HERE - Nashoba Valley Technical High School

NASHOBA VALLEY TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
45 YEAR COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET
MOVING FORWARD SINCE 1969
NASHOBA VALLEY TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL: 45 YEAR COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET
BOOKLET PLANNING TEAM
BOOKLET CREDITS
Dr. Judith L. Klimkiewicz, Superintentent
Denise Page Pigeon, Principal
Nathan Meharg, Design & Visual Communications Instructor
Ann Hadley, Marketing Consultant
Dan Phelps, Public Relations Consultant
WRITTEN BY: Nathan Meharg and Dan Phelps (Introduction by Dr. Judith L. Klimkiewicz)
LAYOUT & DESIGN BY: Nathan Meharg
ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Nathan Meharg and Dan Phelps (Front Cover Photos by Jeff Scheminger)
ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP SUPERVISION: Ann Hadley and Denise Page Pigeon
3D MODELS BY: Nathan Meharg
PRINTING BY: Ledgeview Printing—Westford, Massachusetts
All photos and artwork not property of Nashoba Valley Technical High School used with permission.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
2013—2014 NVTHS DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE
CHAPTERS
4
Introduction
10
1962—1979: In the Beginning
18
1979—1996: Growing Pains
26
1996—2005: A New Direction
32
2005—2014: Expanding Opportunities
38
2014—2059: Reaching the “Neglected Majority”
Ted Januskiewicz (Ayer)
Christine Logan (Ayer), Alternate
Donald Ayer (Chelmsford)
Sam Poulten (Chelmsford), Secretary
Maria Karafelis (Chelmsford), Alternate
Kristian Gentile (Groton)
Charlie Ellis (Littleton)
Carl Melberg (Littleton), Alternate
Al Buckley (Pepperell), Vice Chair
Jessica Cobleigh (Pepperell), Alternate
Sandra Proctor (Pepperell)
Janet Young (Pepperell)
Tanya Clark (Shirley), Alternate
Jennifer Rhodes (Shirley), Chair
Karen Chapman (Townsend)
Sheldon Chapman (Townsend)
Ronald Deschenes (Westford), Alternate
Mark Desrochers (Westford)
Raymond Riddick (Westford)
2013—2014 NVTHS ADMINISTRATION
SPOTLIGHTS
copyright 2014
nashoba valley technical high school
2
The Nashoba Valley Technical High School Campus
6
George Kalarites: Overseeing Growth
9
Robert Walker (Class of 1982)
13
Augustine Kish: In on the Ground Floor
21
Victor Kiloski: A View from Every Angle
22
John MacDonald (Class of 1989)
25
Barbara Whitney: Teaching for the Long Term
25
Matt Ricard (Class of 1995)
29
Steve Whiting: Cooking Up a Career
35
Jennifer Bates (Class of 2005)
Dr. Judith L. Klimkiewicz, Superintendent
Denise Page Pigeon, Principal
Matthew Ricard, Assistant Principal
Jeanne Savoie, Business Manager
Dr. Carol Heidenrich, Director of Technology
Melissa LeRay, Director of Special Education
Gabriella White, Academic/Testing Coordinator
Paul Jussaume, Voc-Tec/Co-Operative Education Coordinator
Bernard McCann, Guidance/Admissions Coordinator
AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO HELPED ON THE BOOKLET
Timothy McDonald, Facilities Manager
Joanna Carpentier, Executive Assistant
Sue Salvaggio, Executive Secretary
Theresa Judge, Student Services Secretary
Derik Rochon, Design & Visual Communicatons Instructor
Jeff Scheminger, Engineering Technology Instructor
Eric Stevenson, TV Media Production/Theatre Arts Instructor
Rebecca Maher, Design & Visual Communications Student
Carl Marzolini, Design & Visual Communciations Student
Megan DeSalvo, Design & Visual Communciatons Student
Tristan Khim, Design & Visual Communications Student
Casey Jones, Design & Visual Communications Student
St. Mary’s Drive
NASHOBA VALLEY TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
CAMPUS & FACILITIES AS OF SEPTEMBER 2014
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6
3
8
1
10
5
11
7
Littleton Road (Route 110)
2
South Chelmsford Drive
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9
4
10
12
1. Original Building : Completed 1969, Renovations 1980, Complete Renovation 2005
2. Early Learning Center : Part of Original Campus, Complete Renovation 2000, Remodel 2012
3. Enclosed Courtyard (Library, Cafeteria, Classrooms) : Completed 1980, Complete Renovation 2003
4. New Wing for Technical Areas and Restaurant : Completed 1980, Complete Renovation 2003—2005
5. Science & Technology Wing : Completed 2005
6. Performing Arts Center & Viking Forum : Completed 2005
7. Electronic Sign : Added 2005
8. Solar Panels : Phase I - 2006, Phase II - 2012
9. Concession Stand : Completed 2007
10.Sports Complex : New Athletic Fields - 2013, Renovated Baseball Field - 2013, Tennis Courts & Track - 2014
11.Lowell Five Drive-up ATM : Installed 2014
12.Dance & Art Studio : Completed 2014
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3
INTRODUCTION
Stated simply, the core mission of a vocational-technical
school is to impart to its students knowledge and skills that
will be valuable for securing, and having success in, future
employment. In order to achieve this goal, Nashoba Valley
Technical High School, like any successful technical school,
must constantly look to the future in order to determine
what sorts of training will still have value in an economy yet
to come.
Though Nashoba Tech is firmly focused on the present, as
seen through the lens of the future, it is also important to
look backwards from time to time. There are many lessons
to be learned from the past; but more than that there is a
valuable sense of perspective that can be gained from
considering history. This book is such a look back.
The very first students of Nashoba Valley Technical High
School walked through the front doors in 1969. In September of 2014, its 45th class of students will do the same.
ABOVE: In 1996, the Nashoba Valley District School Committee selected Dr. Judith L. Klimkiewicz to succeed Frederick Green as superintendent. She has served in that capacity for 18 years, making her the
longest-serving superintendent in the school’s history.
The idea of a regional technical high school in this area was
actually conceived several years before 1969. School officials
and residents from the towns of Chelmsford, Groton, Littleton, and Westford began meeting with the Massachusetts
Department of Education about the matter starting in 1962.
In 1963, the Massachusetts Regional Vocational School Act
was passed, dividing the state into 26 regions and establishing the framework for creating and administering regional
vocational schools. This gave additional structure to the
regional meetings, and expanded the committee to include
4
In the 45 years that have passed since Nashoba Valley Technical High School opened its
doors in September 1969, in-demand skills have changed along with career paths and technology.
Nashoba Tech has adapted, as well; not just to keep pace, but to stay ahead of the changing
landscape in today’s technical and educational environments.
BELOW: An aerial photograph of Nashoba Valley Technical High
School and its grounds, taken shortly following the building’s
completion. Note the open courtyard in the center, which would
be enclosed in the 1979—1980 expansion project. That project
would also add a wing to house Culinary Arts and its restaurant,
Auto Body Repair, Painting & Decorating, Horticulture, and a new
instruction room for Plumbing and Heating.
22 people, who ultimately made a formal public proposal for
the creation of the school that was almost named Tadmuck
Vocational Technical High School.
From those early discussions amongst a dedicated group of
forward-thinking individuals came a technical high school
that has produced graduates who have gone on to attend Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Penn
State, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and many other prestigious colleges and universities.
Professionally, Nashoba Tech graduates have gone on to work for NASA,
build companies that have developed
more than 40 commercial real-estate projects in the Nashoba Valley
area and beyond, and entered public
service jobs in a variety of capacities.
Some graduates have returned to
the school, dedicated to continuing
its tradition of molding young men
and women into responsible citizens,
entrepreneurs, and successful workers
in an ever more dynamic economy.
In the 45 years that have passed
since Nashoba Valley Technical High
School opened its doors in September
5
GEORGE KALARITES: Overseeing Growth
George Kalarites started at Nashoba Valley Technical High School in February
1974 as a groundskeeper and maintenance worker. He retired 38 years later,
in 2012, as the Facilities Manager. In those nearly four decades, he was involved in every major repair, renovation and addition done to the building.
Even in retirement he continues to provide his expertise to Nashoba Tech as a
consultant on major building and renovation projects.
Performing Arts Center and Viking Forum,
and renovate every
classroom and technical program. Following his retirement,
he became a key
advisor to Tim McDonald—Nashoba Tech’s
current Facilities Manager—in the recent,
$3 million project to
build a new athletic
complex, and will continue to consult on the
project to replace a
portion of the school’s
roof in Summer 2014.
ABOVE: George Kalarites in 1979, as a
member of the Nashoba Valley Technical
High School maintenance crew.
Of the evolution of the
facilities at Nashoba Tech Kalarites said, “We had buildings that were built in
1968 and were outdated by 1979. There was no technology. There were no energy-efficient devices. There was no such thing as wireless. There was no such
thing as the Internet. That all came to fruition in the early 2000s. We took a
building that was built to 1968 standards, updated to meet current standards
in 1979, and then we did it all again starting in 2002.”
He was involved in the 1979-80 addition that added the wing that currently
holds the Automotive Collision Repair & Refinishing, Cosmetology, Banking/
Marketing/Retail, Culinary Arts, and Hotel & Restaurant Management programs, and that also added a cafeteria, two lecture halls and the small gymnasium. Then, in 2003-05, Dr. Klimkiewicz named Kalarites Clerk of the Works,
on the largest expansion project since the school opened—the $25 million renovation/expansion that saw the school add a Science & Technology Wing, the
6
Kalarites said that while the school should be proud of those accomplishments,
it should not underestimate the positive aspects of the current upgrades to
the entire sports complex. “Now, we’ve got these fabulous upgrades to the
athletic complex. We’ve got a brand-new track, football-soccer-lacrosse field
with synthetic surface, softball field, baseball field, bleachers, press box and
scoreboard, and tennis courts. As far as I’m concerned, it’s everything you
could want in a high school athletic complex.”
1969, in-demand skills have changed along with career paths
and technology. Nashoba Tech has adapted, as well; not just
to keep pace, but to stay ahead of the changing landscape in
today’s technical and educational environments.. Nashoba
Tech’s history is one of near-constant adaptation; not just to
keep pace with a rapidly-changing world, but to anticipate
those changes and keep the skills its students were learning
relevant.
“For 45 years Nashoba Valley Technical High School has served its
students by providing a comprehensive technical education. As we move
forward into future decades, I anticipate Nashoba will continue to
expand what it offers our students, and more importantly provide the
most comprehensive education possible to help our students prosper, now
and into the future.”
Several of the most sought after technical programs of the
past, like Drafting, have changed so considerably over the
last five decades that they have been phased out. Now, that
program’s skill set is covered by Nashoba Tech’s Engineering
Academy, the only such program in Massachusetts. Students
in that program learn Computer Aided Drafting, the modern analog of drafting, as well as its direct application in the
various engineering pathways. In addition to that skill set,
however, the Engineering Academy imparts to future engineers of all sorts—civil, architectural, geophysical, mechanical, bio-technical, environmental, etc.—vital skills in design,
planning, application, and problem-solving.
Similarly, in a span of 45 years, Data Processing evolved
into Business Automation Technology, which in turn was
replaced by Programming & Web Development. Commercial Art and Printing, both popular programs in the school’s
early years, merged and became Graphic Arts. That program
eventually became Design & Visual Communications, to
reflect the ever more digital nature of the world. The story of
Nashoba Tech is full of these kinds of changes, every one of
them a response to changes in the economic landscape.
- Jennifer Rhodes, Nashoba Valley Technical School District Committee
Vice-chair (April 2011—April 2013), Chair (April 2013—Present)
Even a relatively short look back reveals a remarkable
amount of change. Programs added or updated to meet more
contemporary needs since then are Cosmetology, TV & Media Production/Theatre Arts, Hotel & Restaurant Management, Dental Assisting, Health Assisting, Early Childhood
Education, Banking/Marketing/Retail, and the prestigious
Engineering Academy. Programs phased out during that
period include Upholstery, Painting & Decorating, Horticulture, and Metal Fabrication.
LEFT: One of the original building plans for Nashoba Valley Technical
High School. The entire set consists of over 50 sheets of 30 inch by 42
inch onionskin paper and weighs over 2 pounds. It includes diagrams for
every imaginable component or system in the school.
7
Of course, many programs remain from the earliest days
of the school: Plumbing & Heating, Electrical Technology,
Carpentry, Machine Tool Technology, Auto Repair and Auto
Body Repair. That is not to say, however, that they have not
also changed since Nashoba Tech first opened its doors. Each
of these fields has seen significant advances in equipment,
safety, regulations, techniques, and codes.
This brief history illustrates how Nashoba Valley
Technical High School has grown, not only in terms
of students and programs, but in size and facilities.
The District has not only kept up with those changes, but has
been anticipating new ones that are still only on the horizon.
Those programs today provide our students with the most
up-to-date knowledge and skills—everything they need to be
successful in their chosen fields.
As the vocational-technical landscape changed over the first
45 years of Nashoba Valley’s existence, so has the school’s
physical plant. This brief history illustrates how Nashoba
Valley Technical High School has grown, not only in terms
of students and programs, but in size and facilities.
The most notable expansions —a 65,000-square-foot addition completed in 1980 and a massive, $25 million addition
and renovation from 2003 to 2005. The latter project updated
every program to current industrial standards and added
two entirely new wings, Science & Technology and the 450seat, state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center.
This spring, work will be completed on our Dance and Art
Studio, which will complement our fine arts programs. Those
8
currently include Theatre Arts, Design & Visual Communications, as well as Music, Drama, Chorus, and Band. The
roof will be also be repaired and modernized during the
summer months.
Nashoba Tech student-athletes have not been overlooked
through all this. Athletics help students develop valuable
life skills, in addition to providing regular physical exercise.
Our athletes are now competing in the recently completed,
$3-million Athletic Complex. This facility includes a new,
all-purpose turf football/soccer/lacrosse field, running
track, , lighting systems, scoreboards, four brand-new tennis
courts, and a new softball and newly renovated baseball field.
As Nashoba Valley Technical High School prepares to
embark on its 45th year in September 2014, we hope that
you will take a few moments to read this Commemorative
Booklet to learn a little about the history of Nashoba Valley
Technical High School, how it all started, the great strides
we have made along the way, and where we plan to go in the
next 45 years.
Thank you.
Dr. Judith L. Klimkiewicz
Superintendent of Schools
Nashoba Valley Technical School District
ROBERT WALKER (Class of 1982)
Robert Walker graduated from
the Electronics program in 1982
and immediately started building
an empire.
Walker, then Littleton resident,
then became interested in electrical technology. After graduation,
he apprenticed with an Acton electrical contractor, and earned his journeyman’s license when he was 19. He
started his own electrical business in 1987 and is still operating it to this day.
That, however, is just the tip of the iceberg.
In 1994, Walker started making waves in the real-estate development business; including retail, commercial, industrial, office, hotel, as well as research
and development. Today, he is the principal of Westford-based RA Ventures,
BELOW: At 238,000 square feet, Cornerstone Square in Westford is
one of Walker’s company’s most ambitious recent projects. It is one of
more than 40 properties RA Ventures has developed along 495.
which has developed more than 40 buildings along the Interstate-495 corridor, from Beverly to Falmouth.
“I appreciate everything Nashoba Valley did for
me. The biggest advantage in my career is that it
allowed me to go out and work at an early age.
I always had a driving ambition to go out and
build things, and Nashoba Valley allowed me to
put my best foot forward.”
Perhaps most noteworthy of his recent developments is the 238,000-squarefoot Cornerstone Square complex in Westford that opened in November 2012.
He also developed the Residence and Hampton Inns, both in Westford. He has
also had a hand in developing much of downtown Devens, and owns or has
investements in numerous Primrose Car Washes and several restaurants in
the area.
Walker, who now lives in Westford, says that after graduating from Nashoba Valley he hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped yet. “It’s been a roller-coaster
ride. I appreciate everything Nashoba Valley did for me. The biggest advantage
in my career is that it allowed me to
go out and work at an early age.”
“I always had a driving ambition
to go out and build things, and
Nashoba Valley allowed me to put
my best foot forward. The Co-op
program gave me a chance to get
out and work in my field. This gave
me a good, solid understanding of
what it takes to succeed.”
9
1962—1979: IN THE BEGINNING
The idea of regional vocational schools in Massachusetts is generally credited to Walter J. Markham, who was the
director of the Department of Education’s Division of
Occupational Education starting in 1954. Markham,
previously the director of the Lowell Trade School, was a
fierce advocate of vocational-technical education. He firmly
believed that,“too few people are being trained in schools
for jobs that are open today,” as he said in a commencement
address to the Lynn Trade High School Class of 1963.
Markham began advocating for regional schools in the
late ‘50s as a way to expand the opportunity for technical
training. At the time, the biggest obstacle to the expansion
of vocational education was the variation in the number of
students who “required” vocational-technical education in
any given town compared to the cost of that education. Few
individual communities could afford the extensive—and
expensive—facilities that this kind of education needed to function.
Without a consistent and sizable student body, a
vocational-technical facility was an expense that
few towns could justify investing in. Establishing regional
schools would allow several towns to pool resources and
students while sharing the costs proportionally amongst
themselves. Furthermore, Markham felt, regions that built
these schools would be providing their areas with a large,
skilled labor pool which would attract new industries and
thereby broaden the regional tax base.
Markham’s ideas gained a lot of attention, and interest in his
ideas grew for the remainder of the ‘50s and into the ‘60s.
Then, in 1962, several forward thinking school officials and
citizens from Chelmsford, Groton, Littleton, and Westford
They wanted to explore the potential in this educational
model, and approached the Massachusetts Department of
Education about the advisability of creating such a regional
vocational school in the area. The Division of Occupational
Education, still under the direction of Markham, initiated a
comprehensive study of the suitability of the idea.
In 1963, in the midst of this suitability study, Markham’s
ideas reached the mainstream when the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts passed the Regional Vocational School Act,
RIGHT: Pages from the official report issued by the Chelmsford/
Groton/Littleton/Westford Regional District Planning Committee
on April 27, 1965. The fifteen page document outlines the proposal
for building a Regional Vocational Technical School following the
guidelines set by the Regional Vocational School Act of 1963. The
report stipulates that the new school “shall be located within a one
and one-half mile radius of the junction of Tadmuck Road and Route
110 and within the Town of Westford.”
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“National statistics show that currently almost a third of the
nation’s unemployed are found among unskilled workers and
persons without previous work experience. If an effort is not
made to provide additional vocational training facilities, most
of our youth will find themselves thrown on the unskilled job
market, thus compounding current unemployment problems.
Furthermore, a Vocational Technical School will provide a
skilled labor pool, attract new industry, revitalize our area
and broaden our tax base.” - Excerpt from the 1965 Planning Committee Report
essentially writing Markham’s proposals into law and dividing the state into 26 regional school districts for the purpose
of establishing vocational-technical high schools that served
the needs of the entire state.
The act was created to address the demand for skilled
laborers in such trades as plumbing, electrical, carpentry,
construction and drafting during the home construction
boom of the early 60s. The Department of Education’s study
was released in May of 1964, strongly recommending that a
school such as Nashoba Valley Technical be established.
In accordance with the Act of 1963, each town in an established vocational-technical region needed to agree to be a
LEFT: The building that originally held the
Auto Body Repair, Plumbing & Heating,
and Painting & Decorating programs, all
of which were added in the late 1970s.
The facility was located on Powers Road,
a full mile away from the main campus.
This arrangement only lasted a few years,
as the 1979 expansion plan for the main
building included a new wing which would
house all three programs. This additional
wing would also contain a new restaurant
for the Culinary Arts program, since the
original one was located in a separate
building, at the west end of the main
building grounds.
12
AUGUSTINE KISH: In on the Ground Floor
Augustine “Whitey” Kish got in on on the ground floor of Nashoba Valley
Technical High School. He was part of the original group that planned the
school in the 1960s, serving on the Planning and Building committees. He then
joined the School Committee in 1977, and served the district tirelessly until he
stepped down from that position in 2009.
to be the consensus that some youngsters would benefit technical or trade
education. Some of them needed a place like that to work with their hands
and their heads.”
He served on all three of the School’s Building Committees—the original, the
ones set up for the 1979-80 expansion, and the 2002—05 renovations and
additions—and probably has more institutional knowledge of the school than
any other person.
“They were looking for somebody with a
technical background to sit on the Planning
Committee, and I was a systems engineer
for MITRE. I had graduated from a technical high school in Ohio, and I was interested from the standpoint of having a school
similar the Ohio schools, where you leave
high school with a high school and technical diploma.”
This region, in particular, was seen by
many to be in need of a regional vocational school. “There was a lot of construction going on, and many housing
complexes were being constructed in our district towns at that time. It seemed
Kish’s involvement in subsequent renovation and expansion projects gave him
a good perspective on how the school facilities were adapting to meet the
needs of the students and the labor market. In addition witnessing to the
many physical changes the school has undergone, his more than two decades
on the school committee has given him a valuable perspective on how Nashoba Tech has constantly modified its’ programs to keep up with the times. “I
think the school has done that and more. They’ve changed the curriculum and
moved courses around—cutting some and adding a ton of others—in order to
meet the needs of the student population.”
“They’ve changed the curriculum and moved courses
around—cutting some and adding a ton of others—
in order to meet the needs of the student population.”
He doesn’t expect that process of adaptation
has ended, either. “I believe, in the near future,
we’ll have to look at all the curricula and determine the way we want to move the school in the
coming decades.”
13
LEFT: The original plans for the construction of Nashoba Valley
Technical High School. Classrooms for post-graduate Dental
Assisting and Medical Assisting programs were originally intended
for the second floor of the building, but those programs were never
actually created. The school, as originally designed, had only five
designated academic classrooms. The school, as currently confgured, has 31 classrooms designated for academic subjects.
BELOW: The facade of Nashoba Valley Technical High School’s main
building as it appeared in the mid 1970s. The original proposal for
the school planned on a building that could accommodate around
540 students, about 70 of which were expected to be post-grads.
contributor/beneficiary of the regional school and its resources. That same year, the towns of Chelmsford, Groton,
Littleton and Westford agreed to create a new regional technical high school. A 50-acre lot of land on Littleton Road in
Westford was purchased at a cost of approximately $150,000,
and Nashoba Valley Technical School District was created.
Deciding the name for the new school district was the first
order of business. Among the names considered were Stoney
Brook Vocational High School, Tadmuck Vocational Technical High School, and Suburban Vocational Technical High
School; none of which were ultimately chosen.
Nashoba Valley Technical High School was selected, and on
September 3, 1969, the school opened its’ doors, with Thomas Lafionaitis as the first superintendent. The administrative
structure of the school did not include the position of principal at the time, however Bernholdt Nystrom—officially titled
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Deputy Director—served that function in
practice, if not in name. The school initially
offered nine programs—Automotive, Commercial Art, Drafting, Electrical, Electronics,
Graphic Arts, Machine, Metal Fabrication,
and Mill & House Carpentry.
Word of the kind of education being offered at
Nashoba Valley Technical High School was
getting around, and the increase in enrollment
and course offerings proved that there was a
definite desire for technical education in the
surrounding area.
A year later, in 1970, Community Service Aides
was added, which encompassed the Community
Health Aide and Kindergarten Nursery Aide
programs. The main program area was located
in the main building, but the Kindergarten Nursery Aide section
was located in the Blaisdale House, which the School District
acquired for that purpose. This house, located on the west side
of the Nashoba Tech campus on South Chelmsford Road, is the
building that currently houses the Early Childhood Education
and Care program, as well as the current Early Learning Center.
As the school’s population grew throughout the mid-1970s,
the number of technical programs was increased further.
During those years, the school added Distributive Education, Building & Grounds, Auto Body Repair, Plumbing &
Heating, and Painting & Decorating—the latter three being
housed a mile away from the campus, on Powers Road.
In 1977, the Community Service Aides program changed to
Health Services, and the Kindergarten Nursery section was
phased out of the program. The house where Kindergarten
Nursery program had been located was converted into space
LEFT: Drafting was one of the original programs at Nashoba Valley
Technical High School. Graduates of this program could expect a
career drawing up technical blueprints and plans, like the ones
seen throughout this book. By the early 2000s, the recently created
Pre-Engineering program had made Drafting superfluous, since its
skills and curriculum included large portions of the previous program. It was phased out along with Horticulture, Metal Fabrication
& Welding, and Painting & Decorating.
16
ABOVE: A Vikings football game from the mid-1970s. Through 1979 Nashoba Tech had several active sports programs; football, boys and girls basketball, hockey,
cross-country, cheerleading, and even fencing—which was co-ed. By the mid-1980s, athletics at the school would also include baseball, softball, wrestling, as well as
co-ed soccer and track teams. In 1983 the cross country team went from being males-only to co-educational.
for a new Culinary Arts program and its working restaurant,
The Country Kitchen. Data Processing was also added to the
offerings at Nashoba Tech that year, bringing the total
number of technical programs to seventeen.
Word of the kind of education being offered at Nashoba
Valley Technical High School was getting around and the
increase in enrollment proved that there was a definite desire
for technical education in the surrounding area. The relative
suddenness and degree of this success, however, created new
issues for the school to deal with—problems that the existing
facilities simply weren’t designed to handle.
17
1979—1996: GROWING PAINS
Nashoba Tech’s growth and success throughout the
70s gained positive attention from some of the surrounding
communities. The promise of vocational-technical education, as originally championed by Walter Markham some
two decades earlier, seemed to be delivering. Nashoba Tech,
and schools like it, were proving that it was possible to train
reliable and skilled workers for the future, while simultaneously producing high school graduates.
Discussions with these communities concluded in 1979,
when the Nashoba Valley Technical School Committee
voted to expand the District to include Pepperell, Shirley,
Townsend and Ayer. A large expansion project was also
approved in order to make room for the expected new students; one that would add to the school’s campus, infrastructure, and facilities. For the four new towns, acceptance into
the District was conditional upon each agreeing to help fund
the building project. Ayer refused the buy-in, and ended up
not joining the district at that time.
Adding Pepperell, Shirley, and Townsend nearly doubled the
size of the District, and the student population at the school
LEFT: Nashoba Valley Technical High School as it looked following the
expansion and renovation of 1979-1980. The open courtyard in the
middle was enclosed to house a new library, cafeteria, and classrooms.
Several technical programs, old and new, were assigned space in a
brand-new wing in the back of the building.
ABOVE: The original library was converted into the Conference Room
in the 1979—1980 expansion. The current library was built in the
courtyard of the school when it was enclosed during that project.
Adding Pepperell, Shirley, and
Townsend nearly doubled
the size of the District, and
the student population at the
school was expected to double
right along with it.
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was expected to double right along with it. The planned
building project would expand the building to a size that
could handle the expected higher enrollment numbers,
while providing the opportunity to make some important
changes to the existing facilities.
This expansion would include a wing to house the Auto
Body Repair, Plumbing & Heating, and Painting & Decorating programs—all of which were still over a mile away at the
Powers Road facility. The decision to end that inconvenient
arrangement was, understandably, quite popular.
The fact that a school less than a decade old
needed such an extensive expansion pointed
squarely at the success of Nashoba Tech’s model
of education.
The District also chose to expand the number of technical
programs that would be available to students, so instruction
rooms for new Horticulture and Upholstery programs were
included in the new wing. Before plans were finalized, a new
restaurant—to be named The Chef ’s Apprentice—and new
kitchens for the Culinary Arts program were included in the
designs.
In addition to the new wing, the existing building would
have the courtyard enclosed. The space created wold be used
for classrooms, a new cafeteria, and a library. All told the
project would add 65,000 square feet of new space to the
facility; all of which it would need to handle the new influx
of students.
20
BELOW: A view of the original courtyard from the top of the main
staircase in the lobby. The top of the gymnasium is visible in the
upper-left corner of the windows. The space seen here will become
the new cafeteria when the courtyard is enclosed in 1979.
VICTOR KILOSKI: A View from Every Angle
Victor Kiloski dedicated 30 years to Nashoba Valley Technical High School, acting in several different capacities in that time. He started out as a math teacher in 1979, eventually serving as Math Department chair before transitioning to an administrative role. His first administrative position was academic
coordinator/disciplinarian, and in time was made assistant superintendent/
principal, the position he retired from in 2009. Over his years at Nashoba he
worked under all four of the school’s superintendents, and played a large role
in both major renovation/expansion projects.
Having started his career in a traditional school system—he taught in the Lowell Public Schools for several years before coming to Nashoba Valley—Kiloski
has a valuable point of view when it comes to technical schools in general,
and Nashoba Valley in particular. “Vocational-technical education is more of
LEFT: The dedication
page from the 2009
yearbook, honoring
Kiloski for his many
years service to the
school.
RIGHT: Kiloski in 1985
as a math teacher. He
would eventually become
Academic Coordinator,
then Assistant Superintendent/Principal.
a chameleon than traditional education,” he said. “It has to change with the
workforce. Regional vocational-technical schools have to evolve over time,
and Nashoba Valley has changed as well as any technical school in the state.
Nashoba has to be close to, if not the, leading technical school in the state in
introducing new technical programs.”
“Students who graduated 40 or 45 years ago
wouldn’t recognize the school today. And it
continues to change and evolve. It’s truly a
school that the entire district should really value.”
“The purpose of technical schools is twofold: Students can go directly into the
workforce and into a career environment, or they can go on to continue their
education, and that’s something you can’t get in a traditional high school. It’s
a combination of applied learning and academics. It’s a shame that many cities and towns don’t value the vocational-technical system that Massachusetts
has, because kids can choose whichever path they want, and there’s nothing
better than that. I wish more people would come visit and see what’s going
on at Nashoba Tech.”
“Nashoba has certainly changed with the times. I’m proud of the fact that
they’ve completed an upgrade to the athletic complex, as well. Now all of our
athletes can compete on a field that is the equivalent to a field that professionals play on.”
“Any student who comes from Nashoba
Valley is truly very proud of the school
they’re graduating from. Students who
graduated 40 or 45 years ago wouldn’t
recognize the school today. It continues to
change and evolve. It’s truly a school that
the entire district should really value.”
21
JOHN MacDONALD (Class of 1989)
John MacDonald says he chose Nashoba Valley Tech instead of Chelmsford
High because it seemed to better fit the work ethic he learned from his
father. He graduated from the Plumbing & Heating program in 1989, and
though he didn’t continue in the plumbing field he feels Nashoba Valley prepared him well for the career he did eventually choose. “The school teaches
you how to multitask, with a week on the academic side and a week in your
technical program. It was like two different worlds that you had to juggle.”
“Having started my own business 20-plus years
later, I can say Nashoba Tech gave me a
foundation—to this day—of what the elements
of a successful business are.”
Following graduation, MacDonald joined the U.S. Air Force and served in
Operation Desert Storm (he still remembers being touched when he received
a care package in Iraq from Nashoba Valley). After his tour with the military,
he was hired to start the plumbing department at The Home Depot in Tewksbury in 1993, thanks to skills developed during his Nashoba Valley education. From there, he went to school nights and started working for the Credit
Union National Association (CUNA) as Vice President of Communications.
He received his construction supervisor’s license and started working,
through CUNA, with restaurateur Sal Lupoli; who had a vision to redevelop a run-down mill property in Lawrence. Lupoli offered him a job, and
MacDonald worked with Lupoli for seven years, helping him develop the site
into what is now the highly successful Riverwalk Properties. He also was by
Lupoli’s side when he bought the Hampton Beach Casino in Hampton, N.H.
22
In 2013, MacDonald struck out on his own, starting his own marketing/
public-relations/media-training company called Big Decisions, LLC. He says
his first “big decision” was to attend Nashoba Valley. “Nashoba Tech taught
me responsibility, loyalty and work
ethic. It took the fear out of a lot
of the unknowns, out of trying
something new and tackling a hard
project. The Cooperative Education
program taught me that when you
go to work for somebody, there are certain things you have to do, the basics
of life that really aren’t taught at traditional high schools.”
The value of what he learned in high school went well beyond simply learning the technical skills of any program. “Having started my own business
20-plus years later, I can say Nashoba Tech gave me a foundation—to this
day—of what the elements of a successful business are.”
LEFT: MacDonald in 2014
BELOW: MacDonald in 1989
The fact that a school less than a decade old needed such
an extensive expansion pointed squarely at the success of
Nashoba Tech’s model of education. The project itself forms a
sort of milestone along the road of the school’s development,
or at least the need for it does.
Undertaking such a major project also offered the opportunity to make significant technical improvements to the
existing offices
and program
areas. Nashoba
Valley Technical
High School was
conceptualized in
the early- to mid1960s, and construction began in
ABOVE: The new library, occupying
1968. Technology,
what was once an open courtyard, was
as we use the term
dedicated to Tom Lafionatis upon its
today, was still in
completion.
its infancy in 1979;
but it had already
brought significant changes to both schools and workplaces
since the sixties. It was also clearly growing by leaps and
bounds, both in terms of its sophistication and its impact on
our lives.
In 1981, almost immediately following the completion of the
expansion project, Superintendent-Director Thomas Lafionatis retired after nearly 12 years in the position. During
his tenure, Nashoba Valley Technical High School almost
doubled both its physical size and the number of technical
programs that it offered. The District School Committee
RIGHT: This portrait of Tom
Lafionatis hangs in the library.
selected Bernholdt Nystrom,
Lafionatis’s assistant, to take
on the position of Superintendent-Director of Nashoba
Tech.
The buildings and grounds
of Nashoba Tech changed
little during Nystrom’s 12
years as Superintendent,
with renovation of individual
classrooms and instruction
areas to accommodate new
technical programs being the
only real physical changes.
Nystrom did, however, work hard to expand opportunities
for students in terms of courses offered and extracurricular
options.
Nystrom’s first full school year, that of 1981-1982, saw the
addition of Horticulture as a technical program, although
its creation had been planned for prior to the completion of
the 1979—1980 building project. It’s classroom was located
in the recently completed Auto Body/Culinary wing of the
school, which included a greenhouse that had been part of
the addition. Athletic options for Nashoba Tech students
were also expanded; with new baseball, softball, and track
teams added that year.
23
The very next year, Air Conditioning and Upholstery programs were created—although within two years Air Conditioning would be clustered with the existing Plumbing &
Heating program. A co-ed soccer team was also created that
year, and the cross-country team—which had previously
been open only to male students—was opened to allow females to join. By the time the 1980s ended, a wrestling team
had been added to the athletic opportunities available to
Nashoba Tech students.
A golf team was created in 1991, which would be the last
sport added to the school until the 2000s. That year was
also a comeback for the Building & Grounds Maintenance
technical program, which had been available for a few years
ABOVE: Concept art of the Auto Body/Culinary Arts wing, as it was
planned before the 1979—1980 project. The greenhouse, part of the
planned new Horticulture program, can be seen on the end.
24
in the early 1970s, as well
as a Desktop Publishing
program that was clustered
with the Printing program.
Upholstery was eliminated as
a program, also in the early
1980s.
By the end of Nystrom’s years
as superintendent, the athletic landscape of Nashoba
Tech was very different than
it was in the beginning of the
ABOVE: Nystom in 1985, as
school’s existence. The school
superintendent.
started out with only three
sports teams, all boys-only,
and cheerleading. By the
mid-1990s there were twelve teams, the only team dropped
along the way being fencing-although some sports would
suffer seasons where they couldn’t field a team due to lack of
student interest.
Superintendent Nystrom served until 1993, leaving his mark
on Nashoba Valley Technical High School in the form of
new programs and activities to benefit the student population. As his successor, the School Committee named Frederick Green Nystrom’s as superintendent. Green’s years saw
few changes, to the school or its offerings, and his time in the
position was short-just over three years. In the fall of the
1996—1997 school year, the District School Committee appointed Dr. Judith L. Klimkiewicz to replace him as Nashoba
Valley Technical School District’s fourth superintendent, and
she had her own vision for the school’s future. To realize it,
though, there would need to be some big changes made.
BARBARA WHITNEY: Teaching for the Long Term
MATT RICARD (Class of 1995)
Barbara Whitney began her teaching career in September 1980 at Nashoba
Valley Technical High School after graduating from the University of Lowell
— though she was known by her maiden name of Coppinger back then — and
she never left. When she began, academic teachers taught multiple disciplines, and Whitney taught English, U.S. History, Introduction to American
Government, and General Math. Today, she teaches Math.
Matt Ricard graduated from Nashoba Valley Technical High School in 1995
from the Medical Occupations program (now called Health Assisting). He
came back to the school a few years later as a substitute teacher while
pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Following his graduation,
he served as a probation officer for the state Division of
Youth Services, where he realized that he really liked
working with kids. This brought him back to Nashoba
Tech.
When she began Nashoba Valley was reopening its doors after the first major
addition and renovation, and she was here for the even larger construction
of 2002—2005. In addition to the physical changes, Whitney has witnessed
significant curricular changes at Nashoba Valley, and she believes a technical
education is the right way to go for many students.
“I love it. It’s a balance. There has to be a career pathway that will lead to
college and a way to make money if that’s the pathway you choose. I love
when I run into an old student; whether they’ve formed a business or their
kids have come to the school—or whether they’ve come back to work here.
When the children of graduates come to school here, it means their parents
thought so much of their time and education here that this is where they
wanted their kids to go. That’s exciting.”
In 2001, Ricard was named the school’s Assistant Dean.
He served in that position until 2011, when he was
promoted to the position of Dean of Students.
“When I graduated, Nashoba Valley was what most
people might think of as a traditional vocational-technical school. When I came back six years later to work
here full-time, if found programs such as Engineering
and Dental Assisting. The school then created TV & Media
Production/Theatre Arts; Banking, Marketing & Retail;
and Cosmetology, amongst other. These programs have
become very successful, and the types of student the
school attracts has expanded dramatically.”
ABOVE: Ricard’s senior photo
from the 1995 yearbook.
“Now we have a auditorium and many other state-of-theart technical areas. Because of our programs and classrooms, we continue to
draw quality students, and the school always tries to stay on the cutting edge
of technology. Many of the technological advancements that this school has
had for years are just showing up at other schools.”
ABOVE: Whitney in 1994.
LEFT: Whitney in 2014.
“I wouldn’t have come back if I didn’t think it was a great school.”
25
1996—2005: A NEW DIRECTION
Like most technical high schools, Nashoba Tech experienced a decline in enrollment during the early 1990s. In
1994, the school’s graduating class-who came through the
doors as freshmen in 1990-consisted of 94 seniors. In 1995,
that number dropped to 74. Vocational-Technical education,
including Nashoba Valley Technical High School, needed to
address this dip in interest before it became a trend.
In the lead-up to her selection as superintendent, Dr.
Klimkiewicz made clear her view that the economy and job
market were undergoing fundamental changes; and that
vocational-technical education needed to adapt to this new
reality, quickly. The building boom of the mid- to late1980s—which had ended right before the years of
declining enrollment—was over. This suppressed
job-creation in many fields that had prospered
during those years. At the same time, technology
was making monumental changes in how jobs,
businesses, and society operated.
In Klimkiewicz’s view this trend was not going to stop,
or even slow down, any time soon—and it needed to
be addressed quickly. Through the very nature of the technology driving this shift, things would likely change very
fast.
Skilled engineers, drafters, and designers would be in great
demand to keep the technology train rolling. Coders and
programmers would be needed to develop the complex
operational systems that ran these new machines, as well as
fuel the growth of the then-adolescent internet. Since a large
percentage of these new technologies would center around
providing data and content, especially entertainment, there
would be a demand for professionals trained in how to produce and deliver it.
At the same time, the population was aging, which would
have its own major influence on the in-demand jobs of
the future. Health care would soon become a much larger
portion of the economy, and the demand
for skilled professionals
along with it. Families
would need to devote
more resources to elder
care; with adult sons and
daughters juggling time
to attend the needs of
RIGHT: The first listing of
Pre-Engineering in Nashoba
Tech’s Program of Studies.
both parents and children. The
percentage of families needing
child care would increase. This
time-crunch would also lead to
less time for daily and household
tasks. More demand for service
sector jobs.
Many predictions for the future
of the economy and workforce,
taking these trends into consideration, identified three broad
fields that were set to become
the dominant components of
future job markets: technology,
health care, and entertainment.
It was in these three areas that
Dr. Klimkiewicz wanted to
focus much of Nashoba Tech’s
attention; along with pursuing
a renewed interest in servicehospitality- and care-related
programs.
ABOVE: The plaque commemorating the
completion of the 2002—2005 expansion
project and renovation.
Immediately following her installation as superintendent,
Klimkiewicz set to work reshaping the school to fit into this
new future. School administration, under her direction,
conducted a series of intensive studies into which technical
programs the school could offer that would best transition
students into long-lasting careers in fields that had been
marked for particular attention.
Those programs would then either be created—along with
any facilities and capital equipment needed in order for
27
them to function properly—or, if it was an already existing
program, overhauled and refitted. Since significant technical
advancements would have been made in all of the existing
fields since the last school renovation, sixteen years previous,
this investment in facilities and equipment was going to be
an expensive and complex one.
“This [the Pre-Engineering Program] was the
leading edge of a wave of new or retooled
programs; and a focus on the areas of
technology, health care, service, and
entertainment are plainly evident.”
This was the leading edge of a wave of new or retooled
programs; and a focus on the areas of technology, health
care, service, and entertainment are plainly evident. Between
1999 and 2000—in addition to Pre-Engineering—Banking,
Marketing & Retail, Early Childhood Education, and Dental
Assisting were new additions to the school. Graphic Communications, Health Assisting, and Office Technology were
recreated in updated form out of similar, previously existing
programs.
In order for the Banking, Marketing & Retail program to
have appropriate facilities, a minor building project was
undertaken in 1998-1999. Most of the old Horticulture
program area was converted into a classroom, a retail area
which would be called The Viking Village Mall, and space
for a banking business partner to open a functional branch
As a public school with limited resources, the space and
money to make these changes would have to come from
somewhere, and that meant closing some old programs to
make way for the new. Running simultaneously to the program creation studies was an effort to identify programs to
phase out; based on either declining student enrollment or a
predicted decline in that area’s job prospects in the future.
Though the large building expansion was an important part
of the overall plan, Dr. Klimkiewicz did not want to wait
for the new facilities to start making program changes. The
first of the new programs became available in 1999, when
Pre-Engineering was created. The program was based on
Project Lead the Way—a national educational consortium
that provides frameworks for schools to model in the creation of leading-edge STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs.
28
ABOVE: Original plans for the Performing Arts Center and the Viking
Forum portions of the 2002—2005 expansion project.
STEVE WHITING: Cooking up a Career
Steve Whiting started as a chef-instructor at Nashoba Valley in October 1983,
coming from the position of Executive Chef at the popular Windsor Restaurant in Dracut. He immediately found many differences between the world
of a working kitchen and the high school classroom. “Back then, the Culinary
teachers were always called ‘Mr.’ or ‘Mrs.’ Coming from my background as
an adjunct professor at Newbury
College, I had the students call
all the teachers ‘Chef.’ It brought
more of a professionalism to the
kitchen. And I started making
the students wear uniforms of
the same color to better represent chefs in industry.”
While the changes in attitude were quick to implement, improvements in
the equipment and facilities took a bit longer. “The kitchen equipment was
all used, all Army surplus. It was a complete hodgepodge of different-era
equipment. We were constantly blowing fuses, and we didn’t have good
refrigeration. The equipment we used was no longer being used in industry,
so the kids weren’t using the latest equipment.”
The school restaurant, where Culinary students get to really apply what they
learn, wasn’t much better. “When I came in, the dining
room was old, dark wood. It looked like
a men’s hunting lodge. One hundred
percent of our customers in the dining
room were elderly. We had a $1.50
special dinner every day.” While Whiting
couldn’t initially do much about the
equipment and facilities, he did all he
could to advance the program, “I decided
to change my audience and bring in
businesspeople and have the students learn how to make more up-to-date
types of food.”
It took the $25 million renovation/expansion project of 2002—2005 to
finally modernize the kitchen and restaurant, “the school spent $1 million
on just the kitchen alone. We saw the
old machinery go and be replaced
by new, state-of-the-art equipment
that made it more of a teaching
kitchen with a generous amount
of space in which to teach the kids.
So if a student were to get hired by
the Westford Regency, for instance,
they already know how to use the
equipment. It made all our graduates
more employable.
ABOVE: Nashoba Tech’s restaurant, The Chef’s
“In the renovation, the dining room
Apprentice, as it appeared before the 2002
was completely scrapped. The old,
remodeling project.
dark wood gave way to clean lines,
bright colors and a formal dining
area. Now we have employees from IBM and Juniper coming in for lunch. We
went from making hot dogs and beans to making chicken cordon bleu, which
also made the students more marketable.”
In 2012, he took over the Hotel & Restaurant Management program, working
hand-in-hand with Culinary Arts to lead the school restaurant, The Elegant
Chef. Whiting’s direction helped lead the program to five of the last seven
Best Entrée Awards in the Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce’s annual
Taste of Nashoba competition.
Whiting’s long tenure at Nashoba Tech has given him a strong perspective on
the role of the school in the region, “I’m extremely proud of the school and
all it does for the community.”
29
in. Jean D’Arc Credit Union set up in the space, becoming
Nashoba Tech’s first banking partner.
To make way for these advances, some programs needed
to be closed in order to free up space and resources. Metal
Fabrication & Welding, one of the school’s original programs, was ended. Drafting, another original program, was
absorbed into the new Pre-Engineering program around
2000, since its curriculum was largely replicated by the newer program’s. Horticulture and Painting & Decorating were
phased out over the next few years.
In July of 2002, ground was broken on the
$25.5 million renovation and expansion
project. All told, it would add two new wings
to the existing building, as well as completely
renovate and update all technical program
areas, critical infrastructure, and completely
modernize the academic classrooms.”
RIGHT: In 1999, the new Pre-Engineering program included many of
the skills taught by the Drafting program—especially the Computer
Assisted Drafting (CAD) related components, amongst other engineering
technology skills. Here, a current Engineering Academy student uses a
CAD-generated 3D model to program a computer operated mill to create
a component for a project.
30
Nashoba Valley Technical High School had made some decisive changes by the early 2000s, but it was starting to strain
against the confines of its existing facilities. In 2002, however, another part of Klimkiwiecz’s plan started to pay off.
The District School Committee had accepted the recommendation of Dr. Klimkiewicz in 1999, and voted to expand the
existing facilities on an even greater scale than the project
of 1979. Shortly after, the Massachusetts School Building
Authority approved the school’s proposal for the project, and
agreed to fund nearly 70% of the overall cost. The remainder
would be funded by the district towns. Everything was finally set for Nashoba Tech to take a big step forward.
In July of 2002, ground was broken on the $25.5 million
renovation and expansion project. All told, it would add
two new wings to the existing building, as well as completely renovate and update all technical program areas, critical
infrastructure, and completely modernize the academic
classrooms. The new Science & Technology Wing, at the front of the
building, would have six completely modern science classrooms and associated lab space. There would also be new
technical classrooms for the Electronics/Robotics, newly
renamed Engineering Technology programs. Together, these
would form the core of the cutting-edge Engineering Academy some five years later.
In back, the new Performing Arts Center would be built
behind the gymnasium. Consisting of a complete theatrical
stage area and 450-plus seats in an acoustically sound auditorium, it would be part of the home of the soon-to-be-created
TV Media Production/Theatre Arts program. That program
would also get a state-of-the-art television recording studio,
sound room, and over twenty computer editing stations. The
old Painting & Decorating area would become a workroom
for the Theatre Arts program to craft the sets and props for
their performances.
Connecting the Performing Arts Center to the rest of the
building would be the Viking Forum. This would be a skylit
open space, where workshops, dances, meetings, and receptions can be held. It would also act as a lobby for performances and events in the Theater.
The Auto Body/Culinary Arts wing-the addition built the
1979—1980 project-would undergo some major alterations
to expand Nashoba Tech’s service-related programs. A classroom and salon—which we know today as Cosmo Cutswould be built for a planned Cosmetology program. Instruction rooms would be installed for a new Hotel/Restaurant
Management program. The old Chef ’s Apprentice Restaurant
would be completely rebuilt and updated; emerging from the
renovation project as The Elegant Chef, a thoroughly modern restaurant and bistro.
ABOVE: The Elegant Chef emerged from the renovation project a
completely modern restaurant, both in terms of atmosphere and menu.
The whole project took two-and-a-half years to complete,
and completely changed the school-adding as much new
space as the 1979—1980 expansion. The Cosmetology and
TV Media Production/Theatre Arts programs made their
debut in 2004.
As the new programs settled into their technical instruction
and work spaces, and the older programs got used to new
equipment and classrooms, Nashoba Tech was poised to take
great strides into the future—and it couldn’t wait to see what
it would find there.
31
This image has been altered to simulate the appearance of the finished track.
Nashoba Tech events, athletic games, and functions were being filmed, broadcast, or webcast.
This program was also the hub for a new Drama
club, which has performed major musical productions for
each of the past several years.
2005—2014: EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES
The major changes made during the 2002—2005 renovation
had revitalized the school. The new wings, classrooms, and
equipment had given every technical program a reason for
enthusiasm. New clubs and activities were being rapidly
created, giving students opportunities to further pursue their
interests—technical or otherwise.
A music room, originally planned for by Klimkiewicz in
2002, was the impetus for a newly created Music program;
as well as Band and Chorus clubs. These groups perform at
school events and other functions as well as give their own
seasonal concerts. These acitivties have been immensely
popular; and the 2014 Spring Concert had over 75 students
participating. Nashoba Tech students are also well represented in Tri-M, a music-related analog to the National Honor
Society for academics.
The newly created TV Media/Theatre Arts program proved
to be quite popular with students, and would see excellent freshmen enrollment numbers in every year. A daily
morning news broadcast was created—and more and more
LEFT: The Nashoba Valley Technical High School Athletic Complex will be
fully completed by the end of the 2013—2014 school year. The Complex
includes a new artificial turf field, track, throwing areas for field
events, bleachers, lighting, softball and practice fields,tennis courts,
and a renovated baseball field. The field was finished in time to host
home games in the fall of 2013. The final step, adding a rubberized surface to the track, will be complete just prior to the 2014 Commencement.
These events—which have recently included “Shrek the
Musical,” “Seussical,” and “Grease”—are major collaborative
efforts between many different areas of the school. Band
and Chorus play a large role in these productions, and many
technical programs provide technical assistance. Cosmetology designs the hair and makeup, Carpentry constructs the
sets, and Design & Visual Communications provides tickets,
posters, and programs for the performances.
This sort of collaborative learning project—whether that collaboration is with other programs and clubs in the school, or
with businesses and institutions of higher education—would
become ever more common in the years following 2005.
Some long-time partnerships were strengthened.
One new example of this kind of collaboration: Lowell
Five Cent Savings Bank—the Banking, Marketing & Retail
program’s current on-site banking partner—decided to open
a drive-up ATM on the school campus; open to the public
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It opened in
early 2014. That’s a first for a public school in Massachusetts.
Currently, no area of the school embodies this spirit more
than the Engineering Academy. Organized differently from
other technical programs, the Engineering Academy is a
cluster of the Engineering Technology program, the electronics, robotics, and bio-technology areas. It also includes
a predetermined sequence of science and mathematics
33
LEFT: A member of the FIRST Robotics
team inspects the workings of the
team’s competitive robot. The team
won the Rookie All-Star Award and
a spot in the national competition in
2011.
courses; intentionally designed
to expand Nashoba Tech’s offerings in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics
(STEM) fields.
Modeled on Project Lead-theWay, the Academy’s curriculum
unifies different elements from
all parts of the program, with
the goal of offering the strongest
possible background for entry
into the various branches of
engineering and technology. This also includes many opportunities to work on partnership projects.
Through a partnership with the UMass Lowell, the Engineering program designed, built, and competed with a
solar-powered car in 2008. A little later, the Boston College
Educational Seismology Project, located at Weston Observatory, provided the program with a fully-functional seismograph—which the students are trained to use in order to
identify seismic activity throughout the world.
The original Pre-Engineering program started a FIRST
34
Robotics team in 1999, but it ended shortly after when
membership waned. Nashoba Tech’s current team has had
much greater success in the national program’s annual tournaments. In the 2011 competitions, Nashoba’s team won the
Rookie All-Star Award; and a berth in the FIRST Robotics
National Competition later that year.
These activities have attracted some notice, and recent years
have seen some outside investments being made in the
program. Over the past three years, The Engineering Academy has received grants totaling nearly $200,000.00 from
the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center—to support education in bio-technology. Less than two weeks prior to this
book’s publication,
the Massachusetts
BELOW: A 2008 school initiative to
Executive Office of
modernize all academic classrooms led
Administration &
to the installation of SmartBoards™ in
Finance awarded
every classroom in the building. These
the Academy nearly
boards allow teachers to program
$30,000.00 for its
interactive games and problems for
work in the 2014
students to complete, show videos
Vocational Opporor interactive programs, export the
tunity Challenge.
teacher’s lecture notes in printed or
digital form.
Alongside this boom
of innovation and
productivity among
clubs, activities,
and the technical
programs, have
been Nashoba Tech’s
recent academic
achievements. Each
year, every school
JENNIFER BATES (Class of 2005)
Jennifer Bates graduated in 2005 from the Dental Assisting program and
never looked back. A school-choice student from Methuen, Jennifer came to
Nashoba Valley specifically for the Dental Assisting program. She spent her
senior year, through Dual Enrollment, studying at Middlesex Community College, then transferred to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health
Sciences’ Forsyth School
for Dental Hygienists.
Bates graduated with
her Bachelor’s in Dental
Hygiene in 2008. Today,
she is office manager
for three dental offices:
Dentistry By Design in
Andover, Shrewsbury
Village Dental in Shrewsbury, and Stiles Family
Dentistry in Salem, N.H.
“When I applied to the
Massachusetts College
of Pharmacy, there
were 5,700 applicants
and they only accepted
30. They told me they
LEFT: Bates’ senior
photo and message
from the 2005
yearbook.
accepted me because of my technical education and because I knew
everything about dentistry and had
already been working in the field.”
“I was involved in a lot of things
at Nashoba Valley, and it was a
wonderful foundation to jump-start
my future. I became involved in so
much there, like Student Council and
National Honor Society, being the
student representative to the School
Committee. I got to see all sides of
everything. The more you do, the
better you’ll do.”
ABOVE: Jennifer Bates in 2014.
“Nashoba Valley taught me that if you have something in mind for the
future, don’t stop. Keep going for it. I was a school-choice student, so I chose
to go there, and I chose it because it was a smaller environment, almost like
a family environment.”
“When I applied to the Massachusetts College
of Pharmacy, there were 5,700 applicants and
they only accepted 30. They told me they
accepted me because of my technical
education and because I knew everything
about dentistry and had already been working
in the field.”
35
in the Commonwealth is ranked according to their students’
performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS). Nashoba Tech has been ranked a
Level 1 school—the highest category on the scale—by the
Massachusetts Department of Education for three years in a
row, with a possible fourth in 2014.
Nashoba Tech began
adding Advanced
Placement classes in
2008, and now has
AP classes in all core
academic areas, seven
in total: English Literature and Composition, English Language, Calculus, U.S.
History, American
Government, Physics,
and Biology. Enrollment in both AP
ABOVE: The South Chelmsford Road building that houses
and Honors classes
the Early Learning Center was completely renovated
continues to grow. To
shortly after the 2002—2005 building project. It was
help reinforce critical
remodeled again in 2012. The updated facility provides
writing and language
and ideal working environment for the Early Education
skills, Nashoba Tech
program.
has instituted a
comprehensive, four-year writing program for every student.
Reports continue to show that these skills are essential in
finding, and holding, employment.
With major building finished for the time being, resources
could now be dedicated to upgrading other aspects of the
schools infrastructure and facilities. At the same time, it
36
would be necessary to plan ahead for future improvements
to the school and its programs. Sustainability—in financial,
physical, and environmental terms—needed to be a priority
for the school.
In 2007, the School District implemented a Go Green
initiative, in an effort to increase the school’s financial and
environmental sustainability. This started with the addition
of roof-mounted solar panels on both the main building and
concession stand in an effort to lower energy costs; as well as
initiatives to reduce paper usage. The Auto Collision Repair
& Refinishing program transitioned to more environmentally-friendly waterborne paints in 2008. A second set of solar
panels was added to the main building in 2012, increasing
the school’s energy independence.
In an effort to establish a solid financial future for Nashoba
Tech, the School District voted to establish a second 10-year
Capital Plan in 2006; aimed at keeping the school’s vital
equipment up-to-date. To provide additional support, a
Stabilization Fund was approved in 2010. A framework for
keeping the programs’ curricula and instruction methods
current, Model Technology School and Professional Learning Community initiatives were also implemented.
In terms of facilities, it was important to make sure that they
were suitable for students to pursue their activities and interests—as well as their chosen career. Technical programs could
benefit from some basic improvements that hadn’t found
their way into the 2002—2005 expansion. The athletic fields,
with a baseball diamond from the early 1980s, were in need of
some updating. Also, given the tremendous success of the arts
programs, a new way for students to engage in their interests
creatively would be a great benefit to the school.
LEFT: Plans for the new
Dance & Art studio.
RIGHT: The nearly
completed studio, due
to be completed in
mid- to late-2014.
The Early Childhood Center, in the building on South
Chelmsford Road, was brought back under school management after years of having been under the operation of a
corporate partner. An herb garden was planted just outside
the entrance to The Elegant Chef restaurant, adjacent to the
greenhouse used by the Horticulture Club, in order to compliment the Culinary Arts program.
In the early months of 2014, the school completed a massive,
$3 million renovation of its athletic facilities; at no cost to
taxpayers in the District. This project added an all-purpose
turf field suitable for football, lacrosse and soccer. Around
the field is a state-of-the-art track, new lighting, new bleachers, and a new press box. These, along with a renovation of
the original baseball field and several more new facilities—
practice field, softball field, and tennis courts—would make
up Nashoba Valley Technical High School’s new Athletic
Complex.
The project took nearly two years, partially slowed due to the
necessity of addressing some protected marshland where the
project was originally proposed. In another example of technical program and industry partnerships, much of pre-con-
struction geological work on the project was performed
by Engineering students with donated assistance from the
engineering consulting firm Weston Geophysical.
To expand expressive activities, Nashoba Tech’s new Dance
& Art Studio will be a place where students interested in art,
music, dance, theater, and design can engage their creativity
and hone their talents. The building itself—formerly an old,
unused campus building known as “The Barn”—will be completely renovated through a collaboration of the Carpentry,
Plumbing, and Electrical programs. The Dance & Art Studio
is set to open later in 2014.
So now we’re here, and the question—as it always is—is
where do we go from here?
37
2014—2059: REACHING “THE NEGLECTED MAJORITY”
In September 1985, educator Dale Parnell published a book
titled “The Neglected Majority.” Parnell asserted that the
majority of high school students—as many as 60% of them—
were not being adequately prepared for their futures by the
existing educational system. According to this view, there are
two groups of students who benefit most from the current
system by having the most resources allocated to their education.
The first group is the minority of the “gifted and talented;”
students who will likely be successful no matter where they
go to school, and have less need of extensive resources to
achieve success. The second group is made up of those students with notable learning difficulties, whose need for extra
assistance is quite clear.
In between those two groups is “neglected majority,” students who tend to get ignored as schools focus on the other
two groups. What’s more, those students are often aware of
their plight—and are at risk for tuning out in an educational
environment that doesn’t address their needs. Unless these
students remain engaged at the high school level—getting
sufficient attention and learning skills they see as valuable—
they will fall through society’s cracks and not live up to their
potential.
LEFT: Cynthia Messina, graduate of the Design & Visual Communications
program and Class of 2013 Salutatorian, addresses the attendees at
Commencement. The Class of 2013 had 41 Adam’s Scholars, maxing out
the 25% of a class that the State of Massachusetts allows.
Nashoba Tech’s superintendent, Dr. Klimkiewicz, has been a
strong proponent of this viewpoint for many years. According to her, it is the mission of technical high schools to make
sure those particular students learn the skills they will need
to succeed in the post high school world.
“The neglected majority will continue to be unfocused, unmotivated and unlikely to finish college with anything but a
general degree that will not offer any advantages in obtaining
a job that requires specialized skills. The kinds of jobs that
will be most in demand in the coming economic climate.”
Klimkiewicz strongly feels that a technical education is the
best way to prepare these students for either pathway to
a career—through college or directly into the workforce.
“Either way, these students will benefit from the acquisition
of concrete skills and a work- and career-focused approach
to education.
“A technical education motivates students to find out what
it is they want to do, and focus on that for future career
options,” she said. “If you can create a passion in high school
for whatever it is someone wants to do, it prepares them to
accept the challenges they’ll face in the future when the road
gets bumpy. What drives people in a passionate way enables
them to be able to complete a goal.”
In her view, this leaves Nashoba Tech in an ideal position, as
students entering high school today and in the foreseeable
future increasingly understand that technical skills will be
not simply useful, but vital to their potential employment
prospects. “I frankly foresee a future where technical education will be the preferred type of education for at least 50
percent of students,” Dr. Klimkiewicz said.
She believes Nashoba Tech is well poised to educate and
train the current and future generations of students for the
careers they desire. She praises the work that the staff at
Nashoba Tech has been able to accomplish for a continuous
45 years. “The philosophy of working hard to improve is
evident here, from the School Committee, to the administration, to the teachers and support staff,” she said.
Dr. Klimkiewicz firmly believes that technical schools must
be proactive, rather that reactive, when deciding which
programs to offer students. That is why the school has
phased out certain technical programs over the course of its
history—like Horticulture, Upholstery, Drafting, Painting &
Decorating, and others—and added programs that research
indicates will best prepare students for the most in-demand
career pathways of the future.
“How many school systems are preparing their students for
an economy ten years down the road?” Dr. Klimkiewicz
asked. “How many other approaches to education research
future trends and employment needs many years in advance?
That is what technical education does. The mission is not
about the present, it’s focused on the future. The essence of
what technical education is requires it to look ahead in a way
that other kinds of education don’t.”
This vision, and a matching drive to adapt, are what will keep
Nashoba Tech a valued—if not vital—means of educating
young people; so that they can succeed and thrive in the
world they will find themselves in when they’re finally on
their own. This school will continue to expect more of itself,
and of its students, than we expected of ourselves yesterday.
And it will accept no less.
39
SINCERE THANKS TO THE SPONSORS AND ADVERTISERS
WHO HELPED MAKE THE CREATION OF THIS BOOK POSSIBLE.
GOLD SPONSOR
Nashoba Valley Ski Area
79 Powers Road · Westford, MA 01886
Phone: 978.692.3033
www.skinashoba.com
SILVER SPONSORS
Sacca Electric
63 Jeremy Hill Road · Pelham, NH 03076
Phone: 603.635.3700
Chelmsford Lumber Company
203 Boston Rd Chelmsford · MA 01824
978.244.0222
Congratulations to
Nashoba Valley Technical High School
For your 45 years of success.
Who are we?
Friends of Nashoba is a group of parents, school
leaders, community members, coaches, advisors
and other interested volunteers that work together
to support extra-curricular activities and the
athletic program at Nashoba Valley Technical High
School.
What is our mission?
History has proven many of today’s Athletes and
students involved in extra-curricular activities will
emerge as tomorrow’s leaders.
The mission of the Friends of Nashoba (FON) is to
support the interest and development of Nashoba’s
Future Leaders. By providing physical and financial
support, we will enable our children to strive for
excellence in pursuit of their interests and passions.
Through example and experience, our children will
gain knowledge of the benefit provided by
community, teamwork, and a strong work ethic.
Other Information
• Serving the students of NVTHS since 2012
• Annually granting scholarships
T
ewksbury Country Club is considered
the area’s premier destination for elegant
weddings and is set over 50 acres of manicured
grounds overlooking a nine-hole golf course and
a dramatic stone bridge. It features beautiful
chandeliers, fireplaces, and full service bars for
your guests. We are handicap accessible with an
elevator to upper and lower levels.
1880 Main St • Tewksbury, MA 01876
978-640-0033 x13
[email protected]
www.tewksburycc.com
“Making Neighbors Jealous”
fully insured
Certified installers of
Patios • Fire Pits • Walkways • Retaining Walls
Weekly Mowing • Spring Clean-ups
Outdoor Kitchens • 20yrs Experience
www.GuthrieLandscaping.com • 978-425-4911
SCHOOL STREET
light truck
parts Inc.
410 School Street
Lowell, MA 01851
Tel: (978) 458-6222
Toll Free: (866) 724-6578
www.schoolstreettruck.com
[email protected]
Since 1980, School Street Light Truck Parts has been the premiere
source for new and recycled truck parts. Our knowledgeable staff works
without commission, so their sole priority is getting the customer the
best fit for their needs. We have an extensive inventory of new drive line
parts. Our used parts last longer because 95% of the vehicles we
purchase range in mileage from 1,000 to 80,000.
CRAIG
Graduated Nashoba Valley
Technical High School
in Automotive.
RON
Graduated Lowell
Trade High School
in Automotive.
STEVEN
Graduated Nashoba Valley
Technical High School
Honor Society in Automotive.
THIS IS THE STORY OF
NASHOBA VALLEY TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL.
Since 1969, Nashoba Tech has undergone tremendous changes—as a
building, as an educational environment, and as an institution. The school
that we know today started out as an early experiment in a different kind
of education, one that focused on the future success of its students in the
world of work. A place where skills were as highly prized as knowledge,
and where there existed a genuine will to develop both.
This booklet is about the development that Nashoba Valley Technical
High School has experienced in its first 45 years of existence—how it has
changed in order to keep up with the demands of its mission—and the people and forces that have driven those changes. Nashoba Tech’s story will
also be about—and told through the words of—alumni, past and present
staff members, and others who were closest to these developments. This
long, 45 year road has been a winding one; this is the tale of the journey.
NASHOBA VALLEY TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
100 Littleton Road • Westford, MA 01886
978.692.4711 • WWW.NASHOBATECH.NET
Serving the towns of Ayer, Chelmsford, Groton, Littleton, Pepperell, Shirley, Townsend, and Westford