Blackstone Valley Tech Completes Summer Renovations

Monday, August 22, 2016

GoLocalWorcester Lifestyle Team

Blackstone Valley Tech (BVT) has used the Summer to make improvements to both the school building and the staff that works inside of it.

The facilities staff completed a renovation of the Auto Collision program, replaced a portion of the roof, and constructed a new Engineering Lab and Robotics Lab. There were also a number of maintenance and improvement projects completed including wiring upgrades, cafeteria renovations and flooring maintenance.

This year, the staff had the added project of repairing damage done by a summer lightning strike to the entire phone system, portions of energy management, football irrigation control and the roof solar system.

Along with the improvements to the building, the BVT human resource department, administrators and staff recruited, interviewed, and arranged over 30 promotions and reconfiguration style staff transitions. The new hires include vocational staff, academic teachers and support staff.

“I am so excited to be a part of the BVT family. Everyone is so positive, team based and supportive. I am in awe of the professionalism of everyone in the building – the students especially,” said Elizabeth Grimes, who will be a teacher in the Biology department.

Katie Checca came to BVT as a teaching assistant five years ago and will begin her first year as a history teacher after spending the spring as a long-term substitute in the department.

“I felt like an incoming freshman. I was nervous and excited. I love the people here, so it’s exciting to be back with the friends and colleagues I’ve met over the last five years. I wanted to teach here because it is easy to get involved with the students’ extracurricular activities and you’re constantly encouraged to improve by the surrounding staff," said Checca.

Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School serves the towns of Bellingham, Blackstone, Douglas, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton and Uxbridge.