The school committee confirmed this morning that the budget restrictions on Smith Vocational enrollment are officially lifted. We have received formal notice that the original admission policy will remain in place for the coming academic year. I will be attending next week's board meeting to observe the final vote confirmation.
November 26, 2022
Final supporters
Letter to the superintendent, mayor, and school board committee members of the city of Easthampton Massachusetts.
To all Easthampton residents who are Alumni, future Alumni, parents, and future parents of Smith Vocational High School students. It was brought to my attention that yet again the superintendent of Easthampton along with the school committee members think they can decide the future of our children.
Being an alumnus myself, as well as countless family members and friends, we understand and I’m sure many others understand and agree that Vocational schools are our future. We can also agree that not all students learn and process things equally. Some learn better by studying and reading, while others learn with a more hands-on approach. Vocational and technical schools are designed for those hands-on students and even those that want or need to learn a trade.
Over the years Easthampton has started to restrict the number of students they approve to attend Smith Vocational all in what seems to be an effort to save "money" and by doing so, send students to C-Tech in West Springfield. The C-Tech program is a program that supplies students with only 2.5 hours a day of learning a trade and students being interrupted in their academic classes to be bussed to and from West Springfield.
Those that have attended Smith Vocational know and understand that C-Tech and Smith Vocational offer two very different teaching approaches. Smith Vocational offers a full week of 6-hour days learning a trade and even being able in some cases depending on the program perform and learn skills in a real-life environment and trade off the following week of full 6-hour days of academics.
C-Tech also does not offer all the same programs that Smith Vocational offers. In a money-saving effort, the superintendent would only approve students to attend Smith Vocational if they chose a program C-Tech did not offer. However, now she is refusing to send students to Smith Vocational unless they choose only one of two programs, Animal Science or Agriculture Mechanics. Eliminating plumbing, electrical, criminal justice, and cabinet making from the list that C-Tech does not offer. By doing this, she is saying they don’t want future plumbers, electricians, police officers, dispatchers, and the countless other career paths criminal justice offers for the future of the city of Easthampton. All to save the city "money". Money that comes from our tax dollars.
When the superintendent was asked what her reasoning is, she is quoted saying C-Tech has updated facilities. "Facilities" do not give our children the education and skills. The design of the programs is what supplies the kids with the skills and education needed, not the looks of the facilities.
As a parent, homeowner, and taxpayer, it’s our decision where our children attend school and it's the child’s decision on who or what they would like to be in the future, not the decision of the superintendent, mayor, or any school board committee members.
On the topic of saving the city and taxpayers money, the poor choices the superintendent, school board building committee, and our mayor have made shouldn't fall on the shoulders of our children. They should not be told what or where they should study or who or what they should be.
The poor choices certain city officials have made on the new elementary school project names just a few bad choices that could have saved taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Take for example the football field that our local football program fundraised for and was awarded CPA funds (CPA funds that are tax dollars) to rebuild the field in 2015-2016, only for the city to build a new school on the field. CPA funds of five hundred thousand dollars never mind the one hundred thousand dollars the members and players of the program raised. Building the new school on the newly rebuilt football field left the city and taxpayers to replace the field or refund the CPA.
Let’s not go into details of the lack of planning for the entrance to the new school that lead to needing a roundabout that cost taxpayers an additional million dollars. Those poor decisions alone made by members of the city are now affecting and falling on the shoulders of our children.
Please help me and stand with me to change the bad choices the superintendent and other city officials are making for our children. Let them know our children's futures matter. Let them know it is our choice as parents, and guardians as to where our children attend school and it's up to our children as to whom or what they would like to be in the future, NOT there’s.
Please share with other families and friends in the Easthampton community and sign the petition to allow our children to decide their own future education and allow any student in the City of Easthampton that would like to attend Smith Vocational with NO restrictions or guidelines set by the city of Easthampton
Updates
October 26, 2022
The petition reached 250 signatures this morning. I am drafting a formal letter for the school committee members and will request a meeting to discuss the current enrollment restrictions.
Reached 250 supporters
October 25, 2022
October 21, 2022
I am currently finalizing the formal request for a public meeting with the school committee to address the ongoing restrictions on Smith Vocational enrollment. We are also coordinating with local reporters to ensure the disparity between these vocational programs is documented on the record.
Reached 100 supporters
October 16, 2022
51 Comments
My daughter and niece are Smith alumni, who got wonderful educations, my stepson got his vocational education at CTech… there is a very big difference and I was very disappointed in the situation I wanted him at Smith but he had no choice due to his educational path.
My 2 sons along with my grandsons went to Smith Folk to learn a trade. We do need more plumbers, electricians, carpenters. NOT EVERYONE IS COLLEGE MATERIAL
Our son dearly wants to go to Smith Voc and we think it is a good option for him. I believe that Easthampton students should be able to attend and choose from a variety of programs, and high school freshman rarely know what they want as 14 year olds! C-tech should NOT be the only option,
As a Smith Voc Alumni, I can say that a vocational education was one of the best choices of my life. I am still doing carpentry after graduating 33 years ago. Parents and student NEED choice. A one size fits all approach does not work, especially in education.
I am in full agreement. I support a traditional vocational education. It seems to me that the 1/2 day rotation is far too disruptive for students. It also seems that it would require far more from students in their free/non school time in order to keep them on track to meet the state requirments to graduate.
Smith vocational >
Tech schools are the way to go, not all kids learn the same way!
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Share this petition to help it reach more people.
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The school committee confirmed this morning that the budget restrictions on Smith Vocational enrollment are officially lifted. We have received formal notice that the original admission policy will remain in place for the coming academic year. I will be attending next week's board meeting to observe the final vote confirmation.
November 26, 2022
Final supporters
Letter to the superintendent, mayor, and school board committee members of the city of Easthampton Massachusetts.
To all Easthampton residents who are Alumni, future Alumni, parents, and future parents of Smith Vocational High School students. It was brought to my attention that yet again the superintendent of Easthampton along with the school committee members think they can decide the future of our children.
Being an alumnus myself, as well as countless family members and friends, we understand and I’m sure many others understand and agree that Vocational schools are our future. We can also agree that not all students learn and process things equally. Some learn better by studying and reading, while others learn with a more hands-on approach. Vocational and technical schools are designed for those hands-on students and even those that want or need to learn a trade.
Over the years Easthampton has started to restrict the number of students they approve to attend Smith Vocational all in what seems to be an effort to save "money" and by doing so, send students to C-Tech in West Springfield. The C-Tech program is a program that supplies students with only 2.5 hours a day of learning a trade and students being interrupted in their academic classes to be bussed to and from West Springfield.
Those that have attended Smith Vocational know and understand that C-Tech and Smith Vocational offer two very different teaching approaches. Smith Vocational offers a full week of 6-hour days learning a trade and even being able in some cases depending on the program perform and learn skills in a real-life environment and trade off the following week of full 6-hour days of academics.
C-Tech also does not offer all the same programs that Smith Vocational offers. In a money-saving effort, the superintendent would only approve students to attend Smith Vocational if they chose a program C-Tech did not offer. However, now she is refusing to send students to Smith Vocational unless they choose only one of two programs, Animal Science or Agriculture Mechanics. Eliminating plumbing, electrical, criminal justice, and cabinet making from the list that C-Tech does not offer. By doing this, she is saying they don’t want future plumbers, electricians, police officers, dispatchers, and the countless other career paths criminal justice offers for the future of the city of Easthampton. All to save the city "money". Money that comes from our tax dollars.
When the superintendent was asked what her reasoning is, she is quoted saying C-Tech has updated facilities. "Facilities" do not give our children the education and skills. The design of the programs is what supplies the kids with the skills and education needed, not the looks of the facilities.
As a parent, homeowner, and taxpayer, it’s our decision where our children attend school and it's the child’s decision on who or what they would like to be in the future, not the decision of the superintendent, mayor, or any school board committee members.
On the topic of saving the city and taxpayers money, the poor choices the superintendent, school board building committee, and our mayor have made shouldn't fall on the shoulders of our children. They should not be told what or where they should study or who or what they should be.
The poor choices certain city officials have made on the new elementary school project names just a few bad choices that could have saved taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Take for example the football field that our local football program fundraised for and was awarded CPA funds (CPA funds that are tax dollars) to rebuild the field in 2015-2016, only for the city to build a new school on the field. CPA funds of five hundred thousand dollars never mind the one hundred thousand dollars the members and players of the program raised. Building the new school on the newly rebuilt football field left the city and taxpayers to replace the field or refund the CPA.
Let’s not go into details of the lack of planning for the entrance to the new school that lead to needing a roundabout that cost taxpayers an additional million dollars. Those poor decisions alone made by members of the city are now affecting and falling on the shoulders of our children.
Please help me and stand with me to change the bad choices the superintendent and other city officials are making for our children. Let them know our children's futures matter. Let them know it is our choice as parents, and guardians as to where our children attend school and it's up to our children as to whom or what they would like to be in the future, NOT there’s.
Please share with other families and friends in the Easthampton community and sign the petition to allow our children to decide their own future education and allow any student in the City of Easthampton that would like to attend Smith Vocational with NO restrictions or guidelines set by the city of Easthampton
Updates
October 26, 2022
The petition reached 250 signatures this morning. I am drafting a formal letter for the school committee members and will request a meeting to discuss the current enrollment restrictions.
Reached 250 supporters
October 25, 2022
October 21, 2022
I am currently finalizing the formal request for a public meeting with the school committee to address the ongoing restrictions on Smith Vocational enrollment. We are also coordinating with local reporters to ensure the disparity between these vocational programs is documented on the record.
Reached 100 supporters
October 16, 2022
51 Comments
I'm a Smith Voc alumni and what the Superintendent is doing is absolute crap! We can debate sending them to Smith vs C-tech if the chose a shop c-tech doesn't offer but what right does she think she has to tell our children they cannot chose a shop at Smith that C-tech DOESN'T OFFER???
My daughter and niece are Smith alumni, who got wonderful educations, my stepson got his vocational education at CTech… there is a very big difference and I was very disappointed in the situation I wanted him at Smith but he had no choice due to his educational path.
My 2 sons along with my grandsons went to Smith Folk to learn a trade. We do need more plumbers, electricians, carpenters. NOT EVERYONE IS COLLEGE MATERIAL
Our son dearly wants to go to Smith Voc and we think it is a good option for him. I believe that Easthampton students should be able to attend and choose from a variety of programs, and high school freshman rarely know what they want as 14 year olds! C-tech should NOT be the only option,
As a Smith Voc Alumni, I can say that a vocational education was one of the best choices of my life. I am still doing carpentry after graduating 33 years ago. Parents and student NEED choice. A one size fits all approach does not work, especially in education.
I am in full agreement. I support a traditional vocational education. It seems to me that the 1/2 day rotation is far too disruptive for students. It also seems that it would require far more from students in their free/non school time in order to keep them on track to meet the state requirments to graduate.
Smith vocational >
Tech schools are the way to go, not all kids learn the same way!
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I'm a Smith Voc alumni and what the Superintendent is doing is absolute crap! We can debate sending them to Smith vs C-tech if the chose a shop c-tech doesn't offer but what right does she think she has to tell our children they cannot chose a shop at Smith that C-tech DOESN'T OFFER???