An Academic & Vocational Collaboration
Our teachers often say that nothing is more rewarding than seeing their students engaged, both in academic classrooms and vocational shops, as they develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to succeed in their chosen fields. It’s no surprise that when opportunities for collaboration arise, our staff and students eagerly embrace them.

Marking an Inaugural Milestone 
We proudly celebrated the graduation of 62 students from our adult education programs, recognizing the inaugural graduating class of the Blackstone Valley Technical Institute (BVTi). The ceremony marked an important milestone.

Summer Projects Are Underway!
The Last Day Wave is an annual tradition that marks the end of a successful school year and the beginning of our summer projects. While students and teachers enjoy a brief respite, our administrators, support staff, and the facilities team will tackle numerous tasks, projects, and routine maintenance during the eight-week summer break.
 

Our Skilled Students Assist the Calvinist Cadet Corps 
Sophomores in our Painting & Design Technology program recently had the opportunity to design, print, and install a custom trailer wrap for the Calvinist Cadet Corps. The non-denominational youth ministry organization often serves as a church-based alternative to traditional scouting.

Congratulations, Class of 2026!
The Class of 2026 Commencement Ceremony was held at the DCU Center in Worcester on May 26. The evening ceremony celebrated the accomplishments of its graduates with all the pomp, pageantry, and pride they so richly deserve

6th Annual Career Signing Day 
Our Cooperative Education Program (Co-Op) held its 6th annual Career Signing Day on May 15th. The ceremony recognized the senior Co-op and career placement students, who proudly announced their career or military plans and signed a commitment letter to work with their employer after graduation.

2026 National Gold Council of Excellence Award Recipient
We're proud to be recognized by the National Association of Student Councils as a 2026 National Gold Council of Excellence. Kudos to our Student Council Executive Board members, whose consistent work contributed to this prestigious award. 

BVT Named a 2025-26 PLTW Distinguished School
The hard work and continued dedication of students and staff at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (BVT), has once again earned national recognition from the nonprofit organization Project Lead the Way (PLTW).

Tee Your Golf Ball High...
...then let it fly at our 27th Annual Golf Tournament on Monday, June 8th, and Tuesday, June 9th, at Highfields Golf & Country Club. It’s a great opportunity to hit the links and show off your skills while playing 18 holes on their beautiful championship course. Spend a fun-filled day or two on the greens and help raise money for a great cause.

 A Passionate Advocate for the Skilled Trades 
Join us in proudly recognizing our 2026 MAVA Outstanding Vocational Technical Student. This outstanding student, whose academic, vocational, and extracurricular achievements and contributions at BVT and beyond warrant this incredible recognition. Congratulations!  

Evening Performance Celebrates Diversity Through Music
Join us at a Concert for All on Tuesday, June 2nd at 7:30 p.m. Our Band & Choir, conducted by Dr. Colton Cox, will showcase its musical talents. The ensembles will perform a diverse selection of music spanning genres from folk and classical to pop and movie soundtracks, and incorporate singing in multiple languages.

Evan Griffin of Hopedale and Justin Fransen of Upton
We are proud to announce that Evan Griffin of Hopedale and Justin Fransen of Upton are the recipients of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Award of Academic Excellence. 

Tours Available for Prospective BVTi Students
Adults (18+) and recent high school graduates interested in launching a career in the skilled trades are invited to attend the Blackstone Valley Technical Institute (BVTi) Open House on Wednesday, May 6, at 6:00 p.m. Meet BVTi staff, tour training spaces, speak with instructors, and explore 200-hour, hands-on training programs in HVAC, plumbing, welding, CNC machine operation, and electrical. 
 

BVT Celebrates 20 Graduates at Pinning Ceremony
Our Practical Nursing program is designed to prepare adult students with foundational skills for a nursing career. The Practical Nursing Class of 2026 graduated on February 2nd. The ceremony, which signifies a rite of passage from novice student to practical nurse, celebrated the twenty new nurses who have demonstrated readiness to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam. 

Earn Opportunities to Advance Career Training at MA State Colleges or Universities
The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship is a merit-based program that provides free tuition at a Massachusetts state college or university. Seventy-three of our seniors are the proud recipients of this scholarship. Congratulations, Adams Scholars!

Maintaining Our Campus with Care & BVT Pride
Many of our graduates, over the years, have shared fond memories of learning to wield the tools of their trade through meaningful school assignments and completing various tasks throughout our campus and district towns. These experiences allow them to master their skills and create a professional portfolio while in high school. As educators, we’re thrilled to see our alumni utilizing their skills to enhance our school community and the world around them.

BVTi Opens its Doors After Hours to Empower Adult Learners
Whether you're a working professional seeking to advance your career through hands-on technical training or trying a new hobby for personal enrichment, BVTi’s course offerings are designed to meet a wide range of goals. Programs are engaging, practical, and, most importantly, accessible. If you're ready to Explore, Experience, Excel, let us help you take the next step in your professional or personal journey.

Enjoying Our Energy-Efficient Equipment
At BVT, every new piece of equipment is more than just an upgrade—it's an opportunity to learn, innovate, and grow. Thanks to a Healthy Meals Incentives grant from Action for Healthy Kids, our Food Services program is now equipped with a state-of-the-art walk-in cooler/freezer that’s tailored to our unique needs. This energy-efficient unit not only boosts safety and efficiency in our kitchen but also allows us to store fresh, local ingredients that support healthier meals for our students. See how the benefits of this grant go beyond the cafeteria...

Healy-Driscoll Administration Awards CTI Grants
The CTI grant program partners with Career and Technical Education schools like ours to provide adult learners, especially unemployed and underemployed individuals from underserved populations and underrepresented groups, with career training and technical skills to meet the needs of Massachusetts employers. This $1,040,000 grant will allow us to deliver high-quality CTE to adults interested in upskilling and retraining, provide skilled labor to the local workforce, and generate non-taxpayer revenue to help fund the school.

Summer Projects Have Begun 
The Last Day Wave is an annual tradition at BVT. It signifies that another successful school year has come to a close, and a productive summer of addressing proposed projects has begun. While students and teachers enjoy a brief respite, our administrators, support staff, and the facilities team tackle numerous tasks, projects, and routine maintenance during the seven-week summer break.

Congratulations, Class of 2025!
The Class of 2025 Commencement Ceremony was held at the DCU Center in Worcester on May 29th. The evening ceremony celebrated the accomplishments of its graduates with all the pomp, pageantry, and pride they so richly deserve.

5th Annual Career Signing Day Held at BVT 
Our Cooperative Education (Co-Op) program held its 5th annual Career Signing Day on May 27th. The ceremony recognized our senior Co-Op and career placement students, who proudly announced their career or military plans and signed a commitment letter to work with their employer after graduation.

BVT Named a 2024-25 PLTW Distinguished School
While some actions, like a roll of the dice, have a statistical probability of repeating outcomes. It is hard work, along with the collective and continuous effort of our students and staff, which has resulted in national recognition year after year from the nonprofit organization Project Lead the Way.

2025 National Gold Council of Excellence Award Recipient
We're proud to be recognized by the National Association of Student Councils as a 2025 National Gold Council of Excellence. Meet our Student Council Executive Board members, whose consistent work contributed to this prestigious award. 

Our Students Use Skills to ‘FUSe’ Connections
Thanks to a recent partnership with the Friends of Upton Seniors (FUSe), some of our skilled students use their vocational skills to ‘FUSe’ connections within our community while assisting this non-profit organization with a logo and a tri-fold brochure.

Our Outstanding Vocational Student is a Passionate Advocate for the Skilled Trades 
Join us in proudly recognizing our 2025 MAVA Outstanding Vocational Technical Student. She is an outstanding student whose academic, vocational, and extracurricular achievements and contributions at BVT and beyond warrant this incredible recognition. Congratulations!  

BVT Has a New Superintendent
For the first time in 31 years, we are proud to announce that, effective July 1st, Assistant Superintendent-Director/Principal Mr. Anthony E. Steele II will become the next Superintendent-Director, making him the fourth leader in Blackstone Valley Tech's history. With a three-year agreement, he will take over for Dr. Michael F. Fitzpatrick, who will retire at the end of June. We’re excited about Steele’s leadership and vision for the future.

Dylan Leeds of Northbridge and Jayden Quang of Millbury
We are proud to announce that Dylan Leeds of Northbridge and Jayden Quang of Millbury are the recipients of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Award of Academic Excellence. 

See How Toshiba Grant Funds Enhance Skill Development
We're the proud recipient of a $3,390 STEM grant from the Toshiba America Foundation. See how we have used the supplemental funds to purchase an oscilloscope training board and ten oscilloscopes for our Engineering & Robotics program. The equipment is necessary to enhance students' understanding of circuit board functions and teach them how to adjust waveforms to produce desired outcomes.

Honoring Distinguished Accomplishments in Career Technical Education 
We are proud to recognize Chris Joiner and the many accomplishments and contributions that have led to the nomination for this distinguished recognition. Congratulations!

Your Investment is Integral to Our Continued Success
The Budget Subcommittee has seized every resource and examined every opportunity for cost savings to enhance and protect district taxpayers' investment and develop a plan worth supporting. A public hearing will be held at BVT on March 13, 2025, beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria, 65 Pleasant Street, Upton, MA. It is an opportunity for residents to consider the proposed FY26 Budget, which puts needed resources behind supporting student success. 

We feel like proud parents when our students reflect on their time with us and articulate how much they have grown. Take a moment to read Trading Traditional for Exceptional by Zabel DerKosrofian and be inspired to share your story with the world. 

To help students evaluate career options, our Career Enrichment team held its 2nd Day with Industry Experts on December 18th. The event, by design, allows juniors actively career planning and seeking jobs to hear and talk with various business and industry leaders and learn more about their professional experiences, credentials, further education, and the day-to-day realities of their full-time employment.

BVT Celebrates 15 Graduates at Pinning Ceremony
Our Moonlight Program in Practical Nursing is a 60-week program that prepares adult students with foundational skills for a nursing career. The Practical Nursing Graduation for the Class of 2025 was held at BVT on January 27. The ceremony, which signifies a rite of passage from nursing student to nurse, celebrated the fifteen new nurses who have proven they're ready to take the National Council Licensure Examination-Practical Nurses exam.

78 Seniors Earn Option to Advance Career Training at MA State College or University
The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship is a merit-based program that provides free tuition at a Massachusetts state college or university. Seventy-eight of our seniors are the proud recipients of this scholarship. Congratulations, Adams Scholars!

Bridging the Gap with Honest Conversations
Working to continually improve our positive school culture and we often welcome guest speakers to campus to inspire our students and staff. With a story and perspective that applies to all of us, whatever we are going through, we invited Kaleb Joseph on September 4th to spark an honest conversation with our students in peer-to-peer engagement.

Congratulations, Mr. Brian Rhodes!
We're so proud of Mr. Brian Rhodes, who was recently named the 2024-25 National PLTW Engineering Teacher of the Year. This award recognizes educators from a nationwide pool of nominees who exhibit exemplary leadership and are committed to expanding STEM access while empowering students to develop key transportable and technical skills. Mr. Rhodes has earned this distinction for his work in the PLTW Engineering pathway.

Seniors 'Commended' in the National Merit Scholarship Program
We're so proud of our Commended Students! Dylan Leeds and Lacey Coffman have been named Commended Students in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. They were recognized during the October school committee meeting and received a Letter of Commendation from the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®), which conducts the program. Congratulations!

Our Superintendent-Director Plans to Retire at the End of The 2024-25 School Year
Dr. Michael F. Fitzpatrick, a highly esteemed and nationally recognized leader in vocational-technical education, has been a cornerstone of our school district since 1994, serving as the superintendent-director. His remarkable career, which includes significant advancements and achievements, has left a proud and profound mark. He has announced his plans to retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year, marking the end of an era.

National Defense University International Fellows Tours School
​​​​​​​The National Defense University in Washington, D.C., provides senior international civilian and military leaders with graduate learning opportunities. Its International Fellows program is a one-year intensive program focused on educating, inspiring, and developing national security leaders. As part of their studies, the International Fellows Class of 2025 visited Upton, MA, on September 25th to better understand the American education system.
 

Thanks to generous donations, we have new tools
Our music program is thankful for recent instrument donations from Burkart Flutes and Piccolos as well as the in-kind donations of a saxophone and French horn from Hungry for Music. The additional support is “instrumental” in growing and ensuring a sustainable program that strives to increase equitable access to a broader range of musical tools and instruments for all our students.

Mentoring the Next Generation of Tradesperson
During her senior year on Co-Op, Julia Saksa of Northbridge (Electrical, Class of 2024) had a unique opportunity to work with owner and Master Electrician, Tom Kuik (Electrical, Class of 1982), on a special project for the Northbridge Fire Department. This involved repairing and rewiring an antique fire alarm control panel, which is still a crucial component of the firehouse’s alarm system.

Acknowledging Academic & Vocational Achievement
The Commendation List for the third trimester of the 2023–2024 school year has been released.

Our Annual Budget and Bond Request 
This spring, our annual budget and bond for major roof repairs sought approval from its 13 sending towns at the town meeting and, in some cases, at the town election. The FY25 annual budget earned unanimous support from its District towns. While the bond for major roof repairs received unanimous support, a debt exclusion ballot action is pending in the town of Douglas on July 30 and in Millbury on September 3.

Named a 2023-24 PLTW Distinguished School
It’s not luck; it's hard work. Year after year, the collective effort of our students and staff has resulted in national recognition from the nonprofit organization Project Lead the Way (PLTW). We are proud to be named a 2023-24 PLTW Distinguished School for the seventh consecutive year, a testament to our shared commitment and dedication. 

165 Medals Earned at SkillsUSA Competitions in 2024  
Our students proved their vocational-technical ability at the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, June 24th – 28th. The event is the world's largest showcase of career and technical education students. Students work against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting, and culinary arts.

Our Summer Projects Are Underway 
It was a perfect morning to be outdoors. On June 14, teachers, administrators, and support staff at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (BVT) gathered under a blue sky to say goodbye to students as the last buses of the school year rolled out. The annual send-off marks the official start of summer at BVT, with smiles and waves before teachers and students embark on their sabbatical.

Acknowledging Academic & Vocational Achievement
The Commendation List for the second trimester of the 2023–2024 school year has been released.