement was made at the Career, Vocational, Technical and Agricultural Education Summit, hosted at the DCU Center in Worcester by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA).

This second round of grants through the Patrick Administration’s Vocational Opportunity Challenge (VOC) grant program, provides one-time funding to qualifying institutions to purchase equipment for new and expanding vocational programs, and encourages and strengthens partnerships between school districts and related industries and institutions of higher education by offering innovative educational programs to support a range of career fields to prepare the next generation of skilled workers.

“The VOC program demonstrates the Patrick Administration’s commitment to investing in the future of the Commonwealth,” said Secretary Shor. “Through this program we are providing students with skills and tools to succeed academically and in the workplace.”

The VOC program will provide funding to 34 projects at unique school districts across the Commonwealth in ten occupational areas: Agriculture and Natural Resources; Arts and Communications; Business and Consumer Services; Construction; Early Education and Care; Health Services; Hospitality and Tourism; Information Technology; Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology; and Transportation.

In total, 2,212 students across 216 cities and towns will participate in programs that receive grant funding through this initiative. The announcement builds on the successful first year of the program which provided $1.1 million in VOC grants. In the two year history of the program, the Patrick Administration has provided $2.4 million in funding to a total of 58 programs. 

 “This program not only helps provide technical training for students in ten targeted areas, but it also is designed to meet the workforce needs of businesses across industries and regions of the Commonwealth,” said Secretary Kaprielian.

“We know that hands on training better prepares our students for scenarios they will experience in the work place,” said Secretary Malone. “We are working hard to improve access to career readiness programs and by affording schools, faculty and their students with opportunities to practice on industry relevant equipment we are helping more students to succeed.”

All of the Commonwealth’s regional vocational school districts applied for grant funding, as did 70 percent of all schools in Massachusetts with Chapter 74-approved vocational programs. 

“Our Vocational, Technical and Agricultural schools are one of the Commonwealth's most important educational and economic development resources. Strategic investment that modernizes equipment and training facilities for our students builds a strong workforce and bright futures and is smart public policy,” said Timothy Murray, President and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“Creating quality workforce development opportunities for emerging careers in our innovation economy is crucial to the economic stability of the Commonwealth. Graduates of vocational technical schools must be prepared with the cutting edge skills for the workplace of the future,” said David Ferreira, Executive Director of MAVA. “The VOC Grant Program provides support for securing needed state of the art equipment. We continue to be most appreciative of this funding stream provided by the leadership of the Patrick Administration.”

The Patrick Administration is dedicated to preparing its future workers for careers in the 21^st century economy. This competitive grant program that benefits Massachusetts vocational schools is funded through a $5 million investment in the Administration’s Five-Year Capital Investment Plan. The VOC Program provides grant funding to qualifying institutions to purchase necessary equipment at their facilities. Each year for three years, recipients are required to report on program outcomes, such as the number of students completing the program and the number of graduates placed in related industry jobs or attending institutions of higher education in Massachusetts.

For more information on the program, please visit: www.mass.gov/ANF/VOCGrants.

Fiscal year 2014 VOC Grant Program Recipients:

SCHOOL DISTRICT	PROGRAM FUNDED	FUNDING AMOUNT
Attleboro Public Schools	Graphic Communications	$25,000
Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District	Machine Tool Technology	$99,070.25
Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical School District	Machine Tool Technology	$25,000
Boston Public Schools	Carpentry	$100,000
Essex North Shore Agricultural Technical School District	Graphic Communications	$44,063
Franklin County Regional Technical School District	Cosmetology	$4,800
Fall River Public Schools	Graphic Communications	$16,900
Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical School District	Machine Tool Technology	$50,000
Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical School District	Graphic Communications	$43,992.50
Martha’s Vineyard Regional School District	Health Assisting	$14,000
Medford Public Schools	Engineering	$36,300
Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School District	Automotive Technology	$70,295
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District	Health Services	$42,490
Nashoba Regional Vocational Technical School District	Engineering	$24,148
Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical School District	Drafting	$35,335
Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical School District	Metal Fabrication and Joining Technologies	$43,303
Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical School District	Culinary	$25,000
Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical School District	Horticulture	$21,000
Pittsfield Public Schools	Health Assisting	$12,950
Plymouth Public Schools	Programming and Web Development	$17,288
Salem Public Schools	Culinary	$25,000
Silver Lake Regional School District	Horticulture	$23,747.10
Smith Vocational and Agricultural School	Manufacturing	$39,203
Somerville Public Schools	Graphic Communications	$25,000
South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical School District	Culinary Arts	$25,000
South Shore Regional Vocational Technical School District	Electrical	$33,796
Springfield Public Schools	Early Childhood Education	$24,931.96
Tantasqua Regional School District	Drafting	$23,924
Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District	Engineering	$68,037.50
Upper Cape Regional Vocational Technical School District	Environmental Science and Technology	$61,346
Westfield Public Schools	Programming and Web Development	$25,000
Weymouth Public Schools	Carpentry	$14,277.60
Whittier Regional Vocational Technical School District	Machine Tool Technology	$75,030
Worcester Public Schools	Precision Machining	$94,279

Spring Updates

Hello SSVT community,

The post-April vacation race to the finish begins!  Students begin to take stock of their accomplishments and focus on the tasks ahead of them as we inch closer to the end of the school year. There are plenty of upcoming athletic and social events.  Most notable is our prom, next Friday, May 9th at the Hingham Country Club.

We recently had some great press coverage from our April Credit for Life Fair in the Whitman Hanson Express and in the Boston Globe South section. Our math department, dozens of area volunteers and SSVT retirees once again devoted themselves fully to the event and it was a fantastic experience for everyone!

From Credit for Life to Civics for Life: The early spring also ushers in the country's oldest form of direct democracy in the form of town meetings. Students, while this may not sound as interesting as the Prom, it is a civic activity that I hope you will becoming aware of and begin attending after you register to vote!  

On Monday evening, May 5th, town meetings are being held in Hanover, Hanson, Norwell, Rockland and Whitman.

At each town meeting, SSVT's budget proposal for next year is discussed and voted upon.  

We are also seeking something unique this year: the establishment of a stabilization fund. This will allow us to save money over multiple years for large capital projects. Currently if we need a 'big ticket item' such as a school bus or a milling machine or a boiler, we either have to take on the entire cost in one fiscal year, or we need to borrow for the cost.  A stabilization fund gives us a third option for saving money.

Baseball: I'd like to thank custodian Bob Bunker for his excellent work on preparing our baseball field.  

It was not an easy task, but the finished product rivals Fenway Park! Bob's work is representative of the great work our custodians do.

May 5-9 is Teacher Appreciation Week.  Students and parents, I would urge you to send a friendly note or email to our teachers, counselors, administrators and support staff for the great work they do!

Spring Fling Success:  Thank you to our dedicated parents, friends and SSVT staff members who made the May 2nd Spring Fling a success.  The Parents Association works tirelessly to raise money for school programs and student scholarships.

Keep checking our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to stay in touch!  We will keep you posted on the progress of our SkillsUSA kids at the state competition from this weekend.

Mr. Hickey